Hi. I am new. And I am fat. And I worry whether I might be an overeater. For about two years I suffered from bulimia - binge, purge, binge, purge - all the time. Then I stopped and lost 32lbs and got to 11st, which I was really happy with. Then I plateaued and started the bulimia again. But then when I went to university in September (12st) the purging stopped, but the bingeing didn't. And I am now 13st 6lbs, and find it really hard to just not eat all the time. I dont actually know what the trigger is - I think its probably boredom. Im on holiday now and am just in the house a lot. I try to stop my dad from buying junk food when we are at the supermarket, but he doesnt understand. I tried to explain and he just said "well stop eating the rubbish then", but he and my brother still want chocolate and crisps and cake. But when Im in the house all day, it goes really quickly. How can I control this, lose 4st 6lbs and get my life back on track? Im sharing a flat next year with four stunning skinny girls, who probably weigh 13st 6lbs between the four of them, and it will be a nightmare if I am not thin. I had a slight nervous breakdown last month, so basically things arent great. *sigh*. Any help? xx

Hi there georgiad--
Welcome! Have you had a chance to visit www.oa.org? There are some questions there that you can answer to help you figure out if you are a compulsive overeater...although based on what you shared I think that you probably are. On that site you can also find a local meeting to attend.

OA isn't a "diet" club. It isn't a quick weight loss plan. It's a way to transform your life and find relief from the obsession with food. We start by cleaning up our insides, and miracuously, the outsides shape up too. The 12 steps are a beautiful way of life with blessings of love, support, fellowship, accountability, and honesty.

I recommend attending a local meeting, reading step 1 of the OA 12 Steps and Traditions, and then deciding if OA is for you.

Welcome to the group. You will find everyone really supportive. I completely understand how you feel. The only advice I can give, as I am also struggling but seem to be moving in the right direction, is to really start looking into why you are behaving this way. What do you get out of it? I will tell you that I would binge eat out of boredom but I would also stay home to eat instead of going out with friends because I was unhappy with myself and didnt think anyone would want to be around me. I didnt want to be seen not looking perfect so I hid behind my food.

Think positively and that might help. It helped me anyway. Believe in yourself and your strength to change things. You've already thought about it quite a bit and are seeking out ways to change your behaviour. That's a big step.

Keep posting and we will support you.

Bikini-
Beautifully said. You are a strength to us here. Thank You.