Body Image Issues & ED Support Thread

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I hope everyone’s doing ok. I have so much I want to talk about and empathise with others about, but my head isn’t in the right place just now, but something has been on my mind.

I genuinely think women can be beautiful as all shapes and sizes. I’m bisexual, and I prefer women, so this isn’t just a “you go girl” thing, I really do think women can be beautiful in so many ways.
But I can never see myself that way. I’d never, ever criticise (even internally), another woman who has a similar body type to mine. Does that make sense? it’s not even like I want to think I’m “hot”, it’s just this stupid illness is so cruel to myself, but I’m glad my “real” self still sees other people in a clear way.
I really wish sometimes we could speak to each other. I think it would help so much. I feel that with ED particularly, they are so isolating, lots of people actually don’t understand how they limit your day-to-day life and can trigger other disorders like anxiety and depression that it would be so therapeutic to talk.

You are so considerate about others in terms of how to speak about other people’s bodies. I am permanently comparing (does everyone do this?). In terms of body shape, I hate mine- it isn’t even about the size at times it is about specific things that were still there at my smallest (and will never go). Then I think I am being self-obsessed with all the body-checking and hate myself even more for it.

When I look at other women, regardless of size or shape, my general opinion is that they look so fantastic and free in what they are wearing (although in reality, many of them probably are having similar battles in their heads). Why can they look so good?

The worst part of comparisons though, is if (as mentioned above, I get wind of a hint of a weight change with someone IRL or on SM). Then I get so preoccupied with looking for evidence of this in their pictures that I can spend hours online looking for minute details. I have never admitted this to anyone. There is so much I have done that I haven’t admitted. Yesterday I was terrified that the MFP value (it didn’t match the packet) for something I bought was wrong so I panicked and downloaded nutracheck in the supermarket. 🥺

I am sorry that you are not in a good place at the moment. I saw a post on Instagram the other day that likened happiness to waves. Eventually another one will come along, eventually that feeling will come back, even though it doesn’t feel like it at the moment. I hope you can talk when you feel you can and it isn’t too painful.

❤
 
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Hope everyone is okay. It's so difficult for the outside world to truly understand having a ed. Getting asked to go out for meals and feeling crap declining because it's so difficult to explain why you just can't. I would never post my weight as it's not just a relevance to how a eating disorders is not about weight and I wouldn't want to trigger anyone who also has food and body issues. Cuddles to all who need them
 
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Told my partner earlier that I just feel so rubbish in everything. My clothes feel uncomfortable, don't feel like anything sits right and it's really affecting my mood.

His response?
"don't look in the mirror then"
🙃
Yeah. Cheers.
 
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Hope everyone is okay. It's so difficult for the outside world to truly understand having a ed. Getting asked to go out for meals and feeling crap declining because it's so difficult to explain why you just can't. I would never post my weight as it's not just a relevance to how a eating disorders is not about weight and I wouldn't want to trigger anyone who also has food and body issues. Cuddles to all who need them
Exactly. It is meaningless, as is size. Your feelings towards a certain weight and size can alter so in my mind that value is irrelevant. I also have found that my opinions are skewed (irrational is the wrong word I think) so what I think should not be expressed as it is probably even more troubling to read/hear. Regardless of what weight or size we are, we are all feeling this. ED are not discriminating.

What does matter is the absolute horror you are feeling about yourself, regardless of what other people say.

When we used to go on holiday, we packed all my food in case the things available weren’t safe. Now we don’t go away. We keep trying to go out for meals but I keep making excuses. How does this improve?

Sorry about your partner @WhatABore . I think this shows that they are trying to help, removing the trigger that is upsetting. But at the end of the day, the trigger is ourselves, our feelings. I don’t know what else to say. ❤❤

ETA- just a question. Sometimes I find it really hard to be on here and on SM when people discuss what they have eaten/are eating/make out that they deserve food because they have done a certain amount of exercise/can eat more because they have eaten less earlier on. I know this is 💯 on me but when part of recovery is to enjoy food and not feel the need to earn it or restrict, it is so hard not to be challenged by these discussions. Does anyone else find this or am I being too sensitive?
 
