University student Simona Duffekova, 20, from Trnava, Slovakia, was 17-years-old when she broke her leg while running in a local race.
Due to her injury she couldn’t work out anymore and feared she would “get fat”, so she decreased her calorie intake to under 900 a day.
Spurred on by the compliments she received about her weight loss, she slimmed to a frail 6st 13Ib and a dress size smaller than a UK size six.
Simona explained: “When my leg was healed after three months, I stepped on the scale and my weight was less than before the injury.
“At first I was happy; I’d finally lost weight and I liked it. People gave me compliments and I was convinced that I finally ate and lived healthily.
“I decided to continue with my diet. I forbid myself to eat more than 900 calories a day and worked out seven times a week.
“I lived in this mode for almost a year, but my mum noticed that I was starting to look like something from the walking dead. I didn't realise how skinny I was.”
Within a year, Simona began to experience severe cardiac problems, where her heart would sometimes stop for five seconds while she was asleep.
When her mum showed her a picture of her back, it was the push she needed to get help.
Her doctor diagnosed her with anorexia and recommended she visit a psychiatrist – but Simona insisted she recovered on her own.
“It was hell at first,” she said.
“I was constantly tired and cold, had bruises and couldn't sleep well because of my scrawny, bony body.
“I was losing my hair, I couldn't concentrate and even though I've always been a good student; studying at high school became a big problem for me.
“The worst part was, while I was falling asleep, my heart sometimes stopped for a short time, like five seconds – it felt really bad.”
Simona embarked on the difficult journey of revampimg her diet and overhauling her perception of her body image.
She now weighs a healthy 8st 11Ib, consumes 2,120 calories following a macro diet, and is a UK size eight.
She’s also limited her gym sessions to five times a week and practises yoga every day.
What is anorexia nervosa and what are the signs and symptoms?
Anorexia nervosa, often known as just anorexia, is a very serious mental health condition which causes the person to restrict the amount they eat.
The sufferer of the eating disorder aims to keep their body weight as low as possible by avoiding food, vomiting or exercising excessively.
The condition usually affects girls and women, however, recently it has started affecting more boys and usually it develops at around 16 or 17 years old.
Despite being less common than some other conditions, anorexia is one of the leading causes of mental health-related deaths – as a result of malnutrition or suicide.
Usually, a sufferer will go to great lengths to disguise the fact they are not eating or pretending they have eaten already.
But if you suspect someone is battling the condition there are a few signs to look out for, according to the NHS. These include:
- Missing meals, eating very little or avoiding eating any fatty foods
- Obsessively counting calories in food
- Leaving the table immediately after eating so they can vomit
- Taking appetite suppressants, laxatives, or diuretics (a type of medication that helps remove fluid from the body)
- Repeatedly weighing themselves or checking their body in the mirror
- Physical problems, such as feeling lightheaded or dizzy, hair loss, or dry skin.
Around 50 per cent of people with anorexia will continue to have some level of eating problems, even after treatment.
For more information, or to seek help, please visit eating disorder charity Beat's website.
“I’ve learnt how to love and accept myself, I’ve learnt a lot about nutrition and I’ve found out who my true friends are,” Simona said.
“I’ve finally found a balance in my life and I’ve learnt how to see something positive in any situation.
“Actually, thanks to overcoming anorexia, I became a new, balanced, positive and much more confident person.
“I’m glad that I’m healthy and do the things I like – I don´t see myself as ‘not good enough’ anymore, and I realise that we are all unique and beautiful.
“I think eating disorders mostly arise from a lack of self-love. Someone who is in the same situation should realise that there are some things about our body that we can’t change – the shape and size of our bones, for example. We just have to accept it.
“Shapes and sizes don’t determine our worth. We are all unique and beautiful in our own way and there’s no definition of ‘perfect’. We must realise that there’s more to life than calories and scales.
“There are people who love you and who would miss you if you were gone forever. Eating disorders have never made anyone feel good or happy.
“So, stay strong, never give up and remember – recovery is worth it.”
We previously told how a bodybuilder, 22, who suffered from anorexia and saw her weight plummet to under five stone, shared shocking pictures of her recovery in a bid to inspire others.
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