Carrie Underwood: How She Fought Back Being Called ‘Fat’ By ‘American Idol’ Fans

'I shouldn't have cared what other people thought about me,' she said.

When Carrie Underwood won American Idol in 2005, she was a healthy 21-year-old. However, the public seemed to find fault with her looks and used terms that were other than complimentary to describe her weight. How did the superstar singer fight back against being called “fat” by viewers?

Viewers tried to shame Carrie Underwood for her weight

Carrie Underwood was first exposed to online trolls when she appeared as an American Idol contestant. However, she said it was “impossible” not to see the negative comments about her weight.

As reported by The Daily Mail, she told Us Weekly, “When I was on American Idol, I was a bit heavier than I am now. That was the first time I was exposed to the public talking about me, so it was impossible not to look online and see what they were saying.”

Underwood added, “Apparently, I was fat. Of course, I wasn’t, but sometimes words people choose are not the nicest.”

She also shared with Women’s Health, “I shouldn’t have cared what other people thought about me. I was tired, and I kept buying bigger clothes. I knew I could improve myself, and I let my haters be my motivators.”

Did Carrie Underwood change her lifestyle from her early ‘American Idol’ days?

After competing on and winning American Idol, Carrie Underwood was under a public microscope. As the singer and songwriter’s popularity grew, as did her awareness of how to use food as fuel.

Underwood completely changed her diet. She began eating simply, adding more fruits and vegetables to her meals.

She told Today, “Overall, keeping things as simple as possible is always the best. We live in a world right now where everything is ultra-processed, and it seems like the easiest thing is to grab fast food.”

However, she tries to circumvent problems by planning as many meals as possible and sticking to whole, nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and eggs. “I love veggies and fruit,” Underwood explains.

“Things that are very simple and nutritious, you’ll never go wrong with that,” she continued. “I feel like that’s the best for your body, and it makes you feel the best, and then you can put your best foot forward.”

So, what does Carrie Underwood eat to fuel her body?

Women’s Health detailed Carrie Underwood’s healthy eating plan. It’s balanced, filling, and completely doable, even on a budget.

She may start her day with a tofu or egg-white scramble, Ezekiel toast, berries, and coffee. Her lunch may include a sandwich with Tofurky, tomato, avocado, red onion, spinach, and mustard.

Dinner is a mix of protein and vegetables. Snacks are smoothies filled with vegetables, fruit, or a protein bar for energy.

As a mom to sons Isaiah and Jacob, Carrie tries to pass down her healthy habits to her sons. She is open with them about her healthy attitude toward food, and she and her husband, Mike Fisher (who isn’t a vegetarian), work diligently to keep those types of discussions open with their boys as they grow older.

She told PopSugar, “They just know what they like and what they want. You want to word things carefully; you don’t want to end up giving your kids a complex or anything like that.”

Underwood uses examples when talking about food: “This is not good for your brain. This won’t help you grow,” she reveals. Finding healthy things your whole family enjoys is difficult. But when you find them, it’s important to keep them around.”

Carrie Underwood will be featured as a judge on the 2025 season of American Idol.