[edadvice-blog]

Hey Guys!

I just wanted to check in and ask if anyone is interested in helping me answer questions on this blog - recovery questions can be a bit heavy sometimes and I think that sharing the load would mean much more activity on this blog PLUS the chance for you to get more than one perspective on things.

What do you guys think?

[edadvice-blog]

Is it bad to eat most of my cals in the evening? I don't do it often just tonight for example me & friends will have a movie night and there will be lots of snacks so that will probably be my highest intake?:)

Nothing wrong with eating a bit more on an evening like that - that's totally normal! Just make sure that you aren't "saving" your calories for your movie night.

Have lots of fun, I hope there are tons of yummy snacks!

[edadvice-blog]

I'm such a sweet tooth especially in recovery! I don't crave real meals or actual warm things (maybe also bc they're fear food) but I literally live of things like selfmade choclate pudding, cakes, cereal, fruits, bread buns, yogurts so not even only healthy foods. then I think its ok as long as I get the right nutrients?

I definitely had a period like this - it was actually just all junk food (chips, candy, chocolate bars). There is nothing wrong with these kinds of foods and your body is probably craving them, especially if you were restricting them before.

But it is important to normalize your eating patterns and make sure that you're getting in balanced meals and snacks, which can totally include the things you've mentioned above.

[edadvice-blog]

I know it's a lot but I'm drinking up to 5 litres a day since I'm in recovery. I don't even notice it, it just happens during the day. Mostly water, tea and some diet coke. Is that bad? Any experiences?:)

I think the first thing is a big part of it depends on why you're drinking that much? Are you genuinely feeling incredibly thirsty all the time and keep feeling like you need to drink more? If so, it might be worth checking with your doctor and making sure everything is all kosher. Excessive thirst should be looked at by a doctor.

If it's to try and fill you up so you don't eat as much, that's definitely something to work on stopping.

As for whether it's bad or not, if you are just a person who tends to drink a lot throughout the day (I'm usually one as well) and nothing else is going on, just make sure that you're spacing it out. It can be dangerous to drink excessive amounts of water at once. 

[edadvice-blog]

I'm so bummed. I have been free from overt ED behaviors for a while and tonight I binged. I feel like its the end of the world even though I know its not. I am not seeing my treatment team anymore. Do you have any words of encouragement?

It's definitely not the end of the world - feedback, not failure! I would suggest taking some time and just trying to figure out what happened, what led up to the binge. Have you been more stressed out lately, did something bad happen that day? Figure out what went wrong and maybe look over your (mental or physical) list of coping strategies. 

You can do this. It's one blip in your recovery.

[edadvice-blog]

are protein bars good in recovery for gwowing hair back, since egg white/protein is essential for hair growth? I tried real eggs but they made me so sick and bloated..would protein bars be a alternative or do you have any tips/advice?:)

Growing hair back definitely takes time, so just remember to be patient.

Having said that, I wouldn't necessarily recommend protein bars. Personally, I'm a big fan of getting nutrients in via real foods, rather than things like protein bars. I've seen them become a crutch to so many people trying to recover (including me). Making sure that your meal plan is rich in fats (think avocado, peanut butter, stuff like that) and natural sources of protein is my best advice.

[edadvice-blog]

I know I shouldn't compare/complain but whenever my therapist talks to me about having to gain weight all I can think of is my skinny sister, or other skinny people in school and all these celebtraties & models (you can't tell me they're at a healthy weight?) and I just think that so many people are underweight these days (mostly due to media I guess) but it's not a big deal. Maybe it should be(!?) but why is me being underweight such a big deal then?

Here's the thing - a healthy weight is a super individual thing. It's not necessarily where you'd like your weight to be, but where your body and mind function optimally without any sort of compensation to keep your weight at that place.

This is going to be different for everyone - our bodies, our genetics, our general health - it's all different. Everyone is unique and different. Some people are naturally smaller; some people are naturally quite tall; some people are naturally quite bright or strong or have an innate talent for athletics. Unfortunately, we can't really do anything about it. Whether someone is underweight or not isn't necessarily about a number, it's about health. If your therapist feels that you need to gain weight to be healthier, they're probably right.

With regards to models - modelling is kind of a selective thing because they look for a very specific body type (tall and thin). Are there some models with eating disorders? Of course. Are there also quite a few models who are models because they have that body type already? Yes. 

Part of recovery is accepting who we are and that what is healthy for us isn't necessarily the same for everyone.

