Do you have an Eating Disorder?

DO YOU:
~ Constantly think about your food, weight, or body image?
~ Have trouble concentrating because of those thoughts?
~ Worry about what your last meal is doing to your body?
~ Experience guilt or shame  around eating?
~ Count Calories or fat grams whenever you eat or drink?
~ Feel "out of control" when it comes to food?
~ Binge eat twice a week or more?
~ Still feel fat when others tell you that you are thin?
~ Obsess that your stomach, hips, thighs or buttocks are too big?
~ Weigh yourself several times daily?
~ Exercise to lose weight even if you are ill or injured?
~ Label food as "good" and "bad"?
~ Vomit after eating?
~ Use laxatives or diuretics to keep your weight down?
~ Severely limit your food intake?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, your attitude and behaviors around food and weight may need to be seriously addressed.  An eating disorder professional can give you a thorough assessment, honest feedback, and advice about what you may want to do next. 

An eating disorder is NOT just about food.... they're about fear and control.

Learn to Live

I am saying out loud. I am learning how to live. More than half my life I have had Eating Disorders AKA ED.  My blog may take a new turn here. I am done letting food live my life! I want to be in charge not ED.

I have never liked the name ED. In fact I do not anyone named ED that I like. I don’t know if it is because I associate the name to the disorder, or if I really just don’t like the name….. I guess that is another discussion.

I have tried for MANY years to be “healthy” or what I think is healthy. Monday I met a lady who is going to help me change my life. I am not ready to share her name; I may give her a few different names depending on how I feel. Today I am going to call her my daisy. I like daisy flowers. They are not my favorite, but they are relaxing to look at and are pretty. 

Daisy has given me goals that I need to accomplish. And this is one of my first steps. Have you ever heard of the book Life Without Ed? Well if you know someone who has “funky eating” skillz….. Or you are a funky eater, this book is great! Here is the web site http://www.jennischaefer.com you really need to read an excerpt from this book click on the photo to read just a bit

 I hope you will check back to see how my progress. I know it is going to have MANY up’s and downs and there will be days I want to toss in the towel. But my goal is to share my story so I can Learn to Live!

Fall is here (almost)

So where has the time gone? I can’t believe we are approaching fall, this is my most favorite time of the year. The air cools off in the evening and the smell of hot dogs on a BBQ is in the air. Oh-along with the sound of 40,000 BSU fans! Yep that time of year!

With so much chaos that life has to offer at times, it is nice to be able to sit down and update on what has been going on in my life.

My children are back to school…. This was an exciting year for me, Kaiden started Middle School. He is still unsure if or how much he likes school, but I think it will grow on him. Lexi is in the 4th grade and has informed me that she only likes school when she gets to talk to her friends. She is my daughter for sure! As for myself, I am still working and LOVE it. I love being able to help people in need and at the end of the day to know that you helped a family is one of the best feelings ever.

Did I mention that it is BSU football season? I am so excited that we opened the season with a WIN over the Georgia Bulldogs….. Attending the football games is defiantly a passion of mine. No, I didn’t jump on the BSU band-wagon. I have been a BSU fan since 1997 (that was when the Idaho Vandals won games!).

I have been in the gym working out and taking care of my body the way it deserves. After struggling with eating disorders (I still struggle to this day) I have found that by eating healthy and working out I have way more energy now then I did before.

A goal of mine for 2012, yes I am already setting my goals for 2012, is to help as MANY woman and young girls as I can who suffer from eating disorders. It is not a fun topic to talk about, but it can no longer stay the silent topic.

I am hoping to have success stories posted on here before to long. Mine being one of them!