Eating Disorder

[Road-runner]

Looking for friends who have a food addiction/eating disorder (like me!) to share support..  Sticking to an eating plan when you have a food addiction/eating disorder has its unique challenges.  Let's compare notes and encourage each other on our journey to recovery!

[SunsetRunner]

I feel I am a recovering food addict. All I was ever able to think about was food ... what will I eat next ... Do I have enough hidden away in my secret stash spots ... It was/is truly an eating disorder. Then I discovered a doctor who suggested I undergo extensive testing for gluten intolerance and cross reactive foods. Bingo! That was the problem. There are two paths gluten intolerance can take - Celiac disease or major increases in inflammation throughout the body & food cravings. The second is what I have. Along with a dairy intolerance.

I did not believe my doctor when she told me my cravings would go away once I got the
"poison" out of my body. It took two weeks of pure torture but she was right. The cravings are gone, for the most part, as long as I am diligent about gluten. If I consume hidden gluten (salad dressings with undistilled white vinegar, for example) or if I decide I am ok and can consume "just a little," I head dive right back into the cravings. This was quite a discovery.

As an added benefit, removing the gluten and other cross reactive foods, my arthritis eased up to the point I was able to stop taking Celebrex. The arthritis is not cured, but I have the same level of pain relief I had while taking that serious medicine with its serious side effects.

I still struggle with emotional eating but knowing what will happen if I give in, helps keep me eating the right foods. If you cannot afford the testing (insurance only covers the top level of testing. On me, that showed no intolerance), you may want to switch to simple, real foods ... broiled chicken & fish ... fresh vegetables ... one or two servings of fresh fruit a day ... for a couple weeks and see if it helps. Good luck. We are with you. You can keep this addiction at bay.

[Road-runner]

Jogging must help, too; those "feel good" endorphins kick in and it elevates your mood for hours afterwards.  I'm getting addicted to that natural high, and my mood has improved significantly

[natasha94]

hey I suffer from Restrictive Bulimia Nervosa so I completely understand! I am here if you want support x

[KristenAnne]

Thanks! I can use all the help I can get sometimes. I skipped lunch the other day and felt really good about it. I needed to reevaluate and hopefully it doesn't happen today.

[Kameleahn]

"It's the feeling out of control that I hate."  I was intrigued by this comment, because it's been my experience that the opposite spectrum of eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia) are often a result of feeling as if you have no control over everything else in your life, so controlling food gives the sufferer a sense of control that they don't normally feel.  I've experienced this in my own struggles with both anorexia and bulimia, and that sense of control can be extraordinarily intoxicating, albeit entirely unhealthy.  Interesting...

[CrissyW]

Hi

I battle with my weight / food every day.

I lost over 4 stone a few years ago and now fluctuate. Although its not by choice!
Would be great to hear from people with similar issues.

tbh I have "food issues" as I like to call them.

I now run and still will be a nightmare with food.

C

[katiedidkorner]

I just saw this post as I was posting a similar one myself!

I had anorexia when I was a teen/young adult, was healthy for about a year, and then flipped to a binging/hiding food disorder.

[tally_]

I had anorexia in high school, to the point of needing medical attention. It has since morphed into a prolonged (2 year or so) cycle of binging and purging. As in, I eat crap for about a year, don't exercise, gain 30-40lbs then go through a really intense cycle of exercise and caloric restriction (eating 600 or less calories a day). I would do this till the excess weight was gone, then I would hop back on the binge cycle.

Obviously, this is not healthy at all. One of the main reasons I got the FitBit was to help me find balance. I want to loose weight in a healthy way, gradually, exercising regularly and eating whole meals comprised of whole foods. I also think the food log will help with accountability and healthy maintenance once my goal is met. For me it's about creating a new routine until I break the old one. I'm sure it will take several years.

I do understand the feeling, the thrill, of skipping a meal. Or for me, prolonged fasting (not eating till 4PM or so.) Physically and psycologically I realize this is unhealthy. Time to break the cycle! It's great to have a group for support!