Bulimia is an eating disorder. In this condition, a person has a habit of binge eating. At this time, they cannot control what they eat and how much they eat. Later on, the person tries to reduce their weight. They use unhealthy ways to reduce the extra calories. This is a serious mental condition and needs medical attention. In this article, we learn about eating normally after bulimia. To know how to fix your body after bulimia, let us look at the disorder first.

Symptoms of Bulimia

• Constant thoughts of body size and shape.
• Fear of weight gain.
• Overeating.
• Regular episodes of overeating and not being able to control it.
• Forcing oneself to vomit the food.
• Forceful fasting to lose weight.
• Using medicines to lose weight.
• Doing extra workouts.

  This is a disorder that usually begins in late childhood. In this condition, people are not happy with their bodies. They overeat secretly. They mostly hate themselves for it. To feel better, they start vomiting or exercising to reduce their weight. Usually, they suffer from low self-esteem. They also suffer from body image issues. Following are some risk factors for this condition:

• Biological: A person can have a history of an eating disorder in their family. For instance, either of their parents or first-degree relative had this condition. Moreover, if the child was overweight, their risk of having this disorder rises in the teenage years. They can have some genetic condition that causes weight gain. This condition affects their self-esteem.
• Emotional Issues: When people are anxious or depressed, they overeat to reduce stress. Moreover, people with depression will feel bad about their bodies and this may make them purge after eating. Additionally, if a person has suffered trauma, they are more likely to binge eat to cope with the stress.
• Fasting and Dieting: Sometimes people engage in extreme levels of fasting. Further, they may follow strict diet routines. Later on, they will face an urge to binge eat. They will feel guilty later on and therefore engage in weight-loss behaviours.

This is a harmful condition and can lead to the death of a person at times. It is important to spot the condition and seek help as soon as possible. Following are some effects of this condition:

• Malnutrition: In this, people have very low levels of vitamins and nutrition. This is because they vomit everything. The body does not have life-saving vitamins. They also have low levels of water due to vomiting. This can lead to kidney problems.
• Low Immunity: They have low immunity as they don’t eat enough. They lack the energy to do any work. People in this also have a high fever.
• Serious Problems: People with this condition can suffer from irregular periods. They can also have stomach problems. They can also have heart failure.
• Suicide: People in this face body concerns. As a result of which they may consider suicide to end their pain. They can have suicidal thoughts. They may also stop eating at all.
• Substance Abuse: They may become addicted to weight loss medicines. Some people may start drinking alcohol to reduce their pain. They may also get addicted to drugs.

Many therapies can help to eat normally after bulimia. It is very helpful to resolve body image issues. Eating normally after bulimia involves a mix of two things. That is of an eating routine and therapy. A mild workout is also recommended to be fit. Let’s see how to eat normally after bulimia:

Usually, a six meal plan is followed. This will include:

• Breakfast
• Brunch
• Lunch
• Post lunch snack
• Evening snack
• Dinner

A person who is eating normally after bulimia is asked to consume small portions of meals and snacks. This would include setting regular alarms for meals. A family member is also advised to motivate the person to eat. They also make sure that the food is nutritious and in good quantity. A person is asked not to binge eat. They have to eat slowly. A recorded message can act as a reminder. The message can have positive affirmations too.

Further, the person is also told to not keep a long break in between the meals. They cannot have more than three hours break between two meals. In the beginning, a person focuses more on the routine and structure of meals. In the initial days, there is exposure. For instance, the therapist can show a plate of food to the person. Then they can ask them to eat one bite. The caretakers are given training. additionally, they can monitor the meal quantity. They can also give positive messages, such as “You are doing great!” “You are beautiful” “Your body is healing”.

Some people also benefit from meal delivery plans. Here they can ask the agency to give them specific food at a specific time. For example, a healthy breakfast in the morning. Salad for the lunch. This can keep a check on the routine.

People suffer from this condition because they hate their bodies. This is because they believe that they are not beautiful and good enough. Many of the beliefs come from the media representation of an ideal body. This condition is very common in girls. Girls want to achieve the body that they see on the television. They feel depressed if they don’t match it.

An important step in eating normally after bulimia includes acceptance. A counsellor performs the task of helping the person accept. It is important to understand that there are different body types on the planet. We are all perfect as long as we are healthy. Here are some tips on how to fix the body after bulimia for all:

• Encourage a healthy body image. Teach children to accept their bodies. Help kids feel confident in their bodies. Parents can foster self-esteem in kids by making them comfortable in their bodies.
• Families can have healthy meals together.
• Families and friends should focus on a healthy lifestyle. They should not talk about body weight.
• Parents should not support unhealthy dieting.

At Epsychonline, some courses focus on body image issues and wellness. They are curated by experts and are self-help. They can help you learn about how to fix your body after bulimia. Do check them out.