Eating Disorder Support & Recovery

Remember that professor from the beginning of this whole thing?
So, I went to see him for a consultation today. I walk into his office and he just hits me with, "You've lost weight, colleague." I told him straight up that's not really how you joke around with people. Then he grabs my shoulder and goes, "Forgive me, I wasn't thinking when I said that." I was like, fine, whatever, but then he cuts me off and asks, "Are women just sensitive?" Honestly, I was just sitting there thinking...
And one more thing...
Last night, I finally decided to spend the cash I’ve been saving since I haven't been buying any food. I head to a boutique to grab a shirt and ask the clerk for an XL. This woman looks me up and down with this sour face and says, "Ma'am, you need a small, though maybe even that might be too big for you..." I told her, "Just give me the XL." So I try it on, everything is swirling around me, I look for a medium, then a large... I ended up in a small. And right then...
It was okay (weirdly enough, I didn't feel happy because I saw my little belly while changing). I tried on a jacket... and I started at a size 10 and ended up at a 4.
That's how much I'm seeing myself in different sizes now...
I hasn't thrown up in days. I actually went out for pizza with my boyfriend and it stayed down (it's still in there, probably the digestion process takes longer than I thought). Now I'm just sticking to soup and tiny, varied meals...
That much...
There we go... progress...
😉

As for Herbalife... 😉
I don't really know what to say...
I've heard some things about it... but...
I'll shoot you a private message.
I got an email from Tanja today...
and I'm going to reach out to her (mostly so I can stay home where I can yell at my phone in peace)...
Sending kisses to everyone, and 👋
Oh yeah... Easter is coming up... did anyone mention temptations, cookies, or French pastries???
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Nah... I'll deal with that when it actually gets here. Not now... 😉

Frank Alvarez8, it doesn't really matter WHO is talking, it’s about WHAT is actually being said... which is why I find you such a hilarious character, honestly, along with all your little comments... 😁 😁 😁

🙂 🙂 :klap:

A few inconsistencies and some questions from my side:
1) How is it even possible to lose 50 pounds in a single month?

2) What kind of college is this—where a professor asks about weight or thinness during consultations, and supposedly even remembers some random "revelation" he made during a lecture regarding some student's weight?

3) Is 125 pounds actually considered low?

replies
😉
1. It’s totally possible to lose that much weight because most of it is just water weight... and then there's the fat. If you aren't eating anything at all, or if you end up throwing up whatever you actually manage to eat... then yeah, it's doable. Your body just starts burning through its own reserves, plain and simple...
It's possible, trust me. And if you don't believe me, just shoot me an email and I'll send over some photos
before and after...
Man, I always loved looking at those before-and-after shots in the magazines.
😉
2. College...
I don't want to say which one just in case someone from my school is lurking here...
In my program, there are maybe 100 people. The whole college has about 500 full-time students...
And the professor... how could he not remember?
It's funny, I used to work at a place just 50 yards from his house, so he'd always stop by to say hi. Apparently, girls go to see him for consultations at this local pub... they grab a coffee and do their "consultations" right there (it's weird, but that's how it is). Plus, the professor knows my brother. So...
All in all, we know each other...
He even noticed me before I even started studying at that school; he'd wave to me on the street. This town is tiny, so almost everyone knows everyone... okay, maybe not *everyone*, but definitely within the circles you run in...
And you know how it goes...
3. Is 57 kilos too little??
Well, how am I supposed to interpret that?
As a provocation, because I'm pretty sure that's what it was...
If you start at 175 pounds and drop down to 125, then suddenly 125 is "too little"... when you go from wearing a size 14 to a size 8... then 125 is "too little." Or when you look in the mirror and all you see is ribs and a bloated stomach, nothing else, maybe 18 pounds of nothing but bone—then 125 is "too little"...
And it honestly breaks my heart that some of you think people with Eating Disorders have to look like walking skeletons...
Someone mentioned this in a message once...
People with bulimia are either at a normal weight, slightly above, or just a bit below average...

Anthony Wood54 said:...

If you actually weighed 180 pounds, you’d know that isn't just water weight—it's fat. I've been there myself. I lost 55 pounds, but it didn't happen in 36 days—it took me a year and a half. Roughly 500 days, give or take.
Even if you were 180 pounds and decided to eat absolutely nothing—and believe me, I've tried all sorts of diets, including the one called "starvation"😁—you wouldn't lose much at all. Why? Because your body would just hoard its reserves instead of burning them.

