Need help and advice please.
the_devil_made_me_do_it
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Two weeks ago I received bad news. The bad news wasn't connected to a physical issue, but a personal problem. Unfortunately, this has had a detrimental effect on my eating habits. I just can't face food, just thinking about eating makes me feel physically sick. However I am having bits of fruit and plain crackers.
I have lost close to a stone in weight over the past couple of weeks and all the tone I had, particular the torso area has turned into lose skin and it looks awful.
Question is: will that tone return once I can eat and exercise again? It's knocked all my confidence and self esteem and I'm hoping I can get back to a toned torso.
Is there anything I can do, in terms of gentle exercise to stop it getting any worse?
I have lost close to a stone in weight over the past couple of weeks and all the tone I had, particular the torso area has turned into lose skin and it looks awful.
Question is: will that tone return once I can eat and exercise again? It's knocked all my confidence and self esteem and I'm hoping I can get back to a toned torso.
Is there anything I can do, in terms of gentle exercise to stop it getting any worse?
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I know I need to start eating properly, but am struggling with it. Yesterday I ate a veggie sandwich from Subway, then today I had a flat bread with some hummus and a bit of mixed salad.
I just feel a bit lost because it's been so long since I have had experienced this before and I can't remember how and what kick started my appetite.
A lot of loose skin does tighten up over time - a lot of your loss will be dehydration for it to happen so quickly, though, so I wouldn't focus on it right now.
I'd also wonder whether, if solid food is difficult for you, whether smoothies would help, maybe adding some oat flakes for thickening and slower release energy. Because you need energy to deal with emotional and physical issues, the toll they both take means you need nourishing.
Eating light foods and increasing liquids is better than nothing, maybe just add a tiny bit of your usual protein sources would help - maybe just a light, tiny bit of cheese if that is difficult for you right now, rather than loads, making small teaplates of pretty things rather than huge meals, trying to make things as colourful as possible? Maybe, rather than standard hard cheese, trying a little grilled Halloumi or some feta would mean it tasted lighter whilst still providing some much needed energy - feta and beetroot turns the most beautiful cerise colour as well.
Maybe whizzing up some veggies with a cooked potato and some stock would give you a light soup that you would enjoy? I definitely think that being able to curl up with a bowl of something pretty, brightly coloured and nourishing is good for everybody.
I know what I'm saying might sound silly, but the thing that always cheered my youngest up when unhappy was being given a punnet of strawberries when she was in the bath, right from when she was about 4. And the OH decided secretly that I was in the running to be a keeper when, after staying over for the first time, I brought him a bowl of fruit - peaches, apple, grapes, strawberries, in a bowl with a small splodge of yoghurt and a few edible flowers retrieved from the garden. He's another person who loses his appetite easily, and was at that point of not really eating much when we got together, but that bowl looked so pretty, he ate every last bit.
He now makes dinners worthy of Instagram.
I'd also suggest you considered taking some vitamins - the effervescent ones are easier on a delicate tummy than swallowing capsules - and the ones with vitamin D and B complex are very good for supporting your mood if that's partly down due to not eating properly.
In short, be kind to yourself, try and make what you do eat pretty and light and easy to eat, do something that makes you feel physically good and you should find that things start improving for you.
It doesn't matter too much about what you eat per se, you need calories and lots of them. If you don't eat properly and attempt to exercise you will get very ill super quickly.
Carb up, eat some ice cream (they do some great veggie ones) and slob out for a couple of days. Cookies, rice, carbs, everything you're not supposed to eat, because you're literally starving yourself. If you don't think you can eat properly, please see your GP and show them this - any decent GP will see its borderline ED.
or maybe try the weetabix breakfast drinks or something similar.
If you are worried about sagging skin, it's likely to be down to water loss initially and muscle loss if this has been going on for some time. The muscle loss is obviously harder to deal with but you can't jus eat protein and gain back lost muscle, you'd need to add in some exercise but just basic stuff to help yourself- you don't need to go full pelt at a dozen aerobics classes or anything like that! Add in things that can help you and things you like to do, if you like walking for example take walk before/after work for 20 minutes or so, if you need help to wind down, things like Yoga can help (though make sure the type of yoga is suitable if you opt for this). If you want to do group exercise, there are classes which will cover this and things like swimming and running can be good overall with varying degrees of downsides (do your research first!)
If you are struggling to get in enough food it can help to write things down in a diary and tick things off as you go. Eating (or drinking) little and often can be helpful and make sure you keep up your water levels as this is also very important.
All the best. x
I do walk my dog twice a day for approx an hour each time. I'm still able to do that, although I struggle abit now. Been 3 weeks since I have eaten properly.
I will have a look at liquid drinks. I suspect they can be bought in the supermarket? How do I keep a check on how I'm doing in terms of calorie intake? Never had to do it before. I am trying to make sure I drink as much water as I can.