Many of us struggle with our appearance and weight for various reasons.
Even though there are movements encouraging us to love ourselves in all our shapes and sizes, and more realistic models in advertising, many people around the world face eating disorders every day.
This woman is sharing her story to help others struggling with an eating disorder.
Annie Windley is from Derbyshire, England. She is on the road to recovery after suffering from malnutrition for years and now hopes to share her story to help others in her situation.
Windley’s highest weight ever was 29 kg, or about 63 pounds. Her low weight led to various medical complications and put her at high risk of a heart attack.
The 21-year-old battled her eating disorder for five years, a challenge that still concerns her today. During her illness, the Woolley Moor resident underwent numerous hospital stays and medical treatments.
However, according to the young woman, she was able to use her love of running to begin her recovery process. She even participated in the Chesterfield Half Marathon last October.
In one of her social media posts, she wrote: “I’ve wonderfully realized that rehab is a breathtaking process that should be exciting, memorable, and amazing. I think my anorexia will always be a part of me, but I’ve learned to control it and stop thinking about food all the time.”
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According to Windley: “It’s never too late to change for the better.” “
Annie was diagnosed in 2012 and began her recovery two years later. In October 2017, she finally decided to fight her eating disorder.
“I can’t say exactly what happened, but this time, I did it just for myself,” she said online.
“The struggle has been incredible, and every day has been marked by painful emotions and extraordinary courage.”
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“I’ve gained three stone (about 19 kg) in the last four months and am now at my heaviest weight since 2014.”
Her experiences have shown her that how people treat themselves and others is more important than anything else, including physical appearance.
“These are the things that make you happy and are important to you,” she said.
Focusing on respecting others and on her own love of running ultimately saved her. The energy she had spent restricting her food intake was channeled into something that seemed to be a success, which completely changed her mindset.
“Pay attention to your enthusiasm and your drive to succeed where you want to be.”
Having eaten almost nothing but a piece of bread most of the time, Annie was so ill and underweight that she often felt dizzy or fell. She is now progressing toward a healthier weight and has developed a healthier attitude toward her body.
“We have to show our disorders that we can do it. We don’t want to spend our lives being unhappy and regretting not being able to do things because of anorexia.”