The intellectual level here is incredibly low—and I suppose the student-teacher dynamic👎 is questionable, assuming any of this is even true. 😉

By the way, 125 pounds isn't "little" to me. It's just... normal. Unless you're 6'3", then maybe.

And one more thing. The people I knew—or rather, used to know—who struggled with Eating Disorders were incredibly proud of every pound they lost, the purging, the fasting, and looking like skeletons (more or less). But you? You're sitting here whining about how "thin" you supposedly are. What kind of bulimic are you supposed to be? Not a real one, obviously.

________________________________________________
I don't mean to say that discussing bulimia isn't useful for sharing experiences, but I don't know... this whole conversation just doesn't sit right with me, regardless of what anyone else thinks.
When I mentioned Soraja and her "final days," I got absolutely torn apart for it, even though I said it back then too.

And no, I really don't enjoy it when people mess around with serious topics like this for no reason.
Like, using Soraja or someone who allegedly died of brain cancer as a talking point... generally: a mental illness is a psychiatric disorder that results in a disruption in, but making light of any kind of illness is just wrong. 👎 This story just doesn't hold water.

Congrats on losing the weight... seriously, props to you...
Look, I didn't write all this looking for anyone's pity or anything like that. I just needed somewhere to say out loud that I’m sick and that I need help. The people on this forum really helped me through it, and I'll probably be forever grateful for that... I just hope you never find yourself stuck in "my world," dealing with what I'm going through. Honestly, I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy...
If you haven't lived it, you can't truly know what it feels like. You can only guess...
Anyway...
And once again, congrats on dropping those pounds.

As for college... look, I get it, I really do, but...
Honestly... changing my major isn't even on my radar since I'm already four years in.
It’s just sad that someone would talk to a student like that, but there's nothing I can do about it.

After reading through this whole discussion above, I just couldn't help myself—I had to jump in! I've been "fighting" Eating Disorders for years now. Actually, calling it a fight feels a bit off; it’s more like I just live with it. It’s been thirteen years at this point. So, if anyone out there thinks they can just tackle this solo, honestly? You're mistaken. Also, speaking from my own experience, finding a doctor here in the States—like a real psychiatrist, a nutritionist, or anyone who actually knows how to help—is nearly impossible. Someone mentioned Dr. Škoro earlier? Whatever you do, don't fall for her bait. I actually went to therapy with her, and let me tell you, the only thing she successfully helped with was lightening my wallet! I wasn't even mad about the money, but man, was I disappointed. She was the one person I truly opened up to, the one I gave all my trust to. But it turns out the only thing that "expert" is good at is taking advantage of poor souls who, out of fear and shame, see her as their last shot at recovery. I really think she charges way too much just to sell you basic theories about insulin levels or how food affects hormones and all that. When it comes to nutrition, I’m basically a walking encyclopedia. Someone mentioned how people with bulimia get obsessed with food? Well, in my attempt to help myself, I've read mountains of literature; I know almost everything there is to know about food. But none of that matters when you hit a "crisis." There are certain triggers that just force these episodes on you, making it a constant cycle. It's probably super hard for "normal" people to understand—I don't know, it’s been a long time since I felt truly normal and healthy. But despite this illness—which is absolutely exhausting, both mentally and physically—I've managed to succeed in everything I've started in my real life. I’m going to finish college, land a great job, maintain a steady relationship, prove myself professionally, and I'll be starting my own business soon! Yet, the bulimia is still there. As the years go by, maybe just to make life easier on myself, I've started accepting it as part of who I am, part of my character. Because despairing over what I secretly do sometimes only pushed me toward the edge of depression... that horrible sense of guilt is just too much. I have so much more to share with you guys, but I'm running low on time right now. Anyway, Little Red Riding Hood, don't lose hope! Dr. Škoro did tell me that bulimia is way more common than any of us realize; she says that out of every 10 girls you pass on the street, 3 are definitely dealing with some kind of disorder—whether it's bulimia, anorexia, or binge eating. And, yeah, one more thing—I started this because I wanted to control my weight, but eventually, you end up using bulimia to deal with emotional problems.

