Anorexic girl’s obsession with Kendall Jenner’s body left her battling deadly eating disorder
A COLLEGE student whose obsession with looking like model Kendall Jenner saw her lose so much weight doctors warned she might die if she took a shower.
Katy Hogg, 20, weighed just five stone after starving herself on 250 calories a day in a bid to copy the 21-year-old Kardashian star whose reported diet was 12 cups of detox tea a day plus raw vegetables.
Anorexic Katy, from Lincoln, was eventually admitted to an eating disorder unit where doctors said she was so weak her heart could fail if she showered due to a change in temperature.
She has now now made a full recovery, and is training to compete in bikini competitions.
Katy said: "I was horrified when I was admitted to the unit and put straight into a wheelchair.
"The doctor told me walking would cause too much strain – and I couldn't shower, as the change in temperature could cause my heart to fail.
"I was skin and bones, weighing just 5 stone 5 pounds. Apparently, I wouldn't have survived another week without medical help."
At 5 foot 6 inches, Katy had weighed a healthy 8 stone 5 pounds, but at 17 she wanted to look like stick thin celebrities and the weight fell off as she cut out carbs and eventually began living on a breakfast of black coffee and fruit for lunch.
She recalled: "My life was so full of stress and worry – people like Kendall Jenner seemed to have it all.
"I'd pore over her Instagram and social media accounts, dreaming of having stick-thin legs and a gorgeous figure like her.
"More than anything I wanted a thigh gap like hers.
"She was always so cool and in control. I wanted more than anything to be like that.
"Family mealtimes were the trickiest to avoid. My mum, Caroline, would serve the food, and I'd tell her I had coursework to do.
"She would let me eat in my bedroom, and once I was out of sight, I'd scrape the food into a bag in my room, and bin it when I left the next day.
"It felt good to have control over something."
But as Katy's thigh gap widened, her friends and teachers began to take notice.
In April 2014, a teacher called Katy into her office, and began to question why she looked so gaunt.
The concerned teacher phoned home and Katy's mum rushed her to their GP.
After being referred to an eating disorder clinic and weighed, it was discovered Katy was underweight at 7 stone 5 pounds.
Nurses told Caroline that her daughter was anorexic, and she was put onto a diet plan of 800 calories a day.
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Katy said: "I still looked at my jutting shoulder blades and xylophone ribs, and saw layers of fat.
"My weight continued to decrease, and I fell behind with my studies as I struggled to focus on work."
Katy continued to frequent 'pro-anorexia' websites and Instagram accounts, and barely slept.
It wasn't until August that year that Katy had a wake up call in the form of a stumble down a flight of stairs.
She said: "I tripped carrying some washing and hit a vase at the bottom of our staircase. I thought I'd just scratched myself, but there was so much blood.
"At the hospital, doctors said I had no body fat to protect me, so the cut had reached muscle.
"The tiny scratch would leave a permanent scar – mum begged me then to let the doctors help, and I agreed."
In September 2014 Katy was admitted to eating disorder unit Rharian Fields, in Grimsby, as an inpatient.
After a week, she was allowed to shower, and after three weeks she was free of her wheelchair.
It was February 2015 before Katy was allowed to leave, weighing a healthy 9 stone 2 pounds.
She felt like her old self as she slipped back into her size 8 clothes.
And in February this year, Katy contacted a personal trainer, determined to improve her body-image even more.
She began lifting weights daily and now eats five meals a day and dreams of competing in bikini competitions.
Now, her typical diet consists of two eggs with mice and green beans; chicken, sweet potato and kale;
turkey, almonds, potatoes and broccoli; rice, chicken and greens; yoghurt with protein powder and nuts.
What is anorexia?
Anorexia is a very serious mental health condition which causes the person to restrict the amount they eat.
The sufferer of the eating disorder aims to keep their body weight as low as possible by avoiding food, vomiting or exercising excessively.
The condition usually affects girls and women, however, more recently it has started affecting more boys and usually it develops at around 16 or 17-years-old.
Ff you suspect someone is battling the condition there are a few signs to look out for, says the NHS.
These include:
1- missing meals, eating very little, or avoiding eating any fatty foods
2- obsessively counting calories in food
3- leaving the table immediately after eating so they can vomit
4- taking appetite suppressants, laxatives, or diuretics
5- repeatedly weighing themselves or checking their body in the mirror
6- physical problems, such as feeling lightheaded or dizzy, hair loss, or dry skin
Katy is now studying to be a personal trainer and dietitian, and wants to help other young people suffering with eating disorders.
She said: "At my worst, I wanted help so much, but anorexia had a hold of me and I couldn't do it on my own.
"I'm so grateful for all the support I've had, and although recovery was difficult, it was so worth it. Right now, I'm the happiest and healthiest I've ever been."