Livin’ Strong With Lex

Lex with LIVIN’ STRONG @actionalexa

Four days before her 27 th birthday, Sally O’Neil stepped on the scales at her local general practitioners (GP) office, and was bluntly told she was anorexic. To her, the diagnosis made no sense – she was ‘doing everything right’, training regularly and eating healthier than ever before. Little did she know that this was precisely the problem. This is the story of popular wellness author and food photographer ‘The Fit Foodie’, and how being too healthy almost killed her. Lex X

CONTENT WARNING: THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES EATING DISORDERS AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES PHOTO CREDIT: SASHA LEONG @livewithoutlabels

At 24, I moved to Australia from the United Kingdom. I was happy and confident, going to the gym a few times per week and eating pretty much whatever I wanted. However, I soon discovered that living among the ‘bronzed and beautiful’ in Bondi posed its own set of challenges – inspiration soon turned to obsession.

Gym sessions became ridiculously long and seven days a week, and I became fascinated with ‘healthy’ ingredients. I knew verbatim the number of calories in an egg and how long it would take me to burn it off walking around the city.

I restricted food groups, drank copious amounts of water and ate low-calorie products to try and kick my sweet tooth. For the first time, I felt like I had complete control over how my body looked, and everyone seemed to love it. I was just like the #fitspo chicks I admired on Instagram – right?

In the space of eight months my weight plummeted. I lost my period, my hair started to fall out and I developed chronic knee pain from excessive time spent on the crosstrainer – I’d worn away the fat pad behind my knees.

But I had abs and that’s all I cared about. It wasn’t long before I slipped into depression. Everything that had previously brought me joy became a chore. Nutrition information and calories controlled my thoughts, and I stopped eating out because nothing was ‘healthy enough’.

Fortunately, a second GP confirmed I was living with an eating disorder termed ‘orthorexia’ – an unhealthy pre-occupation with eating only ‘pure’ foods. Add an addiction to exercise into the mix, and I had written a perfect recipe for disaster.

It took six months of weekly psychology and a lot of resistance on my side before my weight began to reach healthy levels again. After about a year, I achieved a much better

relationship with food, but it took about three years to really be back on track. These days I’m very mindful of the social media I consume and the content I personally post. I don’t follow accounts that are ‘triggering’ and you won’t find #fitspiration, #cleaneating or #diet hashtags trending in my newsfeed. I’ve redefined what healthy looks like for me, and never step on the scales. My key message to any girl who has ever dreamed of having abs, I can promise you they don’t make you feel better about yourself. S

If you’re experiencing a hard time, need someone to talk to or are in crisis, there is always help available through these national 24/7 support lines: Lifeline: 13 11 14 Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 The Butterfly Foundation support line: 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE)