My tips as someone with an ED:
Never eat anything you canāt count nutrition facts for (example: my grandmother is in the hospital and I made the mistake of ordering food because I hadnāt eaten in 2 days, but I wasnāt able to get the nutrition info from the cafeteria or on my calorie counting app)
Water with cucumber, lemon and mint is amazingā it makes you feel so refreshed and it makes me want to keep drinking it, so it keeps me full. Itās also really great for your body and a great detox. (In my own experience itās also a good diarrhetic)
Heat up some water and put a cinnamon stick in itā this flavors the tea to the point you donāt have to sweeten it (Iāve gotten used to unsweetened tea but I still like it to have flavor) and then as a plus, you can chew on the cinnamon stick when youāre doneā itāll keep your mind off of eating junk food and is also really good for your body.
If you donāt sleep, your body will begin to shut down in other areas and that in time actually promotes weight gain because your body will try to go into survival mode.
If youāre already not in the best headspace, donāt get on any socials. Chances are youāll see someone posting pics of their body and itāll make you feel worthless and like no mater what you do, youāll never look that good. This could lead to binging. Instead, on these bad days, go for a walk and find 10 things that interest you; maybe how the sky turns from blue to purple and pink to orange and then dark blue and black. Or maybe how the cracks on the street make a certain shapeā just keep your mind on anything else on your little walk outside and itāll make you feel better.
Donāt give yourself a cheat dayā this will only result in binging and in more eating because, hey, ātoday was my cheat dayā. Instead, allow yourself a set amount of calories that are reasonable for each day, and in the long run youāll lose the weight faster.
Stick to 1-2 meals a dayā never go without, no matter how little you eat. The food will make your metabolism work harder to break down what was just put into your bodyā so even if itās just some fruit or a couple of veggies, make sure to put something into your body every day.
Water, water, water. And coffee and tea. But mostly water. Itāll make you feel fuller and hydrated skin is pretty skin!
Get some exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a dayā you donāt want to do TOO much because itāll make your body crave even more calories which will result in binging or over eating more than you would have. Just go for a light jog or a shorter run, and make it 30-45 minutes a day. When you get home, eat a piece of celery with a small amount of peanut butter and youāll be good to go.
This one is going to sound absurd to you, Iām sure, but... only weigh yourself 1-2 times a month. Our weight fluctuates so many times throughout a month and it can drive you crazy weighing yourself every day. Instead, opt for an exact time on an exact day every week or every other week (I suggest every other Sunday, in the morning before youāve eaten or drank anything) and stick to that. Youāll feel much better about yourself, and instead of seeing the numbers going up and down and up and down, youāll instead see a steady decline and feel like youāre making more progress.
Donāt make yourself throw up. (I know, who the hell do I think I am?) it actually makes your stomach build up more fat and enzymes around itself over time, and this in turn will make your stomach store more fat. Plus, the acid from your stomach will rot your teeth and eat away at your esophagus (not that you didnāt already know that, Iām sure.)
If you are out for a meal with family or friends and actually want to enjoy yourself, go ahead. Just donāt finish everything on your plateā this will help with the guilt of diverting away from your plan, because hey, at least you didnāt eat all of it!
Remember that mint/cucumber/lemon water concoction I mentioned at the top? Drink a glass (or two because itās so yummy) after youāve weighed yourself when you first wake up. Also drink a glass before brushing your teeth and going to bedā itāll keep your metabolism going.
Vitamin supplements!!!! If you know youāre low on iron or vitamin d or anything, take a vitamin for it every day. Please please please do thisā our EDās can break down our bodies so quickly; we want to look pretty and have all the things that the skinny girls have, like pretty collar bones, sharp jawlines, thighs that donāt touch.. but if we look like absolute crap everywhere else, what was even the point? Water and vitamins are so important, babes.
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT reward yourself with food (I know this one seems stupid but trust me, Iāve known people to do this.) āoh, wow, I lost 20 pounds in the last 1 1/2 months! I think I deserve a small cupcake.ā No, that will only set you back and set you up to binge because sugar is addictive and your mind will go insane and make you eat more. Instead, opt to reward yourself with a cute shirt youāve been wanting or new shoes. Maybe by going to the beach at sunset and listening to the waves crash.
Take your measurements only once every monthā trust me; youāll see a bigger difference this way than by doing it every day or every other day.
I hope I was able to help a little. Stay safe, lovelies! šš
