New Year’s resolutions of the unknown

Now, as the new year has arrived, the stores are filled with weight loss products, the TV shows more weight loss commercials than the actual TV program, the magazines are full of tips on how to lose weight and etc. etc. etc. This will last through whole January, in February it will slow down a lot because people have simply given up on those unreachable and pardon my language: stupid resolutions they set for themselves in hope that the New Year will magically bring all that is needed to fulfill those resolutions. They don’t work for it, or well, they do buy bunch of dieting products thinking that that will magically make them ‘skinny’, and in few, if not none of the cases does it work.

I am annoyed by those ads that only are there to fool people to waste their money on as pointless, unnecessary dieting products. And what does it do for us, other than making us feel bad about ourselves? I don’t really know. But I know that it is triggering as hell having to go to the pharmacy to buy supplement drinks (none dietary) to actually drink WITH food, and the first thing you see is a mountain of diet supplements saying you should drink them INSTEAD of food. Is it just me, or has this become a real problem in today’s civilization?

The hottest thing today is to drink something, that you actually don’t know what is (other than it contains x calories), instead of eating real, healthy, satisfying food. Can you believe it? Are we that lazy and desperate to lose weight?

I’m going to be honest and say that I have been very tempted to buy those things, even now in recovery, because it says that you can easily lose x kg within 2 months. My mind tells me: “oh perfect! “ But hey, I need all the nutrients I am getting from eating the amount I am eating. I need those proteins, I need those carbs, I need those fats, I need those vitamins and I need those calories! My body doesn’t work without them, and neither does any other body.

Drinking those drinks doesn’t magically fix the problem you have with yourself. It won’t make you feel any better about yourself. It doesn’t make you prettier or more perfect. And it doesn’t make you more important than you ever were before. (You are more important than you think, and you will never become less or more important than that! You are as important as it is possible to be and ever become!) It doesn’t fix a thing. Not even for people those are obese. It won’t make them happier; it won’t boost their self-esteem etc. etc. etc. (I could go on and on and on, but I won’t bore you). All those things come from the inside. Even though the messages you get from the ads are that you become happier, prettier and healthier. That is bullshit and nothing but bullshit.

My therapist told me that we have to be critical to ads like that and think about who those ads are actually for. Are they for normal people within healthy weight? No. Are they for slightly overweight people that can easily change their diet to become healthier? No. Are they for us dealing with eating disorders? Hell no.

So why bother to waste money on dietary things you really do not need instead of buying that gorgeous shoes you’ve been looking at for weeks? For me it is an obvious choice.

-M

(no pics in this post as they can be triggering)

Might be triggering; I'm glad to be in recovery!

It’s terrifying that it only took less than 4 weeks to lose 15 kg… That shows how incredibly strong an eating disorder can be! I’m so glad to be in recovery now, for the second time. 

I had Anorexia in 2009/10 and I lost 20 kg in 6-7 weeks, I fully recovered in the beginning of 2011 by myself and I thought I would never go back, but then this MAJOR relapse came and I ended up with IV drip as I didn't drink or eat.

I’m far away from fully recovered, but I’m NEVER going back to where I was! I've come so far, and I'm NEVER looking back!

Consequences

There are more negative sides to eating disorders than there are positive.
Some of the consequences you'll be dealing with if you get an eatingdisorder (especially anorexia or ednos with anorexic tendencies):

• You get soft, light, hair all over your body (lanugo) due to your body isn't getting enough energy to keep you warm. You'll feel like a monkey.
• Cold. You are constantly cold! When your friends are wearing shorts, you'll be wearing trousers and a hoddie and STILL be freezing.
• Constipation. It's awful. It makes your stomach and tarms comepletely blown up. You don't have to use the toilet for weeks, wich is pretty ok, but it only fucks up your body up even more. It hurts so much when they begin working again. Not worth it! 
• Loss of self-esteem. Extreme loss of self-esteem. You start to criticize every little inch of your body. Even though you weigh ridiculously little, you still feel and see yourself as a obese person. It's tiring to never be satisfied with your body. I would like to try that once.
• Shame. Shame of your looks. Shame of your disorder. Shame of not dealing with it well. Shame of dealing with it (eating). Shame of this and shame of that. I could continue for at least 5 whole pages. You literally get ashamed of everything! 
• Loss of energy. You like to play football? You like to go for a run? or hang out with friends? Well, if you want an eating disorder, you can kiss those interests goodbye now. You won't have the energy to do any of them if you begin restricting or starve yourself, so why bother? 
• Loss of social life. If you're thinking about beginning to restrict, or begin on a ridiculous diet, you can as well say goodbye to your social life now. Because before you know of it, you'll be sitting alone in your bedroom every night and every day, completely isolated.

You still want to restrict or starve yourself? 
Well here's a list of other consequences:

• The heart muscle changes, and its beat becomes irregular, potentially leading to cardiac arrest and death.
• Dehydration, kidney stones, and kidney failure may result in death.
• Liver damage (made worse if substance abuse is also a factor) may result in death.
• Menstruation often stops, even before extensive weight loss. This is called amenorrhea and can lead to infertility and bone loss or osteoporosis.
• Muscles waste away, resulting in weakness and loss of function.
• Permanent loss of bone calcium leads to fractures and lifelong problems of osteoporosis.
• The person becomes intolerant to cold (especially in the hands and feet), and has sunken eyes, hair loss, bloating, and dry skin.
• The immune system weakens.
• Skin becomes dry and blotchy and has an unhealthy gray or yellow cast.
• Anemia and malnutrition may result.
• Fainting spells, sleep disruption, bad dreams, and mental fuzziness may result.

Don't think that "this won't happen to me", because believe me, it does.

I hope you've changed your mind, because it really isn't worth it. Your life isn't supposed to be spent in weakness and sickness. You should live your life when you have the chance! You got that chance and you should grab it before it's to late! Not everyone has that chance. Appreciate it and enjoy it!
-M