Recovered/ing from an eating disorder?

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alskarani
alskarani Posts: 83
in Health and Weight Loss
I hesitate to post this, because I know this is a sensitive subject, but I'm looking for support in recovering from disordered thinking about eating. Are there people on here who could relate and be a support, or a group of some kind? I couldn't find one...

Thank you for your kind, gracious replies!

Replies

  • hinaisold
    hinaisold Posts: 19 Member
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    I had bulimia maybe 3-4 years ago. :) I could help you.
  • MacCroc
    MacCroc Posts: 50 Member
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    There is an ED support group, community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100766-eating-disorder-support-group. Unfortunately not very active so far, but we should try to change it :)

    Feel free to add me as well, I've been recovering from bulimia for the last 5 month.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    alskarani wrote: »
    I hesitate to post this, because I know this is a sensitive subject, but I'm looking for support in recovering from disordered thinking about eating. Are there people on here who could relate and be a support, or a group of some kind? I couldn't find one...

    Thank you for your kind, gracious replies!

    has a doctor suggested that a calorie counting website is a good way to recover? I only ask because counting calories can be triggering for a lot of people so it might not be the best environment to stay in.
  • fictionrose
    fictionrose Posts: 3 Member
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    I'm currently trying to recover from bulimia. I have sought professional help, but either they were too busy to schedule me, or they did and after 6 months of waiting the doctor got sick, they called me three days before my appointment and wanted to reschedule me, with another six months of waiting period. I said no thaks. For me if I don't count, then there are two possibilities, either I overeat or I majorly undereat, because I think that breakfast was a lot more calorie dense than it really was.
  • fleurk126
    fleurk126 Posts: 43 Member
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    I had anorexia for 10 years plus...occasionally I relapse into bulimia now but it's the support of people around me that have got me back to a healthy weight with healthy eating habits (99% of the time!) Feel free to add me and happy to support you in your fight. Good luck :)
  • hayleymoore656
    hayleymoore656 Posts: 5 Member
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    I've had an eating disorder for as long as i can remember, however was diagnosed with bulimia in 2012 and been in recovery ever since. Currently struggling a lot with binging and being re-referred to the psych house! I'm new on here and lookong for support towards a healthier lifestyle! Please feel free to add me! X
  • Shbamaholic
    Shbamaholic Posts: 10
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    hayleymoore656 wrote: »
    I've had an eating disorder for as long as i can remember, however was diagnosed with bulimia in 2012 and been in recovery ever since. Currently struggling a lot with binging and being re-referred to the psych house! I'm new on here and lookong for support towards a healthier lifestyle! Please feel free to add me! X

    This... This is me all over :(

    Started MPF today and have already binged about 3000 calories worth. I won't log it and I feel awful about it :( I just want to be normal and eat healthily but binging over and over again has led to rapid weight gain and it is awful. If anyone could help me that would be awesome, I just want to be held accountable.
  • MacCroc
    MacCroc Posts: 50 Member
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    For @Shbamaholic and others on this thread with low calorie goals: the only way to get out of the starve/binge cycle is to eat normal amounts of food daily. If your goal is under your BMR, you will unavoidably binge. It has nothing to do with willpower, it's just the way your body responds to starvation.
    I recommend joining Eat More 2 Weigh Less group community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/3817-eat-more-2-weigh-less .
    You will be surprised to see how much you are actually supposed to eat to maintain weight. I started on MFP in september, trying to maintain on 1400 calories and binging constantly. Now I maintain at 2500, haven't put on any weight and have been binge-free for over 4 month.
    There is a way out, you can go back to normal life.
    I'll be glad to help if you have any questions.
  • alskarani
    alskarani Posts: 83
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    Thanks everyone for your responses. It's good to know there are others out there, and maybe we can support each other? Perhaps we should get the group active again! And use it as a place to encourage and support each other, ask questions or air concerns, and provide feedback for each other? Does that sound like a good idea?

    No, my doctor hasn't asked me to count calories. I start at a treatment center soon, and they may encourage it or ask me not to, I'm not sure. Counting calories has seemed like it would be helpful, because I have fears of eating too much, and that makes me restrict a lot, so being able to tell myself "this was exactly 1000, you need to eat 500 more" seems like it would be helpful. But i recognize I might be wrong about what I need. I don't know!
  • Shbamaholic
    Shbamaholic Posts: 10
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    MacCroc wrote: »
    For @Shbamaholic and others on this thread with low calorie goals: the only way to get out of the starve/binge cycle is to eat normal amounts of food daily. If your goal is under your BMR, you will unavoidably binge. It has nothing to do with willpower, it's just the way your body responds to starvation.
    I recommend joining Eat More 2 Weigh Less group community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/3817-eat-more-2-weigh-less .
    You will be surprised to see how much you are actually supposed to eat to maintain weight. I started on MFP in september, trying to maintain on 1400 calories and binging constantly. Now I maintain at 2500, haven't put on any weight and have been binge-free for over 4 month.
    There is a way out, you can go back to normal life.
    I'll be glad to help if you have any questions.

    Excellent advice :) It's encouraging to hear that your maintenance is so much higher than you thought. Thank you for the boost :) Feeling refreshed and ready to start again!
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    One thing that's really important to address is why you are engaging in the ED behaviour. What is it that is making you binge or restrict? So, as well as keeping your 'food journal' (ie tracking on MFP), try keeping a feelings journal as well. When you feel like binging, ask yourself why and actually try to address what is really going on. Sound absolutely terrifying? Yup! But trust me, once you can address the reasons for the behaviour, you can start to let go of that crutch. It's not an easy thing to do, and maybe sometimes you will just go straight for the binge, but still try to do the journal thing after. Eventually you will get to a place where you are dealing with the trigger, facing it head on, and the desire to binge can be fought off.

    FWIW, I think tracking my intake helps me. I don't think I'm in a place where I would slip back into restrictive behaviour (been four years since my last go around), but I don't want to chance it. Having MFP tell me I haven't eaten enough makes me get my calories up so I can close off my day.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    And yep, eat at maintenance while you're in recovery. Go easy on yourself :)
  • alskarani
    alskarani Posts: 83
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    Nony_mouse, do you think journaling will help with restricting? I know stress and feeling of not being good enough or helpless about certain things in my life makes restricting more appealing, but I don't always realize when it's happening or feel able to stop it...
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
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    I'm 27 and had EDNOS for 17 years. It's been one year without any problems.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    alskarani wrote: »
    Nony_mouse, do you think journaling will help with restricting? I know stress and feeling of not being good enough or helpless about certain things in my life makes restricting more appealing, but I don't always realize when it's happening or feel able to stop it...

    I actually didn't try it when I was recovering from my last round, which was very restrictive. I just knew I had to eat more (nearly passing out in the shower will do that for you!) and forced myself to do it. I reckon it could in junction with food journaling though, cos you will realise you are restricting when your cal count for the day is too low, which then gives you the opportunity to question yourself as to why (your ED brain's first reply will undoubtably be 'oh but I'm not hungry', don't listen to it). And if you don't feel able to stop it you can reach out to others for support. You are free to message me anytime :)

    I actually just had to pep talk myself into having dinner. Had a really late lunch, and even though I left dinner till a couple of hours later than usual I just wasn't feeling enthused. Funnily I'm now looking at the empty bowl and thinking 'damn that was good, why is there not more??' :p
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    kojiro44705 wrote: »
    I'm 27 and had EDNOS for 17 years. It's been one year without any problems.

    That is awesome :)
  • alskarani
    alskarani Posts: 83
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    Thanks, nony_mouse! That's really helpful! :)

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