Like many teenage girls I had a lot of body issues, or so I thought. I would look in the mirror and see fat, see ugly, see pain, see scars, see failure. I was convinced that losing weight was a good thing, but given the size I was it was threatening to kill me.

5ft 8’ and a size 6 (UK).
My bones were visible through my skin. Looking back now, I looked like a skeleton in a wet suit. It was disgusting. I was not happy, it was always “if I lose a few more pounds I will be happy”. A few less pounds down the line and I still was not happy, it was then a few more and a few more and a few more.
On a daily basis I would have a glass of ice water and apple for breakfast, no lunch and leave half my dinner. I could not concentrate, I couldn’t eat in front of people, I was always shaking, my stomach was in agony from being so empty and then when I did eat it would hurt more because it was not used to it. I lost all my strength and would argue with my mum everyday. She would beg me to eat more, she would cry when we argued because she could see the harm I was doing. Its not just you it hurts. It will crush the people who care about you too.
It finally got to me and hospitalised me. When the nurse weighed me, she asked everyone to leave and sat next to me and told me “you are killing yourself”. Those four words will be stuck in my head forever. It hit me the damage I was doing. Shortly after this I became a vegetarian. Initially for ethical reasons, however it saved me.
Being a vegetarian allowed me to feel in control of my diet. It made me try new foods as well, like quorn meats and all sorts of nuts and pulses. I had never eaten these before but without the meat I had to get my protein from another source. These foods I am now eating are high protein and ultra healthy. The more I ate the more I enjoyed it.
With my whole family eating meat, it meant that I often cook for myself. Cooking it myself mad me more and more comfortable with food. I am now a size 10 (UK) which is perfect for my height and very healthy, and best of all I love my body now. I have never felt better about myself.
Any girl or boy going through the same thing, talk about it! Do something different, I know it is hard but believe me it is worth it! There will always be people there to support you and no matter how much weight you lose you will never be happy, you will still always feel bad about yourself whilst you let this rule your life. Break free from it!