Why Lena Dunham Is Happy She Gained 24 Lbs

The actress, writer and director took to Instagram Tuesday to share a message about how she was in "impossible pain" when she weighed 138 lbs. She has since put on 24 lbs. and says she feels "happy joyous and free."

Dunham posted side-by-side photos of herself -- one from April 2017, the other from Monday -- writing, "On the left: 138 pounds, complimented all day and propositioned by men and on the cover of a tabloid about diets that work. Also, sick in the tissue and in the head and subsisting only on small amounts of sugar, tons of caffeine and a purse pharmacy."

At that time, the "Girls" star and writer had undergone numerous surgeries to treat her endometriosis and chronic pain.

"On the right: 162 pounds, happy joyous and free, complimented only by people that matter for reasons that matter, subsisting on a steady flow of fun/healthy snacks and apps and entrees, strong from lifting dogs and spirits," Dunham's caption continued. "Even this OG body positivity warrior sometimes looks at the left picture longingly, until I remember the impossible pain that brought me there and onto my proverbial knees. As I type I can feel my back fat rolling up under my shoulder blades. I lean in."

In the last few years, Dunham had been shedding pounds after she learned that exercise helped manage her chronic pain and anxiety.

Dunham recruited celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson and told her, "I have endometriosis. I have chronic physical pain. I just want to feel stronger. I just want to have a stronger core. I want to feel like I have more power throughout my day."

Anderson told People that Dunham came to her to help her feel better, not necessarily to look any different. Dunham, who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, told Anderson her program helped her manage that, too.

During an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in March of last year, Dunham said she was "frustrated" by the rampant body shaming in Hollywood, especially for women.

"I was frustrated by it because it really was evidence that, as a woman in Hollywood, you just can't win," she said. "It's just so crazy because I spent six years of my career being called things like 'bag of milk' on the internet. 'Baby cow,' 'Aging cow.'"

She added, "Anyone who's going to take the time to say something negative about my weight on the internet I wasn't particularly keen to impress anyway."