Many people deal with their looks and weight for different reasons.
Despite movements promoting self-love at any size or featuring more realistic models in ads, countless individuals face eating disorders daily across the globe.
This woman is sharing her experience to assist others battling an eating disorder.
Annie Windley hails from Derbyshire, England. After years of struggling with malnutrition, she is now on the road to recovery and wants to share her journey to support others like her.
The highest weight Windley ever reached was never above 29kg, about 63 pounds. Her low weight led to several health issues and put her at a high risk for heart problems.
At just 21 years old, she fought against her eating disorder for five years—a challenge that continues even now. During this tough time, the Woolley Moor local faced numerous hospital stays and medical treatments.
However, according to Annie, she found solace in running as a way to help kickstart her recovery. She even finished the Chesterfield Half Marathon last October.
In one of her social media updates, she mentioned: “I came to the wonderful realization that healing is a beautiful journey that should be exciting unforgettable and amazing. I think my anorexia will always be part of me but I’ve learned how to manage it and not obsess over food.”
Windley also stated: “It’s never too late for positive change.”
Annie got diagnosed in 2012; two years later was when she started recovering. In October 2017, she made the decision to fight back against her eating disorder.
“I can’t pinpoint exactly what happened but this time it was just for me,” she shared online.
“The struggle was intense each day filled with painful emotions yet remarkable courage.”
“I’ve gained three stones over four months and I’m now at my heaviest since 2014.”
Her experiences have shown her that how people treat themselves—and each other—is far more important than looks alone.
“These are what truly bring happiness and are essential,” she expressed.
Concentrating on respecting others along with embracing running really saved Annie. Channeling energy once spent on limiting food into something rewarding completely shifted how she thought about herself.
“Focus on your passion and determination towards where you want go.”
Eating almost nothing but bread most days before made Annie so weak that she’d often feel dizzy or collapse. Now she’s moving toward a healthier weight alongside a better mindset regarding body image.
“We need show our disorders we can overcome them! We don’t want live our lives feeling miserable or regretful about things we missed out on because of anorexia.”
Let us know your thoughts about this amazing journey in comments!
