– your collar bones will so cute in bras and tank tops
No, your collar bones will be hidden under your patchy, acne-ridden, crusty, peeling skin. Also, collar bones are just a part of your anatomy. Don’t equate them to self-worth.
- your legs will naturally look more toned without having to work out
No, they’ll look like knobbly sticks. You’ll develop osteoporosis, your muscles will rot and the veins will stick out. You’ll develop all sorts of problems.
- you can borrow clothes from anyone no problem, they’ll always fit because you’re so small
No, you won’t be able to fit any clothes. You’ll only be wanting to wear baggy clothes to stop people looking concerned and about 100000 layers to stop feeling cold. And no one would want to give you their clothes, anyway, since eating disorders make you exceptionally moody and snappy.
- trying on clothes in the store isn’t embarrassing, its fun now
Not if they call an ambulance or you pass out and hit your head on the marble floor. And with your ED, you’ll never see yourself as underweight enough. Hint: choose recovery.
- youll look so elegant when you dance
No, you’ll look very very poorly and you’ll probably pass out after 10 seconds, anyway. You wouldn’t be allowed to join a dance squad in the first place once they saw how ill you were.
- when you drink coffee it will actually work better because there’s less fat to distribute it to
That makes no sense, whatsoever.
- your skin clears up because you arent eating trashy foods
No, you will develop a lot of acne and your skin will discolour and start to peel.
- people will worry about you and cater to you
Yeah, you’ll end up in hospital with a tube down your throat and family and friends blaming themselves.
- boys (or whomever you’re attracted to) will want ro protect you and hold you
No, you’ll be the moodiest person around. If you did get a partner, they would most likely be trying to get you into hospital.
- no more swaying flab on your upper arms when you wave!
No more waving, full stop. No energy for that.
- the less you eat over time, the less hungry you will grow to be
That’s false. There is always pain and symptoms. Always.
- youll have more money saved up to buy cute clothes or books or knick knacks instead of food
You’ll feel dead inside, you won’t care. You won’t be able to concentrate. Also, food is delicious.
- you can sleep at night without hating yourself
Complete opposite. You’ll hit an all-time low and probably get depressed and suicidal.
Please choose recovery. I know it’s not as simple as it sounds, but continuing to live under the delusion that there is a good point in your eating disorder is harmful.
Get rid of any apps, books and posters related to eating, dieting, fitness, etc. Anything that mentions calories. Instead, fill up your bookcase with colouring books, puzzle books and recovery books and stick positive affirmations around the house.
Know that the disorder is not about food. It’s about control), hence the disorder is a cousin of other conditions like OCD and OCPD. Be sure to ignore any preoccupations you have about other aspects of the concept and tell yourself that you’re in control, but that it has nothing to do with food and that the thoughts are just bullies.
Take up hobbies. Sewing, knitting, colouring, origami, reading, listening to music- anything unrelated to exercise (for the moment).
Wear oversized, comfy clothes and quit using the scale. Because your stomach will likely be swollen, you will experience a small amount of bloating as you recover, so it’s best to wear cosy clothes, and remember that it’s only a temporary thing.
Write or read about how much better it will be when you’re recovered. Watch out for toxic blogs that contain contrasting content, e.g. positivity one day and thinspo the next.
Create a fun meal plan. It can be themed, e.g. blue food day, Mexican food day, Harry Potter food day. Make sure it contains all the calories and vitamins you need to make a full recovery!
Don’t scold yourself for binging. Binging is your body’s response to being deprived of proper food. Try to adjust your meal plan to make sure it’s keeping you satisfied.
Try eating your fear food. It may sound like a big step, but eating food you used to love is a great move forward. If you feel uncomfortable, you can get a friend to make sure you don’t try and purge it.
Fake it ‘til you make it. Even if you have mixed emotions, pretend that you are the most pro-recovery person out there.
Remember that the ED is not a part of you. It does not define you or shape you in any way. It is a monster and a bully and its “goals” are not yours.
Liver – white nail beds – nausea – itchy skin – swollen abdomen – yellowing skin/eyes – fatigue – confusion – pale / clay-like / bloody / tar-like stool – vomiting – pain in the upper, righthand abdomen – joint pain – spider angiomas (coloured skin spots that resemble spiders, due to clotting issues) – dark urine – swollen legs / ankles – bruising easily
Heart
– tachycardia (fast resting heart rate, over 100 beats per minute) – bradycardia (slow resting heart rate, under 60 beats per minute) * note that a very high fitness level can cause a lower heart rate – irregular heart rate – if your heart rate is under 40, you could be in immediate danger, and remember that your heart rate will drop even further in sleep – shortness of breath / shallow breathing – chest pains – fatigue – dizziness – swelling in ankles / feet / legs – swollen abdomen – choking sensation – coughing up pink liquid / goop – unable to concentrate – sudden weight gain – fainting – palpitations – feeling your own heart – hearing your own heart – chest / arm / sternum pain – anxiety – sweating – vomiting – lack of energy – coughing up white
Kidneys
– vomiting / general nausea
– changed sleeping patterns / problems sleeping
– fatigue
– swelling of ankles / legs / feet / just general swelling
– hypertension (high blood pressure)
– shortness of breath
– itchiness
– chest pain
– metallic taste in mouth
– muscle cramps
– hyperkalemia (high levels of potassium)
– stiff joints
– less urinating than usual
– bloody / dark / foam-like urine
– confusion / mental fuzziness
– rashes
– leg pains
Osteoporosis (severe bone weakness)
– back pain
– bad posture
– weak bones (weak grip / bones fracture easily)
– receding gums and bone loss in jaw
– general pains in muscles or even bone
– dropping fitness levels
Cathartic colon (from laxative use)
– bloating
– abdominal pain
– chronic constipation
– intense feelings of fullness
– incomplete bowl movement / ‘fecal evacuation’
Hypokalemia (low potassium levels)
– weakness in limbs, especially the sort that causes numbness or cramping
– nausea
– vomiting
– bloating
– abdominal pain
– low blood pressure
– fainting
– physical numbness
– emotional changes
– palpitations
– excessive urination
– constant thirst
Other common side-effects of EDs
– muscle spasms, weakness or twitching (electrolyte imbalance– very common in bulimia, and can be very dangerous)
– anemia
– irregular menstrual cycles / infertility in women
– low blood sugar
– depression and other mood disorders may develop / worsen
– insomnia
– eye damage and diminishing vision
STAY SAFE. A COUPLE OF SYMPTOMS MAY NOT BE LIFE-THREATENING, BUT HAVING MULTIPLE FROM THE SAME ORGAN CAN BE.
Hey my lovelies! If you’re looking for a quiet yet effective workout then look no further!
I found this video on youtube that is perfect for those of us who live with our parents and can’t exercise as much as we want to without making too many noises.
It’s quiet, it also burns! It’s worth it!
Let me know how you get on!
I’ll need to try this, not because I need to be quite, though that’s a good benefit, but I’ve been looking for something with 0 jumping!
Finally got around to doing this! It went super fast as it was 10 different exercises rather than a set of reps! Definitely all quiet and they show a list of the exercises at the start so if you can’t use the audio you can still do the workout. I’d definitely recommend!
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