Hi there! :)
 

Hey folks!

I'm new here and thought I'd introduce myself. In the past I've received great support from communities like these so I'm looking forward to getting started!

So a bit of info, I used to have pretty severe eating disorders - anorexia and bulimia - which went on for about five years and got me into some serious trouble, health-wise. As of about two years ago I am fully recovered and a healthy weight, but I do still have some emotional issues around food and overeating which I want to try and address.

In the last two years I have graduated from both an undergraduate and a Master's degree, and been through a really bad relationship that did a number on my self-esteem. The stress of all three events has led me to get into bad habits with food - eating lots of junk and convenience food - and to stop exercising almost entirely (I used to run and lift weights and loved both). I'm working on my PhD now and really want to sort myself out before my workload increases! So I'm not looking to lose weight as such, just to get into healthier habits and to make peace with my body by feeding it properly :) However, I also need to be really careful not to take things too far thanks to my history.

Anyone else in a similar situation? Any other postgrad students/UK dwellers around here?? :)

Liberdade x

Hi Liberdade - I think you're extremely smart (obviously, you're going for your PhD!) to focus on developing healthy habits. Everything will follow from that.

One of my sons went to University of Durham for a year. One of his friends got his PhD in biochemistry at Bath - he's been working here in the US on a grant for the last couple of years.

Are you starting up your exercise again? Very important, IMO, for keeping your energy level and metabolism up.

Hi Carolynn!

I will definitely be starting exercise again soon. You're right, it is so important, especially for those of us that are at risk of osteoporosis and other nasties thanks to abusing our bodies. However, I want to make sure I'm completely ready - I still get a bit of post-traumatic stress during exercise. I'm also on some medication that saps my energy, but hopefully I'm getting my dose lowered, so I should be ready to introduce exercise again within the next month or so :)

I've been eating really well since my last post and I feel so much better already! Getting into a decent routine with food has also helped to regulate my routine with study. Hope I can keep this up!

Liberdade x

Liberdade - glad to hear you're eating well. That's key to everything. Exercise wise - maybe you could consider doing something you've never done before that doesn't have any associations for you. Or just build some movement into your everyday life - walk to school instead of taking the bus or driving (or get off the bus or park two or three blocks to your destination). Walk up stairs instead of taking the elevator, etc.

The main thing is to get your diet under control. And help your body get rid of the undesired fat by exercising and burning it. Some things that can help are taking vitamin C, helps you balance the cortisol your body creates under stress and it also makes carnitine, this will help you burn fat faster.

Avoid white carbohydrates - bread, rice, cereal, potatoes, pasta, and fried food with breading. If you avoid eating anything white, you’ll be in good shape. Get tons of sleep in order to keep levels of ghrelin low, which increases appetite, and decreases leptin, the protein hormone that tells you when you’re full.

Hope this serves of some useful information.

God Bless

Thanks for the tips, Carolynn - I already walk or cycle everywhere (don't have a car and try and avoid the overpriced, overcrowded buses in my city!) so I do get enough exercise to keep my doctor happy. I just really miss spending an hour or so at the gym or on a run, it's good thinking time! :)

I went to see my doctor yesterday and she's lowered my dose of Zoloft so hopefully I will start to have a bit more energy and feel motivated to get going!