Some celebrities have the tendency to hide their internal problems because they are always in the spotlight. However, these five celebrities opened up about their eating disorders and shared how they conquered their illnesses and recovered.
1. Demi Lovato
It isn’t a secret that Lovato went to rehab for anorexia and bulimia. Her eating disorders also stemmed from the fact that she had bipolar disorder. Though mental illnesses do not cause eating disorders, they can certainly act as catalysts.
She knew that a brand new lifestyle was key to her recovery. Lovato shared, “I’ve maintained the meal plan put together by my trainer [Ronny Comacho], so that has been so helpful.”
She took up a new diet, started exercising more, and embraced her curves. Her changes clearly paid off, considering she is at the peak of her career.
2. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi
The Jersey Shore star used to go days without eating during her teenage cheerleading days. She was nervous that her position as flier would be taken away as smaller, skinnier freshmen joined the team, so she began starving herself. Some of these girls were 70 pounds, and Polizzi took drastic measures because she was intimidated.
Many Americans found out about her eating disorder when she was a competitor on Dancing With The Stars. One week she did a cheerleading jive routine that unfortunately brought back these haunting memories, but she put her sad times behind her and performed outstandingly.
She now lives an extremely healthy lifestyle, works out every day with a personal trainer, and raises two young children with her husband, Jionni LaValle.
3. Ke$ha
Ke$ha went to such a dark place where there wasn’t a lot of eating and feeling faint was a good thing. She felt great on the outside because of all the weight loss compliments she received, but awful on the inside because she felt physically terrible.
She checked herself into rehab in 2014 and her therapist taught her that food is indeed a positive thing for her body. Today, she is confident and feels comfortable in her own skin. She has even gone back to taking selfies of herself when she looks good.
4. Portia de Rossi
Portia de Rossi has opened up about her eating disorder that started when she was 12. Her modeling agents told her she needed to go on a diet, so she began to starve herself and became bulimic.
Her eating disorder kept getting worse, and at one point, she dropped to just 82 pounds. She eventually checked into a rehab seeking help for her anorexia and bulimia.
De Rossi has spoken publicly about her battle. She even wrote a memoir, Unbearable Lightness, that addresses her struggles with her weight and sexuality.
5. Kate Winslet
Winslet was never anorexic or bulimic, but she did go through a three-month experimental laxative time. She wanted to be an actress, and she was “big.” She became hooked on over-the-counter laxative pills, and it became a vicious cycle.
When she started landing roles in films, her dieting obsession kicked in more. She only ate raw carrots, apples and black coffee. But now, Winslet has a healthy attitude toward and told Movieline’s Hollywood Life magazine, “You want to teach young people that beauty comes from within and that food is great and a huge part of life.”