The Outlander star has opened up about his personal battle with body image which led to an eating disorder in the early days of his fame.

Sam Heughan has opened up about his body image battles when he first rose to fame in his memoir Waypoints: My Scottish Journey (Image: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Outlander’s Sam Heughan has opened up about the dark period he went through with his mental health when he first started to rise to fame as a TV star.

The Scots actor, who originally hails from the small village of Balmaclellan in Dumfries, has admitted that he previously underwent some drastic diets and exercise regimes which led to a “low level” eating disorder.

The 43-year-old, who plays Jamie Fraser in the historical fiction drama, opened up about how he would “literally starve himself” in his book Waypoints: My Scottish Journey to look his best while he was trying to make it as an actor.

He wrote: “I was careful with my diet but now began to understand the necessity to eat more to allow my body to thrive. I paid attention to calorie intake, and considered every meal in terms of what it might mean for my chances of getting work.

“In hindsight, when I consider that time in my life, I recognise that I was living for a while with a low-level eating disorder. The requirement for an actor to look a certain way has driven me too far at times.”

He continued: “I rationed what I ate, often consuming just salad and pickles, knowing they were low in calories. I certainly wasn’t taking on enough fuel for all the running I was doing, let alone for a long day on set.

“We often talk about pressure on women to conform. I certainly felt that expectation upon me, which is why I responded by maintaining a disciplined eating and exercise regime. It was a form of control as I tried to make my way in an industry in which actors are pretty much powerless.”

Sam first rose to fame in 2014 when he landed the role of Jamie Fraser in Starz’s hit fantasy drama, Outlander alongside his iconic on screen partner, Claire Fraser, who’s played by Caitriona Balfe.

Unfortunately for Sam, his increased profile as the show quickly grew in popularity has brought about the pressure of staying in physical shape to portray his hunky Highlander role.

He revealed: “I very much felt the pressure of having to have a certain body type. Early on I didn’t really know what I was doing. So I would literally starve myself.”

“And I forced myself to do crazy amounts of cardio to sort of lean down as much as I could”, the Express reports.

In the earlier seasons of Outlander, there was a lot of emphasis placed on Jamie’s chiselled shape which piled on the pressure for Sam to stay fit.

Sam confessed he would “literally starve himself” to look his best for the part (Image: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ReedPop)

The actor previously told Audible: “Looking back on it now, it really wasn’t healthy. But it’s been a good process for me to then educate myself about a healthy lifestyle.”

Sam is now working on raising awareness about how body image standards can have a detrimental effect on mental health and has launched his own lifestyle movement.

‘My Peak Challenge’, which is the actor’s charity fitness platform, encourages people to stay fit whilst also teaching them that a healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body.

On the charity’s website, its mission statement reads: “My Peak Challenge is a global movement dedicated to educating and inspiring its members to live healthier, happier, and more balanced lives while raising funds to change lives.

“Our ethos is simple: Help yourself while helping others.”