‘HOW LOVE SAVED ME’
Sam Frost on body shaming, and love with David Bashford
Too skinny, thin and unhealthy—these are just some of the cruel taunts actress Sam Frost has been subjected to over the past four years by “cowardly” trolls on social media. By her own admission, it seems no matter what Frost does, or how she looks, the actress continues to be targeted online. Today, however, the 29-year-old is taking a stand. “Enough it enough,” Frost says firmly. “Body shaming needs to stop.” Sporting workout wear and an infectious smile, Frost exudes confidence and invulnerability as she arrives at WHO’S exclusive photo shoot. Stepping in front of the camera, the Home and Away star insists she’s happier and healthier than ever—and it shows. “I feel the best I ever have mentally and physically,” Frost says with a grin. “And that’s the most important thing.”
It’s been a long journey getting to this point for Frost, who has spent the past four years fighting off haters and headlines about her “fluctuating” weight. Most recently, on May 10, Frost was slammed by her socialmedia followers for looking “sickly thin” after attending the Instyle Women of Style Awards in Sydney. “I remember reading a post where someone said I need to eat a burger and that I have an eating disorder,” Frost recalls of just one of the “hurtful” comments on her Instagram account. “Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t have a problem with food or eating. I actually eat so much and I love burgers,” she laughs. It’s this kind of comment that infuriates Frost. “Frankly, people’s weight changes all the time depending on their circumstances so it always shocks me when people comment about weight.”
In fact, Frost credits her new-found confidence and toned figure to regular exercise. “It’s important for people to take a realistic approach to health and fitness,” she explains in a bid to set the record straight on her slender frame. “I try to do 20 minutes of workout every day, but realistically I do them every second day,” she says. “I enjoy skipping, sit-ups, push-ups, Russian twists and squats.” Depending on her work schedule, Frost also goes to the gym. “I’ll do a class once or twice a week, if I can, which is either Spin class or boxing. Aside from that, I try to keep moving as much as I can— I make fitness work for me.”
In terms of diet, Frost swears by Body by Finch, an online health and fitness program designed by model and TV personality Rachael Finch. “A lot of my meal plans and prep is inspired by her,” Frost says, adding breakfast is usually avocado on toast with a smoothie, and lunch is a quinoa salad with beetroot and pumpkin. Frost admits since “finding herself again,” everything else has also fallen in to place—especially her relationship with boyfriend David Bashford, whom she started dating in July last year. Frost can’t stop gushing about the navy diver who has brought light
back into her life. “He is really fantastic,” she says. “He is so kind and he understands every single part of me. He knows what triggers my anxiety, he knows how to deal with me when I’m feeling depressed, and I think that’s so important. He just unconditionally loves me so much.” Things are going so well for the couple that Frost reveals they plan to move in together. “I think we’d both like to,” she says. “It will happen eventually.”
While today marks a turning point for Frost, who is setting the record straight about her body, it’s also a proud moment for her and sister Kristine Ross, 33, who has joined the blonde beauty on set. Together, the pair have launched Believe by Sam Frost, a website focused on depression, anxiety and the toxic world of social media in a bid to shine a light on mentalhealth issues. The initiative is close to the actress’s heart after having previously opened up about her struggle with depression and anxiety, which affects almost half the Australian population, according to Black Dog Institute. “I feel like I have a responsibility,” Frost says. “Over the years, a lot of people who follow me on social media have got in contact and shared their own stories so we see this [website] as a place where they can go and be heard.” The project has been three years in the making for Frost and Ross, who says she has also suffered from depression this year. “For me, it happened about three months after giving birth to my second child,” Ross reveals. “I just didn’t think I could do it anymore and I just felt so alone, even though I wasn’t.”
Australia first met Frost back in 2014 when she was a contestant on Season 2 of The Bachelor starring Blake Garvey. During her time on the hit reality show, Frost says she gained 12kg. “Before The Bachelor, I had always been small and petite, but I put on so much weight during that time and I was the most unhealthy I’d ever been,” she explains of her “fuller figure” at the time. “I think that should have been a concern for people not the fact that I’m back to my normal, healthy self.”
After a very public break-up with Garvey—he dumped her for fellow contestant Louise Pillidge—frost began her journey back to health and happiness before landing the role of Australia’s first ever Bachelorette in 2016, where she met and fell in love with construction manager Sasha Mielczarek. The handsome pair quickly became Australia’s “It couple” and were often photographed attending some of the country’s biggest events hand-in-hand. However, behind closed doors, Frost— who was also co-hosting 2Dayfm’s breakfast radio show alongside Rove Mcmanus—was struggling to adjust to living life in the spotlight. “Having a public relationship takes its toll,” she explains. “It felt like every bit of my life was exposed.”
“Having a public relationship takes its toll”
Frost and Mielczarek eventually called it quits in 2017, after just 18 months. The break-up and stress that came with hosting a breakfast radio show took the star to a “dark place.” Of her anxiety at the time, Frost says, “It was like this constant stomach churning.” She hopes that by describing the feeling it will help others identify with the condition and seek help from either a doctor or a psychologist. “Your mind goes a million miles an hour and you’re thinking of the worst possible scenarios like ‘ What if I lose my job? What if someone breaks into my house?’ and these thoughts become so crippling that you don’t want to move. You can’t move.”
For Ross, watching her sister go through it was tough. “No-one wants to see anyone in their life struggle, especially my sister,” Ross says. “I was really concerned for Sam so it’s so nice to see her so happy now.” After months of undergoing her own therapy, Frost hopes to inspire others to follow in her footsteps. “You don’t have to be afraid to ask for help,” Frost says. “Mental health doesn’t discriminate. It can happen at any time in your life and to anyone. Certainly, for me, I’m more motivated than ever to look after myself now, mentally and physically.”