To Diet Or Not To Diet!

To Diet Or Not To Diet!

Ok it has been a while since Mark or I (Vathani Navasothy) wrote something here!

Research shows most of you suffering from Bulimia, find the autumn months of October.. leading in to the winter right through to few months in to the New Year, the hardest part of the whole year..You may be already wondering about jumping straight in the ocean of yet another diet..I thought NOW is the time to jump in with you and guide you to the safer shore away from bulimia and in to the paradise life you want to live in .

Festivities like Halloween, Thanks Giving, Rememberence day, Christmas, New Year are just a few that fall on our fall calender filling us with temptations around food and feasting !

In addition the ending of warm, sunny, summer leaves behind craving for more of the same, whilst our mood tends to hit that all time low with SAD kicking in for good measure.

So how do you muster up the strength to work on a life free of bingeing and purging, in the abscence of laxatives or diuretics or even the crazy increase of exercise activities..?

Your first step is to resist the temptation to sign up for another quick fix diet club, or embark on any calorie controling activity or purchasing lotions or potions that claims to have you walking around light as a feather in no time at all! If that mean locking away your credit card or tightly tieing your purse strings..then let the time of this credit crunch actually help you make matters better for your recovery from Bulimia!

Second step, stay tunned for my weekly top tips and exporation work that will guide you to recovery inch by inch till you have fully beaten bulimia!

Sounds like a plan? Well it is ..Let your 1st day of your rest of your life starts here today!

If you don't want to wait for weekly help, support or helpful intervention on your self, but want the same outcome at the pace you can control..then visit Bulimiahope.com and discover how you can fast track your bulimia recovery .

Take care for now!

Vathani

Vathani Navasothy

Bulimia Expert & Co-founder of Bulimiahope.com

WHY BULIMIA IS A STRUGGLE Part 2

BULIMIA AND SELF-ESTEEM

Self-esteem can not be put in a backpack or purse and be carried with us. It is a sense of worth that we have about ourselves. It is present in our minds and souls and can serve us well if it is healthy or cause significant pain if it needs maintenance or repair.

Self-esteem is created through hard work and effort. It is a function of dedication, motivation and education. The more we learn about it, the better prepared we are to make the modifications necessary to insure that it is operating at peak efficiency.

A strong image of oneself is vital to insure that each of us achieves our potential and are able to beat bulimia. If your self-esteem is not satisfactory, it needs to be changed. The fact is that it can be changed and people that have adopted changes in their lifestyle have also noted that they feel more comfortable with themselves and their self-esteem has been improved substantially. They also find it much easier to beat bulimia.

Why not join our Members Forum where you can post your own questions and can expect to get a prompt reply, visit Bulimia Forum.

WHY BULIMIA IS A STRUGGLE Part 1

WHY BULIMIA IS A STRUGGLE

BULIMIA AND BODY IMAGE

Do you want to make changes to your body?

Do you want to make changes to your eating habits to insure you are getting the proper nutrition?

Do you need to exercise more?

Almost everyone will answer yes to these questions. People who suffer with bulimia are no different than most other people in possessing a desire to improve themselves.

The problem is that bulimics just need to adopt the right habits, which will enable them to feel happy about their body image. They need to learn where to go to find help that is right for them.

Our body is our home. It requires maintenance, repair and renewal to insure that it is fine-tuned and working properly to serve our physical, emotional and intellectual needs. It is impossible to move out of our bodies, so we need to maintain it properly.

No one's body is perfect. Even the most beautiful and physically attractive people have areas that they want to improve.

The first lesson a bulimic must learn is that no one is perfect.

The second lesson is to recognize that changes can be made to improve ourselves.

Making changes to bulimia habits that are a cause of discontent is often difficult. It is not an overnight process. It requires commitment, motivation, hard work and a recognition that it takes time to complete the change.

The good news is that you can beat bulimia. Many have beaten bulimia. Large dramatic changes are possible and likely for someone that recognizes and celebrates each small change.

