Any recovered bullimics out there?

bonnykate

Hello!

I was bulimic back in high school and into college, but I got caught out and thankfully have left that particular fight behind me.

I managed to stop the purging without going through therapy, and the binging has definitely lessened since, but I still do binge sometimes. I know this has a lot to do with my kooky relationship with food, and I was wondering if any other recovered (recovering?) bulimics were on here and if so, what suggestions you have for controlling the urge to binge on food?

Thanks!

ldybugg

mine was more ana or what they now call purging disorder. but did binge occasionally. still struggle some but this site has given me a way 2 track everything healthily. by choosing the right foods i actually eat alot to try 2 hit all my cals 4 the day. i always have healthy snacks and am constantly eating so really i never have the urge 2 binge. normally if i have a craving for something i allow it in small portions that way i dont feel deprived then go grazy. or if u have major trigger foods ild try an stay away from them. plus i eat very healthy so only vary rarely do i feel the guilt which leads to other things. today got a lil hairy at one pt- slipped a lil. some days are better than others but a hell of alot better than 4 mo ago. what ever happens dont beat urself up - dust urself off and take a step in the right direction. dont know if this helps much as i know they are different. i find as im feeling better, working out , and getting healthier my obsession is lessening. good luck and one day at a time.

AnnieeR

Hi there! I am a recovered bulimic/compulsive overeater. Overeaters Anonymous helped me a lot, and I also did a stint in therapy with a specialist in the field. For me it was all connected to what was going on in my life and an obsessive need for control (and subsequent losing of ALL control) so dealing with my problems head on rather than stuffing them down with food is a lot of the answer for me. It's not easy, and even though they're few and far between now I definitely get the urge to binge from time to time, but with time I think you come to realise that it doesn't help and in fact it just makes things worse.

My slightly bigger problem is the purge issue - I was an exercise bulimic and would have to go and pay penance at the gym basically any time I ate anything beyond my set "allowed" amount. People assume that obsessive exercising is a good thing, but it really, really isn't. I very often have to remind myself not to fly into panic mode if I miss a day at the gym. I missed two in a row this week and my husband keeps having to remind me that it's not the end of the world, there's still plenty of days left to go, and I'm not going to completely ruin my weight loss by skipping a couple of workouts....

It's an extreme state of mind and it's hard to shake, but it can be done! :flowerforyou:

bonnykate

I have a friend who was an exercise bulimic; I know what you mean about people assuming obsessive exercise is healthy when it's really not -- and about "paying penance" for eating. That was *exactly* how I used to feel. Good for you for reaching out and stepping beyond it!

bonnykate

@ ldybug

thanks for the advice -- it's good, sane stuff you're saying, and important to keep in mind .