World’s Thinnest Woman Speaks Out About the Dangers of Extreme Dieting and Encourages Healthy Living
Valeria Levitin, known for being the world’s thinnest woman, weighs just four stone due to years of extreme dieting, far below the healthy weight range for her height of 5ft 8in. According to NHS guidelines, she should ideally weigh between 9 and 12 stone. Despite her delicate appearance, Valeria is using her platform to raise awareness about the risks of extreme weight loss and promote a balanced approach to health and self-care.
At 39, Valeria is committed to sharing her personal journey with anorexia to help others avoid the same path. In a recent interview, she revealed that she has received messages from young women, especially in their twenties, asking for advice on how to achieve her extreme weight loss. Valeria is firm in refusing to encourage such requests, explaining that her experience is one of self-destruction, not a goal to be aspired to.
Having battled an eating disorder since her teenage years, Valeria is now a strong advocate for mental and physical health, encouraging people to prioritize self-care over appearance. She openly discusses the profound impact her illness has had on her life and is determined to use her story to prevent others from following in her footsteps.
Valeria traces the start of her struggles to childhood, where her mother’s concern over potential obesity led to strict dietary restrictions. From a young age, Valeria’s weight was closely monitored to ensure it didn’t exceed a certain threshold.
At 16, after moving to Chicago, Valeria weighed 10 stone and believed losing weight would help her fit in at her new school and gain popularity. This desire led her to drastically limit her diet, cutting out sugar and carbohydrates in hopes of achieving the perfect body.
Over time, the effects of these extreme restrictions took a toll on her body. By 23, Valeria had dropped from a healthy size 12 to a size 6, and the pressure to maintain a certain look for her modeling career only made her condition worse. By 24, Valeria’s weight had dropped to just six stone, leading to advice to stop dancing due to health risks.
Despite seeking help from over 30 health specialists, Valeria’s condition reached a dangerously low point of 3 stone 10 pounds. Even today, she is unable to eat certain foods due to their severe effects on her body, including a long-term avoidance of bread.
Valeria’s journey has also impacted her social life, leading to ten years of solitude as she finds it difficult to engage in typical relationship activities, such as dining out.
Now, Valeria is hopeful that medical intervention can help her regain her health, while she recognizes that the root of her struggle is the “lack of harmony between body and soul.”
In managing her condition, Valeria uses supplements to prevent bruising and is careful to avoid situations that could lead to injury. She is considering returning to Moscow, a place where she feels more at peace with herself, to pursue her dream of becoming a mother through surrogacy.
Valeria’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of balanced health and the dangers of pursuing unattainable beauty standards.
