Emily Atack found it "daunting" wearing a bikini on 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!'.
Emily Atack (c) UKTV/Karis Kennedy/ Emily Atack: Adulting
The 31-year-old TV star finished runner-up on the 2019 series of the hit ITV show, but she was terrified of letting the world see her natural self after she was trolled online for her weight.
She told Women's Health UK: “My weight has long been criticised [on social media], so wearing a bikini in the jungle was a daunting prospect.
"But the experience forced me to rebuild my relationship with my body; because there was nowhere to hide, I had to embrace those insecurities and I returned from Australia feeling free.
"Eating out less over the past year, I’ve inadvertently lost a stone - but my confidence doesn’t hinge on a number on the scales.”
The 'Inbetweeners' star has since started intermittent fasting and only eats when she feels hungry.
She explained: “I do intermittent fasting. I don’t have breakfast - I’m not a morning person - and I’ll eat my first meal, usually a chicken salad, around midday. Mid-afternoon, I’ll have a snack, and then another meal early evening, which is normally a pasta-based dish or a HelloFresh delivery if I’m busy. And if I want dark chocolate, popcorn or my favourite pad thai takeaway, I won’t deny myself.”
Emily also takes part in boxing and meditation to ease her mental health during the pandemic.
She added: “I love boxing for my mental health and I’m now trying meditation. I’m quite spiritual. I believe in positive energy and manifestation – that what you put out into the universe, you get back.”
Read the full Emily Atack interview in the April issue of Women’s Health UK on sale from today (03.03.21).
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