After reading through Mima's thread I got to thinking about how detrimental weight fluctuations and low self esteem/ body image can be to a woman. I'm curious to see how many of us suffer from one or have in the past. You dont have to go into details if you dont want to. Hence, why I made a poll. I just wanted to see the consensus among us here on the board.
To answer, yes I have had some form of one in the past. I dont really know what to catagorize it as though. It wasnt exactly anorexia because I still allowed myself to eat- just eliminated alot of foods and basically all I ate was with apples, steamed vegetables and egg whites and grilled chkn. From time to time (because I was restricting myself) I would binge and go into an all consuming depression for a few days. It was a nightmare, hindered me from living my life and having fun. I still grapple with body image issues and now that I am at my heighest weight ever I'm feeling those demons calling me again. I know I'll never let myself fall completely back into that ED mindset, but that still doesnt stop me from thinking and 'hearing' it from time to time.
Sorry if this was too deep for the AM....
Toucan311
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
I haven't, but I did go through this phase in junior high when I decide that I was only going to eat ice cubes. It didn't really workout, but then mental issues were clearly there.
RadiantBride
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
I have never had a disorder. I have done some crazy diets in the past (eating once a day vegetables with lean meat; taking pills) but nothing that I couldnt control. Unfortunately the results with those type of eating patterns are very quick so it makes you (well at least me) want to continue doing it but you tend to gain all the weight back once you start a normal 3 meals a day pattern.
kristi313
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
my disorder is that I eat to much, bad scene
Mici n KC
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
No, I haven't.
SB7308
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
No I haven't
ant n tilde
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
I havent but I know someone who is obviously battling an eating disorder now. I actually just saw her this morning and her bones are portruding - I dont know how it got any worse than what it was, but it has and I guess I havent been paying attention. It is like the elephant in the room, I wish I could say something - I hope I get teh courage before it is too late. I just odnt understand though - she has parents, sibling, a boyfriend, friends. . .we are just coworkers. . .
cherish83
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
I've never actually had an eating disorder. However, there was one time in college where I tried to make myself throw up after eating. I couldnt actually do it, so I stopped, and realized that it wouldnt be good.
I do know people who have suffered from bulemia though. Its really scary.
bluekat16
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
I battle compulsive over eating. I can be full but I still feel the need to eat this or that. A lot of it is brought on when I'm stressed. It's an ongoing issue but I've curbed it a lot especially since my 20's. At one point I weighed 330lbs because of my compulsive eating. 60lbs lighter today I still battle the desire to just eat and I definitely have foods that really trigger me. It's been a life-long battle that I feel I still haven't won and sometimes question whether I will or not. WW helped me lose the weight from my highest point and I'm back now and still waging the war.
teenigrrl
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
from my preteens all the way through college, i definitely had a tendency to horribly overeat. it started around age 11, there were a lot of bad things going on around me, and the only thing that made me feel good was food. my dad would give me an allowance, and i would spend the entire thing on food and eat it all right away. at family meals i would take seconds and thirds even if i wasn't hungry anymore, or even if i was full. the taste of food was really the only pleasure i got out of anything.
when i finally moved out on my own at age 24, i finally started to do something about it. i would still eat for pleasure, but not nearly as much as i had before. when i was full, i stopped. then i joined WW, and that was definitely the best thing i did for myself.
SFAR89
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
I put other, b/c I didn't mean to not eat, I just couldn't eat. After my ex boyfriend before DH broke up with me over something so stupid...it really got into my head. I only ate about one meal a day, and dropped the weight fast. I just couldn't eat, I couldn't force myself to eat. It's not like I did it on purpose, I just couldn't.
My sister has struggled though, I think she used to make herself throw up. She even turned to drugs b/c it helped her stay thin.
flairforfashion
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
I never had an eating disorder but I am a lunatic with my weight. I just eat right and work out and cheat here and there.
lizzie217
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
I have not. I have worked with many young people who have. It is a terrible diease that is very diffcult to cure
Brila09
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
Posted by lizzie217
I have not. I have worked with many young people who have. It is a terrible diease that is very diffcult to cure
It makes me wonder if you are ever 'cured'.
