This woman chronicles her anorexia recovery on Instagram to inspire and help others

Sam Fox
Updated

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An eating disorder is NOT about weight!✋ What do I have in common in these 3 photos? An eating disorder. Luckily, I can say that I was close to fully recovered on the 2014-photo, though some may disagree that you can become 100% recovered, especially after such a short time. Weight loss and/or weight gain is a side effect for some sufferers. Most people with eating disorders are normal- to overweight. Most people with eating disorders don't have clinical anorexia nervosa. There is NO such thing as being "too big" for an eating disorder. Not all underweight people have eating disorders or are unhealthy. Being overweight does not automatically mean you are lazy or unhealthy. I've seen SO many people with a bmi above 25 who looks perfectly normal and are healthy. I was close to overweight on the 2012-picture! We need to stop labelling and judging, and start accepting that people come in different sizes, and that is ok🌸 #bodypositivity #realcovery

A post shared by Amalie Lee🦄🏳️‍🌈🇳🇴 (@amalielee) on Jan 4, 2015 at 7:42am PST



In 2012, 20-year-old Amalie Lee became so malnourished from anorexia that she needed to be hospitalized. A year later, she began chronicling her recovery process on Instagram in an effort to spread eating disorder awareness and to support and inspire those who also suffer from eating disorders. She told Cater News:

"I have been documenting it from the start, and it's weird to look back. People follow me because I am real and honest."


The Roehampton University student explained that although she was technically deemed healthy in the spring of 2014, the mental recovery is a much longer process. She said:

"The thought of spending the rest of my life alone, utterly consumed by an illness, eventually became more frightening than the thought of recovery. I educated myself ... I sat with all this knowledge, and I could not just keep it to myself when I knew I had many followers on social media who struggled with what I had been through."


Lee now has more than 60,000 Instagram followers who comment about her bravery and strength every day. Lee used her personal experience to help others and make them feel understood instead of alone. In the caption of one photo, Lee wrote:

"I am damn proud of my physical change as you can see, and I enjoy showing you my progress."


Take a look at some of Lee's Instagram pictures documenting her battle against anorexia over the past year.

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I have gained so much over the last 12 months. I have gained hope and dreams for the future. I have gained confidence and femininity. I have gained back the ability to feel; both sadness and happiness. I have gained body fat, muscles, bone mass and organs. I have gained knowledge and experience. I have gained back my personality. I have gained life. No wonder there had to be more of me to house all of this! #realcovery #anorexiarecovery

A post shared by Amalie Lee🦄🏳️‍🌈🇳🇴 (@amalielee) on Oct 5, 2014 at 1:49pm PDT



Watch this video if you've ever felt bad about your body:

For Anyone Who's Ever Felt Bad About Their Body
For Anyone Who's Ever Felt Bad About Their Body



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