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ETA- just a question. Sometimes I find it really hard to be on here and on SM when people discuss what they have eaten/are eating/make out that they deserve food because they have done a certain amount of exercise/can eat more because they have eaten less earlier on. I know this is 💯 on me but when part of recovery is to enjoy food and not feel the need to earn it or restrict, it is so hard not to be challenged by these discussions. Does anyone else find this or am I being too sensitive?
I get that too. I know logically it’s on me, like you said. But it is hard. The unwell part of my brain loves to jump on anything like that, so it can “prove” I should think that way. It’s something I really struggle with, I’ll spend hours online finding proof that my body is somehow wrong, it’s so stupid, such a waste of time, and it just makes me feel so ashamed.

I hope this makes sense, a bit tired and not able to explain myself very well!
 
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Does anyone else find this or am I being too sensitive?
You are definitely not being too sensitive. I find being on the Internet (not just Tattle) hard, I always end up stumbling upon something that triggers me, but then there is BDD on top of my ED so it’s never-ending. I don’t think I will ever be able to have a positive view of myself and my body. It’s such a shame that we are stuck in a society that often values looks over personality traits.

Having to live with an ED sucks so much and I share your feelings completely, hang in there 💗
 
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How is everyone doing today? Hope this week is treating you kind ❤

TW for the text behind the spoiler x

Debbie Downer here. I measured myself today after 2,5 months of hardcore dieting and sports and I’m so upset by my results. I lost less than an inch in my waist and hips! I find it hard to believe and very discouraging.

Has anyone else had the same problem? I can’t lose weight no matter what I eat. I’ve already cut out quick carbs, bread and sweets as well as products high in large like cream or mayonnaise. I had dinner with my extended family this weekend and actually had a breakdown seeing how everyone was eating their food with ketchup and mayo while I restrict as much as I can and still feel large. I have a healthy BMI but I just know I can look better and more toned, especially considering I’m quite tall. Any tips? I really don’t like the idea of seeing a doctor for weight loss/ED because these issues seem so personal to me and I am not comfortable sharing them with anyone else.
 
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How is everyone doing today? Hope this week is treating you kind ❤

TW for the text behind the spoiler x

Debbie Downer here. I measured myself today after 2,5 months of hardcore dieting and sports and I’m so upset by my results. I lost less than an inch in my waist and hips! I find it hard to believe and very discouraging.

Has anyone else had the same problem? I can’t lose weight no matter what I eat. I’ve already cut out quick carbs, bread and sweets as well as products high in large like cream or mayonnaise. I had dinner with my extended family this weekend and actually had a breakdown seeing how everyone was eating their food with ketchup and mayo while I restrict as much as I can and still feel large. I have a healthy BMI but I just know I can look better and more toned, especially considering I’m quite tall. Any tips? I really don’t like the idea of seeing a doctor for weight loss/ED because these issues seem so personal to me and I am not comfortable sharing them with anyone else.
I relate so much to what you're saying about dieting and exercising but feeling like you're not making progress - it's exactly how I feel atm. Tbh, I really feel a lot of it for me is hormonal, I get really bad bloating and I have cysts on my ovaries (which make it really difficult to shift belly weight). I am doing 100+ sit ups on top of my exercise like 5x a week and I see nothing. I've stopped complaining about it to my bf because honestly I think it makes him sad to see me find myself so repulsive. The only reason I don't cry about it more is bc I literally won't allow myself too! Sending you and everyone else going through this the biggest hug 💛
 
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How is everyone doing today? Hope this week is treating you kind ❤

TW for the text behind the spoiler x

Debbie Downer here. I measured myself today after 2,5 months of hardcore dieting and sports and I’m so upset by my results. I lost less than an inch in my waist and hips! I find it hard to believe and very discouraging.

