Despite efforts to embrace body positivity and feature more realistic models in media, many people around the world continue to struggle with eating disorders.
Annie Windley, a woman from Derbyshire, has shared her story of overcoming anorexia in the hopes of inspiring others facing similar battles.
At her lowest point, Annie weighed just 29 kg (about four and a half stone), putting her at severe risk of heart failure.
The 21-year-old from Woolley Moor has fought anorexia for more than five years, enduring extensive medical treatment, care, and multiple hospitalizations. However, Annie has made an impressive recovery, largely thanks to her passion for running. Last October, she even completed the Chesterfield Half Marathon.
Reflecting on her journey, Annie said, “I came to realize that the process of recovery is incredible and should be seen as something exciting, remarkable, and amazing.”
While she acknowledges that anorexia will always be a part of her, Annie has learned to manage it and move beyond her obsession with food. “It’s never too late to make a positive change,” she added.
Annie was first diagnosed with an eating disorder in 2012. Her recovery began two years later, but it was a tough road, filled with many challenges, including being sectioned and experiencing rapid weight loss.
“In October of 2017, I started fighting harder than ever before,” Annie recalled. “I can’t pinpoint exactly what changed, but this time, I was doing it for myself.”
The journey was intense, filled with emotional pain but also immense courage. In the last four months, Annie has gained three stone and is now at her healthiest weight since 2014.
Annie stresses that a person’s actions, kindness, and how they treat others are far more important than their physical appearance. “These are the things that truly matter in life,” she said.
“These are the things that bring you happiness,” she continued. “Instead of spending your days fixating on food or how to restrict it, focus on something that truly matters.”
Annie urges others to be good friends, loving daughters, and to engage with the people around them. Exercise, she notes, has been crucial to her mental health. Running became a goal that helped her heal and kept her focused during her recovery.
Training for and participating in the Chesterfield Half Marathon played a significant role in her journey. She dedicated immense effort and determination to complete the challenging course.
“My morning run is a reminder of how precious life is,” Annie said. “Now that I’m well, I can live a more flexible and free life.”
She expressed gratitude for her strong legs and beating heart, noting that she no longer wastes time worrying about food or counting calories. “Exercise should be a celebration of what your body can do, not a way to make up for what you ate.”
Annie encourages others to focus on their goals and the excitement of where they want to go. She shared that she used to avoid foods like pizza and chocolate because the voices in her head turned them into numbers and percentages.
Fortunately, Annie has changed her perspective and offers advice to those struggling with similar issues.
“There are bad days when you think recovery isn’t for you, when you feel ‘fat’ and don’t want to eat,” she said. “But that’s exactly why we have to keep going. We have to show our disorders that we can overcome them. We don’t want to spend our lives regretting the things anorexia prevented us from doing.”
