Moderated by
Alex DS Ellis, MA, LMFT
Marriage & Family Therapist
Feeling depressed or anxious can be so overwhelming. I want to help you feel better and be able to enjoy life. You are not alone and you deserve emotional support.
Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
June 16th, 2015 9:45pm
Maybe look at food and drink as a gateway to enjoyable and fun activities. Sort of like thinking' this red apple will give me the energy to paint, read or anything else I want. This water will give me supple skin and will quench my tongue. " Just maybe remind yourself of little reasons why and the benefits you could be given. I hope that helps :)
Take it one step at a time; if you go from eating hardly anything to three full meals (and snacks) in a day, your stomach will literally bloat and this is likely to lead to relapse. So, start slowly. Eat a little more each day until you're eating the right amount.
Go easy on yourself: start off with small amounts of foods you're comfortable with or that feel safe. Plan when you're going to eat them: for example three times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). As soon as this feels comfortable and normal, add more things in. Make the amount a bit bigger, or add a snack in between meals, or challenge yourself to try a new, more dificult food. Don't do them all at once. You don't have to be back to a normal meal plan right this week.
Slowly and carefully. If you are recovering from an eating disorder and are in the process of learning how to eat again, know that you are not alone. Eating is a complex combination of both the physical and the mental, and having the support of friends, families, and a few professionals is going to be a great asset to you as you begin your recovery. A therapist may be able to help you address any sort of anxiety regarding eating, and a nutritionist will be able to guide you in the actual correct nutrition and caloric count that you need. With all these things in play, you can begin to eat healthily again. Remember that food is what your body needs in order to be healthy and function properly, and eating is in no way a reflection on who you are.
Anonymous
June 23rd, 2015 3:31pm
You can start small with things that make you feel safe. Throw out your scale, refuse to count the calories, and distract yourself when you start to feel guilty. Promise yourself you'll eat x amount of food per meal. Make the setting for eating as comfortable as possible. Eat alone if that's what helps you, or ask someone to eat with you if you hate eating alone. Start small and work your way up.
Food shouldn't be the enemy. Food is essential to life. We would all die without it. I always think of food as a good friend that is always there for me.
It depends on what reason you have stopped eating. In the case of anorexia or bulimia it is advisable to speak to a qualified therapist. In general they support you in developing a healthy attitude towards eating rather than a strong or disciplined approach, for example strict dieting. Just for some quick info, it is possible to lose weight without the gruelling diet regime, I was overweight in the past. It really helps to approach it with balance.
Anonymous
May 24th, 2015 1:54pm
It may be that at first you DO gain, just because your metabolism if pretty depressed but as soon as your metabolism recovers,then you get to maintain a HEALTHY weight (again, we don't know your current weight IS healthy).
Try new food, cook ur favorite meal, eat with someone you love, or someone who really loves food....
A way to start eating again is to see food in a more positive light. Seeing food as fuel or something to keep you going and healthy, it can really help you understand that being healthy is worth it. Taking small steps can also help. Maybe start with having an apple a day or a piece of fruit a day and then working it up to a meal a day and then slowly working up from there to 3 meals a day and snacks. Just think that food is not the enemy, it is something to help you be healthy.
It's important to first find the cause of why you stopped eating in the first place. If you believe this was caused by a physical issue, visiting a medical doctor is a good step. If you feel that an emotional issues has caused this problem, then perhaps a therapist and doctor may be able to assist.
Anonymous
June 4th, 2018 6:53pm
Start slowly. Gradually add things to your plate. Your appetite will come back sooner or later. If this doesn't work, try consulting a doctor.
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