Has anyone else had the same problem? I can’t lose weight no matter what I eat. I’ve already cut out quick carbs, bread and sweets as well as products high in large like cream or mayonnaise. I had dinner with my extended family this weekend and actually had a breakdown seeing how everyone was eating their food with ketchup and mayo while I restrict as much as I can and still feel large. I have a healthy BMI but I just know I can look better and more toned, especially considering I’m quite tall. Any tips? I really don’t like the idea of seeing a doctor for weight loss/ED because these issues seem so personal to me and I am not comfortable sharing them with anyone else.
I relate so much to what you're saying about dieting and exercising but feeling like you're not making progress - it's exactly how I feel atm. Tbh, I really feel a lot of it for me is hormonal, I get really bad bloating and I have cysts on my ovaries (which make it really difficult to shift belly weight). I am doing 100+ sit ups on top of my exercise like 5x a week and I see nothing. I've stopped complaining about it to my bf because honestly I think it makes him sad to see me find myself so repulsive. The only reason I don't cry about it more is bc I literally won't allow myself too! Sending you and everyone else going through this the biggest hug 💛
The problem isn’t with our bodies as such it’s our heads. We can get to x weight, x size etc but it won’t be enough. We need to work on our brains not bodies!!! Easier said than done I know! I’ve put on a lot of weight recently as I’m struggling with a bulimia phase and I’m feeling extremely uncomfortable in my body. The bulimia is masking feelings/life I don’t want to deal with. If I wasn’t in a bulimia phase I’d probably be going through a period of restriction and I know that when I’ve been in that phase previously I’ve never been small enough despite being very unwell. This is very, very messed up but I’m missing the numbness that comes with being underweight.

I’m almost 40 and I’ve had an eating disorder since I was 13. You name the eating disorder and I’ve probably been there and got the T-shirt! I hate myself so much. I hate myself for having an eating disorder but I have an eating disorder because I hate myself. It’s a vicious circle. I have children and I hope to god I’ve not messed them up.
 
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The problem isn’t with our bodies as such it’s our heads. We can get to x weight, x size etc but it won’t be enough. We need to work on our brains not bodies!!! Easier said than done I know! I’ve put on a lot of weight recently as I’m struggling with a bulimia phase and I’m feeling extremely uncomfortable in my body. The bulimia is masking feelings/life I don’t want to deal with. If I wasn’t in a bulimia phase I’d probably be going through a period of restriction and I know that when I’ve been in that phase previously I’ve never been small enough despite being very unwell. This is very, very messed up but I’m missing the numbness that comes with being underweight.

I’m almost 40 and I’ve had an eating disorder since I was 13. You name the eating disorder and I’ve probably been there and got the T-shirt! I hate myself so much. I hate myself for having an eating disorder but I have an eating disorder because I hate myself. It’s a vicious circle. I have children and I hope to god I’ve not messed them up.
I have to agree with you.

When I was at my worst (brought on by a hugely stressful job), everyone at work knew that if they tried to talk to me about it, because of my nature at the time, I would brush it off so I just got smaller and smaller and smaller. It was as though I was goading everyone to see how far I could go.

Since then I got bigger (from bingeing) and now seem to have settled back down to a stable situation. People have now admitted that a) I looked awful and b) they were scared to help.

The thing is, when I feel triggered now, I want to look like that again. But I have to remember I was never happy then either. Body checking, trying on all my clothes to look for tiny differences in fit, always hungry, miserable and exercising from 3am in the morning. I have to remember whatever size I am it is never good enough. It was never enough.

To those who are struggling now, I completely empathise. Today was my wife’s birthday and I promised her that it would be the first one in (I have no idea… 15 years, maybe 17) that I would eat a nice meal, cake, not restricted the whole day, run too much or eaten the rest of the cake secretly. It is shameful that the last however many birthdays have been ruined by my ED.

When you talk about the cutting out of food and exercising hard for 2.5 months, what would you say to a family member or friend who said that to you? You would tell them not to worry, that you understood that they may not be happy with how they looked but that cutting out things was going to make them even more unhappy. Now here is the rub. Sometimes all this cutting out of things may actually be making you feel a bit better (IYKWIM). If it is then that is a bigger problem. You don’t need to say it. We don’t need to know. But we are here if you need it.

