How do you accept new body shape when recovering from anorexia?

[Citylife]

I have been gradually increasing what I eat over the last few months in my battle with anorexia. But this has meant my stomach always seems to look bloated and I am getting those 'You look fat!!' voices in my head again. I'm finding it really hard to ignore them and know I have to keep eating to get well but can't get past judging myself by how my body looks. Anyone got any advice, ideas?

[njam]

Hi Citylife

i have been increasing what i eat since last april and when i got nearer to following my food plan i got terribly bloated and looked 5months pregnant, it was horrendous and i still struggle with body image so have no tips for that but i can tell you the bloating does go and the last month finally things have settled and my stomach is definetly flatter. this has helped my resist the urge to binge/purge and although i am tempted to go back to old ways and not eat i am determined not to go through the whole bloated thing again so using that as a reason to stick to my food plan until i can access more help the help we obviously both need in terms of body image and coming to terms with our new weights/sizes/shape.

hope that helps somehow.

take care

njam

[Citylife in reply to njam]

Hi njam thanks for your thoughts on this, it is reassuring to read that others have gone through what I am going through and that the bloated look needn't be a permanent thing. I hope in a few months things will settle for me too as I desperately need my stomach to look flatter. I like you have been tempted to go back to my old eating patterns but for me that would be restricting what I eat and I know that would lead me down a path I don't want to go down, so for now i'm battling those feelings. Take care and I hope and pray that 2013 will be a good year for us both health wise.

Citylife

[fadedlizard]

Hi Citylife,

I'm a bulimic so I can't really offer you advice but I wanted to offer you some support anyway.

Try to be strong and treat these thoughts as an interference on your journey to recovery. You've done so well; they are not allowed to derail you now. Follow your eating plan and know that in time all will be well.

Push forward in your search for new treatment to help you through the next phase of your recovery. I know it's hard to get (I've been waiting for a referal for months) but it is important.

Love and best wishes,

Lizard.x

[Ludovica]

Hi Citylife

My experience has thought me that the bloating you talk And that is so familiar to me has 2 explanations:

1) part is a feeling as we are not used to have food in the stomach

2)part is real as it is like to fit something in a very restricted space.give yourself sometime, what you feel will go. If you are kind to yourself and follow your eating pattern, that bloating will go away as the stomach will get used to contain food. Also don't forget that your metabolism could be very slow at the moment as your body before you started eating was completely frozen. You need a little bit of time to give your body the chance to work again properly and once all your organs will function again your metabolism will be faster and you will be able to feel and see an healthy and flat stomach . The only way to get it is to keep following your eating patten,.

Hope this can help

Ludovicaxx

[Citylife in reply to Ludovica]

Hi Ludovica, thanks for your reply, what you say makes alot of sense and really does describe what it going on with my body at the minute. I am trying to stick with my eating plan and know eventually my body will adapt, but it is a daily battle to go against the voice in my head telling me to eat less and that I am fat. I know as each day goes by and I keep eating things will get better and the voice will get quieter it is so hard though and I just wish that voice would shut up and leave me alone. I am determined to make 2013 a year when I get my life back and recover from AN. It is great to know there are people out there like you who can offer support and advice, thank you so much.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2013.

Citylife