Disordered eating

[goodasitgets]

This may seem like a stupid question but if I post what I have eaten today, could you tell me if it seems a lot?
I have been low carb for a long ish time but am eating carbs for a few days - today was not a good food day
Have a history of disordered eating and feeling like I should punish myself for eating too much

My BMI's around 23. I have a Zara XL shirt that's too small. Sizing is weird.

Anyway, your bloods are good and your blood pressure is good and you look good and you move a lot. Try googling 'heathly at any size' and thinking of words like 'statuesque' 'junoesque' 'buxom' and 'magnificent' to describe yourself. You'll never be a Cara Delevigne/Sienna Miller type (to avoid misunderstandings: I don't buy the 'real women have curves' claptrap either) but what you are is fine.

The only thing that does worry me is that you're eating so little and not losing weight - not because you need to lose weight but because it suggests your metabolism has been damaged by dieting. Anyone know how to reset it?

The weird thing is I've never really dieted
I did WW v briefly when I was about 17. Then I basically ate what I wanted at Uni etc and I've been paleo for about 12 months
If I ate what I wanted I would gain weight

Today's food
B - 3 scrambled eggs, 2 pieces bacon, cup of tea
Protein shake after gym
L - tuna salad barm + extra salad
Snack - 2 roses chocolates
T - 3 Ryvita, garlic cheese and salsa

Am making a stew tomorrow and off work for a few days so can eat more regularly

Ok, that is odd. Thyroid?

drop the snacks - save the calories for proper meals
maybe only two a day
but snacks are the spawn of the devil

Thyroid ok - all females in my family have over/under active thyroid so I've had my checked a few times. Had bloods/checkup recently so I know most of the numbers with bp/pulse etc!
Blood sugars always v low, tendency to be hypoglycaemic

Actually, I'm not surprised you tend to anaemia and low blood sugar. You're not eating nearly enough for the amount of exercise you do.

I know how hard it is with an ED to accept that a normal diet will see your body adjust its own weight, size and appetite. I think you'd probably benefit from a proper mental-health trained nutritionist, but don't have a clue how to find a decent one I'm afraid! I really like the fat nutritionist - although she's only online, perhaps you might enjoy a few click around her site?

I will have a look thank you
The anaemia is due to a heavy bleed earlier this year and then 11 day twice a month periods

My dad is also hypoglycaemic, I notice mine virtually goes away when I don't eat carbs/sugar and its stable. Before I've eaten porridge for breakfast and had a sugar level of 2 after glucose gel because I fainted

OP
Look up your TDEE
thefitgirls.com/tdee-calculator.aspx
which takes into account you age, sex, height and activity level
to calculate the right amount of calorie intake for YOU

(rather than the random 1950's housewife who creates the 2000 on the side of the cereal packet)

once you know wthat you body needs, you can adjust it by sustainable increments

TDE says 2709

That sounds more credible :)

Ah ... The periods sound awful, poor you! Have you been checked for PCOS at all? That could explain a lot of things ...

goodasitgets
so, to stay healthily at the same weight, you should be eating 2700 calories a day
and if you make those mostly fruit, veg, protein and other healthy stuff you are OK
if you want to lose weight ... but you really, really do not want to lose too much,
drop that by 10%
so around 2500 a day : but average it over a week
so be strict monday to thursday and enjoy weekends

• that way sustainability leads

Never been checked. To be blunt I had a coerced termination in May,/ coil fitted and they've gone downhill since then

Hi good, you are getting sensible advice from garlic, particularly regarding the psychological aspect. I am in the middle of this training to become a health coach/weight loss counsellor and it's amazing. There's a register of qualified coaches on the website, they are mainly US based but most will work via Skype.

You sound very healthy to me!
We aren't all destined to be a size 8 waif.
And nor should we aspire to be.
I have suffered with GERD since my youngest son was born 5 years ago and am determined to get off the meds.
I had to have my gallbladder out a week ago which I feel is directly related to how I have eaten over the years (too much fat and rubbish)
I am 41 and realise I need to look after myself.
I am really interested in paleo / low carb eating and lost 1.5 Stone last year doing it but then life got in the way, lots of stress and I went back to carbs in a big way :(
Trouble is I don't like meat much and aside from chicken and lamb, dont really eat it.
Any tips?

badvocat
have a look at 5:2 intermittent fasting : no food is banned

I need to ban some food sadly...it sets off my GERD :(

Oh, good, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm also horrified that the nurse was so vile to you when you sought alternative contraception. Evidently, the coil isn't suiting you - are there reasons why you couldn't take the Pill instead? You can't be losing that amount of blood all the time, it's one extra strain your body doesn't need. Congrats on your perfect blood pressure in spite of that, your mega-fitness must be balancing off the blood loss!

I've always had more help from women's clinics and - wait for it - GUM clinics, than GPs. Could be worth sidestepping your GP, if they're given to lazy assumptions about women's reproductive health.

Following what you've gone through this year, I can really understand that 'control' might feel crucial in your life. We all - young women, especially - need to watch out for the temptation to reduce our sphere of control to our bodies, if we feel we don't have enough influence on our wider world. You are strong, healthy, beautiful and intelligent: I feel sure you can regain the power to change what needs changing, and to respect & trust your own body to look after you.

Badvoc, porridge makes me quite ill! Took ages to figure that out, as it's supposed to be such a wonder food

Badvoc rather than following some strict diet, as a first step, why not just take the approach that you mention, of looking after yourself as best you can? Make food your friend and ally rather than something to have that never-ending internal battle over. So;

• choose food that you like, whatever that is - but get the besty possible quality of that food - organic versions whenever possible. Most of the time choose food that you know is going to provide you with great nutrition but occasionally have that meal that just makes you feel warm and comforted (assuming that this choice isn't necessarily the 'healthiest'). Really savour and enjoy it!

-Take time over meals, anticipate, sit without a tv or work in front of you and eat it mindfully, as slowly as you can.

-Rather than going full on low carb, try just dropping sugar and all white carbs (90% of the time, don't ban anything completely, it makes it irresistible 'don't think of a white bear!'...now what are you doing ) - bread, potatoes, rice, pasta...you can replace them with lentils, beans, chickpeas, lots of veg. This is much more sustainable than full on low carb for many people and can make a big difference to your body.

Badvoc - wrt to triggering your GERD, then yes you obviously need to ban some food in that case

Out of interest badvoc, would you say you are a fast eater?

Yes, I would sleep.

I could have the mirena but I'm concerned about the hormones. Combined pill is a no, I've had the mini pill before which killed my libido totally so I'm a bit stuck really!!
It's been a hard year and tbh it's got worse and worse (death of two friends this week)
Scrambled eggs for breakfast today, have brought fresh tomato soup for lunch and some cashew nuts