QuestionOkay... I was diagnosed with bulimia/ anorexia three years ago at the age of 17... I was put into the hospital for two months while they forced me to eat and not purge... since then I have an around the clock nurse keeping me from purging what i eat and making me eat... I have gained nearly forty pounds because I am not allowed to exercise in the manner i used to (I'd burn three times as many calories as i took in) I am barely allowed to do half an hour of exercise per day... I was wondering if there was an exercise i could do and a diet i could use that would help me take off the extra weight and make me feel better about myself without me going crazy... Please I implore you to help me... I cannot get a straight answer from my doctor (he is scared I will take a nosedive into my old habits)... You are my last hope before I completely give up... Thank you for the time it took you to read this... and I hope to thank you again for the time it took you to answer... thank you so much... Brittney
AnswerHi Brittney! It sounds like you have been working closely...VERY closely!!!...with a medical team regarding your eating disorder for some time. Since they know you better than I do, they know best where you are at with your treatment. Unfortunately, you have learned they may not necessarily trust you when it comes to desiring to work out to stay in shape. I am honestly suprised they allow you to work out half an hour per day. However, if that is your allotted time, you must make the most of that time. By "making the most" I do not mean burn as many calories as humanly possible in 30 minutes! Instead, I mean using the time to choose exercises that will give you a full-body workout involving both cardio and strength-building activities. Circuits are a great way to get both strength-training and cardio in with only a short amount of time; you could find some examples on-line. You could also try weight lifting two days per week and doing cardio (running, biking, swimming) the other three days. I would also recommend you find a personal trainer if you have not done so already. Having a personal trainer who is willing to work with your doctor (and the rest of your medical team) will help them help you to meet your goals in a healthy manner...and, if they know the personal trainer is helping regulate how much exercise you do, they may be willing to allow you to do more.
As for your diet, I would guess you have a nutritionist or dietitian already on your medical team you could talk to about your wish to eat healthy in a manner conducive to both your goals and your medical condition. I would suggest you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, choose whole grains, make sure to get three low-fat dairy servings per day (you are at risk for osteoporosis with your diagnosis), and stay away from "junk food" and fast food. I have learned many patients with eating disorders know just as much about diet, if not more, than I do so I always feel there is not much I can tell them they do not already know...eating disorders are not usually about food as much as an underlying problem (lack of self-esteem, perfectionist, etc.) which is addressed in counseling. Most the time food is just an outlet or a way for the patient to feel more in control of their life.
I wish you all the luck in the world. You have a lifetime of creating a healthy relationship with food ahead of you and it really will be easier if you work with your healthcare team and realize they really do want to help you. As time passes without you falling back into your old ways they will trust you to regulate yourself more but keep in mind some people go for years before relapsing so your medical team will never pronounce you "cured". If you have any further questions, please let me know.
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