Trying To Overcome An Eating Disorder

Well I love food too and crave all types of food especially when my mom cooks but you have to learn to be in control of yourself. Learn to control how much you eat. That's how most of us got fat anyways.

I commend you for stopping the purging as this is horrible on your esophosus as well as teeth. Learn to eat in moderation. Seek professional help if need be.

Hey girl!

I am recovering from anorexia, but, I used to be a binge eater. I know it's hard not to fall back into those patterns. What I have found that helped me was I was eating small, more balanced meals, more often to reach a certain amount of calories (It wasn't the healthiest at the time, but at first food wasn't a fear for me and I literally didn't know how little I was eating) but since I have been in recovery, it has been up and down so I want you to know that it's an everyday thing that you will go through. You don't overcome an ED, recovery is for life. I try to eat balanced meals to reach 1200, And this also helps with the resisting urge to binge.

Everyone is different though. Through recovery you must learn to listen to your body, it will be hard but you can do it. You've got this.

I get that focus on food all the time.
At my house I have seperate drawers in the fridge/cupboard/freezer for MY food. I don't like it when people re-arrange it or put their stuff on my shelf.
I feel sorry for whoever gets me as their room mate at University :laugh:

I am currently going through the same thing, so I really sympathize! I am bulimic as well, and I have found that MFP has really helped. I recently lost my job, and along with it, my healthcare, so I am unable to continue therapy, like I was before. I started using MFP, hoping it would be a healthier option, than what I do left to my own devices. Mostly it has shifted the control issues I have, to calorie counting and exercise, but the purging has really slowed down.

I know it is hard for people who do not have the disorder to understand. You should be proud, even though it has been a short time. I have been tracking everything as diligently as you have, for about 6 weeks now, and have only lost 4lbs. It frustrates me that I have not lost more, considering the effort I am putting out, but I take joy in the small triumphs. Every meal... everything you put in your mouth, that you do not purge, is an achievement. Every work out, where you can clear your head, feel you have done something good for your body, is amazing.

I am in no way condoning purging, but facts are facts... when you purge, you still absorb about 50% of the calories in whatever you ate. So when you binge, you are still consuming large amounts of calories. That's why bulimics are often normal weight or even overweight, unlike anorexics. I know it is not as easy as just saying "stop purging!"... but really, it is easier to eat your meal and keep the calories, feeling satiated, rather than purge it, to be hungry again in an hour and binge again.

Also, don't worry so much about gaining weight.... making an active effort to improve your health is what counts. When you're healthy, it will shed off naturally, if you're still putting in the effort. Your body will take time to adjust. I have been actively trying to improve my bulimia for the last 2 years, and have put on 30 lbs in the process. A lot of it was because of stress from work, which caused me to binge more, but also because I was not exercising, eating the same way I had before, and not purging my meals as often. It takes time for your stomach to shrink back to normal size. You are probably used to eating really large portions, like me, so the best advice there is to eat smaller portions more often, every 2 hours, like others have already said. It really does help, it makes you less hungry and less likely to binge and then inevitably purge.

Also, make sure to take your measurements and check every other week or so. I haven't lost much weight, but I have lost inches, so that tells me I have probably gained muscle weight. Also, find healthier snacks. Chips are the devil! lol. 8 chips equal like 140 calories. So not worth it when you can have a cup of soup, which will make you feel more full, for the same, if not less, calories.

Lastly, do you allow yourself a cheat day? My cheat day is Saturday. Since I am bulimic, if I were left to my own devices, I would probably binge and purge like 4,000 calories of fried chicken and skittles, so what I do is allow myself one cheat meal, so that my calories for the whole day won't be so overboard. Typically cheat days I tend to go over between 200-600 calories.... which is pretty much just maintaining your weight instead of losing, but knowing you are allowed a day to eat something indulgent, makes the other 6 days easy to do, so it's worth it, at least to me. I also tend to make sure that indulgent meal is typically going out to eat with family or friends who support me. I am less likely to purge with people around, than if I were alone.

Anyways... Good luck lady! I am rooting for you. Remember that losing weight is just an EXTERNAL goal, and bulimia is an internal issue. I am sure you have plenty of people who love you, including that husband you mentioned, whom seems to be very supportive of your disorder. I am sure they all love you for who you are, and not what number the scale says. Best of luck... my heart really does go out to you!

-Michelle