Need Help Recovering from Binge Eating Disorder
LetItBurn91
Posts: 5
Hey all 
I hope I can find some support here. I am 22 years old and have been suffering from binge eating and purging (not as often) for nearly 5 years now. It has overtaken every aspect of my life. I have built this wall around me that has secluded me from the people I used to love to be around. I am terribly sad and depressed of what my life has become. I miss laughing and truly meaning it rather than faking it all the time. I am trying to fill a void within my heart. My fiance and I have been living separately due to school/work. Stress at school and work has only made my eating worse.
I have fallen within the "Restrict-->Binge-->Guilt" cycle for years now. My mind is entirely focused on food 24/7. I restrict myself around 4 days a week until all hell breaks lose. These days are typical "Atkins/Induction" days of nearly no carbs. I can't do it anymore. I am just falling deeper.
Unfortunately, I have recently gained nearly 15 pounds in a matter of 3 months. I have also started lifting heavy at the gym for about 5 months. According to this device at the gym that calculates your body fat %, I only gained about 2%. So, I am assuming some of that is muscle. But, I feel ugly, swollen, and downright fat. I can't fit into anything.
I don't know where to start. I definitely know its not restarting Atkins. Do I count calories? Anyone have success of recovering from binge eating and lose the weight gained during the disorder? Please give me any tips. I am desperate and longing to recover. Thanks.
I hope I can find some support here. I am 22 years old and have been suffering from binge eating and purging (not as often) for nearly 5 years now. It has overtaken every aspect of my life. I have built this wall around me that has secluded me from the people I used to love to be around. I am terribly sad and depressed of what my life has become. I miss laughing and truly meaning it rather than faking it all the time. I am trying to fill a void within my heart. My fiance and I have been living separately due to school/work. Stress at school and work has only made my eating worse.
I have fallen within the "Restrict-->Binge-->Guilt" cycle for years now. My mind is entirely focused on food 24/7. I restrict myself around 4 days a week until all hell breaks lose. These days are typical "Atkins/Induction" days of nearly no carbs. I can't do it anymore. I am just falling deeper.
Unfortunately, I have recently gained nearly 15 pounds in a matter of 3 months. I have also started lifting heavy at the gym for about 5 months. According to this device at the gym that calculates your body fat %, I only gained about 2%. So, I am assuming some of that is muscle. But, I feel ugly, swollen, and downright fat. I can't fit into anything.
I don't know where to start. I definitely know its not restarting Atkins. Do I count calories? Anyone have success of recovering from binge eating and lose the weight gained during the disorder? Please give me any tips. I am desperate and longing to recover. Thanks.
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Replies
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Best advice: One on one counseling with a professional who cares about your mindset and not just selling you drugs and is knowledgeable in this area.0
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Best advice: One on one counseling with a professional who cares about your mindset and not just selling you drugs and is knowledgeable in this area.
This. Go to your doctor0 -
I too deal with the emotional and comfort loss that food gave me, it made me a bit depressed. But like the others said, you need to seek counseling to begin to examine why you you feel the need and how to come up with alternative ways of dealing with those emotions instead of stuffing them down.
You know.. I have a hard time feeling depressed when I am working my *kitten* off on the treadmill and listening to a audiobook, or better yet... stop focusing on how horrible you feel and go volunteer. Work at the Salvation Army, a nursing home, offer to help the elderly, volunteer at a pet rescue. Get outside of yourself and see how truly selfish your being when you do this to yourself when so many others would give their right arm to be half as healthy as you...0 -
Turn it around. I was in a similar situation a few years ago, and yes, I still have brief periods where I slip back into this mentality.
Firstly, you need to seek the help of a professional, with experience in this area. That is pretty necessary if you have not already seen someone.
