Valeria Levitin, a former Russian now living in Monaco, has noticed a troubling trend: young girls are writing to her, eager to learn how to achieve her extremely thin physique.
In an interview with The Sun, the 39-year-old shared: “I’ve received emails from young women, mostly in their twenties, who see me as an inspiration and want guidance on how to look like me”.
However, Valeria is taking a firm stance against anorexia and refuses to offer any advice that could lead young girls down a harmful path. Having struggled with an eating disorder since her teens, she is now determined to raise awareness about the devastating effects it has had on her life.
Valeria aims to discourage others from following a similar fate, revealing that her battle with anorexia has left her feeling isolated and unattractive. Her mother’s fears of Valeria becoming overweight, stemming from family history, led to strict dietary rules from an early age.
At 16, Valeria moved to Chicago with her family, believing that losing weight would help her fit in at her new school. She drastically cut out sugar and carbohydrates, and after years of dietary restrictions, her body now struggles to digest these foods. A hurtful comment from a classmate about her weight further fueled her desire to lose more.
At 23, Valeria’s dress size dropped dramatically from a healthy size 12 to a size 6, and her long-standing avoidance of certain foods continues due to their negative effects on her body. Her eating disorder has isolated her socially; after being single for a decade, she finds it difficult to engage in common couple activities, like going out to eat.