ContactVathani Navasothy, Bulimia Counselor
Request information for combating bulimia: info@bulimiahope.com
Research bulimia treatments at: http://www.bulimiahope.com/

LIFE & STRESS - HOW DO YOU COPE?

LIFE, STRESS and BULIMIA - HOW DO YOU COPE?

Life's little ups and downs can be testing for the toughest amongst us!

Stress is not all bad. It prepares your mind and body for what ever it is you are about to encounter. Adrenalin produced in the right amounts can help you perform better in an interview, exam, public speaking, being creative, finishing a project or dealing with a difficult person.

It helps to push you beyond your comfort zone and enables you to achieve greater success.

But what if that stressor is crippling or paralysing you, does your life grind to a holt or do you feel you are stuck in-limbo?

Is Bulimia stressful for you, if so, how do you cope?

ASSESS YOUR COPING STYLE

Think about a recent stressful situation that triggered a binge and purge.

This could be a situation that was difficult to handle or perhaps something that was troubling you. You may have felt distressed about something that happened to you or had to deal with something that required a considerable amount of effort.

It could be a situation that has pushed you to binging and purging on numerous occasions in the past.

Once you have an event in mind, assess your coping style by completeing the exercise below:

WHILE KEEPING YOUR STRESSFUL EVENT IN MIND, READ THE LIST OF STRATEGIES BELOWAND SCORE them 0 - 3 RANKING THEM IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH YOU USED THEM IN THAT SITUATION:

0= NOT USED 1= USED SOMEWHAT 2= USED QUITE A BIT 3= USED A GREAT DEAL

1. I did something that I didn't think would work, but at least I was doing something.

2. I tried to get the person responsible to change his or her mind.

3. I slept more than usual. Drank or smoked more.

4. I expressed anger to the person(s), who caused the problem.

5. I tried to make myself feel better by bingeing and later vomiting.

6. I took a big chance or did something very risky to solve the problem.

7. I stood my ground and fought for what I wanted.

8. I took it out on other people (partner, parent, friend etc).

9. I refused to believe that it had happened.

10. I had fantasies or wishes about how things might turn out.

Scoring:
Now add up your scores for questions: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7
Add up your scores for questions 3, 5, 8, 9 & 10

If your score is higher for the 1st group of questions, then you tend to favour "CONFRONTIVE COPING".

If you scored higher on the 2nd group, then you are more likely to employ "ESCAPE-AVOIDANCE" as a coping mechanism.

Most bulimia sufferers tend to adopt an escape-avoidance coping style through food abuse. This hides a lack of ability in dealing with matters assertively.

Escape-avoidance is based on wishful thinking and efforts to escape or avoid a problem altogether.

Confrontive coping is typified by positive efforts to alter the situation and can involve some degree of aggression and risk-taking.

Now that you know which style of Coper you are, in our next blog, we will show you the key steps you can learn to help you take more control of your life through being Assertive!

If you can't wait for another two weeks, why not join our Members Forum where you can post your own questions and can expect to get a promptreply from me personaly! http://www.bulimiahope.com/forum.htm

CAN’T AFFORD BULIMIA TREATMENT IN THE BAHAMA’S?

CAN’T AFFORD BULIMIA TREATMENT IN THE BAHAMA’S?

Clear blue skies, warm turquoise sea and white sandy beaches… A luxurious trip to the Bahamas may be the answer for the rich and famous that suffers from bulimia – like in the case of Lindsey Lohan! But what about the rest of us, where do we go for bulimia treatment?

Skipping through glossy magazines; many of us sit back with a heavy sigh, and a hint of admiration or even envy for the A list Celebrities; we wish that we too could do something to cure our Bulimic ailment and have a treatment that we can all afford!

Well, the recent launch of a bulimia self-help e-book, could not have arrived at a more opportune time! Solving the worries of affordability at a fraction of the price of a Bahamas treatment centre. This much-valued book is now available to you, with a click of a mouse, in the comfort of your own home. The “Conquer Bulimia Success Program” is the music to our ears, which many of us have been waiting to hear. Comprehensively written by specialists in the field of Eating Disorders, this self-help guide offers strategies, techniques and tips that will change your Bulimic life in 8 weeks, inside-out!

