Eat, Sleep, Recover.

If anyone else is like me you magically assumed that once you finally hit the bare minimum 'safe' target BMI range you would maintain a body weight within 0.1 of the boundaries and still remain forever controlled and slim. Wrong. You can't decide what your BMI is. Your body does that for you. The term set point is branded around a lot but it's true, we all have our individual set point at which our body will happily function at its optimum level. In terms of body image, when you gain weight it really does hit you hard. I don't think it matters how long you have suffered, to what extent or the nature of your eating disorder - being told to gain weight is absolutely awful and a downright frightening prospect. Imagine how a healthy person would feel if they were told they needed to put weight on?! They'd be insulted and confused. To an individual with an overvaluation of weight, shape and control that issue is magnified tenfold. Although physically you don...

Easter is a bit like Christmas. A food feast; which can leave even people without an eating disorder sluggish, bloated and as though they've overindulged. But for those who struggle with an ED it can be absolute hell. Like many of you reading this I absolutely loathed any type of family gathering/holiday event. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed or even ate a roast dinner before Christmas 2016 (and even then I only had a small amount - definitely no carbs - and was completely consumed with guilt).  But the fact of the matter is, you, like anyone else including me will not put weight on overnight. That one single chocolate bar you ate (or two, whatever) will not cause any long term weight gain. Your body cleverly regulates your weight and this is important to remember if you're feeling like chucking the towel in because you've actually been FIGHTING your eating disorder.  • Short term weight changes are due to fluid balance. Weighing yourself everyday, or s...

As you can tell from the title, I wanted to share my thoughts with you about people's misconception about the severity of their condition/denial/feeling inadequately ill.  I want to write about this as I didn't feel I deserved treatment, and that was a massive factor in initial slow progress in recovery for me.  It's important to be mindful that eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes, and just like people, no two eating disorder sufferers will go down the same path, some people naturally weight restore quicker than others etc as we all have different body compositions and we are all individual mentally aswell as physically!  You might be at a healthy weight, but if you suffer and engage in purging behaviours your electrolytes could be imbalanced to the point of serious heart complications. But to the unsuspecting passer by, you might well look 'healthy'. Doesn't that just show how dangerous eating disorders are in themselves due to the fact that they...

  Oats. I love oats. I think single handedly I have contributed to an overall sales increase in porridge oats and profit to manufacturers since recovery. When I was at my worst, I wouldn't and thought I couldn't eat oats, ( cheers for that one anorexia ) so perhaps I'm still making up for lost time, and lost oats. So here is my recipe for overnight oats! *please note: I am not a dietitian. This is a recipe I use and like. MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT if you are in recovery and weight restoring I DO NOT advocate 'FAT FREE' anything. My opinion is that fortification of your diet no matter how difficult it is when fighting anorexia and restoring weight is paramount, and believe me I know that scary loss-of-control feeling all too well. Ingredients: 1. 40g plain oats. 2. 200g of yoghurt (pick your fave flavour or go plain and jazz it up) 3. Some fruit. Any fruit. I love berries, and frozen berries are a good option. 4. Little splash of milk to make the consist...

So , introductions required as I have moved onto the world of blogger. For those who don't know know me, my name is Kate. I'm recovering from anorexia, and have suffered with my eating disorder for approximately 12 years. Cue the violins I bet you're thinking - well, there's absolutely no string instruments required actually. I kept this illness my secret for a long time, (oh isn't she thin! Isn't she HEALTHY! aren't you tiny.. *I became very good at shaking comments off nonchalantly*) and managed to wriggle my way out of telling my closest friends about the three emergency (there were multiple additional non emergency) admissions to hospital where my heart had been affected due to my body not coping due to anorexia. Not to mention the excuses for missing birthdays, fainting, being forever freezing, the 'allergies' so I couldn't eat certain things at work/in public etc  The lies, the concealing, the lot of it had to stop; it was either that o...