Former Anorexic Woman Reveals How Chocolate Saved her from Crippling Starvation, Now She Lives a Healthy Lifestyle

At first glance, one would conclude that the 21-year-old Annie Windley was all skin and bones. According to Yahoo Philippines, the young woman did not expect that her once the fear of becoming fat would lead her to an eating disorder.

Windley lived off a single piece of bread filled with jam before as her staple food on a daily basis. She said she felt good when people complimented her as she started losing weight. But as time went by, this became an eating disorder and she eventually turned into an anorexic.

It is a psychological and potentially life-threatening eating disorder where patients suffer from an extremely low body weight relative to their height and body type.

These people frequently fear to gain weight and have a distorted body image that they often believe they appear much heavier than they actually are. They purge themselves after eating by exercising excessively, vomiting, or abusing laxatives.

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•When we realise our worth is not determined by our physical appearance, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE• I’m writing this post to express how important it is to NEVER give up and to realise that recovery is not a smooth sailing easy option, but a BRAVE and bumpy journey that each and every one of you reading this has the capacity to reach!????Just 1 year ago I was a tiny, dying alienated body fuelled by nothing but hate, fear, anger and regret? I let my past haunt me, my present torture me and my future terrify me. I could have easily ended up dead with my loved ones crying over my grave… BUT I REFUSED TO GIVE UP AND I REFUSED TO LET AN EATING DISORDER RULE ME!!?I’m now 3 stones heavier than my lowest weight and although each day I have insecurities, minor break downs and set backs, I’m learning to take control and love the individual soul that my body protects??I’m not perfect but I’m me and all of us as individuals have been put on this earth for a PURPOSE! Make it your goal to achieve your aspirations and then find the courage to keep setting higher goals to hit again and again and again!?•Please keep looking. Not for a person, but for a passion! Your love, your courage, your hope, your dreams, your happiness, YOURSELF! Keep looking. Explore yourself before you explore another. Know your worth and know yourself!! Because only then will you truly know what you NEED over what you want. You need yourself to become your own and instead of pointing out all the negatives, start highlighting all the positives and watch your life brighten and your future open!• I hope you’re all looking forward to the bank holiday! I’m off to Norfolk for a few days with my boyfriend and his Uni mates?take care you brave strangers and never loose hope! #transformation #bodytransformation #body #weightgain #strongnotskinny #fitnotthin #recovery #power #women #fit #courage xx

A post shared by Annie (@tinyrecovery) on Aug 23, 2018 at 6:10am PDT

Due to of her condition and her bizarre physique, Windley got bullied by plenty of people. Apart from being skin and bones, her life was also threatened by serious heart disease. Then came a day back in October 2017 where she suddenly craved for certain chocolate.

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?????? STRONG NOT SKINNY ALWAYS!???… Exactly 4 years ago to this day I photographed myself on the left admiring my skeletal frame and feeling proud of the malnourished physique I obtained… my days consisted of restricting, exhaustion and isolation all for a peace of mind I NEVER got. My eating disorder stopped not only my education, my relationships and my aspirations but it also stopped me from living a normal happy crazy teenage life everyone deserves?… But after years of struggle, pain, courage and fight I’m finally at the healthiest and HAPPIEST place I’ve ever been! The picture on the right was my last week, celebrating in the sunshine of Greece and exploring a freedom I’ve craved for so long?????… •IF THERE’S EVEN A SLIGHT CHANCE AT GETTING SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY, RISK IT! LIFE’S TOO SHORT AND HAPPINESS IS TOO RARE•?So acknowledge where you’re at right here right now… forget the past and don’t anticipate the future just be grounded in the present and enjoy the power of now?It’s nearly the weekend and I’m looking forward to letting my hair down and laughing with the ones I love?have a fabulous day you brave strangers and never give in!???#bodytransformation #bikini #bikinibodyguide #body #weightgain #strongnotskinny #fitnotthin #recovery #power #women #bikini #fit #courage #motivation #inspiration #bikinibody #smile #greece #holiday #zante #beach #happy #freedom xx

A post shared by Annie (@tinyrecovery) on May 17, 2018 at 2:41am PDT

Much to her surprise, this unusual craving of hers became the signal to go back to her once healthy state. The chocolate didn’t leave her everyday diet, along with extreme caution and eating healthy foods.

As of this writing, Windley is confident now that her self-esteem is once again intact. She left a piece of advice for others on her Instagram post, saying:

“If there’s even a slight chance at getting something that will mae you happy, risk it!Life’s too short ang happiness is too rare…”