Starting again - weight loss post eating disorder
Hi all,
I used to use 3FC a few years ago and all the help and support really helped me to get down to a weight I was relatively happy with.
However, I was later diagnosed with an eating disorder (ED-NOS) and had around a year having cognitive behavioural therapy to address my long periods of obsessive restriction followed by long periods of constant binging where I'd gain all the weight back and more.
Through the therapy it became very clear to me that the weight loss techniques I was using (mainly over-restricting calories to under 1000 a day and being overly obsessive about food) were not doing me any good, both physically and mentally.
Anyway, I managed to get in control of my binging and restricting behaviour and I managed to learn to accept the weight I was at and maintain that weight for longer than I've ever maintained a weight before.
Unfortunately, over the past year my weight has started to creep up again. There's been the odd binge but nothing like before. I think it may be because I moved back home with my parents after university and food is much more readily available and what we have in the house is somewhat out of my control.
So now I'm about 14lbs heavier than the weight I was maintaining after therapy and I really don't want to get back into feeling the depression and unhappiness associated with being even heavier. I can already feel myself beginning to feel uncomfortable again.
The problem is...this is the first time that I've tried to "diet" or purposefully lose any weight since therapy and, frankly, I'm scared. I'm scared of falling into old "binge/restrict" habits. I'm scared that I'll fail and end up heavier. I'm scared that I'll lose weight and just put it all on again.
For someone with a history of an eating disorder it's so hard not to fall back into old, unhelpful habits...but at the same time...I need to get back to where I feel more confident about my body.
So....does anyone have any tips / support / experiences for keeping control of my mental state whilst also losing weight in a healthy way?
I was thinking it might be a good idea to try and lose weight much more slowly than I have before, trying not to get too impatient and allowing myself to eat a good number of calories and make sure I actually eat enough.
I've always "crashed" my metabolism before and I'm pretty sure that's what triggers my binges and rapid weight gain.
Any input would be much appreciated!
Thanks
Last edited by jynx; 03-08-2013 at 11:09 AM.
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