Kate Ferdinand talks about overcoming her gym obsession

One look at Kate Ferdinand’s Instagram page and you would presume she has it all- an incredible figure, a lavish lifestyle and legions of followers. 

But behind her glossy profile, the reality star, 28, has spoken out on her addiction to the gym, her 15-year battle with body dysmorphia and a ‘struggle to love myself’.

In an exclusive chat with MailOnline, Kate, who has launched an gymwear edit with Dare 2 b, talks about overcoming her gym obsession, feeling more confident and how she quashes her anxiety.   

‘I used to be obsessed with going to the gym’, Kate said. ‘I feel like I had to go every day and if I didn’t go then I’m not going to look good.

‘Now I don’t go as much to the gym to look good. It’s more for my mind and lifestyle rather than adding extra pressure to yourself to go to the gym to look good, and if you missed a day, freak out- I don’t do that anymore.’

Kate added: ‘My relationship is a lot more healthy, I’m not putting pressure on myself all the time.’  

The former TOWIE star candidly admitted during her younger years she would ‘pick loads of flaws in me’ as she fought internally with body dysmorphia. 

‘I had a really love-hate relationship with myself to look a certain way, to be a certain way,’ Kate said. 

‘I wasn’t seeing what everyone else was seeing so I’d pick loads of flaws in me and I was comparing myself to unrealistic people, like supermodels.

‘I don’t love my legs they’re a bit stumpy. I was comparing my legs to a supermodel’s legs and they’re really never going to be the same.’

On how she’s learning to love her figure, Kate said not comparing herself to others was key.   

‘I still do obviously struggle and I still have days where I think “Oh I’m not having a good day” but generally I have much a healthier relationship with my body,’ Kate added. 

The Essex beauty has battled from anxiety throughout her teenage years but at the end of 2018, the reality star suffered one of her lowest points. 

Kate had stepped out of the bright lights of reality TV to focus on being a step-mum to 41-year-old Rio’s three children Lorenz, 13, Tate, 11, and eight-year-old Tia,  after the death of their mum – Rio’s first wife Rebecca – who tragically passed away to breast cancer in 2015. 

Kate set a New Year’s Resolution to becoming ‘a woman comfortable in her skin’ as she discovered her new role in the family. 

‘It was just a build-up,’ Kate said. ‘I’ve always suffered from anxiety and I’ve always struggled to give people the insight into my real life,’ she said. 

‘It’s hard to do that over social media and I just felt like I was sort of getting more anxious with everyone thinking my life was perfect when I didn’t feel like that. 

‘So I decided to share the post and to help others as well because you look at people and think “oh they haven’t got any worries”, when really I have. 

‘I am normal and I struggle too and here’s the way I deal with it to try and help people.’ 

One year on, Kate, who showcases her incredible figure in an array of trendy gymwear for her Dare 2b edit,  said: ‘I feel much more confident, I’ve learnt more about me.  

‘I’ve took time to understand me. What makes me happy, what makes me sad, how I work so I can manage myself and feel better.’ 

The Dare 2b Kate Ferdinand Fitness Edit is available from Dare 2b now.