Finding Strength.

eating disorder

noun

plural noun: eating disorders

1. any of a range of psychological disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits (such as anorexia nervosa).

"she went into therapy, hoping to put an end to her chronic eating disorder"

In lieu of last night's post I wanted to write about how I managed to overcome Bulimia Nervosa, hopefully helping those in need to fight and conquer their own personal battles with eating disorders.

Below are some things I did that enabled me to change my mindset and form a healthy relationship with food, and myself.

1. Tell someone

I sought out a personal trainer in hopes of gaining some motivation. In the initial interview she asked me about my personal life and here I explained my problem. She was totally understanding and supportive. Right away I knew that I could talk to her. She checked in with me and managed to push me mentally and physically during my workouts with her. I transformed.

2. Learn about food

Read up as much as you can about foods and how they benefit your body. I have subscribed to lots of health food blocs and follow lots of inspiring people on Instagram. Seeing how motivated people are makes you motivated too. When I felt down I would jump in Instagram and check out some of my favourite fitness gurus. They love and appreciate what food and exercise do for our bodies.

3. Read up on bulimia nervosa

I read up about how bulimia can affect your body and the biggest thing for me was knowing that I could potentially ruins my chances of conceiving children. I know my husband wants kids and I would hate myself if I couldn't. Since I have been eating well I have managed to regulate my body. I now have regular periods (it's bee 10 years). The stress on the oesophagus also runs risk of cancer in the throat. With all the stomach acid that is constantly coming up you could be susceptible to stomach ulcers. I have ongoing heart burn from this which is seeming to subside slowly.The list goes on and it scared me.

4. Have a habit

After work I would switch into this weird zombie where all I wanted was junk food, especially if I had had a stressful day. When I started to change my habits and felt the urge to head to the supermarket or take out shop, I told myself out loud that I was being ridiculous and I autonomously drove to the gym whether I wanted to or not. I switched my bad habit with a good one. Even if I only lasted 20 minutes... I changed what I was doing. I told my husband how I felt and he listened. He celebrated the small successes.

5. Meal prep

Having read up all about different styles of eating and preparing food I started meal prepping. I spend so much time in the kitchen now and I am not afraid of it. I come up with a variety of meals that meet my maconutrient requirements. I have a good spread of protein, carbs and fats in my diet. I love researching diets and diet plans. I even signed up to Ryan Spiteri's body building plan to see how he would plan meals and exercise. It's been incredibly motivating.

6. Record your eating

I hated this part every other time I tried to "quit". I hated recording when I was having a binge because I could see on paper just how bad it was. I eventually bought myself a little notebook that I carried everywhere for the first 6 months until I knew I was strong enough to handle this on my own. I recorded everything I ate and how I felt. I recorded when I worked out and when I had a day of rest. It really helped me develop a good diet and see which foods my body loved. Eating with Confidence is a byproduct of this - when I developed new, healthy recipes, I started to publish them for all to use!

7. When you're strong, tell others

I remember telling some of my closest friends about my eating disorder. I was 2 months clean of any purging and I felt incredibly proud of myself. They were shocked, but unbelievably supportive. They check in with me every now and then to see if I'm doing okay. I felt so happy knowing that I am not ashamed to talk about it. Writing last nights post was a big deal for me as I have now exposed myself to social media. Hundreds of people who had no idea, now share in my not-so-secret, secret.

Remember: Purging does NOT prevent weight gain

Purging isn’t effective at getting rid of calories, which is why most people suffering with bulimia end up gaining weight over time. Vomiting immediately after eating won’t eliminate more than 50% of the calories consumed— usually much less. This is because calorie absorption begins the moment you put food in the mouth. Laxatives and diuretics are even less effective. Laxatives get rid of only 10% of the calories eaten, and diuretics none at all. You may weigh less after taking them, but that lower number on the scale is due to water loss, not true weight loss.

(source: https://www.helpguide.org)

I am here to help.

I want to guide you through this.

I know your pain.

I want to make you strong.

Please contact me at lidema@live.com.au.

Much love x