post-ED support :)

entelein

hi all!

I wondered if anyone here has a history with EDs that makes it difficult to lose weight healthily without triggering old thought patterns? It would be nice to share the ways we manage to avoid triggers and still lose weight. Some things that have helped me:

• reconsider goal weight. I initially put mine right on the lowest for 'healthy BMI' before realizing that it was anxiety that made me do it -- the idea that it's safer if I know the underweight category is always just a day or two away. So I upped it by 10lbs, and am learning to be OK with that.
• this won't be right for everyone, but I can't log what I eat. It is way too triggering. I use MFP to log my daily exercise and weight and that's it. If I log food it makes me panic and restrict like crazy, so I'll occasionally log a day to see where I'm at but that's it.
• try to focus on exercise as a way to boost mood and energy, rather than a self-damaging or purging behavior.

please post if you've struggled with this and need support! And add to the list of weight-loss strategies specifically for those who have recovered from EDs! Our needs are a little different from others' and it's good to be able to discuss that

angel5392

I'm struggling really bad right now
xo

George8383

I'm also struggling I've bulimia it's a every minute battle atm feel free to add me xx

entelein

angel5392 wrote: »

I'm struggling really bad right now
xo

noooo I'm so sorry to hear that

Sometimes it helps me to remember that there is nothing, nothing more important than remembering that everyone is deserving of love and that you are no exception, and that's constant regardless of your appearance. Bodies are amazing things that change and adapt and allow you to experience the world and sometimes it's hard to appreciate that when we're so strongly encouraged to think not about how our bodies perceive the world, but how our bodies are perceived by others. Does that make sense?

please take care of yourself. You deserve health and happiness.

recognitionscene

I was bulimic from age 16-24, and am now 28 and 100 pounds heavier than I was when I was bulimic. Logging used to be triggering, and so did exercise. For me, it took time to find balance. Eventually I had to learn to recognize every time I was becoming obsessive, take a break, and focus on health rather than weight loss. For the past couple years I have also been working on self-esteem issues and I think that is helping me realize that my self-worth isn't dependent on my body, which helps keep me in a non-self-destructive mindset.

Graelwyn75

I focused on bodyfat as opposed to scale weight. I turned my attention to being fit and strong as opposed to thin and frail. It is still an ongoing battle and if something stressful enters my life, I do slip back a little, but I managed to turn it around fairly well in 2013(the year my profile picture was taken).

I started dieting at 13, had full blown anorexia at 17(70 Ibs and 5'11 at my worst - almost died) and have struggled ever since, intermittently, with bulimia, anorectic thought patterns and binge eating. I find that it is all too easy to get hooked on getting to the minimum BMI or below but I know full well that at my age(42) and with such a history behind me, my body would not take another such beating. That, along with the fact that I get scared when I look too thin, keeps me in check.

My main suggestions are to change your point of focus away from the scale and numbers and to instead focus on building the most healthy and nutritious diet you can, as well as aiming for a fit rather than thin body. I know it is hard, but imo, constantly living in the shadow of the ED monster is even harder.

Tabbycat00

Hi. I've been in recovery since 1995. Some of the strategies which help me specifically are logging calories. I know what I can eat and maintain my weight. I can look back and see other "bad" eating days and realize it isn't the end of the world. I can literally go back to my food diary and say "wow, look! On February 20, 2000 I ate 2700 calories. How has that impacted my life in 2017? It hasn't" therefore if I have a bad eating day in 2017...I just move on. For some reason all those dates and numbers comfort me. I also try to focus on what my body can do: run a marathon, do 64 push-ups, carry a baby, give birth, chase a toddler...
Finally, something that has really helped me is to not SAY anything negative about my body. I refuse. Sometimes there's "peer pressure" especially from other women: coworkers or women in a fitness class. They'll talk about things jiggling or needing to lose weight, etc. I just keep quiet. If I start to say negative things about myself because others are I'll start to feel negative about myself when no one is around. I don't care if people think I'm stuck up, I'm just not going to be negative. And, I won't say anything negative about anyone else's body either.
Those are my strategies.

Sugarphobia

I'm struggling with ED since 2014... Trying to get better