How Lily Collins Changed Her Relationship With Food

Actor and "Emily in Paris" star Lily Collins is someone who likes to stick to a balanced diet and prefers food items such as salmon, chicken, quinoa, oatmeal, and more. She told Harper's Bazaar in July 2017, "I snack on veggies and juices throughout the day to keep myself going. I'm really bad about drinking water, but I try to force myself."

She added that she has tried to experiment with new restaurants and said, "I've been trying to get out of my comfort zone and go with foodie friends to places I don't know about. I can be pretty grandma-ish about having a really early dinner, so I have friends who will be the 6:30 crew." However, figuring out a way to adopt a healthy lifestyle has been a journey for Collins, who previously found it difficult to incorporate healthy habits into her regular routine. She told Shape that, as a teenager, she struggled with her body image like her friends, and remarked, "We wore boys' board shorts over our swimsuits!"

The actor has come a long way since then: She doesn't mind posing in swimsuits for magazines now because she feels strong and fit. She said, "I never dreamed I'd be posing in a bikini on the cover of Shape. It's a complete 180 for me." However, she acknowledged that it has taken her time to tweak her relationship with food and figure out what works best for her in terms of nutrition.

According to Shape, Lily Collins hasn't shied away from talking about living with an eating disorder in the past, as she revealed that it led her to control the amount of food she ate, rely on laxatives, experiment with diet pills, and binge on food before throwing it up later. At some point, she realized that she wanted things to change and Collins sought help from her loved ones. She said, "My perspective on other people's view of me was based on this disorder being a secret. But the more open I became about it, the more I was able to be myself."

Collins has chosen to be transparent about her experiences in her memoir, "Unfiltered," and also took on a film on anorexia, titled "To the Bone" (via USA Today). She lost weight for the role after consulting experts because she wanted to do justice to her character. For her, receiving the film's script was a significant moment. She explained, "For me, it was a sign from the world saying, 'This is probably something that is actually bigger than you. There's a larger thing in play here and both are going to be able to better inform one another.'"

If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).