Justin Verlander's wife, Kate Upton, landed her first major break after featuring on the cover of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition at just 19 years old. Since then, she attracted a lot of fame, both positive and negative, as some detractors commented on her body, which took a serious toll on her mental health.
In a candid interview for the Skimm’s podcast "Skimm’d from The Couch" in August 2024, Upton shared the mental toil she was subjected to following her first cover appearance on the legendary magazine. The public perception - both negative and positive - just became too overwhelming for her.
"It was not great," Upton said. "A lot of [the attention] was negative, and even the positive stuff was really creepy."
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The aftermath also saw several news outlets and tabloids discussing whether Upton was "fat." The constant commentary left Upton feeling deeply insecure.
"I took [all the criticism] in, and it was all around me," she said. "It got to me so much. I was in a very dark and twisted place."
At the time, Upton was unreachable and even her family's support couldn't help her come out of the bad state.
"I hated myself," Upton added. "I was really wondering why I would expose myself to this kind of criticism. I don't want to be exposed to stuff like this."
Criticism led Justin Verlander's wife Kate Upton to explore more about bodies
Instead of getting emotionally drained by hearing the constant commentary around her body, Kate Upton used it as motivation to learn more about her body. She started seeing fitness as a way to gain strength than means to lose weight.
"I decided I needed to learn about our bodies," Upton said in the same interview. "I wanted to know what it was all about. Why are we working out? Not to get skinny, 'cause that couldn't motivate me anymore. Because I was just dead inside on that subject."
Her further thoughts on the topic eventually led her to the creation of Strong4Me Fitness with her trainer Ben Bruno. It is a 12-week fitness program designed for individuals who can exercise at home.
Upton also wants her platform to empower and make women feel confident about themselves.
Over time, Upton has grown into a top voice in the fashion industry, especially breaking several stereotypes among models. Off the field, she enjoys life with Justin Verlander and their daughter Genevieve “Vivi” Upton Verlander.
