A woman who battled an eating disorder that made her feel so fat wanted to DIE, is now helping others to love their bodies, after gaining SEVEN dress sizes.
Danielle Galvin, 24, from Cairns, Queensland (Australia) developed a childhood eating disorder after suffering years of taunts for being overweight.
Aged 11, she joined a gym and started to count her calories, and things quickly spiralled out of control.
Over the next eight years, she battled a constant cycle of starving herself followed by guild-ridden binges.
But maintain her 70kg body took its toll on her mental health and she developed anxiety, panic attacks and even made an attempt at taking her own life.
After receiving counselling for her body issues, she slowly began to change her diet and has since gone from a size 10, to a size 24 – and now helps other women to embrace their curves.
A woman who battled an eating disorder that made her feel so fat wanted to die, is now helping others to love their bodies, after gaining seven dress sizes.
Danielle Galvin, 24, from Cairns, in Queensland Australia developed a childhood eating disorder after suffering years of taunts for being overweight. Aged 11, she joined a gym and started to count her calories, and things quickly spiralled out of control.
Over the next eight years, she battled a constant cycle of starving herself followed by guilt-ridden binges.
As a young girl, Danielle's obsession with her weight got out of control. Photo / CATERS
But maintaining her 70kg body took its toll on her mental health and she developed anxiety, panic attacks and even made an attempt at taking her own life.
After receiving counselling for her body issues, she slowly began to change her diet and has since gone from a size 10, to a size 24 - and now helps other women to embrace their curves.
She said: "All my life, I can remember feeling a desire to be different.
Danielle was never satisfied with being a size 10. Photo / CATERS
"During my recovery, I stumbled across a body positive social media account.
"I was amazed by these incredible women who were not only bigger in size, but completely comfortable in their own skin. Much to my surprise they were happy.
"Now I'm now a size 24 and happier than ever before. My body is something I'm incredibly proud of."
Danielle is proud of her new body. Photo / CATERS
Danielle first started having negative thoughts about her body at the age of just 10.
She said: "Despite being an incredibly active kid, I was always bigger than everyone else.
"My parents called it puppy fat but I remember seeing a photo of myself from my brother's birthday party when I was 10 and being horrified by my size.
"Oh my God, I'm so fat - were the words I used. I was 10!
"After that, all I wanted was to lose weight to look like everyone else."
With the help of her parents, Danielle began to overhaul her lifestyle.
She said: "Seeing how unhappy I was, they bought me a gym membership and booked me in with a personal trainer who made me write a food diary.
"Within a few weeks, I was losing weight.
"When I realised cutting out certain foods, like chocolate bars and cereal, made me lose weight - I became hooked.
"It was the beginning of a very bad cycle."
She added: "I didn't realise it then, but my natural weight is not set at skinny. I'm a curvy woman. So I was on a mission to achieve the impossible.
"My body wouldn't get below 70kgs and even though at 170cms I carried it well, I was devastated.
"I started starving myself, sometimes living on just a weight loss shake in a day.
"Of course, being just a kid I'd struggle and would then binge, which always left me wracked with guilt, so I'd starve myself again the next day."
"As I scrolled through the photos of larger women whow ere not just accepting their curves, but loving them, I was stunned.
"These women were all happier than me. I needed some of what they were having."
Danielle loves to flaunt her figure. Photo / CATERS
Now Danielle shares skimpy photos of her voluptuous body online and is overwhelmed by messages of love and support she's received, that have helped her embrace her fuller figure.
She said: "I was so nervous about posting photos of my body. I had anxiety about my rolls of fat and how people would react.
"But everyone was so positive about my body. They celebrated seeing a normal, healthy body like mine.
"It really made me realise that I could stop worrying about my size, and just be happy in the skin I was in."
Now a size 24, she no longer weighs herself and eats a healthy diet where she doesn't worry about counting calories.
She said: "My life no longer revolves around depriving myself and instead focuses on giving it the fuel it needs to survive.
"Most days I eat salads with something like fish or chicken and if I want something naughty like a slice of cake or a chocolate bar, I'll have it.
"I'm classed as overweight, but I feel the happiest I've ever been. Nothing could make me want to go back to that lifestyle of being slim and miserable. It's just not worth it."
Where to get help:
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7) • Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) • Youth services: (06) 3555 906 • Youthline: 0800 376 633 • Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7) • Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm) • The Word • Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7) • Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155 • CASPER Suicide Prevention If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