Secondly use the weight training to turn this around, which is what I did. I gained about the same as you, only in 8 weeks rather than 12, and thought sod this, picked up the weights and added in some HIIT, got a grip on my eating, by NOT restricting, but rather setting myself to maintenance, and although my weight only dropped a few pounds then rose a few pounds, I got down to 12% bodyfat within about 4-5 months. The key for you, is to not view the binges as bad, or disgusting, and to simply accept it happened, and get back to a normal, healthy regime the next day, where your focus is on compensating with nutritious food to try and give your body the right things.
Exercise is also key. After a binge, especially if you purge, it sets up a cycle of craving more and more, because the blood sugar is sent all over the place. Intense exercise the next day, seems to stop that in its tracks, and for me, takes away those cravings, presumably because I am working off all that excess sugar.
Once you are stable, and in a regular routine, then you can consider trying to lose those extra 15Ibs, in a slow and healthy way, if you wish to. But until then, you need to eat at maintenance and focus on your weight training and on fitness. Channel whatever it is, that is causing you to binge, into your lifting and gym work instead.0 -
:flowerforyou: One way to kill the guilt and reduce the bingeing is to workout more. Not over the top, just intensify it a little bit. Do some high impact cardio (if you're healthy for it, if not try pilates or yoga), a workout that you can channel your excess energy into since bingeing is caused by an excess energy that may be put into good use or in a way that would drag us down, in this case, I see your inner drives causing you to binge and be depressed. so if you engage in a workout that is intense (but you will enjoy) and that will kick your butt everytime, then not only will you channel your energy into something positive and productive but also, everytime you get the urge to binge, you'll feel guilty before even touching the food because you know you workhard for your body. The results will be your motivation. Believe it or not, moving your muscles and keeping active is a form of stress relief, also working out releases endorphins which are hormones that makes you happy and just lift your mood up, so i hope i helped and good luck! If time is a problem however, try walking, you dont have to go to the gym, walking is great 0
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Thank you for your reply. I have some hope now. I'm going to start eating at maintenance with no restriction and continue with my weight lifting. I remember doing this with success for two weeks (seems little in time but never happened in 5 years). At this point, I want to throw my scale out the window. As you said, you didn't show much difference on the scale but your bodyfat got lower. I suppose I have to do some calorie counting but that's okay. I feel like I need to so at least I know if I am heading in the right direction. I would be too nervous not to.
Thanks againTurn it around. I was in a similar situation a few years ago, and yes, I still have brief periods where I slip back into this mentality.
Firstly, you need to seek the help of a professional, with experience in this area. That is pretty necessary if you have not already seen someone.
Secondly use the weight training to turn this around, which is what I did. I gained about the same as you, only in 8 weeks rather than 12, and thought sod this, picked up the weights and added in some HIIT, got a grip on my eating, by NOT restricting, but rather setting myself to maintenance, and although my weight only dropped a few pounds then rose a few pounds, I got down to 12% bodyfat within about 4-5 months. The key for you, is to not view the binges as bad, or disgusting, and to simply accept it happened, and get back to a normal, healthy regime the next day, where your focus is on compensating with nutritious food to try and give your body the right things.
Exercise is also key. After a binge, especially if you purge, it sets up a cycle of craving more and more, because the blood sugar is sent all over the place. Intense exercise the next day, seems to stop that in its tracks, and for me, takes away those cravings, presumably because I am working off all that excess sugar.
Once you are stable, and in a regular routine, then you can consider trying to lose those extra 15Ibs, in a slow and healthy way, if you wish to. But until then, you need to eat at maintenance and focus on your weight training and on fitness. Channel whatever it is, that is causing you to binge, into your lifting and gym work instead.0 -
Thank you for your reply although I found it conveyed some sort of misunderstanding on your part about myself. I simply asked for some advice and help. I did not need that comment about me being selfish. I pray every night for those that are suffering and I am quite aware that my suffering does not even come CLOSE to how others are feeling. I just simply needed some help from others who may be having the same experiences. I suggest you think about what you are posting before doing so.I too deal with the emotional and comfort loss that food gave me, it made me a bit depressed. But like the others said, you need to seek counseling to begin to examine why you you feel the need and how to come up with alternative ways of dealing with those emotions instead of stuffing them down.