Mark Dobryniewski, founder of Bulimiahope.com says, “ Provided our customers are serious about their recovery, and commit to working through the whole book, I would seriously doubt if they weren’t very excited about their new, transformed Bulimia free life”. He added: “There is no other book quite like this one!” As more and more sufferers find themselves demoralized and down hearted after the recent festivities – this promises to give them with new hope and lasting success!


Contact
Mark Dobryniewski
Help for Bulimia Treatment

BULIMIA AND EXERCISE: YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE – TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?

BULIMIA AND EXERCISE: YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE – TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?

Have you ever wondered why your “highly charged” initial determination… to join a gym and start pounding away on a treadmill, spinning on a bike or exerting yourself on a rowing machine, soon plummets to sub zero levels?

As the Lactic Acid builds up in your worked muscles, so do the mounting excuses as to “why you cannot make it to the gym or fitness class today”! Then why do so many of us start these fitness fads?

All gym memberships come with a promise of a new you, the fitter, firmer and sexier you! Sadly the initial “feel good” adrenaline gives way to laziness, lack of commitment and effort; which is required, in large amounts, to sustain you through the initial pain barrier.

Fun stops, especially if you suffer from an Eating Disorder like Bulimia and if you embark on your new fitness regime with the mentality - No pain, No gain!

If the frequency of your workouts become more than is necessary for both your fitness levels and over all health or it becomes a self-inflicted punishment for the binge that took place, the night before! It is at this point this behaviour turns in to a negative addiction - masking your logical reasoning. Sounds familiar?

With excessive exercising, the rate of injury is high and recovery from the injury becomes slower. However this will depend on the specific exercise, the duration and whether it is cardiovascular or strength training.

Toxins build up have and no way out, causing strain on your liver and compromising its ability to function normally. This combined with poor nutrition levels caused by bingeing and vomiting, could cause your body to fall apart.

So what is the ideal? If you are keen on going to the gym or attending exercise classes; aim to break your routine and give your body rest periods in between one type of activity to another. For example aerobic and strength training.

You could use 1 session to work your abdominal muscles and perform back strengthening exercises, and combine it with a gentle activity such as 20 minutes of swimming. Make sure you have at lease one or two whole days a week without any physical activity. This will allow your body to completely rest, recover, and rejuvenate.

If the gym is not the way you would like to get fitter, then choose a sport or hobby such as walking, salsa dancing or something which is more fun, relaxing and sociable. It would probably be cheaper than the gym too!

Contact
Vathani Navasothy, Bulimia Counselor
Request information for combating bulimia: info@bulimiahope.com
Research bulimia treatments at: www.bulimiahope.com

Beat Bulimia Nervosa - 5 Steps To Setting Realistic Goals

Beat Bulimia Nervosa - 5 Steps To Setting Realistic Goals

How many times have you made the same old promises to
free yourself from bulimia?

Has another year passed by and are you still binging and
purging?

Do not despair! We will show you how to set realistic and
achievable goals.

Lets say, “stop vomiting” is your New Year's resolution.

However, if this is how you describe your goal then you will
find it hard to achieve because it does not focus on
anything positive or tangible.


Step 1 - Take a few minutes and think about why you make
yourself vomit.

For a Bulimic, it is usually the Binge its self!

Go deeper and think about what causes you to binge?

Often lack of a structured, healthy meal plan leaves you
hungry. Add an emotional crisis for good measure and
vomiting is not that far away!


Step 2 - Make your goal SMART!

S is for Specific. Instead of being vague like in the case of “not wanting to vomit”, focus on the reason why you binge…

Are you always hungry just before a binge takes place? If so
make a decision to eat healthy foods at regular intervals.


Step 3 - M is for Measurable

For example a typical goal related activity, could be
deciding to eat three healthy meals a day and three small
snacks to keep you going in between.

This is very easy to monitor. It is also very easy to
correct should you start to skip some of your meals or
snacks.

