KATIE Price recently revealed exactly how much she weighs following fan concerns over her skinny frame.
The former glamour model, 47, who first sparked worry over her shrinking appearance at the start of the year, hit out at critics on Snapchat as she zoomed in on a set of scales.
Katie Price recently sparked concern amongst fans as she revealed very slim frame in a new video[/caption]
The TV personality, believed to be around 5ft 4in tall, showed her weight as 7st 12lb.
In an attempt to put fears to rest Katie, said in the video: “Everyone is so obsessed with my weight. This is what I weigh. That. That is what I weigh.”
But with the combined weight of her mega 2120cc breast implants removed – which are thought to weigh around 4.87lb each – her implant-free body is closer to a mere 7st 2lb… or that of a young teenage girl.
That puts her BMI at 17.2 which is below the healthy range and in the underweight category (18.5 and under).
However, while the number on the scale might seem okay to the mum-of-five, in my eyes, the weight reveal is possibly Katie’s most disgusting act to date – and it’s a huge trigger for those already struggling with their body image.
As a young teenager, I used to idolise stars and celebs like Katie, and anything that revealed how they attained their figure and weight was ”skinny porn” that fed my eating disorder.
Just like the thousands of young girls and women hiding in her 2.7million followers on Instagram, I was once a healthy and active young girl.
But my life, for years, was dominated by orthorexia nervosa. It started during my first years of university.
Deriving from the Greek words ortho, meaning ”correct”, and orexis, meaning ”appetite”, this relatively new form of eating disorder viciously had me in its grip in my early 20s.
I was never fat or even chunky – but having a naturally more athletic frame meant I was always on the bigger side next to my peers at school.
Then, in 2009, when I had reached the unripe yet vulnerable and impressionable age of 13, Kate Moss shocked the world with her now-infamous mantra: ” Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.”
Although the legendary model, now 51, has since expressed her regret over the phrase, it was already too late for me and millions of people around the world.
There was also Paris Hilton – someone I had seen on the TV screen for years – Lana del Rey and Lady Gaga.
My eating disorder wasn’t an immediate effect – but being exposed to skinny stars started to alter my perception of what I was seeing in the mirror and in one yer alone I shrunk from 10st to just over 7st.
Years went by and physically, I was still healthy, constantly cycling to the nearby beach and going to the gym.
I’ve since managed to escape the tight grip of my body image struggles – but it wasn’t an easy journey[/caption]
But mentally, the eating disorder seed had already been planted and I started to compare my figure to what I was seeing online and to what my friends – also in the same boat – looked like.
Katie’s recent post, without her even being aware, at the time would’ve triggered my eating disorder even more – and I wouldn’t be surprised if I tried looking up her diet.
In 2015, aged 19, after graduating from high school in my hometown Riga, Latvia, I moved to the UK to pursue studies in journalism.
The only thing I could control – food
I left everything behind – my lifelong friends, the home I grew up in and most importantly, my family.
Suddenly, I felt like an alien and nothing was no longer in my control.
Nothing – apart from the food I was consuming and in turn, the number the scales were showing.
I had already been following a vegan lifestyle for a year at this point and although the weight started to drop, I was continuously searching for ways to shed even more off my 5’9” and 10st frame.
The Google search led me to several fads, including high carb, low fat and protein diet, which became a staple for two or so years.
I’d become so petrified of consuming any kind of fats that I banned olive oil, avocado and nuts from my diet.
I wouldn’t consume salt or processed sugar at all – and wouldn’t buy tomato puree as it contained 0.4g/100g of sodium.
My mornings would consist of heading for a 30 minute run on the treadmill on an empty stomach – or an hour if I had been ”naughty” the evening before and devoured one Oreo cookie.
Later, I’d head home to whip up a delicious and chocolate-dense porridge for my now-ex – and a bowl of fruit for myself.
I distinctly recall standing by the stove and desperately wanting to have just one teaspoon of the porridge – but I never gave in the temptation.
”It’s not worth it, Kate,” I’d tell myself.
Going out for dates also became a huge challenge, as by then I had discovered intermittent fasting – which, put simply, is an eating plan where people switch between fasting and eating on a regular schedule, typically sticking to the 16:8 eating window.
If the pair of us were out and wanted to pop inside a cafe for a brunch at 11.55am, I’d make my partner wait five extra minutes when I’d break the fast.
How common are eating disorders in the UK?
BETWEEN 1.25million and 3.4million people in the UK have an eating disorder, research suggests.
Around 25 per cent of those affected are male.
Most eating disorders develop during adolescence and are most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 16 and 40, though they can affect anyone at any age.
Around 10 per cent of people with an eating disorder have anorexia, and about 40 per cent have bulimia.
The rest of sufferers have binge eating disorder or OSFED (other specified feeding or eating disorder).
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rates among psychiatric disorders.
The earlier someone gets help, the better their chances of recovery.
Hospital admissions for eating disorders have increased 84 per cent in the last five years, according to The Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Source: Priory Group
For around two years, my diet consisted of plain rice, ridiculous amounts of veggies, oven-roasted spuds with no oil or seasoning, and fresh fruit for breakfast.
Everything else, in my mind, was a sin.
The vigorous running, HIIT classes (high intensity interval training) and nutritionally-limited diet eventually resulted in the inevitable – I weighed little over 7 stone and had lost nearly 3 stone in one year.
My body was so deprived of the vital vitamins and fats that, ultimately, I also lost period for 12 months; something at the time I was convinced was normal.
I was sleeping more than ever – but I constantly woke up shattered. Starving my body led to being irritated by the smallest of things – and I’d have emotional breakdowns on what felt like a weekly basis.
But despite being at my frailest, having a longed for thigh gap and washboard abs – it wasn’t enough. I’d spend nights crying in front of my mirror, wanting to be even thinner.
Without the help of my former boyfriend – who had to witness me withering away – I’d probably still be stuck in the same detrimental mindset, almost a decade on.
Getting help for an eating disorder
If you think you may have an eating disorder, see a GP as soon as you can.
A GP will ask about your eating habits and how you’re feeling, plus check your overall health and weight.
They may refer you to an eating disorder specialist or team of specialists.
It can be very hard to admit you have a problem and ask for help. It may make things easier if you bring a friend or loved one with you to your appointment.
You can also talk in confidence to an adviser from eating disorders charity Beat by calling the Beat helpline on 0808 801 0677.
After years of learning how to eat a balanced diet again, I’ve regained the weight back – currently at 11 stone 4lbs – and I’m the strongest I’ve ever been.
But while I no longer compare myself to celebs and influencers, millions of people, especially the next generation, do and will – and having famous faces like Katie plaster their tiny weight all over social media will only trigger a new tsunami of eating disorders.
Yes, it is possible to break free from their tight grip – and thankfully, there’s plenty of help and resources available out there.
But it’s not an easy journey or one that will take a week, a month or even a year – and those who don’t beat this mental health illness can suffer lifelong health implications and even die.
Right now, at least 1.25 million people in the UK are living with an eating disorder. That’s more than 1 in 50 people – but the real number could be even higher, according to Beat Eating Disorders.
Although there is not much data available about eating disorder-caused mortality rates in the UK, the picture overseas, in the US, is bleak.
According to data, every 62 minutes at least one person dies as a direct result from an eating disorder – and being exposed to skinny celebs like Katie could only make this number higher.
Nihal Candan, a Turkish TV personality and influencer, recently passed away after being diagnosed with anorexia nervosa.
The 30-year-old reportedly dropped to just 3st 6lbs after losing nearly 5st 8 lbs in the last two years.
So, as a survivor of a crippling illness, I’m begging you Katie – stop.
