Your video came up as I was scrolling, and I watched it. It was brave of you to share that. My disordered eating started as early as grade school when my brother died. I started sneak eating. My dad hid cookies in the closet, and I would eat them all! Or I would eat an entire box of wheat thins and 5 or 6 bananas. My mom did not like to see me gain weight, and my other brothers teased me. After that, I learned to purge, but I didn't like that, so I got hold of a magazine for girls that presented an 800 calorie diet. I followed it to the tee. I started over exercising and undereating. I took diet pills that were over the counter but are banned today. I started fasting, and if I did eat, I would have to exercise off the calories. I developed digestive disorders, and my lower front teeth lost a lot of enamel. I was always comparing myself with others. My hair was big and frizzy. My thighs were meaty and on the chubby side. Eventually, I focused on health, joined a gym, and became trim. After I got married, I occasionally gave in to binge eating, but things tapered out. After the birth of my baby, I had to lose weight, so I did things I enjoyed, like workout videos, gardening, and playing with my son. I wrote an article about my eating disorders and my success at finally getting in shape, and I sent it to Shape magazine. They wanted to publish it, but I declined because I was too embarrassed. The issues have always been with me, and now I struggle yet again, carrying 30 or 40 extra pounds, although I am thankfully healthy for my age. I have realized that we need to be our own best friend and not abuse ourselves. Focusing on something that brings joy and satisfaction is important. Helping others takes focus off yourself. Love what your body can do. You are young and beautiful. Your life is ahead of you. You might always have to manage this. It might not completely go away, but it can be managed. Choose joy and be healthy. I'm going to do the same!
Thank you so much for this. It's so brave and kind of you to share this here 💜. You should definitely be proud of what you've already overcome. I know there's a long road ahead of me to be mentally healthy, but I have hope that one day things won't feel so impossible. And you are right, health and happiness before anything else.
Your video came up as I was scrolling, and I watched it. It was brave of you to share that. My disordered eating started as early as grade school when my brother died. I started sneak eating. My dad hid cookies in the closet, and I would eat them all! Or I would eat an entire box of wheat thins and 5 or 6 bananas. My mom did not like to see me gain weight, and my other brothers teased me. After that, I learned to purge, but I didn't like that, so I got hold of a magazine for girls that presented an 800 calorie diet. I followed it to the tee. I started over exercising and undereating. I took diet pills that were over the counter but are banned today. I started fasting, and if I did eat, I would have to exercise off the calories.
I developed digestive disorders, and my lower front teeth lost a lot of enamel.
I was always comparing myself with others. My hair was big and frizzy. My thighs were meaty and on the chubby side.
Eventually, I focused on health, joined a gym, and became trim.
After I got married, I occasionally gave in to binge eating, but things tapered out. After the birth of my baby, I had to lose weight, so I did things I enjoyed, like workout videos, gardening, and playing with my son.
I wrote an article about my eating disorders and my success at finally getting in shape, and I sent it to Shape magazine.
They wanted to publish it, but I declined because I was too embarrassed.
The issues have always been with me, and now I struggle yet again, carrying 30 or 40 extra pounds, although I am thankfully healthy for my age.
I have realized that we need to be our own best friend and not abuse ourselves.
Focusing on something that brings joy and satisfaction is important. Helping others takes focus off yourself. Love what your body can do. You are young and beautiful. Your life is ahead of you. You might always have to manage this. It might not completely go away, but it can be managed. Choose joy and be healthy. I'm going to do the same!
Thank you so much for this. It's so brave and kind of you to share this here 💜. You should definitely be proud of what you've already overcome. I know there's a long road ahead of me to be mentally healthy, but I have hope that one day things won't feel so impossible. And you are right, health and happiness before anything else.
🥰🤗