• [See part 1 in last post]  [Part 2] Choosing recovery from bulimia  Despite having a Health Psychology MSc and having been given an award for my final year Psychology BSc exam where I answered a question on eating disorder treatment, I felt totally unable to help myself. It was like bingeing and purging controlled my whole life and I just couldn't see how to change it.  I asked for help from SYEDA charity who referred me to my GP and the NHS ED team.  Things got pretty erratic over Christmas and New Year. But made a New Years Resolution to STOP purging!  I did pretty well by sheer willpower!  E.g., If I has a basket full of binge foods, then I would find the strength to put them all back on the shelves (almost crying as I did). There were a few downs when I felt unable to cope without bingeing and purging. I had 3 introductory sessions with the NHS team. At the time, I thought some of the activities were quite silly, but they actually helped me see that I was b/p to avoid going into uni. I'd put so much pressure on myself to do well and I was scared I couldn't live up to it. I think it would have been hard for me to get that insight on my own. I was still thinking it was about the food and how my body looked.  Once I had a better understanding then I could help myself. I started to apply what I knew about changing habits and it mostly worked.  I had a period of bingeing and absolutely did not let myself purge. Once that period ended, then I set up my company and ran a group workshop about 'overcoming emotional eating'. Total honestly - I did have an episode of bingeing (can't remember if I purged) a few months later because I didn't know another way to cope with my feelings. I felt awful that it had happened. But I was able to pick myself up and carry on. The next year I trained as a Master Practitioner in Eating Disorders. The training gave me an even deeper understanding of what had happened in the in the past and skills that I could use to cement my recovery 🎊 [Ran out of space- part 3 tomorrow - the business]
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    [See part 1 in last post]  [Part 2] Choosing recovery from bulimia  Despite having a Health Psychology MSc and having been given an award for my final year Psychology BSc exam where I answered a question on eating disorder treatment, I felt totally unable to help myself. It was like bingeing and purging controlled my whole life and I just couldn't see how to change it.  I asked for help from SYEDA charity who referred me to my GP and the NHS ED team.  Things got pretty erratic over Christmas and New Year. But made a New Years Resolution to STOP purging!  I did pretty well by sheer willpower!  E.g., If I has a basket full of binge foods, then I would find the strength to put them all back on the shelves (almost crying as I did). There were a few downs when I felt unable to cope without bingeing and purging. I had 3 introductory sessions with the NHS team. At the time, I thought some of the activities were quite silly, but they actually helped me see that I was b/p to avoid going into uni. I'd put so much pressure on myself to do well and I was scared I couldn't live up to it. I think it would have been hard for me to get that insight on my own. I was still thinking it was about the food and how my body looked.  Once I had a better understanding then I could help myself. I started to apply what I knew about changing habits and it mostly worked.  I had a period of bingeing and absolutely did not let myself purge. Once that period ended, then I set up my company and ran a group workshop about 'overcoming emotional eating'. Total honestly - I did have an episode of bingeing (can't remember if I purged) a few months later because I didn't know another way to cope with my feelings. I felt awful that it had happened. But I was able to pick myself up and carry on. The next year I trained as a Master Practitioner in Eating Disorders. The training gave me an even deeper understanding of what had happened in the in the past and skills that I could use to cement my recovery 🎊 [Ran out of space- part 3 tomorrow - the business]
  • Hi. I'm Rachel 👋 [part 1 - the eating disorder] Once upon a time I wanted people to like me and respect me, so I started a diet. I thought people would like me more if I was thinner 🤦‍♀️ I was completing my MSc in Health Psychology and I thought people would want to take my advice about healthy eating if they could see my abs. I cut out a lot of foods, became obsessive about exercising every day and focused my whole world on health/fitness. Ironically, what I was doing wasn't healthy. I became terrified to eat anything that wasn't 'clean' or that was 'too much'.  I lost my period I lost my boyfriend (because we could never go out for a meal and I was always hangry) I lost my job (technically I chose to leave it, but I would have been a lot happier and not wanted to leave if I didn't have the eating difficulties) I became more and more restricted in what I ate. And I was so angry at anyone who tried to 'help' me. Eventually I saw a therapist. Then one day, I 'broke'. I woke up in the night, starving, and I ate a snack.  That snack turned into 6 months of waking up at 2am and bingeing on everything in the kitchen. I was living with my parents at the time and my mum literally had to hide food.  I felt totally out of control and like I just couldn't help myself. Even when I knew my mum had bought something for herself, I would find it and eat it all! I fell out with my therapist and didn't go back. To get back in control I tried the keto diet, whole 30, vegan... you name it. I couldn't stick to any of them. I was so distraught with the rapid weight gain and how much my body changed. I started making myself sick to compensate (f.y.i. it doesn't work as well as you think and can become addictive). I was trying to move on with my life despite the struggle with food. I started a PhD in psychology. I put so much pressure on myself to do well. The bulimia got worse as a way to cope.  I was stuck in a horrible cycle of binge-purge, try to exercise it off, eat less, binge and purge.  It got to absolute rock bottom. Food was the first and last thing that I thought about every day. I was so exhausted.  Things had to change! [Part 2 tomorrow]