I am so sorry for the long post. It has been a challenging day to stay on track. ❤❤❤❤
 
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I’ve struggled with an ED for most of my life. I’ve been in and out of recovery, and I’m finally getting somewhere with the recovery process. I’ve actually started to open up about it a bit more on my YouTube channel and in a podcast I’ve started this year. I chose to do this because I’m older (by which I mean over 25) and I found there were loads of fab and inspirational YouTubers out there, but I couldn’t really relate as they are mostly much younger or haven’t struggled for as long (since they haven’t been alive as long as I have!). I wanted to show people you can recover at any age, no matter how long you’ve been unwell for. I won’t link directly to either, but you can find my YouTube through @CazLovesCakes and my podcast through @edpodcaz I am in recovery, not fully recovered, but try my best to avoid being triggering. I thought I’d mention these in case anyone might find them helpful or comforting in some way; none of us needs to struggle alone.
 
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How is everyone doing today? Hope this week is treating you kind ❤

TW for the text behind the spoiler x

Debbie Downer here. I measured myself today after 2,5 months of hardcore dieting and sports and I’m so upset by my results. I lost less than an inch in my waist and hips! I find it hard to believe and very discouraging.

Has anyone else had the same problem? I can’t lose weight no matter what I eat. I’ve already cut out quick carbs, bread and sweets as well as products high in large like cream or mayonnaise. I had dinner with my extended family this weekend and actually had a breakdown seeing how everyone was eating their food with ketchup and mayo while I restrict as much as I can and still feel large. I have a healthy BMI but I just know I can look better and more toned, especially considering I’m quite tall. Any tips? I really don’t like the idea of seeing a doctor for weight loss/ED because these issues seem so personal to me and I am not comfortable sharing them with anyone else.
I’m sorry. I know how deflating that can feel. As for tips, like others have shared here, so much of it is in our heads…not saying it’s not real, it’s our perception vs reality, and the reality may be that you’re at the right weight for you. Also, another place to explore may be weight training to help tone and firm, as it seems you’re being sensible with diet and more restrictions may make you feel more deprived and worse. I’m not sure how old you are (you don’t need to share) but I’m sure you know as we age, we lose muscle mass and our metabolism slows. Have you tried resistance/weight training? Stress and lack of sleep also triggers cortisol release which tells our bodies to hang on to large. I don’t have solutions as I’m a work in progress lol but just sharing some things which may help. ❤ P.S. love your username, I’m watching the series with my teen. It was HUGE when I was younger, but I wasn’t allowed to watch it 😂
 
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hi all, i can already feel that today is going to be hard. i’ve been working out quite a bit recently and my body, i must say, looking bangin. however these past two days i’ve not worked out because i’m just so. tired. I’ve recently gone full time at work and still at university (i have less than a week left) so i think my body is under a bit of stress and is just saying no.
i am choosing to rest today, truly - no steps no yoga no nothing - the fitness watch is off. going to have breakfast before my usual allowed time because i am literally so hungry. there’s some guilt because i’m going on holiday in just over two weeks but i guess today will just be a baggy jumper and avoid mirrors kinda day

how is everyone else today?💗
 
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Sorry for the long post guys, I want to reply to everyone properly!
I relate so much to what you're saying about dieting and exercising but feeling like you're not making progress - it's exactly how I feel atm. Tbh, I really feel a lot of it for me is hormonal, I get really bad bloating and I have cysts on my ovaries (which make it really difficult to shift belly weight). I am doing 100+ sit ups on top of my exercise like 5x a week and I see nothing. I've stopped complaining about it to my bf because honestly I think it makes him sad to see me find myself so repulsive. The only reason I don't cry about it more is bc I literally won't allow myself too! Sending you and everyone else going through this the biggest hug 💛
I could have written this myself! Belly weight is exactly what I struggle with, belly weight and hips. And breasts if we are being honest. I guess you could say I’m quite…proportional due to having an ‘hourglass’ shaped figure (whatever this means, I’m not very comfortable with body classifications) but I still hate the way I look. I would take a stick-straight figure over mine anyday. But I’ve gotta work with what I have 😆 Anyway, I don’t know if I ever get over the whole ED thing, but I try to distract myself as much as possible. Thank you so much for reaching out to me, a huge hug back to you ❤ You’re lovely!
I’m almost 40 and I’ve had an eating disorder since I was 13. You name the eating disorder and I’ve probably been there and got the T-shirt! I hate myself so much. I hate myself for having an eating disorder but I have an eating disorder because I hate myself. It’s a vicious circle. I have children and I hope to god I’ve not messed them up.
This sounds so tough. I’m really sorry you struggle so much 💔 You are so strong for living with an ED for so many years and still being there for your children and everyone else. I agree completely with your ideas (working on our brains not bodies), but, as you’ve said yourself, easier said then done…CBT helped me learn a lot about myself and I know where every single one of my issues (including ED) stems from, but this knowledge alone is not enough. For now I just try not to think about food much and focus on something else as much as possible.

