Alix Earle receives 'opposite' feedback following emotional podcast on eating disorder: 'I found a great community'
NEW YORK CITY, NY: Alix Earle, a renowned TikTok personality boasting six million followers, has recently opened up about her previous battle with a "toxic" eating disorder during an episode of her 'Hot Mess' podcast.
The 22-year-old influencer, celebrated for her candid online persona, admitted to initially fearing that the reaction to her disclosure might be unfavorable.
However, the reality turned out to be quite the opposite, as she was met with an outpouring of love and support from her TikTok followers.
Alix Earle gets surprising feedback after discussing eating disorder on podcast
Alix Earle discussed the responses she received after revealing her past struggle with an eating disorder during Heidi Klum's 22nd annual Halloween party at Marquee New York.
She attended the event dressed as the White Witch from 'The Chronicles of Narnia.'
The TikTok star exclusively shared her thoughts with Page Six, emphasizing the unexpectedly positive response she received from her online community.
She exclusively told Page Six, “Before ever opening up online I was really scared that the response would be negative and it’s honestly just been the opposite.”
The influencer, who has also been vocal about her experiences with getting a breast augmentation and her struggles with acne, has found solace in connecting with fans who have gone through similar challenges.
She stated, "It’s been super positive and I think I found a great community through this."
"It's also super therapeutic for me to find other people who struggle with the same issues so I would encourage people to open up online about whatever it is they’re going through because you never know how many people you’re going to impact with that," Earle said.
Alix Earle escaping toxic environment
Alix Earle's high school experience at Red Bank Catholic High School in New Jersey exposed her to a "very, very toxic environment" concerning girls' relationships with food.
She described her journey from having a healthy relationship with food to developing an obsession with dieting and an intense focus on counting calories, stating, “I went from someone who had a very healthy relationship with food very quickly to someone who did not.”
Earle admitted to meticulously counting calories and often eating a plain salad without dressing for lunch, which caused her significant stress if the calorie count exceeded a certain limit.
The dieting culture consumed her life, prompting her to resort to juice cleanses. Before long, she began experiencing body dysmorphia, perceiving herself as much larger than her true appearance.
“I would get stressed out if the numbers got too high, I would buy juice cleanses, like I was just so obsessed with this dieting culture,” she said.
She added, “I just went down such a bad path with myself, with my body, with my image, and I started to have this sort of body dysmorphia I would look in the mirror and I would see someone way bigger than the person that I was.”
Alix Earle, after-school routine often involved binge eating followed by intense feelings of guilt, leading to purging. This pattern continued until she started attending the University of Miami.
At the University of Miami, Alix Earle found a welcoming environment that allowed her to unlearn her dangerous eating habits. She discovered a supportive community that encouraged her to embrace food without competing over body size and weight.
“I was just like so appreciative of the fact that I had girls telling me that it was OK to eat and we weren’t all gonna be competing with our bodies, and who was gonna weigh the least like that wasn’t a thing like that thought didn’t cross their mind," she said.
"I was so enamored by this I was like, ‘Wow this is so nice and refreshing and I don’t feel this toxic environment anymore,’” she added.
Today, Alix Earle characterizes herself as "healthier and happier," and she expresses her gratitude for escaping the "very toxic cycle." While revisiting these memories stirred up a variety of emotions, she stressed that she has progressed to a better place in her life concerning her relationship with food.