Valeria Levitin, known as the world’s thinnest woman, weighs just four stone after 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 fragile appearance, Valeria is on a mission to discourage others from aspiring to dangerously thin bodies, emphasizing the importance of self-care and health.
At 39, Valeria bravely opens up about her battle with anorexia, sharing her story to help others avoid the same path. Speaking to The Sun, she reveals that she has received emails from young women, particularly those in their twenties, asking her to teach them how to achieve her extreme weight loss. Valeria refuses to encourage these requests, describing her condition as a path that leads to self-destruction.
Having struggled with an eating disorder since her teenage years, Valeria is now a vocal advocate against anorexia. She openly discusses the profound impact the illness has had on her life, expressing her determination to use her experience to prevent others from falling into the same trap.
Valeria traces the origins of her struggle to her mother’s concerns about potential obesity, which led to strict dietary restrictions from a young age. Her mother’s pursuit of perfection included regular monitoring of Valeria’s weight to ensure she did not gain any excess pounds.
At 16, after moving to Chicago with her parents, Valeria weighed 10 stone. She believed that losing weight would help her fit in at her new school and achieve popularity. This belief drove her to further restrict her diet, cutting out sugar and carbohydrates.
Ironically, after abstaining from certain foods for so long, Valeria’s body can no longer tolerate them. This intolerance has made it difficult for her to process certain foods. A hurtful comment from a classmate about her body intensified her determination to lose weight.
Recalling a painful memory, Valeria shared, “We were playing football, and someone said, ‘I know how we can win. We need to put Valeria’s big behind in the goal’. That comment shattered my world.”
By the age of 23, Valeria’s dress size dropped from a healthy size 12 to a size 6. Pursuing a modeling career only exacerbated her condition, as she was told she was still too heavy to succeed. By 24, Valeria weighed a mere six stone and was advised to stop dancing due to concerns about potential injuries.
Over the next decade, Valeria sought help from over 30 health specialists, experiencing a dangerous low of 3 stone 10 pounds. Even today, she is unable to eat certain foods due to the severe effects they have on her body. She has abstained from bread for so long that she can no longer remember its taste.
Valeria’s condition has led to a life of loneliness. Unattached for ten years, she finds relationships difficult, unable to participate in typical couple activities like dining out.
Now, Valeria hopes that traditional medical intervention can help her regain her health, though she believes the core issue lies in a “lack of harmony between body and soul.”
To manage her condition, Valeria relies on supplements to reduce the risk of bruising and avoids situations that could lead to falls. She is considering a return to Moscow, where she feels more in tune with herself, to pursue her dream of becoming a mother through surrogacy.
Valeria believes that her desire to have a child could be the catalyst for reclaiming her health. She remains optimistic about achieving good health while working towards her goal of becoming a mother.
In a powerful statement, Valeria expressed her longing for a family: “I would love to have a family because I feel I have so much to give. But obviously, it wouldn’t be right to have a baby when I am ill. It wouldn’t be fair to the child. I want to stand up to anorexia. I’ve never given up on anything in my life, and I’m not about to give up now.”