Binge eating and NHS pressure to lose weight

Hello, I don't know if I technically qualify as having an eating disorder but I think I'm on the verge of developing one. Long story short, I'm obese, fat call it what you want (BMI about 37) and under pressure from the NHS to lose weight. Every time I go to the GP they say 'lose weight' and then say something unhelpful like "I know it's not easy".

To which I want to respond 'well why are you telling me to do it then'. My current situation is I start a diet, stick to if for a few days, then give up and binge eat all the 'forbidden' foods.

I've had some really unhelpful and unpleasant encounters with NHS staff who can be very rude and abrupt. Worse was a consultant (for cholesterol) who said 'why are you xxxxx kgs you weigh more than me'.

I really want to tell the doctors to STOP telling me to lose weight because a)it's not working and b)it's pushing me into an eating disorder/making me depressed. I've got an appointment with them later this month and I know they will say it again.

I just find the NHS's approach to this subject infuriating. Obviously if it was easy to lose weight, no one would be fat. It's not like there isn't huge societal pressure to lose weight and daily stories in the media about 'the obesity epidemic' (it's not actually something you can catch). But when you read the NHS information on binge eating (caused by dieting and pressure to be thin more often than not) at the end there's a paragraph about weight loss.

NHS, get off my case and leave me to decide whether to lose weight or not!

[crazycrossstitcher]

It might help you to see a dietician to give you some guidance and support - your GP practice might have a nurse with dietary training who could work with you on this - and take it slowly - don't let them push you into a strict diet - cut down or change your eating habits slowly - and, at the end of the day - its up to you whether you want to cut down/change what you eat or not - its your life - the decision is yours.

[Hidden in reply to crazycrossstitcher]

Thanks for your reply, but the issue isn't really that I don't know how to diet, the issue is that I want them to stop telling me to lose weight.

[-MKS- in reply to Hidden]

It's not about a diet, it's about finding the way your body is wanting to eat and should be eating. I suffered from Bullimia, which after recovering turned in to impulsive binge eating, it's crazy difficult to get yourself out of an unhealthy disorder like that. I really reccomend slimming world, it helped me learn how to eat again, their whole ethos is on making everyone feel at ease and comforted, it's really great with their image therapy too! The diet doesn't actually restrict anything. I also reccomend yoga, or any sport you enjoy, my bike has always been there to help me!

Best of luck 💕

[-MKS- in reply to Hidden]

And also, they're trying to push the message (rather untactfully) that you need to stop eating the way you are, just like they would tell a smoker to stop smoking.