Katharine McPhee has welcomed a son into the world and although it is a joyous occasion, her pregnancy was not easy. The actress and singer previously struggled with an eating disorder and it came back to haunt her, she revealed during an appearance on "Dr. Berlin's Informed Pregnancy Podcast."
"The biggest challenge for me through the pregnancy was really the body issue stuff just suddenly came up in a way that hadn’t been present in a long time," she said of her past struggles with bulimia, which developed at age 17. McPhee has been in recovery for several years and admitted it was a "shocking" and "upsetting" realization that she may relapse during her pregnancy.
"I was really ravenous the first trimester," the "American Idol' alum recalled, per USA Today. "The food hunger would come on so quickly and in your brain your like 'Is this the eating disorder version of me or is this actually my body?'"
McPhee explained that she also viewed her body through a distorted lens. Many people suffering from an eating disorder have a distorted view of their body, which may not have any bearing on reality. She chose to seek help from a psychiatrist, who told her that "it’s really common for women who have struggled with eating disorders in the past to have almost like a relapse in some sense when they enter pregnancy."
In a 2017 interview with Health magazine, McPhee admitted her weight tended to fluctuate and said it was important that she was sensible about her eating habits. Being kind to herself was another vital factor in her recovery.
"I’m in a place where I’m trying to find more balance, less torture, more moderation," she said.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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