Sending you so much love and I hope you feel better soon! 💕 You sound like an amazing person TBH x

When you talk about the cutting out of food and exercising hard for 2.5 months, what would you say to a family member or friend who said that to you? You would tell them not to worry, that you understood that they may not be happy with how they looked but that cutting out things was going to make them even more unhappy. Now here is the rub. Sometimes all this cutting out of things may actually be making you feel a bit better (IYKWIM). If it is then that is a bigger problem. You don’t need to say it. We don’t need to know. But we are here if you need it.
I don’t even know what to say, you seem to be reading my mind…I guess all ED sufferers think more or less the same. Should make us feel united but it’s just so sad. I am drowning myself in work to take my mind off things and it seems to be working. I’ve noticed that the busier I am, the better I feel about myself…most of the time.

Happy belated birthday to your wife! Hope you were able to spend a nice day with her despite all the struggles. A big thank you and a big hug
 
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I’ve struggled with an ED for most of my life. I’ve been in and out of recovery, and I’m finally getting somewhere with the recovery process. I’ve actually started to open up about it a bit more on my YouTube channel and in a podcast I’ve started this year. I chose to do this because I’m older (by which I mean over 25) and I found there were loads of fab and inspirational YouTubers out there, but I couldn’t really relate as they are mostly much younger or haven’t struggled for as long (since they haven’t been alive as long as I have!). I wanted to show people you can recover at any age, no matter how long you’ve been unwell for. I won’t link directly to either, but you can find my YouTube through @CazLovesCakes and my podcast through @edpodcaz I am in recovery, not fully recovered, but try my best to avoid being triggering. I thought I’d mention these in case anyone might find them helpful or comforting in some way; none of us needs to struggle alone.
I’m a bit busy right now but I will try to find time to check your channel during the weekend! How brave of you to open up to your audience, it’s so important for many people (myself included) to know they are not alone.
I’m sorry. I know how deflating that can feel. As for tips, like others have shared here, so much of it is in our heads…not saying it’s not real, it’s our perception vs reality, and the reality may be that you’re at the right weight for you. Also, another place to explore may be weight training to help tone and firm, as it seems you’re being sensible with diet and more restrictions may make you feel more deprived and worse. I’m not sure how old you are (you don’t need to share) but I’m sure you know as we age, we lose muscle mass and our metabolism slows. Have you tried resistance/weight training? Stress and lack of sleep also triggers cortisol release which tells our bodies to hang on to large. I don’t have solutions as I’m a work in progress lol but just sharing some things which may help. ❤ P.S. love your username, I’m watching the series with my teen. It was HUGE when I was younger, but I wasn’t allowed to watch it 😂
Thank you so much for your kind words and tips! The thing is, I’m in my 20s so technically it should be easy for me to lose a lot of weight quickly…but it isn’t! I can think of 3 possible reasons: 1) I eat too much (unlikely, I’ve cut out pretty much all unhealthy food and eat very little) 2) I’m prone to gaining extra weight (hard to tell, I’ve been within the healthy BMI range my whole life 3) I have some sort of hormonal imbalance (can’t tell as I’ve never had my hormones checked for that) I know I should look into weight training but the very idea of it doesn’t seem very attractive. I used to go to the gym when I was a teen and it was such a stressful experience altogether that I now try to avoid the gym at all costs 😆 But I will look into my options. Thanks again!

