Kate Upton Was Told by Modeling Agents to Lose Weight: 'This Is Just the Shape of My Body'

Carter Smith/Glamour

After years of people telling her to lose weight, Kate Upton learned to stand her ground.

The actress and model says she was constantly told by modeling agents to slim down.

“At first I tried to diet to become their image, but eventually I realized that it wasn’t realistic,” Upton, 24, explains in the October issue of Glamour, on newsstands Sept. 13. “This is just the shape of my body. So I had to block them out.”

“I think that the people who are the loudest about wanting to change you are the people with the least amount of vision and creativity."

But she sees that the modeling world is finally starting to agree with her, and notes her fellow Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover star Ashley Graham as someone who’s leading the charge.

Carter Smith/Glamour

"Things have definitely changed in the industry, mostly for the positive,” Upton says. “We’re more accepting now. For me, someone like Ashley Graham, who loves her body and is always talking about it, is inspiring.”

These days, Upton, who announced her engagement to Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander at the Met Gala in May, is consistently hitting the gym for intensive weight training – but her soon-to-be-hubby is still the pro in the relationship.

“This is probably bad to say, but I’m going to say it anyway: I always thought that baseball players were kind of fat and not athletic,” Upton says. “I was really surprised by how athletic Justin was.”

“I wanted to learn tennis, and he goes out and he’s never played before and just beats me. I’m thinking, ‘This is the worst. Who invited you?’ ”

Upton says she’ll stick to fashion.

“I love what I do – I love fashion. Whatever you wear, it really sets the tone for the day. If I’m in sweatpants, I fully become that person – I’m lazy and kind of a mess. The opposite is also true; fashion can give you confidence.”