Expert: Sally - 2/25/2009

Question
HI
I have had this same issue with food for as long as l can remember. I am now a mother of twin girls and still continue with this same issue for food,weight and body image.
My problem doesn't seem as extreme as others on this site, but l have tried tackling it by seeing someone very professional but it didn't even a trigger an option to change my habits.
The problem l have is l tend to not eat much from Monday -Friday so l can have my treats on the weekends. That being anything  l like, which l still limit to a point. I enjoy having wine and ice-cream and all kinds of different foods and l dont want to feel restricted on the weekends. But l do restrict myelf as well, because l still don't allow myself to eat during the day until 5pm. During the week l don;t eat anything only dinner, which is salad and protein and usually yogurt or fruit after dinner. Thats it. Weekends l eat and drink a fair bit of wine but only after 5pm.
If l ate normally during the week, l am worried that l will gain weight l will hate that.
My weight is normal and l have been a little underweight in the past, but now its normal, and l hardly eat anything, well during the week anyway. I am sitting here writing this and l am starving. I am so sick of being hungry but l don't want my jeans to feel tight or look fat.
Most of the mums always comment on how nice and slim l look but they don't know what l have to go through to achieve this. I also run 40 minutes 3 times per week, pretty intensely and then l fall in a heap afterwards and can't do anything for the rest of the day, on some days that is, sometimes l have more energy.
I have tried to seek help from a few professional people, but all didn't seem to help. I need to be strapped down and made to eat, that is the only way l will ever, ever get any better. My fear of eating is just too strong.
I live in Australia, so if you know anyone l can ring or what l can do it would be great.

A few years ago, l did start to eat more regularly, 3 small meals per day very rigid though, and l managed to do this for 6 months and even though l felt much better, all it took is for someone to say, you have a bottom now, much better, l immediately started to go hungry again. It was strange because after doing this for 6 months my jeans became tighter, but l actually lost weight on the scales. I can never figure that out.


Sue

Answer
Hi Sue,

It sounds like you have been struggling for quite a while and I can say that I understand after going through a similar situation.  I'm not going to sit here and tell you about what "not eating" is doing to your body but I am happy to recommend some good programs/professionals who would be able to help you get back on the right track if that's what you want.  What state do you live in if you don't mind me asking?