[edadvice-blog]

Hi, my best friend's bulimic since about 3 years now. She's got a tiwtter account about her eating disorder and i check it to see how she's doing because she doenst share anything with us about it. Lately,she's been posting quite abit about dying and suicide. Me and one of our other close friend aren't sure how to react to this or if we should say something to her?She seems so normal and looks better than she has for a very long time. She's also just started a relationship, how can we help her?

The thing about eating disorders is that they are very easy to keep "invisible" from people. She might seem "normal" and look "better" but it's still highly possible that she is seriously struggling. Most people with EDs aren't actually extremely emaciated like you see on tv, many people look to be in a "normal" range and are extremely ill. With bulimia, purging is incredibly dangerous and can actually kill a person.

I would suggest the two of you setting aside some time to chat with your best friend. Don't make accusations, just stick with the facts and how you feel (I've noticed..., it seems like...., I feel worried....,etc.). Be supportive and listen to what she has to say, knowing that she might be rude or defensive. If that happens, don't take it personally and don't back off. Let her know that you support her and want to offer help in any way you can. If you are seriously worried, you can also always talk to a counsellor or teacher at your school. You don't even have to tell them who it's about at first, you can just say "a friend."

[edadvice-blog]

I've been in recovery for a few months now and have gained a little, and that's really upsetting me, I was diagnosed with anorexia and am for an outpatient/day patient I was also diagnosed with depression and Christmas has made me feel worse with my ed and depression I chose not to be put on anti-depressants bc I don't like the idea of it but idk what to do bc I feel unsettled and the voices are telling me I'm fat still and need to stop eating, I'm not worthy, idk I don't want to go back to schl

I think my first question is have you talked to your doctors about not wanting to take anti-depressants? Have they fully explained to you why they recommended them and how they work? Is there anything about them in particular that you are opposed to?

Secondly, you are not worthless, and you shouldn't stop eating. Having an eating disorder is really miserable and recovery is really hard. You do deserve a life without your eating disorder, though. 

Something that is important to remember about school - it will always be there. I think we sometimes feel pressure to do things on the 'societal norm' timeline, but we shouldn't. I took a year off for mental health reasons and will be graduating this spring with my BA - it will have taken me six years to get it. But who cares? It was necessary for my mental health and I don't regret it for a second. School will always be there. 

[edadvice-blog]

Hi :) I recently got an increased meal plan which has added 500 calories to my intake and I'm so hungry all the time now even after a huge meal !! Is this normal ?? Thanks xx

Your body is likely reacting to a period of less-than-adequate nutrition and yes, this 'extreme hunger' is one hundred percent totally normal. 

It's always a good idea to take a look at your meal plan and make sure that your meals and snacks are getting you all your food groups in during the day and that they are substantial. If you are still feeling hungry, tinker around with different meal/snack options or start adding to your meal plan.

[goddaily]

[relatable-memes]

[thereisnoimpossible]

[edadvice-blog]

I'm 21 currently undiagnosed but im wen struggling with weight for 6 years. I keep managing to get better enough to avoid inpatient. I'm getting worse again and it's getting really bad. I'm fasting, starving, purging.. I don't know what's best. Should I cave in and give inpatient a shot? Or just leave it.

Absolutely give inpatient a shot! Life with an ED is so miserable and lonely and numb and awful and trust me when I tell you this - you don't deserve to live that way. You deserve to enjoy life to the fullest, to put yourself out there and chase whatever dreams you have. Don't give up on yourself, don't just leave it. Don't settle for better enough - fight for a full, happy, radiant life because you can have that.

[thehappyfatgirl]

[edadvice-blog]

I'm really really scared of going into treatment like I've been recommended because of the weight gain. I want to get better, but I don't want to gain weight because it will trigger a relapse the moment I'm out of hospital.

I wish I could tell you that you didn't have to gain weight - I feel like that would make recovery so much easier to grapple with for so many people. But the thing is, you can't keep living the way that you're living. You might not believe it right now, but you deserve so much more than what your ED is giving to you.

Gaining weight is hard and scary, but for a lot of people, it's really medically necessary. It's very tough, but unfortunately one of those situations where there's not really any way around it - you have to go through it. Your treatment centre will likely assign you a therapist or a social worker or someone to kind of be your point person to talk to about any issues you might be having - they will probably have some great tips on dealing with weight gain as it happens.

Don't go into treatment already thinking that you will relapse when you leave. Recovery is hard and scary, but starting is the toughest part. Once you make that decision - the decision to fight for full (not quasi) recovery - cling to it because you can do this.

[corsicans]

[chronically-kyle]

Choose recovery <3