Weight Councelling?

[acom]

Hi, I work next door to a councellor, she has recommended me to Eating Disorder Society (EDS)
What do you all think?
I worry that if I don't get the idea of food straight in my head before starting to eat again, that I may 'lose it' again.
I don't want to have my life controlled by food anymore. I like being free of the food monster!
Have any of you tried councelling or heard of EDS?

 

[xsarahloux]

i've considered doing something similar. there must be a reason why i overeat and i want to get to the bottom of it. i havent done anything about it tho, i'd be really interested in how you get on. good luck with it - it can only do good things for you xxx

 

[acom]

okay, I will keep you posted on what happens. I have sent the HUGE questionnaire back and am awaiting my assessment meeting, so it may be a couple of weeks before I 'feedback'

 

[katy73]

Do you feel like you have an eating disorder?, it sounds bad but i think counselling could backfire and actually create a disorder, i started LT as it was so disciplined, the reason i got so big is simple, i love food and am very greedy!!!

 

[acom]

I think that I eat as a comforter, as I have very little self confidence due to not being 'worthy or good enough' when I was growing up!
(food doesn't judge it just comforts you but ends up controlling you)
I hope that coucelling will be able to help with that

 

[xsarahloux]

i think for me, the fact that i'm 24 and up until i started LT i had a BMI of over 54 i really dont think that's a case of being greedy. i used to secret eat, and live in denial, and binge and purge, cut myself as i hated the way i looked and yet i still couldnt hold the strength to lose the weight.

i think when it gets so serious, it genuinely is an eating disorder.

i think its hard when your "eating disorder" makes you fat rather than thin, as most people (myself included up until recently) think it is just a case of being greedy and lazy. but no very thin people get accused of just not liking food, it's always associated with anorexia nervosa.

just another example of how the overweight are percieved!!

 

[acom]

Hi xsarahloux,
i think that alot of people have the idea that being overweight is through just being greedy and having no will power.
BUT I strongly agree with you that there are alot of people that need councelling for being overweight as much as the bullimic and anorexics!
My councellor said exactly that to me and gave the EDS phone number for (UK) Plymouth head office, it is 01752 228027.
They may have other offices closer to you or advise about other options closer to you.
Contact them and let us know how you get on
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Jesi]

I have been told that due to PCOS my body has been storing fat rather then burning it as I produce too much insulin and that is what makes all this happen.

Even though I dont eat too often I like eating alot of what I have. I think being big allows you to eat too much of what you have cooked, simply because you can stomach it literaly.

I love food and I love eating and because I am Turkish, the whole food issue is a culture thing for us. We cook to socialise and feed our whole family. And when we do cook it is upto 10-15 different kinds. If you have been to any Turkish restaurant you will know what I mean

As for disorders, I think that if someone is going to great lenghs to become bigger or lose weight then that becomes an issue but to love food and love eating, I think it's just human nature.

Why do 2 people eat the same and one is overweight and the other skinny? I think it is because the skinny persons body burns it better and quicker. I dont think it is because the other has a disorder.

If you happen to be the other person then this is what you do, you struggle with weight. Like me :flowers:

 

[Scotsmist]

I have been told that due to PCOS my body has been storing fat rather then burning it as I produce too much insulin and that is what makes all this happen.

Even though I dont eat too often I like eating alot of what I have. I think being big allows you to eat too much of what you have cooked, simply because you can stomach it literaly.

I love food and I love eating and because I am Turkish, the whole food issue is a culture thing for us. We cook to socialise and feed our whole family. And when we do cook it is upto 10-15 different kinds. If you have been to any Turkish restaurant you will know what I mean

As for disorders, I think that if someone is going to great lenghs to become bigger or lose weight then that becomes an issue but to love food and love eating, I think it's just human nature.

Why do 2 people eat the same and one is overweight and the other skinny? I think it is because the skinny persons body burns it better and quicker. I dont think it is because the other has a disorder.

If you happen to be the other person then this is what you do, you struggle with weight. Like me :flowers:

Sorry Jodi, just had to jump in; my husband is Turkish, so I understand about the whole food issue and the lovely Turkish food

 

[Scotsmist]

Hi, I work next door to a councellor, she has recommended me to Eating Disorder Society (EDS)
What do you all think?
I worry that if I don't get the idea of food straight in my head before starting to eat again, that I may 'lose it' again.
I don't want to have my life controlled by food anymore. I like being free of the food monster!
Have any of you tried councelling or heard of EDS?

Hi Acom

It is only recently, I feel, that people are beginning to realise that having an eating disorder isnt just anorexia or bulimia....I have compuslive eating disorder! And, to be honest it took me until around 2-3 years to admit it to 1) my husband and 2) my doctor. but, unfortunatly, it didnt help re:GP, as there was no funding available to help me. Seems it is better if you are an alcoholic and more support!

