Hina Khan Regrets Past Body-Image Insecurities

Many people have experienced the strange feeling of looking at an old photograph and wondering why they were so critical of their appearance at the time. A picture that once seemed unflattering may later become a reminder of a version of ourselves we now appreciate. Actor Hina Khan recently spoke about this experience, reflecting on how her perception of her body has changed over the years and why she sometimes regrets the insecurities she once carried.

During an appearance on the second season of Serving It Up with Sania, Hina opened up about the way women often judge their appearance in the present, only to look back at old photographs and realise that they were equally unhappy with themselves in the past. Her comments brought attention to a familiar but often overlooked aspect of body image: the tendency to focus on perceived physical flaws even when there may be little reason to do so.

Recalling conversations with her husband, Hina explained that he often reminds her how differently she viewed herself a few years ago. Looking at photographs from three years earlier, she now notices features she once failed to appreciate, including her jawline.

“My husband tells me this. Now when I go three years back, I’m like, ‘Look at me, yaar, look at my jawline.’ He’s like, ‘At that time you used to think you are fat’,” the actor recalled.

Her observation captures a familiar contradiction. People may spend years worrying about their weight, facial features or body shape, only to look back later and feel that they were unnecessarily harsh on themselves. Yet the same dissatisfaction can continue, shifting from one perceived imperfection to another.

Hina’s comments also raise a broader question about why people struggle to feel comfortable with their appearance, even when their physical features have not changed significantly. The answer may have less to do with the body itself and more to do with the expectations, comparisons and standards through which individuals evaluate it.

Why old photographs can change how we see ourselves

Photographs freeze a particular moment in time. They preserve not only someone’s appearance but also a version of themselves that they may have judged differently when the picture was taken. With distance, people can sometimes view that image more kindly than they did when it was recent.

For Hina, looking at pictures from three years ago has prompted a reassessment of the way she once viewed her body. Features that she now considers attractive were apparently not enough to reassure her at the time. Her husband’s comments make the contrast more noticeable: what she remembers as a period of feeling unhappy with her weight is now a period she looks back on with appreciation.

Clinical psychologist Parmeshwari of Maarga Mind Care explains that this pattern can reveal an important psychological issue. When people revisit old photographs, they may realise that they were once deeply critical of a body they now wish they had. However, the dissatisfaction does not necessarily disappear. Instead, it can move towards another feature or a different stage of life.

“This highlights an important psychological pattern, showing that the issue may not lie in the body itself, but in the negative beliefs and evaluative standards through which one perceives it,” she tells The Indian Express.

This distinction matters because it challenges the assumption that changing one’s appearance will automatically resolve body-image concerns. If someone repeatedly evaluates themselves through a critical lens, reaching a particular weight or appearance goal may offer only temporary relief. A new concern can emerge, keeping the cycle of dissatisfaction alive.

The psychology of comparing your present appearance with your past self

Body-image concerns are often associated with comparing oneself to celebrities, influencers, friends or people seen on social media. However, comparison can also happen across different stages of an individual’s own life.

Parmeshwari describes this as appearance-based social comparison, particularly comparison with one’s past self. In this process, a person evaluates their current appearance against an earlier version of themselves. The comparison may focus on weight, facial definition, skin, body shape or other physical characteristics.

At first, looking at an old photograph may seem like a harmless exercise in nostalgia. But for someone who is already struggling with body dissatisfaction, it can become an opportunity to criticise their present appearance or regret how they felt about themselves in the past.

For example, someone may look at an older photograph and think they looked healthier, slimmer or more attractive then. Another person may focus on a feature they once disliked but now wishes they had. In both cases, the photograph becomes a measuring point against which the present body is judged.

The problem is that such comparisons rarely provide a fair assessment. People may remember their past appearance selectively while overlooking the insecurities, pressures and circumstances they experienced at the time. They may also judge their present selves according to expectations that are difficult or unrealistic to maintain.

Hina’s recollection illustrates this gap between how someone sees themselves in the moment and how they evaluate the same appearance years later. Her experience does not suggest that everyone will respond to old photographs in the same way, but it highlights how perceptions of appearance can change over time.

How constant body dissatisfaction can affect mental well-being

Occasional dissatisfaction with appearance is not unusual. People may have days when they feel uncomfortable with their clothes, notice a physical change or dislike how they look in a photograph. Such feelings do not automatically indicate a psychological problem.

Concern becomes more significant when appearance-related thoughts begin to dominate a person’s attention, influence their mood or interfere with everyday life. According to Parmeshwari, repeatedly comparing one’s past and present appearance can trigger guilt, anxiety, low mood and repetitive negative thinking in the short term.

These reactions may become particularly difficult when a person interprets normal physical changes as personal failures. Instead of seeing appearance as one aspect of a changing human experience, they may begin to treat every difference as evidence that they are no longer attractive or good enough.

Over time, persistent body dissatisfaction may contribute to lower self-esteem and symptoms of anxiety or depression. Parmeshwari also notes that, in some individuals, it may contribute to disordered eating behaviours. These outcomes are not inevitable, but they show why ongoing distress about appearance should not always be dismissed as a minor concern.

Another issue is self-objectification, in which people increasingly evaluate themselves through their physical appearance. Rather than considering their abilities, relationships, interests, values and achievements, they may give disproportionate importance to how their bodies look.

This can narrow a person’s sense of identity. A change in weight or facial appearance may begin to feel like a change in personal worth, even though physical appearance does not determine someone’s intelligence, character, capabilities or value.

When self-worth becomes closely tied to appearance, everyday situations can also become emotionally demanding. Photographs, social gatherings, shopping for clothes or meeting people may trigger unnecessary worry. The individual may spend more time monitoring how they look than enjoying the experience itself.

