Brooks Nader Struggle With Self Confidence

Brooks Nader, a 28-year-old Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model and former “Dancing With the Stars” contestant, has gotten pretty candid about her struggles with body image. As a reality TV star on “Love Thy Nader,” she’s faced both public scrutiny and family concern about her relationship with weight loss medications.

Brooks Nader’s self-confidence issues pushed her toward GLP-1 weight loss drugs, and she’s still figuring it all out under the relentless pressure of the modeling world. “I’m still working on my self-confidence and just my journey with that every day,” Nader told Us Weekly in November 2024.

She explained that her career means squeezing into strict measurements for jobs in Paris and Milan. “There are requirements I don’t meet,” she admitted, acknowledging the industry’s tough standards.

Her sisters got so worried about her GLP-1 use that they staged an intervention on episode 7 of their reality show. They found what Mary Holland Nader called “an excessive pile of needles and bottles” from different doctors and pharmacies.

Brooks says her medication use is a “learn as you go situation.” She admits to having “an unhealthy relationship with weight and food because of the industry.”

Key Takeaways

• Brooks Nader uses GLP-1 weight loss drugs mainly because of self-confidence struggles and the modeling industry’s body standards.
• Her sisters found a concerning amount of medication supplies and held an intervention over her usage.
• Nader admits to an unhealthy relationship with weight and food but keeps using the medications while working on her self-confidence.

Brooks Nader’s Self-Confidence Struggles and Reasons for Using Weight Loss Drugs

Brooks Nader’s ongoing battle with self-confidence led her to lean on GLP-1 weight loss drugs. She calls them a “crutch.” Her struggles come from the modeling world’s pressure to lose 30 pounds, tricky family dynamics on “Love Thy Nader,” and deep-seated body image issues.

Impact of the Modeling Industry and Societal Pressure

The modeling industry’s brutal standards shaped Brooks Nader’s relationship with weight loss drugs. When she couldn’t book jobs early on, she actually asked her agency for client feedback.

“The direct feedback was I needed to lose 30 pounds,” Nader revealed. She didn’t break down about it—she just focused on getting the weight off.

Career Timeline:

• 2017: Left Tulane University scholarship to go after modeling
• 2019: Won Sports Illustrated Swimsuit open casting call
• Beat 10,000 other applicants for the spot

Nader started with hand-modeling gigs before landing bigger campaigns. Eventually, her agency was the same one that represents Gigi and Bella Hadid.

“The facts are that when I started GLP-1, my career took off,” she admitted. “I lost 30 pounds, and I booked all the jobs.”

That connection between the meds and her career created a cycle. Losing weight brought work, which made her even more dependent on the drugs.

Role of Family and Public Perception

Nader’s family realized how deep her drug use ran while filming “Love Thy Nader.” Her sisters found her nearly unconscious in a bathtub, which led to an intervention about her eating habits.

On episode 7, Nader explained her routine. “I typically micro-dose GLP-1, this weight loss drug,” she said. “But now, since I have Maxim coming up, I’m upping my dose because I want to be extra snatched.”

Her sisters staged an intervention after finding a basket of needles. The reality show exposed her risky relationship with the medication to the world.

Public Response:

• Viewers reached out sharing similar struggles
• People privately admitted feeling shame about GLP-1 use
• Fans called it their “crutch” too

“I had so many people reach out to me saying, ‘I’m also addicted to GLP-1,'” Nader shared. The stigma around these drugs kept others silent, but her openness started conversations.

Personal Reflections on Self-Esteem and Body Image

Brooks Nader still wrestles with self-worth despite her success. At 28, she says her confidence issues are a daily thing.

“I’m still working on my self-confidence and just my journey with that every day,” she said. That daily battle shapes her choices about medication use.

She knows the drugs aren’t healthy for her. “I’m still on it. It’s a crutch for me, too. It’s not healthy. I should get off it,” she admitted.

Her Body Image Journey:

• Started: Needed to lose weight for bookings
• Current: Still uses drugs despite knowing the risks
• Future: Wants to stop but struggles with dependence

Her symptoms have gotten worse over time. She increases doses before shoots, prioritizing her look over her health.

She’s open about cosmetic procedures too. Brooks has had a nose job, veneers, and injectables, even salmon sperm facials.

“If you want to do something to make you feel more beautiful, you should do it,” she says. That belief keeps her using drugs, even when she knows better.

Weight Loss Drugs in Brooks Nader’s Journey: Types, Usage, and Health Effects

Brooks Nader has used two main types of weight loss meds—Ozempic and GLP-1 drugs. Both caused serious side effects and led to what she calls an addiction. Her sisters found piles of needles and medication, which led to a 2025 intervention.

Introduction to GLP-1 Medications and Popular Options Like Ozempic

GLP-1 medications are meant to help manage diabetes by controlling blood sugar and appetite, but they often cause weight loss. They’re not supposed to be casual diet aids.

Brooks tried both Ozempic and other GLP-1 meds. She started with Ozempic when it was trending. “I took, like, a little bit when it first came out, and everyone was doing it,” she told Us Weekly in December 2024.

During Dancing with the Stars in 2024, she had to stop using Ozempic. “It made me really nauseous,” she explained. She couldn’t juggle both the meds and the intense dance schedule.

After the show, she switched to other GLP-1 drugs. She still uses them, even knowing the risks.

