One of the most emotional moments of the podcast “Hot Mess with Alix Earle” came when its host candidly discussed the eating disorders she struggled with in her sophomore year of high school. As with many teenagers, peer pressure was a contributing factor.
Discussing how her friends would spend thousands of dollars on the latest fad diet, Earle recalled, “… I knew that this wasn’t normal at first but after watching their habits and watching them lose weight and watching them be so satisfied over this, it became more normalized for me. It was a very, very toxic environment when it came to girls’ relationship with food. I went from someone who had a very healthy relationship with food very quickly to someone who did not.”
Earle first began significantly cutting down on her portion sizes, before developing bulimia: “All I wanted to do was get those thoughts out of my head that were making me feel so guilty about the food that I just ate,” she told listeners. Thankfully, the TikToker eventually stopped binging and purging, and thanks to her supportive friends at the University of Miami, now has a much healthier relationship with food. “I eat what I want to eat, and that has me in such a better place and in such better shape. And my body is so much healthier than it ever was.”
If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA’s Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
