Bulimia Help

i just suck at this structured eating thing! and it's not even WHAT i eat sometimes, just how much!! like, it's always way less than i need, or i stuff myself or binge. both lead to an eventual b/p. i tried eating snacks in between. before all this, i was eating 5 to 6 small meals a day...i miss that so much. but seriously, it's like nothing at all or a binge. i hate it! i don't know what to do. how can i eat a normal sized meal??? the only thing that i stick like glue to is my breakfast. usually because i feel so crappy from the b/p the afternoon or night before. but i always have 1/2 a cup of oatmeal and some fruit or yogurt. it feels so good, it's good for me. and i feel healthy, strong, and filled afterwords. it's one of my few safe foods. but then i lose it towards lunch and the rest of the day is screwed...and my other problem is speed. i eat EVERYTHING at binge speed. i even drink beverages that fast. my body is used to consuming everything as fast as possible. i feel like these things are blocking my recovery path, but i don't know what to do about it!!

last night I got wasted. I was feeling a bit beer full this morbing, but for some reason, onstead of restrict or b/p, I decided to start my structured eating meal plan. I just had my second snack of the day and I feel iffy. I am proud though and I really hope I can make it through the day. No more drinking should be my new motto again. Itls too tricky to balance my head when it's bouncing off the walls. Anyway, I think my body is thanking me for the food I've let it have today.

So, I have been doing pretty well with my structured eating this week. I started last Saturday, b/p only once, and then weight myself this morning. I actually have lost a few pounds! I was very excited since I need to lose weight for my health reasons. I have been really listening to my body and trying to eat like someone in France on in Italy. Very good for you foods like olive oil, salad, omlets, milk, things like that. I eat very structured. My husband has been watching my closely and taking me away from the kitchen anytime I want to binge. (which he had to do a few times)

YAY!!!! I have felt better when I eat like this. I actually taste my food. I have been eating very much vegetarian since red meats and meat in general tends, for some reason, to bloat me.

How is everyone else doing?

what are your meal plan diets for the day??

Okay so I think I've put this off long enough . . . I need to start the structured eating full on and not do it half assed. Question though. How did everyone decide how much they should eat? The calorie counter link? Is that accurate?

Thank you EVERYBODY who has responded to my never ending concerns. It is so helpful to have this community . . . I feel like I may actually be able to do this!

I like the idea of structured eating but I am not sure exactly how to go about it.

Are you all following an exact, prescribed meal plan?
So far I have just been following a pattern of WHEN to eat, not necessarily WHAT to eat. I have a time for breakfast, snack, lunch, 2 afternoon snacks, then dinner. But I haven't said "I am going to eat this particular food for this particular meal". I also have been trying not to count calories. Are other people still counting calories, or are you trying to stop?

I do have foods I usually eat for breakfast and lunch, but there is always some variation. I thought having a little freedom within the structured eating plan would be a good thing, but I haven't been able to stop b/p so I'm thinking I probably need to dedicate myself more fully to the process of meal planning. Perhaps the certainty of knowing exactly what I will eat will help relieve some of the anxiety.

I would just like to hear other people's thoughts on structured eating/meal plans and how detailed their plans are, and how well they are working for you.

Thanks!

Guys, I just wanted to let you all know of a little "plan" that has really been helping me. Reinhard Engels is to be given credit for this one. It's the No-S plan.

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when it comes to structured eating. I don't necessarily agree with all the concepts in theory, but it's working --- so I'm going with it. Keep in mind, it may not work for everyone. Some people say that they need to eat every few hours in order to feel energized, and that may be true. Some doctors even say it keeps your metabolism in high-gear. But, I must admit that I used to think that I had to have snacks because I'm so active. But my body got used to the absence of snacks after a while. Here are the benefits I have been noticing on this plan: + The structure really helps me. Any structure helps with bulimia. + The fact that I'm only eating three times a day keeps me from fantasizing about food and "thinking" I need to eat snacks when I'm really not even truly hungry. + I'm eating bigger meals instead of little things throughout the day, so I get that full feeling I crave. + I am actually feeling sensations of hunger for the first time in a long time! + My desire for sweets has been cut down so much. + The urge to binge has lessened DRAMATICALLY. DRAMATICALLY (this is obviously the most awesome benefit). What do you all think?

This is realy working for me!
I'm focusing on each and every mouthful, chewing and tasting my food, instead of being a vacuum/hoover.
Flavours and textures that I did not realise I have been completely unaware of for years now.
I feel like I'm eating for the first time again, and in a way I am, cos I'm learning how to eat for nutrition and flavour. This is truly amazing!
The Structured Eating section has been my focus and it has helped me so much. For the first time in 11 years, I truly believe there is hope for me to recover. Thank you Ali!
The support of all you guys is the most incredible incentive to fight harder than ever before to do this. Thank you all so much!
:)

I didn't realize this until I was reading about structured eating on the site, but now that I think about it, when my eating disorder was the worse it was when I didn't keep a good meal schedule (combined with feeling bad about myself). I remember how full of anxiety I was and all the tired/ guilty feelings that came from abusing my body.

I was really lucky because once I started hanging out with my boyfriend, who is a normal eater, I kinda followed his schedule. It was almost like I had an example in front of me to live by and since I've been hanging out at his place more than my own, my binge/ purges have really died down (although I did do it at his house once and almost got caught, again, I hate lying to him...). Like I said before, my boyfriend isn't around me now, and for the most part I've been doing good and eating healthy. I was so worried that I depended on him to eat healthy, but I seem to be doing pretty good on my own. It bothers me that I still binge/purge though, which is why I joined the site. I want to get rid of this once and for all.

It's weird to think about how truly afraid I am about getting fat. At first I thought it was because I was more health conscious than others, but now I realize that it is an obsession that is more about impressing others. I think I, as well as a lot of others with eating disorders, always want to be liked or better than others because we aren't happy with ourselves. It took me a really to realize this. But now that I'm a mentor and teacher to others, I really want to learn how to be happy with my body.

The past few days have been good in terms of not bingeing and purging. But I've really been struggling to get my meals in. Well, it would be a lie to say I'm struggling. I'm not really trying. The ED voice is just so strong, whispering Lose Lose Lose. I'm afraid if I ignore it I will purge, so I comply.

I'm going to be a wreck when I'm completely free and on my own in college.

I'm still a perfectly healthy weight and not doing anything too dangerous, but someone needs to talk some sense into me while I can still say that. Coffee is not food.