You know.. I have a hard time feeling depressed when I am working my *kitten* off on the treadmill and listening to a audiobook, or better yet... stop focusing on how horrible you feel and go volunteer. Work at the Salvation Army, a nursing home, offer to help the elderly, volunteer at a pet rescue. Get outside of yourself and see how truly selfish your being when you do this to yourself when so many others would give their right arm to be half as healthy as you...0 -
Turn it around. I was in a similar situation a few years ago, and yes, I still have brief periods where I slip back into this mentality.
Firstly, you need to seek the help of a professional, with experience in this area. That is pretty necessary if you have not already seen someone.
Secondly use the weight training to turn this around, which is what I did. I gained about the same as you, only in 8 weeks rather than 12, and thought sod this, picked up the weights and added in some HIIT, got a grip on my eating, by NOT restricting, but rather setting myself to maintenance, and although my weight only dropped a few pounds then rose a few pounds, I got down to 12% bodyfat within about 4-5 months. The key for you, is to not view the binges as bad, or disgusting, and to simply accept it happened, and get back to a normal, healthy regime the next day, where your focus is on compensating with nutritious food to try and give your body the right things.
Exercise is also key. After a binge, especially if you purge, it sets up a cycle of craving more and more, because the blood sugar is sent all over the place. Intense exercise the next day, seems to stop that in its tracks, and for me, takes away those cravings, presumably because I am working off all that excess sugar.
Once you are stable, and in a regular routine, then you can consider trying to lose those extra 15Ibs, in a slow and healthy way, if you wish to. But until then, you need to eat at maintenance and focus on your weight training and on fitness. Channel whatever it is, that is causing you to binge, into your lifting and gym work instead.
This is EXCELLENT advice and just what I also needed to hear, today! I weighed myself after a few weeks of getting back into weights and am UP on the scale although I feel better. I was almost in the mindset of saying "sod it," too...but then figure what good will that do me?? So I will head to the gym soon and burn off some stress and get my head on straight. Thanks!0 -
Thank you for your reply although I found it conveyed some sort of misunderstanding on your part about myself. I simply asked for some advice and help. I did not need that comment about me being selfish. I pray every night for those that are suffering and I am quite aware that my suffering does not even come CLOSE to how others are feeling. I just simply needed some help from others who may be having the same experiences. I suggest you think about what you are posting before doing so.I too deal with the emotional and comfort loss that food gave me, it made me a bit depressed. But like the others said, you need to seek counseling to begin to examine why you you feel the need and how to come up with alternative ways of dealing with those emotions instead of stuffing them down.
You know.. I have a hard time feeling depressed when I am working my *kitten* off on the treadmill and listening to a audiobook, or better yet... stop focusing on how horrible you feel and go volunteer. Work at the Salvation Army, a nursing home, offer to help the elderly, volunteer at a pet rescue. Get outside of yourself and see how truly selfish your being when you do this to yourself when so many others would give their right arm to be half as healthy as you...
Laying further (and irrelevant) guilt on top of a guilt/shame cycle. Real helpful there.
I'd add to the suggestions of speaking to someone about this, it helped me enormously. I used to binge eat as part of other problems I had and gained a lot of weight, which further reinforced my poor self esteem.
I would do the exact opposite of the above suggestion and spend more time on you, as well as working out, can you find something you enjoy that doesn't involve food or exercise? e.g. reading for pleasure and not just studying, watching a film or having a massage. I know it sounds glib.0 -
Thank you for your reply although I found it conveyed some sort of misunderstanding on your part about myself. I simply asked for some advice and help. I did not need that comment about me being selfish. I pray every night for those that are suffering and I am quite aware that my suffering does not even come CLOSE to how others are feeling. I just simply needed some help from others who may be having the same experiences. I suggest you think about what you are posting before doing so.I too deal with the emotional and comfort loss that food gave me, it made me a bit depressed. But like the others said, you need to seek counseling to begin to examine why you you feel the need and how to come up with alternative ways of dealing with those emotions instead of stuffing them down.
