Jesy Nelson admitted she starved herself in a bid to make herself feel happier, as she shared an emotional photo to social media.
Little Mix star Jesy shared a photo of herself lying down on a gym floor as she opened up about how she felt when the photo was taken.
Jesy said she had noticed the picture in her feed and told her followers it made her "feel so sad".
The 29-year-old shared a lengthy caption alongside the post and said: "On the day this picture was taken, I remember going to the gym with my manager and I stood in the mirror and I said, ‘god I’m so fat I just want my legs to be like this’ and I pulled my skin around to try and create a thigh gap because I genuinely believed that being skinny would make me happier.
"And even when I got to a size 8 from starving myself, I still wasn’t happy.
"I mentally bullied myself everyday to try to please other people."
But Jesy said she had realised that now she was the only person she needed to please as she encouraged her fans to be their own number one fan.
Jesy continued: "It’s taken me 10 years to realise that I’m the only person I need to please.
"As humans we find it so easy to pay other people compliments but yet we find it so hard to be kind to ourselves because it’s so much easier to pick ourselves apart than to find the things we love about ourselves.
"So if you’re someone who is feeling like I was, please don’t waste years of you’re life seeking approval from others, seek approval from yourself.
"Be your number one fan. You are the one in control of your happiness and you are the only one of you in this world and that’s pretty powerful!"
And her followers rushed to offer their support to the star in the comment section.
dilem_xx said: "The most beautiful and inspiring person I know, I am so proud of you...you are more special than you will ever know."
zachcampbel said: " Speak on it queen!! Thank you so much for being a inspiration for us all."
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peachyjesy said: "I love you so much Jesy, you helped me to love myself."
And emmalabucklas said: "You’re so strong Jesy. I’m so proud of you and everything you’ve overcome. You deserve the world."
