Demi Lovato Shares Bikini Photo and Says, "You Don't Have to Have a Thigh Gap to Be Beautiful"

Demi Lovato continues to inspire fans with her positive messages about body image, following years of personal struggles.

On Friday, the 22-year-old pop star shared on her Instagram page a photo of herself laying on a towel in a colorful bikini.

"Regardless of what society tells you these days...You don't have to have a thigh gap to be beautiful," she said. "It is possible to love your body the way it is. #fitness #health #acceptance #selflove."

Earlier this week, she also posted a picture of herself in the gym, saying, "Don't train to be skinny, train to be a #badass."

Lovato told E! News that she keeps fit by cycling, crediting her "amazing trainer," and says she's on a "meal plan that helps me stay focused."

Lovato had struggled with body image issues and food addiction for years and has battled bulimia. In 2010, she spent time n rehab, where she was treated "for emotional and physical issues."

In 2012, Lovato told Katie Couric on her ABC talk show, "I remember being 3 years old in a diaper and rubbing my hand over my stomach. I remember thinking in my head, 'I wonder if one day this will ever be flat?'"

Lovato credits boyfriend and That '70s Show alum Wilmer Valderamma for helped her maintain a healthy body image.

"I almost went back to rehab for my eating disorder last summer," she told Fitness magazine last year. "I was obsessing over food and terrified of it at the same time. Wilmer [Valderrama] noticed and called me out on it, which was a relief."