December 15, 2020 • bachelor insider
Ben Smith Shares More About Overcoming His Eating Disorder in Inspiring Post
Ben Smith bravely opened up overcoming bulimia during a moving conversation with Tayshia Adams earlier this season on “The Bachelorette.” Weeks later, the handsome U.S. Army veteran and personal trainer is opening up even more about his “complicated” relationship with food.
“So, for most of my life I’ve struggled with a pretty terrible relationship with food and my body,” Ben wrote in an Instagram post on Monday. “Disordered eating has been a constant in my life for longer than I care to acknowledge.”
He continued, “Although I understood how to appropriately fuel my body, for the longest time I was afraid of foods that might be bad for me, and unsure of how to find a solution that truly suited me and my life.”
Ben — who recently won a spot among Tayshia’s final four, along with Zac Clark, Brendan Morais, and Ivan Hall — went on to acknowledge that many viewers might not believe he’s suffered the burden of body image issues.
“I know that might seem weird, ‘oh look there’s this guy who looks pretty athletic, he’s got muscles or whatever - he probably has it all figured out,’” Ben wrote. “Well... I’m here to tell you, he definitely did NOT have it all figured out. Believe me, I get it - nutrition is far more complicated than the dollars and cents of eating the right amounts of the right types of foods, at the right times.”
The California native explained that finding a balance can sometimes feel “emotional” and “irrational.” He elaborated, “It’s complicated as hell. Even more, trying your best and coming up short is scary. So damn scary.”
Ben — who offers online nutrition and fitness services via his company, Bodybuilding Club — encouraged his followers to take control of their well-being and form healthy food habits. “I know that there are a million and a half ways to navigate what you decide to put in your mouth,” he wrote. “That said, I think starting with a basic understanding of what might work best for you is most important.”
He concluded his post by reminding Bachelor Nation that it’s important to indulge once in a while: “Eat the cake. You’ll be just fine :)”
Noted, Ben!
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
