Dancer credits influencer Tammy Hembrow with helping her recover from an eating disorder

Rachael Norton has a very special relationship with fashion designer and personal trainer Tammy Hembrow, even though the two ladies have never met.

The 22-year-old competitive dancer first came across the Instagram fitness ‘influencer’ while lying in a hospital bed at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital in 2016.

The Canberra local was admitted into the adolescent ward because her weight had plummeted to 46 kilos, and she was struggling with anorexia.

‘I was scrolling through social media and came across Tammy’s page and I immediately purchased her workout eBooks,’ Rachael told FEMAIL, saying that her family and doctors were firmly against it.

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But she proved that instead of becoming ‘obsessed’ with the gym work involved it actually helped strengthen her body, and encouraged her to change her eating habits.

‘I did it for two years and then when her app launched in 2018 I purchased that and have used it every week since,’ she said.

Tammy’s exercises specialise in resistance work and weight training, meaning it’s more about toning the limbs rather than focusing on weight loss.

‘I credit a lot of my recovery to Tammy as she gave me such inspiration and showed me how healthy and strong I wanted to look,’ Rachael said.

‘If it wasn’t for Tammy I have no idea where I would be physically and mentally.’

Rachael believes she first had ‘anorexic thoughts’ on a family holiday to Thailand in 2014. She was 15 at the time.

‘I was terrified of getting food poisoning so I drastically restricted my food intake which continued even after returning home to Australia,’ she said. 

At the height of her mental illness Rachael was going on 10km walks every day around her neighbourhood and through nature reserves.

She was also ‘secretly’ doing a ‘mass’ amount of sit ups and push ups, anything she thought would assist with burning calories and losing weight.   

‘It’s sad to say but I never asked for help throughout my eating disorder, it was my mum and dad who booked all my doctors, dietitian and therapy appointments,’ she said.

‘I was admitted to hospital and had a nasogastric tube inserted to assist with weight gain. After I was discharged I attended weekly psychologist and dietitian appointments.’

With time – and a lot of hard work – Rachael is finally within a healthy weight range at 63 kilos and enjoying exercise rather than feeling pressured to do it.  

She’ll use Tammy’s core, butt and abs workouts five days a week and balance that with a host of vegan meals.  

‘I wake up super early and have a bowl cereal. After the gym I have a protein shake,’ she said.

‘Snacks range from vegan chocolate to protein bars, crackers and dip, fruit, vegan ice cream and dinner is normally a heap of vegetables with a vegan meat alternative or a big bowl of pasta.’

While years of recovery remain the hardest thing she’s ever had to do she’s now the ‘biggest advocate’ for getting well.  

‘You will reach a point in your recovery where you are stronger than your eating disorder and that feeling is the best in the world,’ she said.

If you need help or support for an eating disorder or body image issue, please call Butterfly’s National Helpline on 1800 334 673 or e-mail [email protected]