You know.. I have a hard time feeling depressed when I am working my *kitten* off on the treadmill and listening to a audiobook, or better yet... stop focusing on how horrible you feel and go volunteer. Work at the Salvation Army, a nursing home, offer to help the elderly, volunteer at a pet rescue. Get outside of yourself and see how truly selfish your being when you do this to yourself when so many others would give their right arm to be half as healthy as you...
Laying further (and irrelevant) guilt on top of a guilt/shame cycle. Real helpful there.
I'd add to the suggestions of speaking to someone about this, it helped me enormously. I used to binge eat as part of other problems I had and gained a lot of weight, which further reinforced my poor self esteem.
I would do the exact opposite of the above suggestion and spend more time on you, as well as working out, can you find something you enjoy that doesn't involve food or exercise? e.g. reading for pleasure and not just studying, watching a film or having a massage. I know it sounds glib.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
I've spent so many years revolving my thoughts around food and exercise that its hard to imagine doing something else! I really do enjoy weight training though. I stopped binging and purging for a while after I started lifting but I fell back into that cycle once I started restricting. I think I'll take your suggestion of a massage or something. Always wanted to pamper myself but feel like I don't deserve it until I recover...0 -
I have a hard time feeling depressed when I am working my *kitten* off on the treadmill and listening to a audiobook, or better yet... stop focusing on how horrible you feel and go volunteer. Work at the Salvation Army, a nursing home, offer to help the elderly, volunteer at a pet rescue. Get outside of yourself and see how truly selfish your being when you do this to yourself when so many others would give their right arm to be half as healthy as you...
Wow, so you clearly have no understanding of depression. Like at all. Just stop.0 -
Best advice: One on one counseling with a professional who cares about your mindset and not just selling you drugs and is knowledgeable in this area.
^this. as soon as possible.0 -
Best advice: One on one counseling with a professional who cares about your mindset and not just selling you drugs and is knowledgeable in this area.
^this. as soon as possible.
^Definitely this. And here's a link that might be able to help you find a counselor/therapist in your area.
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/find-help-support0 -
If you have access to it in a library, or the funds to buy it yourself I found Overcoming Binge Eating by Dr. Christopher Fairburn a very interesting and informative read.
The first part of the book is a lot of information on binge eating problems with personal anecdotes from other binge eaters (which especially struck me. so many of the feelings they described resonated with my own attitude towards myself and food) and the second part is a self-help guide which can be undertaken alone or worked through with a therapist.
I suffer from BED, I used to purge with laxatives and cycles of calorie restriction but reading this book has been a great help. Part of the comfort is knowing you are NOT ALONE. Thousands of people suffer from this too and it can be overcome. The author writes in such a way that the devastating effect of BED on everyday life is highlighted and acknowledged and it made me feel less ashamed for needing help (I'd felt so self conscious even getting the book out)
But yes as a previous poster said you should also seek professional help.
A therapist will be a thousand times more beneficial than anything we could say but if you needed a resource to get you through before that can be arranged I really do think this book is good 0 -
I too deal with the emotional and comfort loss that food gave me, it made me a bit depressed. But like the others said, you need to seek counseling to begin to examine why you you feel the need and how to come up with alternative ways of dealing with those emotions instead of stuffing them down.
You know.. I have a hard time feeling depressed when I am working my *kitten* off on the treadmill and listening to a audiobook, or better yet... stop focusing on how horrible you feel and go volunteer. Work at the Salvation Army, a nursing home, offer to help the elderly, volunteer at a pet rescue. Get outside of yourself and see how truly selfish your being when you do this to yourself when so many others would give their right arm to be half as healthy as you...