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    Hi. I'm Rachel 👋 [part 1 - the eating disorder] Once upon a time I wanted people to like me and respect me, so I started a diet. I thought people would like me more if I was thinner 🤦‍♀️ I was completing my MSc in Health Psychology and I thought people would want to take my advice about healthy eating if they could see my abs. I cut out a lot of foods, became obsessive about exercising every day and focused my whole world on health/fitness. Ironically, what I was doing wasn't healthy. I became terrified to eat anything that wasn't 'clean' or that was 'too much'.  I lost my period I lost my boyfriend (because we could never go out for a meal and I was always hangry) I lost my job (technically I chose to leave it, but I would have been a lot happier and not wanted to leave if I didn't have the eating difficulties) I became more and more restricted in what I ate. And I was so angry at anyone who tried to 'help' me. Eventually I saw a therapist. Then one day, I 'broke'. I woke up in the night, starving, and I ate a snack.  That snack turned into 6 months of waking up at 2am and bingeing on everything in the kitchen. I was living with my parents at the time and my mum literally had to hide food.  I felt totally out of control and like I just couldn't help myself. Even when I knew my mum had bought something for herself, I would find it and eat it all! I fell out with my therapist and didn't go back. To get back in control I tried the keto diet, whole 30, vegan... you name it. I couldn't stick to any of them. I was so distraught with the rapid weight gain and how much my body changed. I started making myself sick to compensate (f.y.i. it doesn't work as well as you think and can become addictive). I was trying to move on with my life despite the struggle with food. I started a PhD in psychology. I put so much pressure on myself to do well. The bulimia got worse as a way to cope.  I was stuck in a horrible cycle of binge-purge, try to exercise it off, eat less, binge and purge.  It got to absolute rock bottom. Food was the first and last thing that I thought about every day. I was so exhausted.  Things had to change! [Part 2 tomorrow]
  • Ive used the word 'bingeing' quite a lot in the last few posts. Here's the criteria for binge eating disorder from the DSM-V (the guide book used by health professionals to diagnose mental health conditions). SWIPE THROUGH PHOTOS Does that surprise you? I've had clients tell me that they have binged on everywhere from 2 chocolates to 6000 calories. Eating 2 chocolates isn't a binge*. But if you're eating those in secret because you feel bad/guilty about it, then it sounds like you're having a difficult relationship with food and it would be helpful to speak to a (mental) health professional about it.  If you're eating hundreds or thousands of calories in one sitting (no judgement because I have been there too - I felt like every binge I needed to but more than the last to satisfy myself) and it's something that is distressing for you, then I'd love to invite you to a free webinar. 5 reasons you're bingeing and what to do about it 💕 Link in bio https://www.subscribepage.com/stopbingeeating2021 *this post is for information. Not the diagnosis or treatment of eating disorders
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    Ive used the word 'bingeing' quite a lot in the last few posts. Here's the criteria for binge eating disorder from the DSM-V (the guide book used by health professionals to diagnose mental health conditions). SWIPE THROUGH PHOTOS Does that surprise you? I've had clients tell me that they have binged on everywhere from 2 chocolates to 6000 calories. Eating 2 chocolates isn't a binge*. But if you're eating those in secret because you feel bad/guilty about it, then it sounds like you're having a difficult relationship with food and it would be helpful to speak to a (mental) health professional about it.  If you're eating hundreds or thousands of calories in one sitting (no judgement because I have been there too - I felt like every binge I needed to but more than the last to satisfy myself) and it's something that is distressing for you, then I'd love to invite you to a free webinar. 5 reasons you're bingeing and what to do about it 💕 Link in bio https://www.subscribepage.com/stopbingeeating2021 *this post is for information. Not the diagnosis or treatment of eating disorders
  • Catch me in @omyogamagazine helping you to understand why you might be craving sugar, how to manage those cravings + avoid them in the future. I'm so honoured that I get to share my knowledge about how to have a healthy relationship with food. 🍪 There was a time that I would be sat trying to work and all I could think about was the chocolate digestives that I wanted to buy on the way home! Sometimes I would even leave early because I needed to have them that much. I had to get my fix! Last week I thought "I really fancy a digestive". It was just a thought, an idea, rather than an overwhelming urge. I did buy some when I went shopping this week. They sat unopened for a few days and then I ate a couple with a cup of tea ☕ and the rest of the packet has stayed uneaten because I bought home brand ones rather than the 'proper' ones and they aren't as nice 🤣 Balance is possible when you understand the physiological and psychological reasons your craving sugar and how to stop it. Check out the article in Om YOGA Magazine -> go to their profile and click the link in the bio
