Four weeks ago, Katharine McPhee took the stage in her quest to become the next ?American Idol? as she went up against eventual winner Taylor Hicks in the finale.
Shortly after the show, Katharine hinted to Access Hollywood?s Nancy O?Dell that she had dealt with body issues.
?As women, we should not be starving. We should be feeding our bodies and our souls and there is a way to have a healthy body and not have to diet, not have to restrict yourself from food,? Katharine told Nancy. ?As soon as you tell me I can?t have this chocolate bar, I?m going to want it. I had a lot of fear foods ? foods that I would binge on and stuff like that.?
It turns out the problem was bigger than she would admit.
Just months before dazzling America with her vocal chords, Katharine was literally destroying them by purging, according to People magazine.
?Katharine McPhee had a very tough time with bulimia, throwing up up to seven times a day,? People magazine?s Julie Jordan told Access. ?Right before starting ?American Idol,? Katherine went in for treatment for the eating disorder, which she had already been battling for five years.?
Katharine hasn?t binged since two weeks before entering the eating disorder program, yet she still managed to drop 30 pounds throughout the ?Idol? process.
?You start doing something you love doing and the weight just started falling off me. I was still eating,? McPhee said. ?It was a really amazing thing that happened with me and my body has just been kind of falling to its natural state and I don?t know if it?s finished going where it want, but it?s doing its thing.?
A healthy and happy looking Katharine graces the cover of June 30th?s Teen People and she said she likes her new role as an idol to young girls.
?I love being a role model. I think it?s great,? she smiled.
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