We’ve all seen the photos. You know the ones—from back in 2014 and 2015 when Taylor Swift was basically everywhere. She was at the absolute peak of the 1989 era, winning Grammys and leading a "squad" of supermodels. But looking back at those red carpet shots now, there’s a certain sharpness to her frame that feels different in hindsight. For years, the internet was a mess of rumors. People used the term Taylor Swift anorexic in hushed tones or nasty tabloid headers, but the truth didn't actually come out until a cold January night at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020.
It was in her documentary, Miss Americana, that she finally stopped the guessing game.
Honestly, the way she talked about it was kind of heartbreaking because it wasn't just about food. It was about "pats on the head." That’s how she described the praise she got for fitting into sample sizes. If a stylist told her she didn't need any alterations on a runway dress, her brain registered that as a "good girl" reward. If a tabloid ran a headline wondering if she was pregnant because her stomach wasn't perfectly concave, she registered that as a punishment.
She just stopped eating.
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The "Impossible" Standard She Faced
When we talk about the Taylor Swift anorexic period, we’re mostly looking at a time when she was a size double-zero. She’s naturally tall—about 5'11"—so being that small was physically draining. In the film, she tells director Lana Wilson that she’d look at a picture of herself and feel like her tummy was too big. Or she’d read a comment from someone saying she looked like she had a bump.
That was the trigger.
She admitted that she would "just starve a little bit." It sounds so casual when she says it, but the reality was anything but. She was exercising constantly and keeping meticulous lists of everything she ate. She was essentially trying to meet a standard that she eventually realized was "f***ing impossible."
Think about the logic she laid out: If you’re thin enough to have the flat stomach, you don’t have the "ass" everyone wants. But if you have the weight to have the curves, your stomach isn't flat. You literally cannot win. It’s a rigged game.
Why She Believed Passing Out Was Normal
One of the most intense revelations was how this affected her job. Being a global pop star is basically being a marathon runner who also has to hit high notes and look perfect in sequins. During the 1989 World Tour, Taylor thought she was just "supposed" to feel like she was going to pass out.
She’d get to the end of a show, or even the middle of it, and feel like the lights were going to go dark.
She thought that was the price of the job. She thought that was just what it felt like to work hard. It’s wild to think about now, especially seeing her during the Eras Tour, where she’s doing three-hour sets with incredible stamina. The difference, as she put it, is pretty simple: "If you eat food, you have energy, get stronger, you can do all these shows and not feel enervated."
The Turning Point and Jameela Jamil
Recovery isn't just a switch you flip. For Taylor, it involved a massive deconstruction of her entire belief system. She had to learn to "change the channel" in her brain. Whenever those old thoughts pop up—the ones telling her to over-analyze a "bad" photo—she has to actively tell herself, "Nope. We don't do that anymore."
She actually credited actress and activist Jameela Jamil for helping her change her perspective. Jamil is big on "body neutrality," the idea that your body is just the vessel that carries you around, not a project that needs constant fixing.
Taylor moved from a size double-zero to a size six, and she’s been vocal about how much better she feels. She’s got more energy. Her hair is shinier. She’s literally a stronger human being.
What This Means for the Rest of Us
According to a 2024 study published in Social Science & Medicine, Taylor's openness actually did something measurable. Researchers found that her story shifted the way her fans talked about their own bodies. It took the shame out of the conversation.
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If someone as successful and "perfect" as Taylor Swift can struggle with disordered eating, it makes it a lot easier for a teenager in her bedroom to admit she’s struggling too.
It’s not just a "celebrity story." It’s a blueprint for how we treat ourselves in a culture that’s constantly trying to sell us a version of ourselves that doesn't exist. Taylor’s journey shows that the "pats on the head" from society aren't worth the cost of your health.
Actionable Insights for Recovery and Support
If you or someone you care about is dealing with the same "shame/hate spiral" Taylor described, here are some practical steps to start changing the channel:
- Identify the Triggers: Taylor realized that looking at paparazzi photos was her main trigger. If scrolling through Instagram or looking in a full-length mirror makes you want to restrict, it’s okay to step away or "change the channel" like she did.
- Focus on Function, Not Form: Instead of asking how your body looks, ask what it did for you today. Did it help you walk to class? Did it let you dance to your favorite song? This is the core of body neutrality.
- Audit Your Influences: Taylor found comfort in voices like Jameela Jamil and Brené Brown. Fill your feed with people who celebrate health and reality rather than curated perfection.
- Seek Professional Help: Disordered eating is a complex mental health issue. Reaching out to a therapist or a specialized organization like the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) can provide the tools needed to rebuild a healthy relationship with food.
- Nourish the Energy: Remember Taylor's realization: food is fuel. You cannot perform your "show"—whatever that looks like in your life—if you are running on empty. Taking up space is not a failure; it’s a sign that you are present and healthy.