Used to be anorexic, now overeating...help

HI, this is my first time on this website. I am 14. In 7th grade, I was diagnosed with anorexia. I stayed in an inpatient program for about a month, and gained weight. Then I did a partial day program for a while. After that I did outpatient for a while, but that seems like a long time ago. Overall, I am doing so much better. I am healthy again. I still think about food quite a bit though. I am concerned though, because for about the last month I feel like I overeat a lot. I start eating when I am bored then I can't stop and I become overly full and feel guilty. So I'm really confused. I used to have the problem of eating too little, now it's eating too much. Today I tried just following my old meal plan, but it didn't work. I just want to be on a normal eating schedule and not feel out of control. Has anyone else experienced this or have any suggestions? Thanks.

Submitted by qat on Mon, 07/28/2008 - 22:09.

Is there anything else going on in your life right now that might be leading to this? I know for me it was stress and anxiety that would be the trigger for me. If it is boredom maybe you can start doing some hobbies to get your mind occupied.

Submitted by xoxopeacee on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 18:43.

i know how ur feeling
i was suffering from anorexia then got help and now i feel like im over eating. really though im just adjusting to my new diet and i realized that its okay as long as i work out, so i got into a lot of sports

Submitted by searchingforbalance on Wed, 08/20/2008 - 15:54.

Hi, i struggled with an eating disorder as well, the main problem was when i was 16/17, im 20 now, and i experienced exactly the same thing. It seemed absurd that i'd spent so long controlling what i ate and then felt like i had no control over it. But i really think its part of the recovery process, i think it does go the other way as your body says finally i can eat and so desires a lot all the time. I put on a fair amount of weight but for a couple of years now i have pretty much been at what i consider the natural weight for my body more or less toned depending on if im exercising or not (and im not naturally tiny either) It then settled down for me, it took work and has been cyclical but the tendencies either way (to restrict or overeat) have become less extreme and less prolonged over time and have become easier to snap myself out of. It may help to create some boundaries for yourself, for example allowing yourself to eat whatever you like but only at mealtimes, 3 times a day and no snacking, also keeping busy helps, or having meals with friends, then the focus on food is a communal and sociable one rather than it just feeling as if you're eating because you're bored. It also really helped me to focus on my body as a functional thing, i exercised as i put on weight and managed to get pleasure out of feeling that my body was strong and fit and capable. Even now i still have a tendancy to overeat if i am at home alone with nothing to do so I try to create treat days for myself where i allow myself to do this from time to time without feeling guilty. I hope this helps and it sounds like you're doing really well.

Submitted by kazma84 on Wed, 12/03/2008 - 02:18.

I know what ya mean. I went into treatment for three months this year and although I would binge/pugre sometimes when I was anorexic, I feel that since I have come out of treatment I am even more out of control than I was before. I used to avoid food as much as possible but it's almost like after being made to eat for three months, I suddenly developed a taste for food again and now I can't stop eating!! It sux!! I really hear ya with the wanting to just e able to eat normally again. Good luck :)

Submitted by sohpie15 on Fri, 12/05/2008 - 17:07.

yea I'm going through the same thing. I think after being forced to eat because I had to gain weight kinda trained me to eat more.. and now that I don't want to gain any more weight, it's hard to stop! But yea I totally wish I could just eat normally too!

Submitted by graceb on Sat, 12/06/2008 - 13:27.

This is a completely normal cycle- from what I've heard and experienced. I have struggled with anorexia/eating disorders for many years. I would periodically try to recover, and then would get out of control with my eating, and start eating too much. I think that "searchingforabalance" is right when they mention how your body, now able to eat a proper amount of food, desires more than is necessary. Once you have starved your body, your body goes into survival mode... it tends of pack on weight when you do eat, and if you're willing to eat normally, it gets a little crazy and eats everything it can, out of fear that you may starve again. In my life, this excess of eating and weight gain always freaked me out (I also tend to spend time around vegans who truly enjoy their food, and have no qualms in overeating every once in a while- which just encourages me to overeat when I am willing to eat) and I would then dive right back into anorexia, feeling out of control, disgusting, ashamed, and fat. I am recovering once again after a relapse that I long tried to deny to myself. I have promised myself that I will not starve myself for at least a year. I expect to extend this time period when the time comes, but as for now, I am a lady of my word- that has always been really important to me, so this is a way for me to make it over the hurdles of thrusting myself back into starvation when I find myself gaining weight... so far, it's worked...but it's challenging.
Good luck!

Submitted by rainbow8 on Mon, 12/15/2008 - 03:53.

Hey I too am going through the same ordeal. I was diagnosed with anorexia just over 2 months ago, and the hardest thing was that I really didn't have any idea that I even had an eating disorder. People often made comments about my low weight (I'm 5"4/5"5 and went from 53 to 43kg in about 2 months), but I just considered myself a healthy eater because I never let myself get hungry. I can now see how obsessive I was about food, and that most people wouldn't consider a cup of pumpkin soup to be a hearty lunch (this was my routine 'safe' lunch). Anyway, I was referred to a clinic by my GP and have been going there weekly for weigh-ins etc. I knew that gaining weight and getting healthy was going to be a hard process, so I booked myself an overseas adventure holiday in 3 months. It's a trekking tour and I know that it will be physically demanding and my doctors have said that I'm not allowed to go unless I've gained enough weight to be considered fit and healthy. It's through this that I've been able to find the strength to get through my anorexic thoughts, because I'm so excited about my trip that I don't want to do anything to sabotage it. So I really recommend that you plan something in advance (doesn't have to be an expensive holiday, could be a party or a concert or something) to give you something to look forward to. I too have felt insanely out of control in the past few weeks, especially when I snack out of regulated meal times. So I began planning my meals and food intake a day in advance (I know this is somewhat obsessive, but I plan to wean myself off this behaviour when I've gained enough weight), making sure that I consume the amount of calories that my nutritionist has told me to. That way, I don't freak out or feel out of control because everything has been planned. Exercise helps me feel good about my body too, and always has no matter my size. I hope that I've helped in some way, stay healthy!! :)

Submitted by achet on Tue, 05/12/2009 - 06:22.

You need to talk to an adult or a nutriologist if you are worried about your weight. I don't think you weight a lot, but it does depend on your height and body type.
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Submitted by jenny1994 on Sun, 05/17/2009 - 18:24.

i also have a problem and i need help.please. i'm not anorexic. but i have an eating problem. i used to starve i would eat about 400 to 500 calories a day. and i lost weight. and then one day i just couldn't control myself and i started eating a lot. and then i began to overeat the other days. and i'm scared that i'll gain weight back. i don't wanna starve and then be overeating and feeing sick. i wanna eat normal. but then im' scared that if i start eating normal more then 400 calories a day i'll gain weight back. i hate how i look and i wanna be normal, but then i think of how im gonna eat normal i'll gain weight and i won't be happy with my body. but when i'm happy with my body i'm not happy emotionally. and i look at other actresses and singer and models or just other girls and i'm so jelous of how skinny they are. i really need help. please.

Submitted by rosagtz12 on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 08:54.

hello this is a big problem that have to be solved so faster as a you can because each day is worst.I am interested in more information head

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