Derbyshire Woman Shares Anorexia Recovery Journey, Finding Strength Through Running and Self-Worth

A woman from Derbyshire who has overcome anorexia has spoken publicly about her experience in the hope that it will support others facing the same struggle.

The most Annie Windley ever weighed was just 29kg—slightly over four and a half stone—and her dangerously low weight placed her at serious risk of a heart attack.

The 21-year-old, who lives in Woolley Moor, has battled anorexia for more than five years and has endured repeated hospital admissions, medical treatment, and periods of intensive care. Despite those challenges, Annie has leaned on her passion for running as part of her recovery and says she is now in strong shape. She completed the Chesterfield Half Marathon in October last year.

She explained, “I came to the lovely realization that recovery is a beautiful process—it should feel exciting, unforgettable, and amazing.

“I think anorexia will always be a part of me, but I’ve learned how to manage it and stop letting food control my thoughts.

“It’s never too late to change for the better.”

Annie was first diagnosed with an eating disorder in 2012. Two years later, she began her recovery journey, but it came with major setbacks, including being sectioned and losing so much weight that she could no longer stand.

She said that in October 2017, she began fighting harder than she ever had before. “I can’t explain exactly what changed,” she added, “but this time, I was doing it purely for myself.”

She described the struggle as intense, with every day bringing deep pain as well as immense courage. “I’ve gained three stone in the last four months,” she said, “and I’m now at my heaviest since 2014.”

Annie also shared that she came to understand that a person’s actions—how they treat others and how kind they are—matter far more than the number on a scale. Those qualities, she said, are what truly shape life.

“These are the things that make a difference,” she explained. “They’re the things that make you happy and the things that really matter.”

Rather than spending each day planning around food or stressing about restriction, Annie urged people to invest their energy in what others genuinely care about. She encouraged them to be a good daughter, a good friend, to laugh, talk, and stay connected to the people around them.

Exercise is widely recognized for supporting mental health, and Annie said it played a vital role in her own progress. Her love of running helped her stay focused, gave her structure, and provided goals to work toward. Taking part in Chesterfield’s annual half marathon became an important milestone in her recovery.

She completed the demanding course after months of effort and commitment, gradually building endurance through training runs.

“Every morning when I wake up and go out for a run, I use that time to remind myself how precious life is,” she said. “Now that I’m healthy, I can live more freely and flexibly.

“I don’t waste time counting calories or worrying about food, because I’m grateful to have strong legs and a steady, beating heart.”

She emphasized that exercise should never be used as punishment for eating. Instead, she believes it should be seen as a celebration of what the body can do.

“Focus on your passion,” she said, “and let your determination guide you toward where you want to be.”

Annie also spoke about how her eating disorder once turned foods like pizza and chocolate into numbers and percentages in her mind, leaving her feeling that avoiding them was all she could do.

Now, she says her mindset has changed, and she wants to encourage anyone who still feels trapped in the same pattern. She acknowledged that there will be difficult days—days when someone feels “fat,” doesn’t want to eat, and believes recovery isn’t possible.

But she insisted those are exactly the moments when people must keep going.

“We have to prove to our disorders that we can do it,” she said. “We don’t want to spend our lives unhappy, filled with regret for all the things anorexia stopped us from doing.

“That’s why we must carry on.”