So, Little Red Riding Hood—I see you're planning on paying a visit to that "super doctor" lady!
Listen, before you actually go through with it, why don't you just ask me anything you want? I can give you her whole "program" if you want, and then you can decide for yourself.
Trust me, there is zero point in paying for something that isn't actually worth a dime. With that old lady, it really just comes down to one thing: how much cash she can squeeze out of you. Like, seriously, she's out here promising you a meal plan that'll magically solve all your problems forever. It actually just reminded me of one of her little tricks—along with the diet, she handed me this list of vitamins and minerals that were supposed to "strengthen" my system. She was especially pushy about getting me on Twinlab Diet fuel, spinning this whole tale about how they're these incredible American vitamins with timed-release technology. Since you can't just find them at any local drugstore, I went looking in a specialty shop, and the pharmacist looked at me like I had two heads when I asked for them! She couldn't believe I thought they were vitamins when they're actually just weight loss pills. And honestly? That's just one of her little gems. Once you see what she looks like, her whole theory about "non-fattening" diets will make total sense—the woman looks like Miss Piggy about to have a heart attack.
She charges $100/h, and that's just for selling you pure smoke and mirrors. For that kind of money, you could go to the dentist and get something tangible—like, I don't know, a new filling or something.

quietwalker97 said:Someone brought up Dr. Škoro—don't fall for her bait.

Do you actually know of any doctors who are more reliable?
I have to admit, I’m following this whole saga as a total layman, and based on her website, she looked like someone with actual experience...

Yeah, look, everyone’s got their own take on things—people can claim whatever they want, right? I'm really not trying to badmouth anyone or be a hater here, honestly! I'm just speaking from my own personal experience dealing with that doctor. But hey, if someone actually wants to throw away their precious time and hard-earned cash, go ahead... be my guest!

quietwalker97 said:Yeah, she’s got her own history—everyone is entitled to their own take on things. I'm not trying to be malicious here, I'm just speaking from my own firsthand experience working with her as a doctor. But hey, if anyone wants to throw their money and time down the drain, be my guest... go ahead and book her.

But that's exactly why I'm asking. Since you've actually dealt with her personally, do you have anyone else you'd actually recommend? 🙂>

darkbison81 said:Do you know any doctors who are actually reliable?
I’ll be the first to admit I’m just following this whole saga as a total outsider—and honestly, looking at this doctor's profile, she seemed like someone with actual experience...

To me, it feels totally wrong to try and treat an Eating Disorder by just pushing a "healthy eating" program and some nutritional facts without getting a psychologist involved, even just for a little help.

Eating Disorders are mental illnesses, plain and simple, and those kinds of things are handled by psychiatrists.

Trying to pin the cause of EDs solely on society's obsession with being skin-and-bones—basically forcing pressure on young girls who don't fit some impossible mold—is such a massive oversimplification.

Environmental pressure is just the trigger for the disorder, nothing more.

Like I already mentioned, I'm not really sure who handles this specific stuff in Washington, D.C.—I know metabolic specialists, but they aren't the answer here, obviously.

Maybe try calling some psychiatric hospitals?

This thread is genuinely fascinating, though I find people's lived experiences even more compelling, because at the end of the day, you learn the most from real-world stories and actual 🙂

It seems everyone has suddenly realized that nutritional counseling is a goldmine for profit, and this specific example—or rather, this quote—serves as a perfect illustration:

"Once you see her in person, all those theories about non-fattening diets will make sense—the woman looks like Miss Piggy on the verge of a heart attack."

I should probably clarify right off the bat that I don't know the lady in question, nor do I have anything against her personally, but I can't say I'm surprised; I've run into this kind of thing more times than I care to count... 😁

Ultimately, it forces us to ask: "Who actually knows what they're talking about when it comes to nutrition?"

The real experts are the ones who have spent twenty-five years studying the field, people who dedicated their entire lives to researching botanicals—not just synthetic chemistry or pharmaceuticals—and how food impacts the human body; the ones who produce tangible 🙂 in their claims, who deal strictly in facts, hold global prestige at institutions like UCLA, and perhaps even pick up a Nobel Prize along the way. Those are the world's leading nutritionists.

