'DWTS' Alexa PenaVega Talks 6-Year Battle With Bulimia Caused by Fat Shaming

Dancing With the Stars contestant Alexa PenaVega might have dealt with criticism from the show's judges on a weekly basis, but it turns out she was battling an even tougher critic behind closed doors: herself. The Spy Kids actress admitted to a six-year struggle with bulimia. She also revealed the eating disorder began in her childhood after being fat shamed.

It takes a lot of confidence to get up on stage and dance in front of not only a live audience, but also, a row full of judges. Well, PenaVega used that strength to her advantage when she made the decision to open up about a very intimate detail of her life.

After DWTS season 21's most recent episode aired on Monday (Nov. 9), PenaVega opened up about her past struggle with bulimia, admitting a childhood incident involving a movie producer telling her she was too fat ignited the eating disorder.

"You read textbooks and it's just so, well, textbook. 'This is how you get over bulimia,' PenaVega told People. "But it is so much deeper than that. I wish I'd had somebody who could have told me, 'It's scary.' You struggle giving it up. You want to get rid of it but you struggle because, in a strange way, you enjoy it."

The 27-year-old star wished she had someone to tell her the truth about the eating disorder and thoroughly explain to her the situation she was actually in. Although it's a sensitive issue, PenaVega believes the topic should be openly discussed and tackled directly.

Bulimia or bulimia nervosa is considered a potentially life-threatening eating disorder that involves binge eating and self-induced vomiting, designed to undo the effects of the binge eating.

Bulimia can cause extreme help problems like a ruptured esophagus, chronic bowel movements, a gastric rupture and tooth decay, according to nationaleatingdisorders.org.

PenaVega, who was sent home on DWTS Monday, is currently on the road to recovery. She revealed her battle with bulimia is now a thing of the past and her main focus now is to help other people who are currently dealing with the eating disorder today.

"I went through a big battle and all I wanted to do was move and inspire people and show them that bulimia is something that you can get over," PenaVega said. "That's really all I wanted tonight. I couldn't have asked for a better way to end my time in the competition."

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Dancing with the Stars