Anyway, I searched and found B:EAT, there is a website, but I also found a a group which looks at food issues, etc. I just went along for a night, and should have gone for a 10 week course, but I was working full time and studying too, so just didnt have time, and now I have started LT. I know I will go there as the program is excellent and helps you to address lots of issues, etc...it can only help, not hinder.

I just thought I was greedy; but there were days when I was totally and utterly out of control with food....but all in secret (like Sarahlou)! Oh, it was horrible; I felt like an alcoholic. But, the awful thing is food is everywhere and really ,we need to eat to live, so this is why LT has been a lifesaver to me.

I have been doing a lot of soul searching since being on LT and hopefully with my re-feed due soon I will be able to put certain things into practice, but I dont think it will ever go away. I will have to live with this for the rest of my life.

I would go for it and at least go and speak to them - it is another positive move!

Take care

 

[Doirin]

Hi Acom,
I think the counsellor you know has made a good move pointing you in this direction. There is a reason, personal to all of us why we over eat and why we lost control in that way. We may know the reason but that doesn't mean we have the skill set to address it ourselves. Even counsellors need counselling at some stage in their lives.
I know someone in the therapies who told me his friend also used LT, lost 8 stone and put it all back on and more because she never addressed the issues underlying her weight gain. It is something I wish to do but didn't start at the beginning of LT due to being so near the school holidays and also needing to research who could be the best type of counselor as I would also need the bereavement side to it also, perhaps!
Wishing you all the best with it.
SarahLou,
I want to acknowledge your honesty and thank you for sharing some of your story.
Doirin

 

[acom]

I agree,
I totally lost control from;
1) first thing in the morning thinking about how much I could eat for breakfast.
2) during the day thinking about where and how much food I could get hold of.
3) chosing where I sit in meetings depended on sitting closest to the 'nicest' snacks in the middle of the meeting table.
4) eating whilst preparing the evening meal.
5) eating whilst the other house people are out, eating it all and cleaning away / hiding all evidence of the eating binge before they get home.

Like I say EVERYTHING revolved around food!
This diet is brill because reducing food is sooooooooo difficult!
Alcoholics can avoid acohol
Smokers can avoid cigarettes
Eating problems don't have that luxury we HAVE to eat!
It would be like telling an alcoholic to have 3 drinks a day AND NO MORE!

 

[Scotsmist]

Oh, I know!
LT is great so long as we take the time to look at ourselves during the process and as Doirin says, we also need the tools and skillset to move forward once we come off.
I aim to look into this in Autumn when things are quieter for me and hopefully I will be of LT.

 

[Han_Han]

Hi

I think it's a really great idea! The idea of returning to food without having addressed any of the reasons I became overweight in the first place worries me. Unfortunately, I haven't had great experiences with counselling in the past; I was referred because of my eating & after months the woman told me to "eat more fruit" which made me wonder if she'd actually been paying attention to anything I'd said. I think the best advice I've ever had was from the CBT that accompanied LighterLife, as I think my counsellor was exceptional & had I not been only sixteen when doing it I might have taken a lot more from it & possibly not piled the weight back on. I am actually considering seeing her in her private practice as she said some things that are still with me five years later.

Definitely worthwhile & I would say it's likely to help you anticipate the pitfalls you might experience when going back to eating. Let us know how it goes! & good luck with it!

Hannah

 

[Doirin]

Hi Acom,
You are right on the money!
I look at eating sugar as akin to alcoholism, I know that when this LT journey part of my life is over I will need to totally abstain from sugar things. The 'everything in moderation' approach doesn't work for me. I can't be a part time smoker, gave up nearly 4 years ago and not gone back on them once. When you have an addictive personality you need to recognise it, control it and not place it in dangerous situations. Thankfully alcohol or narcotics were never my thing, although I could certainly drink when I was younger, but it has held no appeal for me since I had my children.
I do not want to waste the time and effort I have put into this diet, just to do it again at a later stage. As my signature says I have been dieting 20 years, I do not want to waste the rest of my life doing it again.
So heres to all of us making this the last time ever and learning the skills to keep it that way.
Wishing you all the best, loving the avatar by the way.
Doirin

 

[Elle-Emm]

This is something that concerns me too. I've done great on LT so far, but I do worry that I'll put it all back on.

I know there are a couple of things which probably are always in the back of my mind sabotaging me on previous attempts to lose weight - but this time it's SUCH a big deal and I've lost SUCH a lot of weight that I just have to feel positive that this time is different.

I had counselling earlier this year as I was off work with depression - although it was initially to deal with 2 issues a few other things came out which was kind of a revelation to me. SO I heartily recommend counselling, find the right person and it really can help.

 

[copog]

This is a very interesting topic. I have told myself that im never putting the weight back on and when I put a stone on I go back on LT. The silly thing is im off and on it all the time I cant seem to maintain. I know what I should be doing but I keep failing on the refeed. Im going away in a couple of weeks and this time im determined to refeed properly. I believe the weight gain wont be as much if you refeed properly. It can be done and people here are proof it can be done. I just need to control my bingeing. I also wish I could change my name as its like a reminder of what I do. Gill xx