Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia is embracing a positive milestone in her recovery journey after her split from country music star Zach Bryan. The BFFs podcast host recently celebrated gaining 11 pounds, sharing her excitement with fans in a candid TikTok video on December 27.
“We have exciting news. I think I’ve gained 11 pounds,” the 25-year-old announced. “It’s great because I have an appetite again. I’m eating, and it feels like I’m getting back to myself.”
LaPaglia revealed that her weight loss stemmed from the stress and anxiety of her breakup, describing it as a “toxic, awful, horrible situation.” She explained, “I lost a lot of weight because I was mentally going through something bad. I couldn’t eat, and I became skin and bones. I started force-feeding myself anything – pasta, fast food – to gain weight again.”
Now, LaPaglia is noticing the physical changes that mark her progress, including her jeans fitting better and her energy returning. “Gaining weight isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes it’s a really good thing and a sign that things are going well,” she said.
LaPaglia’s journey back to health follows a challenging few months. In October, she revealed she felt “blindsided” when Bryan publicly announced their breakup on Instagram. The stress of the split initially left her unable to eat, causing her to shed 15 pounds. “I was physically sick from what I was going through mentally,” she shared, describing the impact of constant anxiety on her body.
Now, as LaPaglia continues to heal and reclaim her strength, she’s using her platform to encourage others to embrace their own recovery journeys, emphasizing that weight gain can be a positive sign of progress and self-care.
