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Hannah Hindmarsh was over 200 pounds when she was just 18 years old.
She gorged on whatever food she wanted, and didn’t care what she put into her body.
But in 2008, when she wanted to go on vacation with her boyfriend, she realized she hated how she looked.
She joined Weight Watchers, and lost 50 pounds.
However, her relationship crumbled apart just two years later. She gained weight again. But when she realized what was happening, she took a much more dangerous approach.
She began eating only lean proteins, like chicken or fish, and carbs like rice or dry crackers.
When she ate things that she considered “bad,” she threw up.
“I was scared of cheese, sausages, white bread, and pasta because I knew how much I’d enjoyed them before and I knew they were a dangerous gateway to my old dieting habits. I limited my calorie intake severely.”
In addition to purgin, she also turned to laxatives.
Eventually, an anxiety attack caused her to realize she had a problem. She submitted herself to an eating disorder clinic, and underwent cognitive behavioral therapy.
When she got out, she joined a gym.
“As an amateur bodybuilder, my dad was already a member of the gym but he extended his membership and together, we trained every single day for six months in the hopes it would help me surpass my eating disorder and that I would grow stronger, both physically and mentally.”
Now, she weighs 130 pounds, and eats a balanced diet. She trains with weights and cardio to keep up her physical health.
“I no longer want to be think I want to be strong,” says Hannah. “I still have my food demons and I think I always will, but I have a fantastic set of tools that help me to rationalize my insecurities.”
