Tara Reid hits back after being criticized for being 'too skinny'

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Tara Reid is speaking out after being body shamed for being "too skinny."

On Wednesday, the 45-year-old shared a message with her more than 260,000 Instagram followers about the difficulties of trying to gain weight with a high metabolism. The post was prompted after the "American Pie" star received comments that claimed she looked "too thin," and that her "emaciated frame doesn’t look good," in a recent photo.

In response, Reid defended herself by sharing another photo taken at a different angle, wearing the same bikini. The star included a caption explaining that while the angle wasn't the most flattering, gaining weight hasn't been easy for her. Nonetheless, Reid urged her followers to refrain from commenting on her body going forward.

"I have a high metabolism. Anyone with a high metabolism understands it’s impossible to gain weight," she wrote. "All I do is eat. To everyone who wrote something nice and stuck up for me, I love you! Keep spreading that love, it is the only thing that will save this world."

Reid's fans quickly rallied behind her, and applauded her for shedding light on skinny shaming.

"People really don't talk about this enough," one Instagram user pointed out. "Body shaming is body shaming whether the person is overweight or underweight. As long as you're healthy, that's all that matters."

"I feel this,"someone else commented. "People are OK with mentioning that you're too skinny but the second you call someone 'fat' it’s an argument."

"It’s your body and you don’t have to justify or defend it," another added.

"Thank you for sharing this! You don't owe anyone an explanation — let the haters hate. But good for you for sticking up for yourself and inadvertently anyone else who has ever been body shamed for being too skinny."

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