OP please realise that when people reply like this they are generally projecting something from their own issues. I hope you get enough helpful replies to beat this terrible disorder.
Personally, I have found incredible freedom and faith in the science of the numbers. It's changed my life. I also realise that having got down to my imaginary goal weight of 123lb, I still didn't like the look I had, but since gaining muscle I have the kind of body I've dreamed of. I'm 131lb. I spent years detesting myself and have also had lots of therapy, but I still wanted to be hot, fit and strong as well as mentally healthy.
See what I did? I projected my own experience, you can choose the stuff that makes you feel hopeful and please discard the rest!
Lots of luck!0 -
All wowmen struggle with self body image. I know it sounds lame but hear me out- you have to love yourself first. You eat for a reason not just to eat, are you lonely, bored, sad? You said you were depressed so focus on healing that first and then the eating will probably be helped also.
When you are emotional ready you need to start a life style change not a diet! You need to focus on foods that you love (cookies, pasta, pizza) and discover how to make them healthy and your body will start to crave those things instead of the fake food you eat. It will be hard and you will fail however you will get through it. Find a support group.
Wake up every morning repeating something you need to hear or love about yourself. I like to say " I am not my weakness" Meaning I don't have to eat bad or make bad choices and I am choosing to change.
good luck0 -
Flexible dieting, IIFYM, is the cure for binge eating. You can still incorporate your favorite foods, maybe not all in one day, but there is always tomorrow and the day after that and so on to fit what you want into your diet.0
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I don't know where to start. I definitely know its not restarting Atkins. Do I count calories? Anyone have success of recovering from binge eating and lose the weight gained during the disorder? Please give me any tips. I am desperate and longing to recover. Thanks.
I too am recovering from binge eating disorder. This is a disease, an addiction, so I would say the best thing is to find a good therapist, someone who has experience with eating disorders particularly binge eating disorder. I know that might be a problem, because they are rare, but find a good therapist at least. That has really helped me. It was not a short process, I've been seeing one for 2 years, but I have things under control. As far as what you can do eating wise, start out slow. First have 3 square meals a day, do not restrict. Restricting actually makes binges worse. I don't know what you are eating during a binge or eating during a normal meal. Try to have one really healthy meal a day for maybe 3 days. When your doing good, add a day. When you reach 7 days, add 3 more meals on 3 days of the week, so some days you're having 2 healthy meals. Continue on in this fashion. I can't stress this enough, but you will have slip-ups. Don't think of them as failures and don't beat yourself up about it. Write down something to the effect of, "It's okay to slip up, I'm not a failure, I will move forward from here." When you realize you've slipped up, read it aloud a few times. If you can feel a binge coming on, take a piece of fruit or vegetable and go for a walk and eat that. Walk until the urge passes. Get rid of binge foods from home. If you binge on fast food, like I did, try to find routes that do not take you past fast food places. Sometimes you will have to go by fast food places, just try and minimize it.
This is going to be hard and will take a long time. It will not be easy. You just have to keep plugging along. I'll send you a friend request and if you want, accept it. I do know what you are going through and I will help you as much as I can,
I'm not trying to diss people above, but some are giving advice that is not helpful for someone with Binge Eating Disorder.0 -
I am also recovering from BED. Therapy has helped me in many ways, but it has not helped with my recovery. We are all different, though. I know why therapy didn't help me, and I accept that I will need to continue to explore other options/avenues for recovery. I think that in order to recover, we have to completely change our thinking about food and eating. 2 books that really helped me, are "Brain Over Binge," by Kathryn Hansen, and "Ditching Diets," by Gillian Riley. Both books helped me to start the process of healing my mind. Personally, I was addicted to binging. Not food. Binging. It takes a lot of power and willingness, to find recovery, but I truly believe it's possible. BED is no joke. It's a compulsion, and it can really be devastating. We are all here to support you - keep checking in!0
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I would tell you to not count calories so it doesn't bring anxiety. I used to have a problem with this too, and the solution has been less control and no tracking. The binges were a result of over tracking, over thinking and guilt. Love yourself and step away from what makes you feel bad.0
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It's very complicated this binge eating thing. There's hormones, thoughts, self esteem, hunger and instincts all at war. Everyone does it for different reasons. The emotions attached to it are like a kaleidoscope. It's all very well saying love yourself but that's too simplistic. I think it's more a case of understanding, finding tried and tested cures, self forgiveness and avoiding triggers.
