Zach Shallcross, a star of Bachelor Season 27, recently talked about his struggles with disordered eating and severe weight loss.
He joins other reality TV figures in sharing this sensitive issue.
Before fame, Shallcross was a top athlete in high school and college. During a Real Vibe TV podcast, he revealed his past battle with disordered eating. “I took intermittent fasting too far,” he admitted.
At his peak, he weighed 300 lbs. He and a teammate went on an extreme diet to quickly shed pounds.
Within a month, Shallcross lost “40 or 50 pounds” by eating only 700 to 800 calories per day. “We’d have half a Quaker granola bar and only ground turkey for lunch,” he said.
Shallcross felt constantly hot and uncomfortable at his heavier weight. “It greatly affected my self-image and how others saw me,” he shared.
He realized he needed to take control before things got worse. “Eating disorders are serious. We had to be careful,” he emphasized.
He eventually sought therapy for his self-image battles. His fiancée, Kaity Biggar, also mentioned their couples counseling after the show.