Naturally, we have to wonder who offers the best guidance regarding diet and wellness. Personally, I've sought out the finest teachers—whom I'll be meeting soon here in the USA—and the advice they provide gives me the confidence to recommend things to others, while I try my best to translate those concepts so they're easy to grasp. But honestly, that isn't even the most critical part; the most vital things are people's experiences, the actual 🙂 achieved, and the advice that truly resonates. A picture really is worth a thousand words.

Anthony Wood54 said:... the decay process is taking way longer than I anticipated...

Talking about pizza like that—Isaac, honestly. That’s practically blasphemy. 🙂 😁

rustymoose54 said:It feels fundamentally wrong to try and treat an eating disorder just by peddling a "healthy eating" program and nutritional info without involving at least a psychologist.

Eating disorders are mental illnesses, and mental illnesses are treated by psychiatrists.

Honestly, I used to think you needed someone who was both—an expert who mastered psychology *and* metabolism simultaneously. I figured there had to be a specific specialist out there, or at least a clinic with a full medical team working on those two fronts in parallel...
Because let's be real: you need a psychologist or a psychiatrist to dig up the root cause, but I also believe a metabolic specialist is essential to fix the physical fallout that follows that initial psychological trigger. You can't just ignore one side of the coin.

In my head, the ideal provider would be a psychiatrist who specialized specifically in Eating Disorders and, through that process, gained deep biochemical training in metabolic physiology...

"Eating Disorders are mental illnesses, and those kinds of illnesses are treated by psychiatrists"

Let's look at this logically for a second; if there’s an issue with how someone eats, then you fix the diet to get rid of the disorder—wherever the cause lies, that's where you find the solution. I honestly don't see what role psychiatrists play in this... unless their job is just to convince you that you're hallucinating? 😁

"Environmental influence is merely the trigger for an eating disorder"

External influences only really affect people who haven't figured out their own internal blueprint for regulating their nutrition. At the end of the day, deciding whose advice we actually listen to is entirely up to us, and if we’re self-aware enough to admit when something is wrong, we shouldn't need a psychiatrist because we can reach a rational conclusion based on our own observations. To get a more precise answer, we just need more information—knowledge is the only real way out. 🙂

"I've already mentioned that I'm not sure who handles this in Washington, D.C.; I know some metabolic specialists, but as we discussed, they aren't the answer"

See? We have all this information, yet we still seem to know nothing. People tend to focus on the messenger rather than the message itself—they judge the person delivering the news instead of looking at the substance, and frankly, we're the ones to blame for making such superficial judgments. 🙂

"The most important things are invisible to the eye"😎

Look, Tanja Škoro isn't a psychologist, let alone a psychiatrist...

People dealing with Eating Disorders are often way better at nutrition than some "educated" experts out there 😁

Sure, eating right is part of the recovery process—obviously—but we're talking about a mental illness here, not just a bad diet.

mistybear4, maybe do a little reading on bulimia and anorexia first, then come back and ask questions about what a psychiatrist actually does when treating these things.

mistybear4 said:Let’s look at this logically for a second. If someone is dealing with an Eating Disorder, then you fix their diet to get rid of the disorder—it's pretty simple math. The cause and the solution are in the same place. I honestly don't get why psychiatrists need to be involved at all. What are they even doing there? Trying to convince you that you're hallucinating? It makes zero sense. 😁

Isn't it obvious that Eating Disorders are often tied to how someone perceives the world around them? It usually comes down to how people judge themselves—being incredibly harsh and rigid about who they are and where they fit into society—along with all those messy, conflicting emotions that bubble up. Now, I’m not claiming this is the root cause for every single person dealing with any form of ED, but let's be real: food and emotions are inextricably linked. I honestly don't see why anyone wouldn't seek help on both fronts at the same time.

rustymoose54 said:Tanja Škoro isn't even a psychologist, let alone a psychiatrist.

Well, is she at least a medical doctor? What's her actual deal?
(edit: I finally tracked down her profile again—she's listed as an occupational medicine specialist. Honestly, that doesn't strike me as the ideal specialty for this kind of work... She claims the issue is psychological or psychophysiological and says she’s been in the field for 28 years, but she’s totally silent on what specific training she actually has regarding the mental health side of things...)

So, does that mean there's nobody in her practice who actually knows how to handle a patient's mental state?