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    Catch me in @omyogamagazine helping you to understand why you might be craving sugar, how to manage those cravings + avoid them in the future. I'm so honoured that I get to share my knowledge about how to have a healthy relationship with food. 🍪 There was a time that I would be sat trying to work and all I could think about was the chocolate digestives that I wanted to buy on the way home! Sometimes I would even leave early because I needed to have them that much. I had to get my fix! Last week I thought "I really fancy a digestive". It was just a thought, an idea, rather than an overwhelming urge. I did buy some when I went shopping this week. They sat unopened for a few days and then I ate a couple with a cup of tea ☕ and the rest of the packet has stayed uneaten because I bought home brand ones rather than the 'proper' ones and they aren't as nice 🤣 Balance is possible when you understand the physiological and psychological reasons your craving sugar and how to stop it. Check out the article in Om YOGA Magazine -> go to their profile and click the link in the bio
  • I've been trying to think what to post this morning and nothing is really jumping out at me. I'm kind of enjoying slow mornings at the moment. But I've been getting more interaction on my posts, which is great because I want to be able to help more people to stop bingeing (and purging) and find freedom around food. There's a part of me like "if you don't post then you're account is going to go backwards" and "you should post something this morning ". That's not really true is it. 💫 And needing to post is only a problem because I'm making it a problem 💫 This reminds me of the conclusion that I help clients achieve all the time; weight is only an issue because they keep weighing themselves and setting an unrealistic standard. Almost all of my clients feel way less anxious about their body changing once they stop weighing. Or calories are only an issue because you're religiously counting them in everything! What's a problem in your life that's only a problem because you're making it one? 💖 ... turns out I did have something to say this morning once I took the pressure off
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    I've been trying to think what to post this morning and nothing is really jumping out at me. I'm kind of enjoying slow mornings at the moment. But I've been getting more interaction on my posts, which is great because I want to be able to help more people to stop bingeing (and purging) and find freedom around food. There's a part of me like "if you don't post then you're account is going to go backwards" and "you should post something this morning ". That's not really true is it. 💫 And needing to post is only a problem because I'm making it a problem 💫 This reminds me of the conclusion that I help clients achieve all the time; weight is only an issue because they keep weighing themselves and setting an unrealistic standard. Almost all of my clients feel way less anxious about their body changing once they stop weighing. Or calories are only an issue because you're religiously counting them in everything! What's a problem in your life that's only a problem because you're making it one? 💖 ... turns out I did have something to say this morning once I took the pressure off
  • I see you... The person who checks my account but isn't following because they would hate their friends or family to see that they were looking on an eating disorder recovery account I see you... The person who has tried all the advice to go for a walk or read a book instead of binge eating, but it never works I see you... The person who feels totally hopeless and resigned to never feel normal around food,, so might as well binge now I see you I have been where you are Binge eating sucks! It feels like something you will never understand or be able to escape, but I want to tell you that what you're going through is understandable. It's hard to fix what you don't understand. Let me help you to understand 5 reasons you're binge eating and crucially, what you can do about it. Actionable steps to see a change in your life 💫 DM me and I'll send you a link to the FREE WEBINAR - Stop binge eating in 2021 Wednesday at 6pm UK time (catch-up is available)
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    I see you... The person who checks my account but isn't following because they would hate their friends or family to see that they were looking on an eating disorder recovery account I see you... The person who has tried all the advice to go for a walk or read a book instead of binge eating, but it never works I see you... The person who feels totally hopeless and resigned to never feel normal around food,, so might as well binge now I see you I have been where you are Binge eating sucks! It feels like something you will never understand or be able to escape, but I want to tell you that what you're going through is understandable. It's hard to fix what you don't understand. Let me help you to understand 5 reasons you're binge eating and crucially, what you can do about it. Actionable steps to see a change in your life 💫 DM me and I'll send you a link to the FREE WEBINAR - Stop binge eating in 2021 Wednesday at 6pm UK time (catch-up is available)
  • Short solo episode with 5 things to remember/ do when you're feeling guilty about what you ate 💕🍪🥕 Remember to follow JUST EAT NORMALLY podcast for eating disorders and leave a review 😘 🎧 Find this episode on Spotify, iTunes, Anchor or search JUST EAT NORMALLY PODCAST
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    Short solo episode with 5 things to remember/ do when you're feeling guilty about what you ate 💕🍪🥕 Remember to follow JUST EAT NORMALLY podcast for eating disorders and leave a review 😘 🎧 Find this episode on Spotify, iTunes, Anchor or search JUST EAT NORMALLY PODCAST