I could never identify my emotions because my parents were both alcoholics and I never got taught how to recognise feelings, name them, or even validate or cope with them. Coupled with an obsession with food because we just didn't have enough around and I'm not surprised I ballooned at 17. Then to add the pain, all my friends and work colleagues called me nicknames like fat bum and fatty. Ooh those uk 80s days were cruel. It started my binge starve modes, I lost LBM and the rest is history. I comfort binge, and it's a way of pain avoidance, which I've been frightened of since my chaotic childhood. I've only learned in the last couple of years that feeling pain or sadness is temporary and necessary and it always passes. I still confuse hunger and emotional pain and have to force myself to stay in it and cope. Therapy was imperative to this.
The only thing that's really helped the physical side of it is moderation, eating what foods I like within a maintenance range and weight training. I only binged after I restricted. Weight training helps me be able to eat the portions I like.
Everyday I struggle with stopping eating dinner! I have to distract myself by washing up, making coffee, having a bowl of Greek yoghurt, little things that work for me.
Anyway, feels good to share that.0 -
It's very complicated this binge eating thing. There's hormones, thoughts, self esteem, hunger and instincts all at war. Everyone does it for different reasons. The emotions attached to it are like a kaleidoscope. It's all very well saying love yourself but that's too simplistic. I think it's more a case of understanding, finding tried and tested cures, self forgiveness and avoiding triggers.
I could never identify my emotions because my parents were both alcoholics and I never got taught how to recognise feelings, name them, or even validate or cope with them. Coupled with an obsession with food because we just didn't have enough around and I'm not surprised I ballooned at 17. Then to add the pain, all my friends and work colleagues called me nicknames like fat bum and fatty. Ooh those uk 80s days were cruel. It started my binge starve modes, I lost LBM and the rest is history. I comfort binge, and it's a way of pain avoidance, which I've been frightened of since my chaotic childhood. I've only learned in the last couple of years that feeling pain or sadness is temporary and necessary and it always passes. I still confuse hunger and emotional pain and have to force myself to stay in it and cope. Therapy was imperative to this.
The only thing that's really helped the physical side of it is moderation, eating what foods I like within a maintenance range and weight training. I only binged after I restricted. Weight training helps me be able to eat the portions I like.
Everyday I struggle with stopping eating dinner! I have to distract myself by washing up, making coffee, having a bowl of Greek yoghurt, little things that work for me.
Anyway, feels good to share that.
Thank you for sharing your story. I can relate to the avoidance of pain and binging on food. In reality, it only makes us feel worse than before. It's hard to avoid trigger foods in a household that can eat whatever they want and never gain weight. In addition, telling them about my issue is a big no-no. They would never understand. I tried one time and wish I had not.
Anyways, I think the biggest thing for me is letting go of the restriction. As you said, restriction leads to binges. My ED brain is telling me not to let go even though I know I have to. Today is a new day. I woke up and thought something positive. I'm ready for a new chapter in my life.
Thank you for the feedback and your bravery for sharing your story with us. I wish you only the best and I know you can do it. You have done so well already.0 -
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Thank you for your reply although I found it conveyed some sort of misunderstanding on your part about myself. I simply asked for some advice and help. I did not need that comment about me being selfish. I pray every night for those that are suffering and I am quite aware that my suffering does not even come CLOSE to how others are feeling. I just simply needed some help from others who may be having the same experiences. I suggest you think about what you are posting before doing so.I too deal with the emotional and comfort loss that food gave me, it made me a bit depressed. But like the others said, you need to seek counseling to begin to examine why you you feel the need and how to come up with alternative ways of dealing with those emotions instead of stuffing them down.
