Success or semi-success stories?

[Guest]

Anyone around here that has successfully kicked their ED to the curb or at least isn't consumed about it? I'd love to hear your story(s) and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[Charlize]

Kira sorry but i'm not sure what you mean by ED. I assume you don't mean erectile dysfunction.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest shani d]

ED=eating disorder

[JJ]

I tend to binge eat and use food emotionally. I had fought it for decades when I was given prednisone for Lupus and asthma and gained 155lbs which I could never seem to get off. The weight made it hard to stay as active as I had always been but eventually swine flu followed by aggravating a back problem caused me to be essentially bed ridden for 3 years and my weight ballooned to 350.I'm 5' 5" but had shrunk to closer to 5'4" I was dying from the effects and finally gave up because losing the kind of weight I needed to was impossible in my 60s and I was too old to transition..

Then one day I decided I had nothing to lose by trying. Made up my mind to do my best. I now hike 100 hours a month cross country in a rugged national forest and weigh 200 lbs less.

One thing that really helps me is that I have 1 day a week when I eat anything I want. No counting and no guilt. It keeps me from giving in to cravings and keeps my metabolism from free falling into starvation mode as well. I also kept track of every bite I ate and every moment of exercise on the free Livestrong.com My Plate feature. Without that it would not work. It took about 18 months to take it all off because it slowed down at the end when my Dr said I had no more fat to lose just skin that will not go away at my age. I have kept it off for 22 months now. I still follow the same eating plan. But I eat things I like that also make me feel good and I don't mind. My eating day can be switched around for holidays and birthdays so I don't feel left out or deprived. I even cook for my family because I am a good chef and retired while they work outside the home. I can cook things I love and still not eat them. If really tempted I put up a portion for my eating day.

Exercise is vital too. To keep up metaabolism and energy and burn calories. I started with swimming-I could swim at that weight without stressing joints. Not paddling around but lap style swimming. I prefer a commando stroke for muscle building with fins but you need to work up to long fins. I had always been a swimmer.

My muscles had atrophied and the Drs felt I would never walk normally again. I did have a hip disjoint set me back a couple of months but other than that the testosterone made it possible for me to rebuild muscle. If you don't have atrophy then the effects from HRT should be manageable. You just need to keep exercising.

There were a few tricks that worked for me too but each person needs to find their own. I eat Quaker chewy granola bars for energy hiking. Or if I really need a boost. The only have a max of 100 calories. I also have a big salad every night with a no calories homemade dressing. I have peppers or sliced green olives and tomatoes and fresh mushrooms in it with half an avocado for nutrition. It stimulates my taste and really fills me up.

And lastly when I am tempted to binge-which is worst when something is going very wrong or I'm too tired or sick-I ask myself first if that is what I really want. I drink a glass of thee crystal light no cal lemonade I like and have a 5 calorie jello or something similar and wait for half an hour. So far the ultimate answer has always been no. I have to chose between what it is I want and how I want my life to be. I have millions of empty fat cells that will always want to be filled. I am not going to fill them. It's worth it and I actually enjoy how I feel and moving much more than any food can ever give me.

And I wel remember the discrimination-the looks and comments made when I was fat. Far, far worse than anything trans related ever was. Nor do I know if I would still look male fat again. Probably not. I'm not going to find out.

You can beat an eating disorder. I'm a loner and can't function well in programs and under supervision. It works wonders for some though and if you need it then help is out there.

But you can do it.

Johnny

[Guest Zayden]

I used to have anorexia and that developed into binge eating when I was trying to kick anorexia. Anorexia came mostly from being very poor and wanting to make sure that the other people I cared for ate, and then it just became a habit that I enjoyed.

Now I eat pretty regularly although I still overeat. I still have the urges to stop eating at times and I still binge occasionally but am working more seriously on portion control. The funny thing is that I don't eat "badly" either - I just eat too much. I eat salads, rice, etc, very little to nothing in the candy/sweets department. One step at a time.

Matt

[Guest Carla_Davis]

Hi Matt,

Congratulations, this is a very good start.

You had this problem for a long period of time, and it will not change overnight.

Gradual changes in eating routines are better in the long run.

Hugs,

Carla

[Guest Carla_Davis]

Hi Zayden,

I apologize for replying to "Matt" instead of you.

Hugs,

Carla

[Guest Zayden]

Hi Zayden,

I apologize for replying to "Matt" instead of you.

Hugs,

Carla

No worries, I use the two names interchangeably Sorry for the confusion!

[Guest Amelia]

I fall more into semi-success, as my life is thankfully no longer ruled by my ED. I tend to eat normally and then have outbursts of bad behavior. Baby steps is all

[Guest riccimc17]

Hey!

I kicked my ED after college. I purged and over exercised to deal with being in the wrong body. I wanted to be as close to a male body as possible. My brain eventually caught up to my habits and I realized that a lot of it was due to my trans identity. The two things that helped me overcome my ED the most were sticking to an exercise/food schedule and working on building a positive relationship with food by making delicious meals that I could really enjoy rather than eat out of necessity. I've found the hardest part for me still is the kind of obsessive thought process about my body that goes along with an ED. I truly hope everyone can be at peace because it is exhausting physically and mentally. It took one step at a time

Max

[Guest Sarah Faith]

As someone who ate their feelings with big old binges daily to over 350 pounds at one point.. How did I get control of my eating disorder and lose the weight to get a normal weight? Well stopped drinking tons of soda every day, replaced it with diet soda, and started to exercise regularly. I do try to count my calories but I still at times struggle sticking to the number I need to hit. I still struggle with binging from time to time, but Ive also learned into channeling the emotions into more productive things. Like exercise or work.

[Guest ZombieDracula]

I wouldn't say that I have a fully successful story, nor even a semi successful one, but I think I am somewhere on the "successful" spectrum.

What I have an issue with is the fact that I'll feel "too fat" or that I look "too fat". This feeling comes and goes. I've had it since 14 (so 10 years now), though it may have started before then.

I have tried purging once and that didn't ever happen again. I've over-exercised, binged, and starved myself. I still binge sometimes (I am not sure if this is because I think I'm hungry or because I worry about food or if I am just legit bored). But I don't starve myself purposely, nor over-exercise, anymore.

Being poor actually helped me (no I don't suggest becoming poor though!) and also getting cats. My job (which is legal but I won't discuss it in a public forum) has also helped me to get better with this stuff, especially my self esteem.

I also don't have a car. I do a lot of walking, but I don't overdo it anymore. This involves carrying heavy bags sometimes (7 pounds at once too; cat litter).

This has helped me to slowly feel better in general.

It all takes time. Eventually, I'll feel 95% better about myself rather than the 70 ish % I am at now.