Alicia Putinski is a body image coach who works with people to improve the way they think about themselves and their bodies - an incredibly important fundamental of mental wellness and just happiness in general.

Alicia always had an interest in fitness and dieting but wasn't always the picture of health she is today. Through her younger years she struggled through alcohol abuse and excessive dieting and exercise, it then intensified into her 20s to the point where she ended up with orthorexia (essentially a self-punishing relationship with food). At one point she was really only eating beef, kale and coconut water.

Alicia made herself so sick she met the criteria for anorexia and stopped menstruating. One day something snapped and she had a breakdown in the street. This was when she decided to turn things around.

Alicia went to study NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) to learn about brain behaviour and also coaching, and she eventually found that her story was a powerful tool that would allow her to help others.

Today she runs her own business in Vancouver but has also learnt what she needs to do for herself to really fire on all cylinders. Her recovery didn't happen in the space of weeks or months, it took years and she's found ways to maintain healthy balance.

You can find more about Alicia's story through her business Weightless and also her Instagram