'You need to show little people how to be healthy and happy with who they are.'
Victoria Beckham is careful about what she does in front of her children.
The 45-year-old former Spice Girls member covers the Autumn/Winter 2019 issue of Glamour U.K., in which she discusses how she works to make a positive impact on the four children -- Brooklyn, 20, Romeo, 17, Cruz, 14, and Harper, 8 -- she shares with her husband, David Beckham.
"The older I get, the more I realize what works for me and what doesn’t. How working out and eating healthy is key. When you have four children you accept your body changes," she tells the magazine. "And when you have children, it also puts a lot into perspective. You realize they notice everything. I would never sit down with my kids and skip a meal -- they need to see that their mum eats healthily -- you need to show little people how to be healthy and happy with who they are."
"As parents, we have a responsibility to make sure we communicate with our children, but let’s be honest, social media is not something we had to deal with growing up," she continues. "David and I are very close to our children and it’s all about communication and protecting them as much as we can and making sure they are strong, nice, decent human beings."
In addition to a healthy lifestyle -- both in real life and online -- Victoria also makes sure to impart lessons she's learned on her children, specifically her daughter, Harper.
"I was bullied a lot at school, mentally and physically, and the fact that I can talk to Harper about that and how girls should be kind to girls… really I use my own experiences and share that," she shares, before revealing that bullying previously made her feel "insecure."
Despite the bullying, as she's aged, Victoria says she's truly started "accept[ing] who I am" and making "the best of who I am," which has set a good example for her family, her brands and her fans.
"In the past, I’ve probably hidden behind my armor -- the not smiling publicly, for instance. There’s less of that now. There’s something really liberating about embracing who I am at 45 years old and owning it, feeling confident, feeling content," she says. "... I want to spread the word that everybody should feel like the best version of themselves. To look after what you have. I want to tell people to own who you are. Yes, we -- and I -- have wrinkles, and that’s OK!
"I have always been about embracing who you are, supporting others, not being judgmental, treating others how you want to be treated," she continues. "Sometimes it’s just the fundamental basics. Women supporting women is key. I liked what Meghan Markle said at the [British] Fashion Awards, that it used to be cool to be cruel, and now it’s cool to be kind. Kindness was always at the core of Girl Power."
Victoria adds that she "expect[s] a lot" from her body, which she maintains through her gym time, something she counts as her major self-care moments.
"I work a lot, I try to be the best professional, the best mother, the best wife and so I have to treat it in the right way -- and make sure it has the fuel it needs to work long hours and be a mum, and have the energy to do it all," she says. "... I work out every morning with Tracy Anderson trainers -- I do a lot on the treadmill and I dance, too. When I’m in the gym, I decompress, that’s where I get my ideas, think and look after myself. When you have children, you don’t have the luxury of lying in, so that’s my time and I don’t have much time for socializing."
"I’ve always been very tough on myself," she continues. "We all have good days and bad days. Even when I have a bad day, I think I’m really lucky. I have an amazing husband, a great family, incredible people I work with and I’ve always had to work hard. I feel blessed and I want to maintain what I’ve achieved."
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