I don't know how to force myself to eat

hcoburn37
hcoburn37 Posts: 442 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
ok ... so I have been under so much stress in my personal life right now. I have been going through an on-going custody battle that I just recently lost. My two sons are 15 and 16 and the judge said they are old enough to move with their dad to Georgia (I'm in NH) .... In 6 months I will be moving as well. I am giving them the opportunity to change their mind and still have a home to come to.

Here lies the problem ... I have fallen into such a deep depression, that I don't eat and I don't sleep and I'm still trying to excercise. I stopped logging everything and seriously eat about 300 -700 calories a day .. maybe. I am ready to thoroughly start back on my journey to losing these last 20 pounds but everytime I try to eat I get sick to my stomach.

Anybody have any ideas to help get me back on track of actual eating?

Replies

  • innocenceportrayed
    innocenceportrayed Posts: 569 Member
    Since you haven't been eating much or sleeping much you have to start small easy to digest meals. Think back when you were a kid and got sick or even when your kids were younger, what'd you give them? Toast, applesauce, rice, stuff fairly easy to digest. Start small and work back up to bigger meals.
    Also, see a therapist. I mean that in the nicest way. You're under a lot of stress and the best thing to do is talk to someone about it, someone you can trust that can give no judgement. I'm saying that from a psychologist point of view(I'm majoring in it) and even as a psych major we are recommended to see a therapist. =D

    I hope you can get your appetite back and sleep and of course good luck with the battle.
  • hcoburn37
    hcoburn37 Posts: 442 Member
    Since you haven't been eating much or sleeping much you have to start small easy to digest meals. Think back when you were a kid and got sick or even when your kids were younger, what'd you give them? Toast, applesauce, rice, stuff fairly easy to digest. Start small and work back up to bigger meals.
    Also, see a therapist. I mean that in the nicest way. You're under a lot of stress and the best thing to do is talk to someone about it, someone you can trust that can give no judgement. I'm saying that from a psychologist point of view(I'm majoring in it) and even as a psych major we are recommended to see a therapist. =D

    I hope you can get your appetite back and sleep and of course good luck with the battle.

    I am currently seeing a therapist right now .... :)
  • innocenceportrayed
    innocenceportrayed Posts: 569 Member
    That's good!

    You can try ZzzQuil to help you sleep or some form of sleep aid although I'd only use it if you absolutely have to. I'm a huge fan of everything organic and natural so I use Zzzquil probably once a week when I absolutely cannot get to sleep for whatever reason.

    And the eating, like I said try slow small things and then build back up to 300-600 calorie meals.

    Best of luck dolly, I'm sure all will be fine.
  • Pimpmonkey
    Pimpmonkey Posts: 566
    I agree. take small, slow steps and you'll get there!
  • jerbear1962
    jerbear1962 Posts: 1,157 Member
    You will need to start slow, remember your boys want you around...they really do. Taking care of yourself is so important. Add some calories with foods you love...you can do it
  • MFPBrandy
    MFPBrandy Posts: 564 Member
    Talk to your therapist about your calorie intake, too. Sometimes just being accountable to someone else helps-- either way, he/she should be ble to help you come up with a plan.

    If you can't make yourself eat a lot, make what you eat count and get high-calorie, healthy foods in there, like nuts, avocado, eggs, etc. Carry a bag of nuts around with you in your purse and eat a few every time you reach in there for your wallet, keys, etc.
  • Avistew
    Avistew Posts: 32 Member
    When I was depressed, my doctor told me not to force it, that I needed to take care of my stress and depression first and the rest would follow. And that's what happened. I lost weight at the time and I was worried that it was so unhealthy, but he said, if you're body's not hungry, it's telling you that you have more important things to think about right now.

    Eat when you're hungry, have food around, and take care of yourself. Try relaxing and trusting that you'll be hungry again when you start feeling better. I know I was.

    Do talk to your doctor in case your situation is different, but otherwise, I would say don't stress yourself out even more by forcing food down your throat.
  • Music4Hym777
    Music4Hym777 Posts: 71 Member
    I am glad that you are getting help from a therapist for your depression and stress. Sometimes it is hard. If you have only been eating 300-700 cal a day, I would actually make sure to see a dietician whom specializes in eating disorders as well (I am not saying that you have an eating disorder, but they have experience in helping people up their intake in a safe way as it can be very dangerous to the body to all of a sudden go from 300 calories to trying to eat 1500 or so). I hope that you can work it all out. I know too that trying to get the last 20lbs off may seem sort of like a priority now, but getting your health back is probably the most important thing to do. I say this from a place of being a therapist that works with all types of age ranges with eating issues.
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