Dosage, Side Effects, and Intervention Experiences

Brooks Nader dealt with some nasty side effects from weight loss drugs. When she upped her GLP-1 dose before a Maxim cover shoot to look “extra snatched,” things got dangerous.

Major side effects included:

• Extreme nausea
• Trouble staying awake in the bathtub
• Nearly fainting during workouts
• General weakness and fatigue

Her three sisters—Grace Ann, Mary Holland, and Sarah Jane—found her stash of needles and bottles. They staged an intervention during “Love Thy Nader” in 2025.

“I know my sisters are coming from a place of love,” Brooks said on the show. She admits the drugs have become “a crutch” for her. “I’m still on it. It’s a crutch for me, too. It’s not healthy. I should get off it,” she told Bustle in November 2025.

Industry Influence and Widespread Use of Weight-Loss Drugs

The modeling industry nudged Brooks Nader toward weight loss drugs. Her agency told her she needed to lose 30 pounds to book jobs. “The direct feedback was I needed to lose 30 pounds,” she told Bustle.

After starting GLP-1 meds, her career totally changed. “I lost 30 pounds, and I booked all the jobs,” she said. Her career took off after the weight loss.

Nader noticed the secret but widespread use of these drugs at industry events. At parties and fashion shows, she’d see people who’d suddenly lost a ton of weight. “I’m sick of being at cocktail parties or fashion events where someone I knew six months prior had lost a random 80 pounds,” she told Us Weekly in August 2025.

People lied about their weight loss drug use. They’d say they were “just working out.” That dishonesty frustrated Nader, so she decided to be honest about her own medication use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Brooks Nader’s story with weight loss drugs shines a light on the bigger struggles in the modeling world. Here are some questions that come up when you look at the messy intersection of self-confidence, industry pressure, and medication.

What underlying factors may contribute to a model’s battle with self-confidence issues?

The modeling industry piles on the pressure with strict physical requirements. Models have to fit exact measurements for jobs in Paris and Milan.

Brooks Nader explained that jobs require her to “fit into a certain standard and a certain measurement.” Brands measure hips and other body parts before hiring.

This constant scrutiny chips away at self-esteem. Models get rejected for their looks, not their skills or personality.

The competition is fierce. One model’s rejection is usually another’s acceptance—based on body size alone.

How can public perception impact a model’s choice to use weight loss medications?

Public attention on models’ bodies adds stress beyond what the industry requires. Social media and fashion magazines pick apart every detail.

Models like Nader have to keep up their image everywhere. Their careers depend on public approval of how they look.

The fear of losing work makes some models go to extremes. Nader said if you say no to the requirements, “they’re just going to pick someone else.”

Public criticism only deepens self-doubt. Some models turn to medications to meet both industry and public expectations.

What are the potential risks associated with the use of weight loss drugs in the fashion industry?

GLP-1 meds can get dangerous if misused. Nader’s sisters found her “nearly unconscious in the bathtub” after she hadn’t eaten for too long.

Getting meds from multiple doctors makes things riskier. Mary Holland Nader said they found supplies from “different doctors” and “different pharmacies.”

Too much use without proper medical advice is a recipe for trouble. The family intervention uncovered “concerning” amounts of medication and needles.

Mixing weight loss drugs with extreme diets can cause real emergencies. Nader’s episode during a workout class showed just how bad it can get.

In what ways does societal pressure influence individuals in the modeling profession regarding body image?

Society expects models to be the picture of perfection. That goes beyond work—it seeps into self-worth and ideas of success.

Grace Ann Nader said, “Brooks puts an unrealistic amount of pressure on herself in order to maintain her appearance.” Sometimes, the self-imposed stress is even worse than what the industry demands.

Social media just makes it harder. Models are always visible, always judged, even off the clock.

The fashion world mirrors society’s obsession with thinness and beauty. Models end up as symbols of these ideals, not just people with jobs.

Can you explain the psychological effects that lead to the consideration of weight loss drugs?

Self-confidence issues often spark a cycle where people lean on outside fixes. Brooks Nader openly admitted her “struggle with self-confidence,” which nudged her toward trying weight loss drugs.

Models, in particular, may wind up with an unhealthy relationship with food and weight. Nader herself said she developed “an unhealthy relationship with weight and food because of the industry.”

These drugs can turn into a psychological crutch, not just a medical tool. Nader flat-out called the medications her “crutch” during interviews.

Honestly, the fear of failing professionally keeps some folks hooked, even when they know the health risks. For many in modeling, the quick career boost seems worth more than worrying about their long-term well-being—at least in the moment.

What support mechanisms are available for models facing self-confidence and weight management challenges?

Family intervention can be a real game changer during rough patches. For instance, Nader’s three sisters once staged an intervention after they found out about his excessive drug use.

Professional counseling steps in to tackle the psychological stuff head-on. It’s not just about symptoms—mental health support digs into the root causes, which honestly makes all the difference.

Some industry organizations are finally waking up to these issues. A few agencies now offer resources for models struggling with body image or eating concerns, and it’s about time.

Medical supervision helps keep things safer when medications are involved. Good healthcare oversight can stop the misuse of weight loss drugs before things spiral.

Crisis hotlines are there for urgent support, no waiting around. The National Eating Disorders Association even runs a helpline—just dial 988 if you need someone to talk to.