Warning signs that appearance comparisons are becoming unhealthy

It is useful to distinguish between occasional self-criticism and a repeated pattern that affects emotional well-being. Looking at old pictures and noticing physical changes is not necessarily harmful. The concern lies in how frequently these comparisons occur and how strongly they influence a person’s thoughts and behaviour.

Parmeshwari identifies several warning signs that may indicate an unhealthy relationship with appearance. These include:

• Feeling distressed after viewing old photographs: Looking at pictures from earlier years may repeatedly trigger sadness, regret, anxiety or dissatisfaction with the present body.
• Frequently comparing past and present appearance: A person may regularly examine photographs to judge whether they looked better, slimmer or more attractive at another point in life.
• Engaging in negative self-talk: Repeatedly criticising one’s weight, facial features or body shape can reinforce an unfavourable view of oneself.
• Allowing appearance to determine self-worth: Mood, confidence or a sense of personal value may fluctuate according to perceived physical changes.

These signs should be understood in context rather than treated as a diagnosis. Their frequency, intensity and effect on daily functioning matter. However, if appearance-related thoughts are becoming difficult to control, it may be helpful to examine the beliefs behind them rather than simply trying to change the body.

How to break the cycle of body-image comparisons

Developing a healthier relationship with appearance does not require someone to love every physical feature or feel confident all the time. A more realistic starting point is to recognise when self-evaluation has become unnecessarily harsh and learn to respond to those thoughts differently.

Parmeshwari suggests that breaking the cycle begins with recognising and labelling the comparison. When someone catches themselves judging their present appearance against an old photograph, they can pause and acknowledge what is happening: “I am evaluating myself against an unrealistic standard.”

This simple recognition can create some distance between a thought and the belief that the thought must be true. Instead of automatically accepting the comparison, a person can consider whether it is fair, useful or based on an incomplete picture of the past.

1. Challenge the criticism you direct at yourself

One way to examine negative self-talk is to consider whether you would use the same language about someone you care about. People are often more understanding towards friends and family members than they are towards themselves.

If a friend expressed regret about their weight or appearance in an old photograph, would you judge them as harshly? Or would you remind them that they were more than their physical features? Applying the same standard of kindness to oneself can help challenge unnecessarily critical beliefs.

The aim is not to replace every negative thought with forced positivity. It is to develop a more balanced perspective and avoid treating appearance-related criticism as an objective assessment of personal worth.

2. Focus on what your body allows you to do

Body image can become overly focused on appearance when people assess their bodies mainly through photographs, mirrors or clothing sizes. Shifting attention towards body functionality offers another way of understanding the body.

This means recognising the everyday roles the body performs, including helping someone move, work, rest, communicate and participate in activities they enjoy. It also means acknowledging that physical appearance is only one part of a much broader experience of being human.

Such a shift does not mean ignoring appearance-related feelings. Instead, it can help prevent those feelings from becoming the only measure through which a person evaluates themselves.

3. Practise self-compassion

Self-compassion involves responding to personal struggles with understanding rather than constant criticism. Someone looking at an old photograph may feel regret about the time they spent worrying about their appearance. Instead of using that regret as another reason to criticise themselves, they can acknowledge that they were dealing with the insecurities and expectations they had at that stage of life.

It can also help to remember that people do not always recognise their own qualities while experiencing them. The version of oneself in an old photograph may have been facing pressures that are no longer visible in the image. Treating that earlier self with kindness can make it easier to develop a healthier relationship with the present.

4. Limit exposure to appearance-focused content

Digital platforms can expose people to a steady stream of photographs, beauty standards and appearance-related discussions. For someone already struggling with body dissatisfaction, frequent exposure to content that encourages physical comparison may intensify existing concerns.

Parmeshwari recommends limiting exposure to appearance-focused content as one way to support a healthier body image. This may involve paying attention to how particular accounts, posts or online conversations affect one’s mood and confidence.

Reducing exposure does not mean avoiding every photograph or social media platform. It means making more conscious choices about the content one consumes and recognising when certain online environments encourage unhelpful comparisons.

When should someone seek professional support?

Body-image concerns may sometimes become more than occasional dissatisfaction. If thoughts about weight or appearance begin affecting eating patterns, sleep, relationships or everyday functioning, professional support can be important.

Parmeshwari emphasises that individuals should consider seeking psychological help when these concerns start interfering with their daily lives. A mental health professional can help identify recurring thought patterns, understand the factors contributing to distress and develop healthier ways of responding to appearance-related concerns.

Seeking support does not mean that someone has failed to manage their insecurities. It is a practical step when repeated self-criticism becomes difficult to handle alone. Early attention can also help prevent appearance-related worries from becoming more disruptive.

Hina Khan’s reflection is a reminder to be kinder to your present self

Hina Khan’s comments on Serving It Up with Sania resonate because they describe an experience that many people recognise: looking back at an old photograph and realising that they were much harder on themselves than they needed to be.

Her observation also highlights a difficult cycle. People may spend the present worrying about their appearance, only to look back later and wish they had appreciated themselves more. If the underlying habit of comparison remains unchanged, the same dissatisfaction can return in a different form.

The lesson is not that people should stop caring about their appearance or ignore their feelings about their bodies. Rather, it is important to recognise when physical appearance has become an unfair measure of self-worth. A photograph captures how someone looked at a particular moment, but it cannot capture their entire identity, experiences or value.

Learning to question negative comparisons, practise self-compassion and focus on more than physical appearance can help create a healthier relationship with the body. As Hina’s experience suggests, the version of ourselves we are criticising today may be the one we wish we had appreciated a few years from now.

Disclaimer: This article is based on information available in the public domain and comments from the expert cited. It is intended for general informational purposes and should not be considered a substitute for professional psychological advice.