Becoming Healthy w/ Moderate Eating Problems

SimpleLoveDiagnosis

I've gained so much weight that I'm now 195 at 5'4. It's mostly due to the binges I've let myself endure the last few years, but because I do not exercise regularly that has a place in it as well.

The point of this forum is to ask how I can lose weight without triggering myself. I've suffered from diverse forms of eating problems that include starving, restricting, binging, and purging since I was 10 (so 11 years). At the moment I've seemed to have left all of them behind except the binging which has only gotten worse in the last year. With the binging also comes the overeating that doesn't exactly make me feel sick, but I know I shouldn't be doing it.

It just feels like in times of need all I have is food and self-injury. And because I've tried to stop cutting altogether, it's really all I feel I have to fall back on. So when I do try to eat healthier, I seem to want to restrict. And when I do that I just feel depressed and I feel like I'm about to go back into the cycle completely.

I have no idea if this makes any sense..

Basically I have no idea how to lose weight without going back to my old ways, and I am asking for advice on the matter.

herblackwings39

I eat the foods I like. I haven't completely overhauled my diet in a way that won't work long term. Some people have great results cutting out carbs or eating non-processed foods. It works for them. My suggestion is to eat in a way that will make things easiest for you. If you have issues with restriction don't restrict food groups. Maybe start by working on your portion sizes. Have one portion, wait 15-20 minutes and if you're still hungry have another portion? If I know I can eat it later if I want it I'm less likely to go nuts and eat all the food.

It may be trial and error though. I'd also suggest if you're not already that you try to talk to a therapist. It might help you get to the root of your eating and self harm issues.

j6o4

gradual changes, you dont have to restrict food you like just cut back a little and make portions smaller untill you have more control of your eating habit. This healthy life style is all about consistency, so if you fall off just pick yourself up and get back on track.

allshebe

I get the impression that most of your issues are about control - or lack of control in your life.If you can control by starving, binging and purging, you can control to be healthy. Create a plan where you eat a certain amount of calories per day. I'm guessing that something between 1500 and 2000 is going to be in the ballpark. Divide it into some number of meals each day and control that you eat that number of calories. If you don't want to deal with calories (or that leads you down a "bad" path mentally), try using the diabetic exchanges, so you plan that for breakfast you WILL eat 1 lean protein exchange and 1 fruit exchange and 1 dairy exchange ... and plan your day out according to established "rules"

From <http://home.hiwaay.net/~mevinson/exchange.htm&gt;
Sample 1500 Calorie ADA Diet

Breakfast
1 Fruit (List 4)
2 Starch/Bread (List 1)
1 Fat (List 6)
1 Milk (List 5)
*Free Foods (List 7)

Lunch
1 Meat (List 2)
2 Starch/Bread (List 1)
1 Vegetable (List 3)
1 Fruit (List 4)
1 Fat (List 6)
*Free Foods (List 7)

Afternoon Snack
1 Fruit (List 4)

Dinner
2 Meat (List 2)
2 Starch/Bread (List 1)
1 Vegetable (List 3)
1 Fruit (List 4)
2 Fat (List 6)
*Free Foods (List 7)

Evening Snack
1 Starch/Bread (List 1)
1 Milk (List 5)
1 Fruit (List 4)

mmellgirl

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