You know.. I have a hard time feeling depressed when I am working my *kitten* off on the treadmill and listening to a audiobook, or better yet... stop focusing on how horrible you feel and go volunteer. Work at the Salvation Army, a nursing home, offer to help the elderly, volunteer at a pet rescue. Get outside of yourself and see how truly selfish your being when you do this to yourself when so many others would give their right arm to be half as healthy as you...
Yes, I think you did misunderstand me. When you get counselling, you find out what "selfish" means in regards to mental health. Everyone is "selfish" in a manner, it is not a negative thing, it is normal, what I meant to say, is to stop the loop of negative comments in your mind that lead to binging, I get busy... counselors call it getting outside of your self and becoming less "selfish".
You will find that many people that have depression, anxiety, and eating disorders are due to our constant loop inside our heads. When I say focus on others, it is a means to stop that loop, to keep you focused on others and your ability to help others as opposed to focusing upon those things that trigger your emotions to eating.
I just started Atkins at the end of January, until then I have never been able to overcome my addiction to food. After the first week, due to a very low carb diet, I find myself without that compulsion to eat and eat and eat. Now when presented with something that causes me to become emotional and want to binge, I work thru the feelings, but I also am able to actually focus on something else while I work thru the emotions. The compulsion to binge is manageable. But I really have to work on not focusing and getting caught up in the loop. That is what I meant by "selfish".
I apologize if it came across as being insulting. It was not my intention at all.0 -
Thank you for your reply although I found it conveyed some sort of misunderstanding on your part about myself. I simply asked for some advice and help. I did not need that comment about me being selfish. I pray every night for those that are suffering and I am quite aware that my suffering does not even come CLOSE to how others are feeling. I just simply needed some help from others who may be having the same experiences. I suggest you think about what you are posting before doing so.I too deal with the emotional and comfort loss that food gave me, it made me a bit depressed. But like the others said, you need to seek counseling to begin to examine why you you feel the need and how to come up with alternative ways of dealing with those emotions instead of stuffing them down.
You know.. I have a hard time feeling depressed when I am working my *kitten* off on the treadmill and listening to a audiobook, or better yet... stop focusing on how horrible you feel and go volunteer. Work at the Salvation Army, a nursing home, offer to help the elderly, volunteer at a pet rescue. Get outside of yourself and see how truly selfish your being when you do this to yourself when so many others would give their right arm to be half as healthy as you...
Laying further (and irrelevant) guilt on top of a guilt/shame cycle. Real helpful there.
I'd add to the suggestions of speaking to someone about this, it helped me enormously. I used to binge eat as part of other problems I had and gained a lot of weight, which further reinforced my poor self esteem.
I would do the exact opposite of the above suggestion and spend more time on you, as well as working out, can you find something you enjoy that doesn't involve food or exercise? e.g. reading for pleasure and not just studying, watching a film or having a massage. I know it sounds glib.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
I've spent so many years revolving my thoughts around food and exercise that its hard to imagine doing something else! I really do enjoy weight training though. I stopped binging and purging for a while after I started lifting but I fell back into that cycle once I started restricting. I think I'll take your suggestion of a massage or something. Always wanted to pamper myself but feel like I don't deserve it until I recover...
Hopefully, she will get the counseling. Counseling is where you learn this... "selfish" in mental health issues is not meant to be a negative. Some people need to become more "selfish", while others need to become less. Selfish means to focus on one's self. People with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, cutting, and drug/drink abuse tend to focus a lot of the energy on themselves. That needs to be diverted and we learn to recognize those patterns when the loop starts.
I am sorry, I thought that since she said she was binger, that she would know some of this information already, but was having issues applying it. Most people with these disorders know a lot about the disorder, but have problems applying the "fixes".
I should know, I still am!0
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