Kendra Wilkinson Defends Weight Gain, Celebrates Mental Health at 40

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Kendra Wilkinson, the former Playboy model and reality TV star, took to Instagram on Sunday, January 12, 2025, to address critics of her weight gain and aging, emphasizing her newfound mental health and happiness.

In a candid post accompanied by a full-length mirror selfie, the 39-year-old mother of two acknowledged her physical changes but celebrated her emotional well-being. “Yes, I’ve gained weight. Yes, I’m aging. Yes, I’m not that girl I was before (Playboy girl), but for once in a long time, I feel good and mentally healthy,” Wilkinson wrote. She added that her children, Hank IV, 15, and Alijah, 10, are her top priority, and she has been focusing on fitness, cooking, and her real estate career.

Wilkinson, who rose to fame as one of Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends on the E! series *The Girls Next Door*, also addressed criticism about her alcohol consumption. “For those of you hating on my new weight, 40-year-old face, please know that I’m happy, healthy, and at peace in life finally,” she wrote. “Almost 40 is feeling amazing, and yes, to the people criticizing my alcohol intake… I hear you, and that will be monitored better.”

The former reality star, who divorced ex-husband Hank Baskett in 2018, has been open about her struggles with mental health and the challenges of single parenting. In November 2024, she told *Us Weekly* that her children are her greatest joy and motivation. “My kids are effing amazing. They’re just the most amazing human beings,” she said. “They give me so much purpose.”

Wilkinson and Baskett, who married in 2009, have maintained a strong coparenting relationship despite their split. “Honestly, I couldn’t have a better coparent,” she said. “I couldn’t ask God for a better person in my life.”

As she approaches her 40th birthday on June 12, Wilkinson is focused on self-improvement and gratitude. In a recent Instagram post, she shared, “This week has been about letting go and appreciating life. Setting some realistic goals. Resetting my mind, body, and soul.” She also hinted at the possibility of finding love again, writing, “Maybe meet the love of my life lol.”

Wilkinson, who starred in the Discovery+ series *Kendra Sells Hollywood* from 2021 to 2023, admitted in a November 2024 interview that she felt unprepared for the show. “I feel a little regret filming my last show because I wasn’t really ready,” she said. “I was a little off mentally and wasn’t prepared to be on camera just yet. Now I feel there.”