MTV presenter Erin McNaught has warned against the dangers of exercise obsession after her “unhealthy” fixation with the gym led to illness.

The Gold Coast-raised, Sydney-based model has admitted her quest for the body perfect took control of her life in July 2009, causing her to contract a flu that left her bed-ridden for six weeks.

“I was a massive gym junkie — I was doing (aerobic class) body attack four times a week, then running on top of that,” the former Miss Universe Australia tells WHO. “It became an obsession, and my life started revolving around the gym. I literally wore my body into the ground and couldn’t get well.”

But while her physical health was impaired, McNaught, 27, was equally concerned about her mental welfare — believing she was using the gym as an escape. At the time, she was dealing with the breakdown of her three-year relationship with Sydney rugby-league star Braith Anasta, with the pair announcing their split in August. “I realised I had to overhaul what I was doing because my focus on working out had become unhealthy,” says McNaught.

Nowdays, the Pepsi ambassador has employed a kinder — and softer — approach to health and fitness. Her intense gym sessions have been replaced with runs or walks on Bondi Beach, where she rents an apartment, and a balanced diet is an integral part of her daily routine. “If I feel like a double fudge chocolate cookie then I’ll have one,” she says. “I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been, I’ve got cellulite and a little belly but I don’t care. I know it sounds clichéd, but when you’re happy with your life it really translates to being happy in your own skin.”

In addition to scoring her “dream job” at MTV alongside Ruby Rose and Darren McMullen, McNaught is also enjoying a new romance with Queensland model Nathan Jolliffe. “He’s a lovely guy and we’re enjoying life,” she says. “2009 was an eventful year but I feel like I’m starting 2010 with a clear ambition.”

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For the full story, see this week's WHO Magazine, on sale Friday, Jan. 22.