P.S. I love Twin Peaks too (no surprise here) ☺ I wasn’t even born yet when it first aired so I watched it years later. Great show that stands the test of time, and Agent Cooper is damn fine x
hi all, i can already feel that today is going to be hard. i’ve been working out quite a bit recently and my body, i must say, looking bangin. however these past two days i’ve not worked out because i’m just so. tired. I’ve recently gone full time at work and still at university (i have less than a week left) so i think my body is under a bit of stress and is just saying no.
i am choosing to rest today, truly - no steps no yoga no nothing - the fitness watch is off. going to have breakfast before my usual allowed time because i am literally so hungry. there’s some guilt because i’m going on holiday in just over two weeks but i guess today will just be a baggy jumper and avoid mirrors kinda day
It sounds like you are doing the right thing. You deserve some rest from all this working out. Enjoy your upcoming holiday!
All this healthy lifestyle thing is only good for you as long as it’s a personal choice and not an obsession. I have mild orthorexia so I learned it the hard way.



Sorry for my novels, don’t want to make this thread a one man show haha! How is everyone on here doing today?
 
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All this healthy lifestyle thing is only good for you as long as it’s a personal choice and not an obsession. I have mild orthorexia so I learned it the hard way.
yeh i was suspected with orthorexia too with an exercise obsession lol
im on day three of no working out and it’s really getting to me. I woke up at 6am RAVENOUS so i’ve had some yogurt with fruit and nuts
i have work at 9-6 and going to take a walk at lunch. I have also stopped wearing my apple watch which is causing some anxiety because idk how many steps i’ve done etc - it’s probably good for me.
i think the anxiety is stemming from my university work - i have one assignment left and it’s causing so much stress and that’s triggering a multitude of things… i can’t wait for it all to be over
 
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I’m a bit busy right now but I will try to find time to check your channel during the weekend! How brave of you to open up to your audience, it’s so important for many people (myself included) to know they are not alone.
Thank you. It Took me a while to take the plunge (especially as I worry my neighbours, etc) might find it! But I feel that those of us who are older, or have had an ED for many years can be almost written off and that makes me both sad and angry. Apologies to everyone for breaking the rules - I will try not to do that again.

Moving on, even professional athletes take rest days. Breaking an exercise addiction is so hard, but huge respect to everyone who is trying to work on this right now.
 
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How is everyone finding this week? This thread has been a bit quiet, I hope you are all okay 💗

@CazLovesCakes: I checked your Youtube channel and I really enjoyed your content! I like the way you narrate and you have such a lovely voice. So happy to see in recovery and living your best life enjoying food 😊
 
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Thank you so much. I still have my struggles but am so much better than I was a year ago. The weight gain is hard to cope with, but you gain so much more than just that - I have my personality back. It can be so hard to change ingrained behaviours, but it’s clear from other posts here how hard many are trying x
 
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How is everyone? Mixed here. MH is going much better which can only be a good thing but
that means that the bingeing has pretty much stopped. For the first time in years (even when I was exercising for 6 hours a day and didn’t eat until night (alone), it was a binge on museli and grapes.)

Now I am eating normally and exercising normally again. That has had a knock on effect on body stuff because I am no longer eating 3 packs of hot cross buns, twelve Twixs and the rest a day. The old “if you just do this for x days you will be able to look like this” is creeping in. Well head, head that wants to go out for supper and wear the clothes I have says STFU. Old head says “wouldn’t it be nice if those clothes looked baggier?, baggy is good, baggy clothes make you look ill and frail” old head also is trying repeatedly to get me to run more and more each day 😞.

We are also having a battle with the calorie counter on the coros watch.
(

The trajectory is definitely upwards but at the pace of a snail.

We need to chat before Thursday, I think the weekend might be challenging. We have a student street party that has had 2000 students respond “yes”‘to on our street. If I can get through that then 🙂.
 
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