Do you have/had an eating disorder?

[CountessKerouac]

I don't have an ED, but there is always lots of talk about them on this board. Just a general wondering of how many people have/had an ED?

[Walter]

I'm guilty of a few improper eating habits from a few years ago, but I don't think I'd classify them under eating disorder.

[Descentia]

I think I sometimes skirt painfully close to the edge of an eating disorder, but I have never had one and am so aware of the fact I have tendancies towards being obsessive, that I doubt I would ever let myself get to the stage of hospitalisation.

[ynaffit]

no.

when i was younger (10-11?), i did do a few weird eating things. like, i would eat normal amounts, but try to eat as little fat as possible. i never got too obsessive about it, and i realized soon enough that i did need to eat fat.

eta: the fat thing was because at the time i thought that was healthy

[vegansurfer]

I don't know if it is an eating disorder that I have, but it is definately something. I do not think I would ever let it get to the hospitalization stage either. Compared to what other people are dealing with it is nothing, but it definately isn;t normal.

[veganmuncher]

I'm the same as Ynaffit - I wouldn't say I've ever had an ED but I have done weird things in the past, such as cutting down on carbs - Even bread! And cutting down on fat and a wisely cutting down on choccie biscuits and crisps etc!

[Azalea]

I don't know if it is an eating disorder that I have, but it is definately something. I do not think I would ever let it get to the hospitalization stage either. Compared to what other people are dealing with it is nothing, but it definately isn;t normal.

Please don't compare yourself with those who's eating habits are even more unhealthy than yours. To me that is like suffering a broken toe and writing it off as "nothing serious" and convincing yourself that there's no need to see a dr because -after all-, there are people out there with broken legs...

I did the same thing for years, telling myself that my own "food issues" weren't that big a deal because compared with anorexics living on chewing gum and diet coke and exercising three hours a day, my own eating habits seemed solid and healthy. Well they weren't, and I did end up damaging my health, and comparing myself with those with "real problems" never did do any good...

My point is that your point of reference should be healthy eaters, not ED sufferers, and that if your eating habits &/or body image is bad, then you should be concerned and try to take better care of yourself, get help if you need to, and not brush it away because you're not dying of undernourishment. There’s no reason for you to have to live with unhealthy food habits or “food issues”, when a stress-free relationship with food is possible.

[Azalea]

About the poll- I voted yes (as in optimistic past tense "had") :)

[Christy]

I voted no, but I sometimes feel on the verge. I seem to have obsessive-compulsive and slight body dismorphic tendencies (to throw some jargon out there), and that can come to a head at times. It was especially bad when I was following Weight Watchers and writing down everything I ate, whether it was a stick of gum, a sip of a beverage, or a single miniature candy bar. I keep a workout/nutrition log now, but I'm more vague in my food logging now. I'm trying to be patient and laid back about it so I don't work myself into a frenzy.

Also, I must admit that a few years ago (during the WW thing) I would be seriously tempted to purge. Luckily my aversion to vomiting kept me from actually doing it. I'm also particularly interested in any supplement I read that may help burn fat, build muscle, etc. Also during the WW phase, I was taking a Metabolife knockoff. Now, I'm taking something called Naturalean (suppposed to burn fat, help build muscle, increase metabolic rate) and a green and white tea supplement (read that it 'increases thermogenesis, energy and fat metabolism'). At least the latter also has other benefits.

[Jennifer]

I have always been obsessive about food and even more so now that I'm vegan. I measure out portion sizes and feel realy guilty when I eat sweets or go over my calorie limit of 1500. ( I know that may be too low but I'm obsessive about maintaining my weight) Mind you I'm 5'6" and weigh 129 pounds so I know I'm no where near overweight but I'm terrified I will be someday. It's something that I'm trying to work through. I dont know wheather you would call this an ED or just obsessive compulsive.

I used to purge in High School but not to the point where it became full blown bulimia. Even Now I get the urge somedays but I never do it, I try to stay focused on something else.

This is not something that I like to admit to people because I do strive to be healthy and veganism has changed my life in so many positve ways so admiting this makes me seem more like a hypocrite then anything.

[beforewisdom]

I have to watch myself about over-eating

[manics_fan]

Yeah, when I was 13 (7 years ago) I was first diagnosed with anorexia, I was starting to recover when I was about 17 but lapsed back into it, I still have it and am still "underweight"

Stay Beautiful,

Aissa.

[*Star*Lass*]

Yes, when i was at school (can't remember my age), i binged on food at meal times and then made myself throw it up minutes later. This happened for a few months until my mam found out. I easily stopped, it was just a phase.

[Gashlycrumb]

Right after high school I started down the road of anorexia. That was 15 years ago. It was all about control - graduating from high school and becoming an "adult" were scary for me. Two things happened that woke me up to reality.

1. Fainting at work and my parents saying they would get me committed if I didn't start to take care of myself.

2. The realization that I wanted to be a strong woman, not a weak fainting one.

My desire to be healthy started my research into vegetarianism and a whole new healthy path of exercise for strength (not slimness). Now I snowboard, run, weight lift and am obsessed with a martial art.
Now I'm a happy tough camper.:D

[MsRuthieB]

:up: Big Up GC!

[Cissy]

I've been diagnosed with anorexia, and I still deal with that and overeating problems.

[ceryna]

I'm recovering from bulimia.

That's the only one I was officially diagnosed with, but I'm wondering if it wasn't both anorexia and bulimia, because I would restrict myself until I couldn't restrict anymore, lose control, binge, feel guilty, purge, feel worse, restrict, lose control, binge, purge, feel guilty...it was a vicious cycle.

I've been in therapy for it since January, and I'm doing much better. I have broken out of the cycle, but the emotions that accompanied it are something I'm still working on.

I'm still sensitive to the things that trigger me, but I can cope with them without going back into the cycle.

[NDvegan85]

I voted yes obviously, but we're going to say "had" at this point.

[blinkered]

I guess not except for one thing ....
Once I start a jar of Peanut Butter I find it very hard not to finnish it :(

[Daral]

I tend to eat a lot, but I'm one of the few lucky people with a hyperactive metabolism so it never gets added anywhere, but I'm very confident that if I ever did start gaining too much weight, I would cut back and exercise more.

[Formerbaboon]

I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa in april. But, it all started back when I was fourteen. I lived in vegas, and lost alot of weight, because we never had food. Then when I got sent back to california, I started gaining weight. Thats what triggered it really..

[zoebird]

no, i don't have one, i never have, and it's likely that i never will. particularly if i'm looking at the addictions model. very interesting stuff: Stark, F. Food Addictions, The Body Knows the Way.

[Gashlycrumb]

Thanks MsRuthieB.

By the way, to all of you dealing with the "have" rather than "had"
take care and a big :hug:

[synergy]

I voted no, but I have had disordered eating patterns in the past.
I have yo-yo'd up and down with my weight. I used to binge and sneak foods as a child/young teenager. I have a distorted image of my body most of the time.
Maybe I should have voted yes. But it was never diagnosed.

But - all that is mostly in the past. Becoming veg has helped me have a much healthier relationship with food. I have lost weight without ever being hungry, and I very rarely binge now. And when I do, It's not eating 3-5 chocolate bars. Having 1 full one in one sitting is a binge for me now.

[clickman]

Yes, I ended up with a diagnosis of anorexia as well back in... June? And it all started in March I think.