Loose Women's Nadia Sawalha reveals she attends Overeaters Anonymous for 'binge eating'
THE Loose Women ladies are known for frankly discussing serious topics, and today's edition of the lunchtime show was no different, with Nadia Sawalha opening up about her previous battle with binge eating.
Nadia Sawalha reveals she attends Overeaters Anonymous
In order to overcome her excessive eating habits, the television presenter revealed she attends group meetings at an organisation called Overeaters Anonymous.
Nadia credited the group, which is run very much like an Alcoholics Anonymous meet-up, for stopping her "out of control" eating habits.
Speaking candidly about her past problems with food, the 51-year-old explained: "I’m a very happy person, had a very happy childhood.
"I love my life but I also had a long period of my life where my eating was out of control."
Nadia opened up about her past food problems on today's Loose Women
Nadia urged viewers to seek help if suffering from similar issues to her
I ate to shut up things I didn't want to feel. Not in the way that somebody might just overeat and be a bit greedy
Revealing why the issue originally arose, Nadia said: "I ate to shut up things I didn't want to feel. Not in the way that somebody might just overeat and be a bit greedy.
"I ate to shut up things that I didn’t want to feel or low self esteem."
Continuing to explain how she countered her unhealthy eating habits, the mother-of-two said: "I go to Overeaters Anonymous, It is a fellowship. You don’t have to have a single penny.
"You can look on the website today, you can go to a meeting and you don’t have to pay. And you can do that every day for the rest of your life.”
Nadia then advised that the organisation is there to help anyone who has an unhealthy relationship with food - whether it be overeating or under-eating and binge eating.
Nadia says she has a different attitude to food now
Nadia Sawalha talking about trying to distract her children so her and her husband could have sex
"[Now] I'm a cook and I write about food. I have a very different attitude to food. I no longer eat to shut up my feelings," added Nadia.
Nadia's emotional revelation immediately resinated with viewers, as later on in the show it was announced that so many people had tried to view Overeaters Anonymous online that the website had crashed.
On hearing the impact her story had had, Nadia couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed.
For information on eating disorder helplines visit the Loose Women website.
Loose Women continues weekdays on ITV at 12:30pm.