Future Mulligan
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
i would *try* to burn the calories i over ate for the day.....but i didnt care enough to actually stay on the treadmill long enough to burn 500 calories or more at a time im too lazy people do it though - exercise anorexia - so i thought, oh wow, good idea - b/c i love to eat and there is no way i can really starve myself - but the crazy exercising didnt work for me like i said, im just way too lazy hahahahaha
speaking of which, i NEED to get in the gym i am so lazy lately!
Future Mulligan
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
Posted by flairforfashion
I never had an eating disorder but I am a lunatic with my weight. I just eat right and work out and cheat here and there.
yeah, i would consider myself a weight lunatic as well....my normal body weight as a teen was about 85-90 lbs - then i gained weight at around 20 and went up to 130lbs - for me that was HORRIBLE, the gain was mostly due to medication and i gained it quick....i felt so disgusted b/c i felt like a stranger in my body....so i worked out like a psycho, got off the meds and starved, took diet pills - def did unhealthy things to get back to being skinny oh well, im happier this way....
now i weigh myself almost everyday to keep myself in check.....i fluctuate from 92-98 lbs - 94 is the happy medium for me, i love seeing that # on ths scale for some reason.....
im nervous about breaking 100 when im preggers i never want to be 130lbs again - even at 9 months pregnant! hopefully i can eat healthy for the baby and me and not gain 40 lbs during pregnancy but i probably will! oh well!
ETA: DH also was skinny, then blew up and got really really heavy, this was before i met him - then he lost a crazy amount of weight and was emaciated - too skinny (also before i met him)....so he is the same as me - with watching weight, weighing daily, i guess its good b/c we both feel the same way about our bodies and try to eat healthy and maintain our weight, exercise (well he does! im lazy bones lately!)
lizzie217
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
Posted by Brila09
Posted by lizzie217
I have not. I have worked with many young people who have. It is a terrible diease that is very difficult to cure
It makes me wonder if you are ever 'cured'.
Yeah this is a very tricky thing. It is so emotional and about control...once the person can find the happiness they seek through this (similar to cutting) they can stop the behavior. But similar to an alcoholic...it can creep up in stressful or unhappy times
Ayne11
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
I don't have an eating disorder; I just genuinely love food. I don't emotionally eat, in fact when something bad happens I become very nauseous and don't eat.
I just need to learn I can still love food, just in a smaller portion. That's the behavior that I have to modify & learn how to use on a daily basis.
Jenn04
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
Posted by flairforfashion
I never had an eating disorder but I am a lunatic with my weight. I just eat right and work out and cheat here and there.
I love eating too much and need 3 meals a day but I agree with you - yes I cheat and love my chocolate but otherwise I am obsessive about working out and watching what I eat. I do whats called 'Jenna for Life' - haha, I eat maybe 17 good meals a week and cheat on the other 5. I do like to work out and have a new love for running, and do it because overall it makes me feel good (and I can afford the cheats here and there.)
But I wanted to bring up another point. I grew up with my mother constantly dieting and watching what she ate and trying to look good. Yes I love her dearly but I have seen that this has had a bit of a negative impact on myself and on my youngest sister. I think its good to stay and shape and etc but to grow up with your mom constantly dieting when she already looks pretty good is a bit detrimental. Esp to my sister who has a great body but never thinks she looks good. She has a flat flat stomach and still isnt happy. My other sister isnt as obsessed but she works out and tries to maintain a good body image as well. I mean it has its positive effects on us but I dont want to act this obsessive in front of my kids. Hmm what do you think?
lizzie217
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Re: Have you ever had an eating disorder?
Posted by Ayne11
I don't have an eating disorder; I just genuinely love food. I don't emotionally eat, in fact when something bad happens I become very nauseous and don't eat.
I just need to learn I can still love food, just in a smaller portion. That's the behavior that I have to modify & learn how to use on a daily basis.
me too Jane! I loveeeeeeeeeeee food! But I also dont eat a lot when Im upset so I know Im not an emotional eater
