In a post about my crazy diet history, I mentioned going to an eating disorders support group. That prompted commenter Kate to ask:
I’m so intrigued by this eating disorder support group. Where did you find yours and how can I?
A therapist recommended my support group to me. But there are lots of places to look for free (or cheap) support no matter where you live. Start here:
1. National Eating Disorders Assocation
NEDA has a hotline that’s open to calls M-F 8:30-4:30 PST where you can get info, therapist referrals and help tracking down support meetings in your area: 800-931-2237
2. Binge Eating Disorder Association
Although BEDA doesn’t host it’s own support groups, the site has a (growing) list of groups and meetings such as “A Weigh Out” in Millersville, Maryland and a nice listing of other support sites like SomethingFishy.org.
3. Eating Disorders Anonymous
This 12-step based group (think alcoholics anonymous style) has meetings in 32 states, plus all-volunteer (as in no therapists) hotlines and phone meetings that you can call into no matter where you live.
4. Overeaters Anonymous
Another 12-step group, but this one has meetings and chapters in all 50 stats and internationally, as well as phone and online meetings if you don’t have a group in your town (or if a face-to-face meeting is a little intimidating at first).
5. Campus Psychological or Health Services
College students often have free-or super-discounted-access to group meetings or therapy sessions to part- and full-time students. (I know my alma mater had them! And I took advantage.)
6. EDReferral.com
This site has a huge listing of free meetings in 35 states and Canada, plus referrals to therapists.
Whew. I hope these resources will help Kate and others find the same kind of healing, acceptance and guidance I’ve found in the support group I’m lucky enough to attend. Please feel free to add any sites, hotlines or other resources you guys know about!
xo…Sunny
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What do you do if there are no support groups where you live? There is OA where I am, but I’m not sure how I feel about attending their meetings (I attending meetings for years on Weight Watchers and by the time I quiet I was seriously ready to hurt someone).
I really just want a group where I don’t feel alone, but don’t feel pressured to follow a “program.”
Have you ever thought about starting a group where you live? I have “opened” a couple of Eating Disorders Anonymous groups in Minnesota. I opened them because when I was inpatient in Arizona for my ED treatment, I was required to go to meetings and it was such a help to me that I knew I had to start a meeting once I got back. That was 3 yrs ago. Support groups are a great support! Go to EDA at http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org to read up on what EDA is all about. Balance, not abstience is the “saying”. It’s a very well balanced 12 step support group. Check them out:)
Also I live in MN, in Forest Lake. What groups have you found? VERYinterested.
Song
I too am looking for a support group. Me for compulsive eating. I find O.A. Too rigid for me. But wanting help and support from others who are struggling with these issues. Would like grass roots free or inexpensive phone meetings to talk and share. Be able to reach out to members inbetween meetings via phone calls to help get thru the rough, temptation , or post binge times. Somehow I believe this is possible….. What do you think?
Song
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I weigh 300 lbs.i gained 80 of it after loosing my apt and from depression meds in less than 8 months. I do realize i have made chocolate a food group. I also have really broken teeth so i have trouble eating a lot of different types of food. Can you help me figure out what to do. I dont work so i would need something that doesnt cost or require health benefits. What should i do…i need help. Thank you!
I hear you on chocolate becoming a food group. I have been there (for 3 decades), and easily return if I do not eat enough normal, reasonably nutritious, ample meal foods (as opposed to sugar-sweetened dessert foods, such as chocolate, soda, cake, ice cream, cookies, candy, pie, etc.)
Chocolate provides three main things that dieters (under-eaters) crave: calories, simple sugar (fastest source of calories to the blood stream), and fat.
We crave sugar, fats, and calories when we diet/under-eat to try to lose weight, or otherwise skip or under-eat meals.
The solution is to stay filled up on normal (non-dieting), heart-healthy meal foods at consistent meals & snacks throughout the day. Try eating 6 meals a day (not “small” meals, but eating the meal until you feel full and no longer feel like picking up the fork each time.) Eat these 3 meals and 3 snacks 3 hours apart, my nutritionist says, (i.e. 6 am, 9 am, noon, 3 pm, 6 pm, 9 pm.) Eat a combination of starches (mostly whole grains, and starchy vegs with skins left on, such as potato skins left on); lean proteins (poultry, fish, beans, tofu, soymilk, granola) and heart-healthy fats (nuts, nut butters, full-fat soymilk, granola, plenty of avocado, olives and olive oil) at each meal.
Every meal or snack should have starches, protein, fats, and either a fruit or veg. A good model for this is a closed face sandwich with a protein & fat filling, served with fruit or a veg. Another model is a bowl of cereal with nuts & full-fat soymilk (or nonfat milk, to avoid saturated fats.)
Eating this way 6 times a day will keep you filled up on nutritious, balanced meals, and dramatically reduce the dieting-induced cravings for chocolate, I promise. (Women love chocolate primarily because so many women severely restrict our eating, then binge.) So don’t blame yourself for your weight or your chocolate cravings: you probably have been trying to follow the horrible advice doctors dish out to lose weight and to do so with dieting and exercising. Exercise is important, but we need to eat more, not less, to ensure we aren’t undereating when exercising regularly.
Here’s how I apply this:
Breakfast:
4 slices whole wheat bread
2-3T peanut butter
jelly if desired
fruit & juice smoothie
Or:
Granola, then a bowl of bran cereal
calcium-fortified full-fat soymilk
fruit & juice smoothie (calcium-fortified oj)
Snack:
Nut muffins
veg (carrot, celery, jicama, snap peas, etc.)
Lunch & snack (1 sandwich at lunch, 1 at snack):
4 slices whole grain bread or sourdough
1 can tuna
2 T mayo
lemon juice
minced parsley & celery
Dinner:
Fish or chicken
2 medium to large potatoes (have a vegetable source of starches daily)
salad or green veg
Snack:
ready-to-eat cereal or cooked oat bran (1/2 c. oat bran, 1 c. water, stirred in pan for 2 minutes - yum!!!)
raisins
soymilk
almonds
Believe me, eating this way is very filling, super healthy, and with all of the starches, fruit, and fat in the meals & snacks, chocolate cravings diminish dramatically.
Best wishes, and I hope you can get help for your teeth soon and have the smile you deserve. And I know it’s hard being plus-sized, but all of us very plus-sized women need to start noticing things we like and love about our bodies, and not let anyone tell us we aren’t beautiful at the size we are:)
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