Working towards recovery from Bulimia and BED

[ABC-]

There’s another important aspect of self-help towards recovery. Aiming to eat three, adequate well-balanced meals a day will help you stop beginning another cycle of denial, bingeing and purging.

Going for long periods without food sets you up to crave it and thus break your unrealistic resolve, which fuels another cycle. Include some foods you like in your diet so that you challenge, slowly and gradually, your ‘good and bad’ food mentality. By placing certain foods on your ‘bad list’ you‘re likely to start to crave them and if you do eat them your guilt may increase.

Perhaps talk though with a dietician or nutritionist about what you consider to be ‘bad foods’ and allow them to re-assess your thinking and act on their professional advice. Your doctor can refer you to a dietician or nutritionist, if you would like to see one. People tend to binge on high-sugar foods, which is partly in response to them often being 'forbidden' and on the ‘bad list’, but also because their bodies are receiving a low energy diet and these high-sugar foods give a kick of energy. Unfortunately they’re not long lasting and bring you down to a low, physically and emotionally. Try to include some slow-release energy foods, such as brown rice, porridge, oat based cereals and ensure you have realistic ‘normal’ portions of them, which a dietician or nutritionist can advise you on.

Realising that you are not alone is one of the most important points to remember and ABC is here for you if you would like to talk to us or get some advice. You can email us or call us as well as ‘talk’ to us via the community here.