'Bachelorette' Alum Reveals He Struggled With an Eating Disorder

12/06/2017 05:47 pm EST

Before he stole America's heart on The Bachelorette, Peter Kraus had to battle his own demons, the personal trainer revealed in an emotional Instagram post Wednesday.

The season 13 ABC star opened up about struggling with an eating disorder at the age of 20 after he began his modeling career.

"11 years ago I began a modeling career that took me all over the world. i called five different cities in three amazing countries home over a six year span," the Wisconsin native wrote. "I met dozens of amazing people with whom I made life long friends and unforgettable memories. But what I am most thankful for from my 9 year career (2 years retired), is my introduction to fitness."

He continued, detailing how his love of fitness helped him combat his mental illness.

"At the age of 20 I had developed an eating disorder while blindly attempting to keep up with the level of fitness of my fellow models and competitors. For two years I struggled in silence, always trying but never knowing how to compete with my counterparts. In the winter of 2007 I hit rock bottom and decided that it was finally time to take charge of my health and fitness and learn how to do things the right way," he wrote.

After enrolling in the dietetics program at Milwaukee Area Technical College, he eventually graduated with honors and competed in his first Ironman triathlon.

"So on this #WorkoutWednesday I say thank you to a career that taught me so much, that while now retired, is still fun to go back to from time to time to do things the RIGHT way," Kraus continued. "If it weren't for hitting 'rock bottom' I never would have had this amazing hill of life to climb back up. So embrace the s— some times. Learn from it, pick your ass up off the floor and get moving forward and upward again. Sometimes from the darkest places shines the brightest light."

Kraus' Bachelorette castmate, Alex Bordyukov, was one of many who took to the comments to support the 32-year-old for telling his story, and encouraging him to get back to modeling.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say, please come out of retirement," Bordyukov said.

Photo credit: Instagram / @peterkrauswi

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