wanting to eat vs. true hunger? - trigs
Find a Conversation
wanting to eat vs. true hunger? - trigs
| Thu, 06-29-2006 - 5:28pm |
I have been in recovery for anorexia since February. I am doing okay and gaining slowly. I still have so much trouble knowing when to eat. I definitely can tell when I am truly hungry, but like last night, I wasn't physically hungry (as in stomach growling, etc.), but I WANTED to eat. I was almost crying because I wanted to eat so badly and was fighting not to. When I feel that way, am I supposed to eat, or is that the eating disorder trying to get the best of me? I don't know how to read signals like that and didn't know what to do. I wound up not eating and got over it all, but I am baffled as to how to handle it if it happens again. Thanks.

Hi KC!
~Diana~
Yup, I am on a food plan and have been since February. The plan has changed over time and is an exchange plan. Initially it followed a 1200 calorie a day plan, but I am so obsessed with calories, that we switched it to strictly exchanges. I know it is about 1800 calories a day, but I am not supposed to worry about the numbers - just servings of food groups. The plan is the minimum I am supposed to eat - I can ALWAYS eat more, but I need to eat off the plan as a minimum. The nutritionist is trying to get me to trust my body more about what I eat and how much, so last week I was told to simply record what I eat and not worry about exchanges. She was going to look at what I eat over a week's time to see how it balances out. This all came about because I was starting to rebel against the plan. Sometimes I didn't feel like milk - I wanted more fruit, or I wanted more meat, etc. She saw that as a good sign and thought it warranted trying to see how I would do for a week or two "on my own." I think I am doing well. I choose good foods and am starting to get past that mentality of feeling like I failed if I eat something that is anxiety provoking for me. I just have trouble with what to do when I am not stomach growling hungry, but have cravings to eat something. I still am terrified that eating a treat of some kind will lead to overeating and feeling gross and overfull. Slowly I am getting better. I have found times that I can eat a treat without guilt or going beserk, but it is not 100 percent yet. One good thing is that I can eat more than the plan and not have to restrict to "make up for it." That is HUGE progress for me!!
Thanks for your help!