Zuzana Strbakova, 33, is a full-time fitness instructor, personal trainer, group exercise instructor and a nutritionist based in Peacehaven. Dedicated to helping women become healthier, fitter, more confident and able to work through eating disorders and other conditions, she’s going to be a new regular columnist for Women Actually.

This is Zuzana’s story.

When you look at me, you see an upbeat, healthy, fit young woman. I’m tall and loud so people think I am very confident and outgoing... but it hasn’t always been like that.

I was brought up in Slovakia by two notorious alcoholics, who also happened to be my parents. My parents loved me, but their disease and their addiction were greater than their love towards me or my younger brother.

The drinking, the violence and the emotional abuse were sometimes too much to deal with and I developed an eating disorder that I learnt to hide for many years.

Despite this, I did well at school and was going to study at university. But my destiny had a different plan for me.

I was always very active, but nothing ever made me feel as happy and as free as dancing. When I was 13 years old I was part of a dance group, we competed at national and international level, and travelled across Europe with the team.

An opportunity came up to go and work abroad when I was 17, and I knew it was my golden ticket to get out of my home environment.

I went to Ibiza, and lived there for five years, working as a dancer at some of the best clubs. I hired a personal trainer three to five times a week to stay in shape. This was when my eating disorder took shape.

I arrived in the UK in 2005 with no idea what I wanted to do. On the surface I was fine: a good job in a managerial post at a college, going out, dating. But the pressure and stress of being on my own and learning to survive pushed me back into my eating disorder.

I kept my secret to myself but things got so bad that in 2010 I wanted to end my own life.

But it wasn’t meant to be: I was meant to survive. I spent two years in therapy and now I’m in a very healthy and happy place.

I found a wonderful man who has supported me and there was exercise, another reason why I am still alive.

I quit my job at the college and put all my efforts into my own fitness business. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.

  • Contact Zuzana at zuz_fitness@yahoo.co.uk or on 07861 639382.