Plus-size Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue star Hunter McGrady has proudly spoken out about how she learned to love her curves - while admitting that she feels like something of a 'punching bag' for online trolls who cruelly pick on her body.

Speaking to DailyMail.com at the Miami launch of this year's issue of the iconic magazine, the Los Angeles-based 26-year-old revealed that she has reached a place in her life where she feels more confident posing in swimwear, or even naked, because she is proud to show off her body.

'I prefer either being naked or in a swimsuit over being clothed [for shoots],' she said. 'Because I’ve come to a place of being so comfortable in my skin that I feel best like that. I’m like hell yeah I have these big breasts, hell yeah I have this cellulite!'

Making moves: Plus-size Sports Illustrated Swimsuit star Hunter McGrady has spoken out about body confidence, revealing that she feels more comfortable posing naked or in a bikini

Happy: 'I’m like hell yeah I have these big breasts, hell yeah I have this cellulite!' the 26-year-old said of proudly showing off her body

However, while Hunter feels happy and confident about her appearance, she noted that there is some 'nervousness' that comes with doing the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit shoots - not because of any body confidence issues, but because she knows that there will inevitably be some criticism of her photos.

'I think there’s a little bit of nervousness because I know that the moment this issue comes out there is a lot of criticism,' she said. 'Which is so stupid but we’re all human and we have these moments [of insecurity].'

But Hunter knows that she is not the only one who faces these kind of cruel comments, revealing that her close friend, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover star Camille Kostek, has to deal with online trolls each and every day.

'I know Camille had this moment with a specific photo that she posted once where her hips looked amazing, but she got criticism for that,' she said, referring to an image that Camille shared while on vacation with her boyfriend Rob Gronkowski.

Hunter also noted the fact that both she and Camille receive hatred and body-shaming online should serve as a reminder that women of all shapes, sizes, and ages face cruel comments each and every day - no matter what they look like.

'It happens to cover girls!' she said. 'You wouldn’t think that, you would think “Oh Tyra Banks [gets hatred].”

Looking ahead: Hunter admitted that she feels some 'nervousness' about her Sports Illustrated shoots, because she knows that they will inevitably face some criticism

Changes: The curvy star praised editor MJ Day for putting such diverse women in the issue, from cover star Camille Kostek (right) to Halima Aden (center), who modeled a burkini

'She had that iconic photo once where her cellulite was showing [that was trolled] and I remember thinking, wow this happens to Tyra. And none of us go through life unscathed.

'All of us have that, and I think that’s so important to remember.'

'I have that, Camille has that – we’re two completely different body types but we still get this. That alone brings nervousness while you’re shooting because you’re like, I’m kind of the punching bag here, but I’m going to take it because I’m the voice for people who don’t have a voice right now.'

But while online trolls might still attack her, Hunter has seen a shift in the way that the industry views diverse body types, and she credits Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editor MJ Day with helping to drive that shift, revealing that Day casts the models for the issue based not only on their looks, but on their personalities.

Hunter was only the second curvy model to appear in the magazine's pages back in 2017, following in the footsteps of Ashley Graham, however this year she is joined by the likes of 36-year-old Tara Lynn, as well as rising star Veronica Pome'e.

The magazine also features 54-year-old supermodel icon Paulina Porizkova, as well as Halima Aden, who is the first woman to pose for the magazine while wearing a burkini.

'One thing people doesn’t know about MJ is that she doesn’t cast in swimsuits,' Hunter revealed.

Welcome: Hunter was only the second curvy model to appear in the magazine in 2017, but this year she is joined by the likes of Tara Lynn (right) and Veronica Pome'e

'A lot of people think that MJ casts on literally just the body [and] the face, but she’s so much more than that.

'It’s the person first and foremost. It’s how you are, what else do you have going on, because [MJ] knows that we are so much more than beautiful girls.

'We’re all beautiful girls, but we all have something behind us, we have a platform, we have things that we are doing, and it’s like she was saying the other day, we’re the CEOs, we’re the mothers, we’re running businesses, we’re not just models, we’re so much more than that.'

Being a part of a magazine that is making such a big push for diversity means a great deal to Hunter, who says she takes every available opportunity to offer a realistic image of herself to fans and followers.

'For me, I’ve always been an advocate for not doing anything too retouched, not being anything but myself,' she said.

'And I think it’s the best thing to be authentic with everyone, whether it’s your fans, your followers, your friends, whoever it is you’re talking to, and the media needs more of that.

'I always say I want more rolls on my billboards, like that’s real, that’s human, and this magazine is so human, and it’s so wonderful, and it’s insane to be a part of.'