Love Island's Dr Alex George admits he'll "turn to food" when he's "stressed out."
The 31 year old told OK! he's aware of himself doing it and has tried to turn to other means to relieve his stress, as opposed to eating.
He said: "When I'm stressed out I often eat more, so I'm trying to be aware of my own habits and, instead of turning to comfort food, channel this somewhere else and do exercise or talk to someone or find other ways to unwind and relax."
Referencing his time on Love Island, which appeared on in 2018, Alex said he "didn't feel great" about his body on the show.
He shared: "I've had an interesting relationship with my body and food over the past decade. I talked about it on Love Island. I had a really unhealthy relationship with food and even though I looked aesthetically in shape – whatever that means – I don't think I felt that great.
"When I'm really stressed or life becomes hard food becomes my comfort too much. I might eat too much of the wrong thing."
In a bid to turn things around, Dr Alex told us he's become very "self aware" of his tendency to turn to food while stressed.
"I am very self aware of it and I am trying to now really focus on the process. Of course it's nice to fit into a piece of clothing you like to wear but not making that the primary goal has become a big thing for me, and instead I'm enjoying the process of getting to that place."
Alex, who recently made the decision to quit A&E, also works as a mental health ambassador with ITV and spoke about body diversity on the show.
"When I went on there, I was much more like I was now. I didn't feel comfortable to go on there like I was which is a real shame.
He said: "I am pretty confident that Love Island would want diverse body image, but how do we work on the wider discussion around body and fat shaming, which still exists.
"It's still rife and it's a hugely underreported how much body shaming happens. We have to think about how we change that narrative and then maybe we will see more people come on TV that feel comfortable to do that."
Amid his desire to "feel better" about his body, Dr Alex has decreased how much alcohol he drinks.
Explaining his process to get there, the star said: "Over the last couple of years I've done a lot of switching out of alcoholic drinks and focusing on non-alcoholic ones.
Alex has been working with iconic bartender Merlin Griffiths at celebrity favourite Royal Ascot this summer, at the first ever no and low alcohol Mindful Drinking bar created by Harrogate Spring Water.
Discussing why he chose to get involved he put it down to not having to explain yourself if you don't want to drink.
Alex shared: "I think people don't have to explain so much anymore. You don't have to give excuses, 'no' is a complete sentence. It is trickier for men, there is certainly a culture around men and drinking. Definitely when I was at uni it was like that and doctors would have a work hard, play hard culture.
"If you drink too much it actually takes away a lot from your life. I like having a drink but it's important to keep control of it and you shouldn't base your life around drinking. So do it in a way that's healthy.
"Royal Ascot does have a reputation to be boozy for some. You want to enjoy it, but it's about doing it in a way that you remember it. I think a lot more people are becoming more mindful when it comes to drinking."
Find out more about Harrogate Spring Water’s initiative and visit their pop-up at Royal Ascot
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