Eating Disorders: Life post recovery

As an ex anorexic and bulimic, I want to take this opportunity to address a topic that I feel is often overlooked in the health and fitness industry....the long-term damage abnormal dietary habits can have on the human body.

Emotionally draining, difficult and testing are just a selection of the words that describe the recovery process eating disorder sufferers face. The ability to view food with a healthy mindset while fighting the overwhelming urge to resort to the unhealthier habits they've fought to create can often prove to be the hardest obstacle to overcome, but this is only the start of the daily battles they will have to face for the rest of their lives.

Four years ago I made the decision to conquer my eating disorders, and four years later I've found myself with a multitude of unsightly side effects as a result of the extreme measures I once resorted to in order to remain thin.

I bloat after eating regardless of how big or small the meal - to the point of looking 7 months pregnant, my body is unable to digest or accept rich foods, the foods I once loved or any foods that I don't consume on a daily basis - this restricts my diet extensively, I suffer from crippling stomach cramps and non self induced vomiting when I attempt to reintroduce 'new' foods - it takes months of eating those new foods every day before I can comfortably consume them, my periods still haven't fully returned, I struggle to maintain adequate energy levels due to my restricted nutrient intake and I battle to overcome unhealthy thoughts each time I eat.

Although this is just a snippet of life after an eating disorder/s, I am still one of the lucky ones.
If you're considering resorting to unhealthy or abnormal dietary habits in any way, shape or form, please think again. Accepting that you have a problem is hard enough, but accepting that you have potentially destroyed your body for life, is even harder. Be smart and most importantly, be sensible. Being thin is not worth trading your life, happiness or health for.