Step 4 - A is for Achievable.

When you break your goal down into small chunks, your
goal becomes more Achievable!

Take one day at a time. So today plan what you are
going to eat tomorrow.


Step 5 - R is for Relevant

Remember to make your goal Relevant to you. Don't do it for
others, do it for you.


Step 6 - T is for Timely.

Allow yourself Time to achieve your goal.

For example, your target may be to eat three balanced meals a day
during the first week.

Second week you could focus on introducing a snack in
between each meal – up to 3 a day.

Third week, you may choose to experiment with foods you
consider risky or conducive to vomiting.

Remember, learn to jog a mile before attempting to run a
Marathon!

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Make sure you truly understand why you have set this goal for yourself; also be aware of what could get in the way and how you will overcome any obstacles. By following the SMART process for goal setting you are 90% more likely to achieve your goal.

Now put this into practice and generate results for you.

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Contact
Vathani Navasothy
http://www.bulimiahope.com
e-mail: info@bulimiahope.com
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Bulimia Slip-Ups

Bulimia Slip-Ups

If you are like many bulimia sufferers, you will have tried to kick the bulimia habit a number of times. What normally happens is all will go well for a short period of time and then we will have a slip-up!

Remembering your last slip-up, which group of thought patterns accompanied your experience? Check all that apply!

Negative Thoughts

- Oh well, that's it. I may as well give up for today!
- My partner’s right, I am not good at anything. Me eating sensibly? Who am I trying to kid?
- So what if I've blown it, I deserve a treat anyway; why not make it a treat day and finish the rest of the biscuits?
- Everyone else is really good at sticking to their plans. That just proves I'm useless. Why don't I just forget all about it?
- I wish I hadn't had that – I didn't even want it. I’ll make sure that I swim a couple of extra lengths tonight at the pool.

But are these thoughts healthy?

HOW ASSERTIVE ARE YOU? continued

HOW ASSERTIVE ARE YOU? continued

Q: See how often the following attitudes feature in your life.

Score: 1 = always; 2 = most of the time; 3 = occasionally; 4 = never

1. I find it difficult to refuse requests that I should turn down.
2. I loose my temper in stressful situations.
3. I find it difficult to express my true feelings.
4. I am intimidated by loud, unpleasant people.
5. I am confident in new situations.
6. I plan difficult conversations.
7. I ask for what I want, even if it means I may hurt someone else's feelings.
8. I feel guilty when I ask for what I want.
9. My priority is other people's happiness.
10. My priority is my own happiness.
11. I find it difficult to say no to others about food.
12. I am a people pleaser, often finding myself saying "sorry"too much, and 'smiling to much.
13. When I feel helpless, do I tend to turn to over eating?
14. I feel very sensitive to criticism.
15. I take on too much responsibility most of the time.
16. I identify myself as one of the following types of eaters:

- angry eater
- emotionally drained eater
- stressed eater

SCORES
There are no right or wrong answers. Some of the ratings willserve to reflect areas of your behavior about which you are unhappyand wish to do something about. Others will be entirely appropriate.

The Conquer Bulimia Success Program covers this subject in depth.To read more about it go to http://www.bulimiahope.com

How Assertive are You Continued

How Assertive are You Continued

So what is assertiveness? It is handling yourself and yourbehavior so that you manage situations and deal with peoplein a confident and self assured way. Working to reach a satisfactoryconclusion for everyone concerned; by listening to their viewand honestly and clearly expressing your own views and feelingsso that they are heard by the other people, withoutbeing hurtful, destructive or counter-productive.

Assertiveness is more than a technique - it is about:

* Handling difficult situations more effectively.
* Understanding where you are coming from.
* Understanding that you have choices; e.g., in this situation,I choose to… instead of: in this situation I have to or I must…
* Having a sense of self worth.
* Helping you control the way you feel about the world andthe people in it rather than the other way around.* Communicating in a way that enables the other person to listen.
* Recognizing your own and other people’s rights andresponsibilities.

How Assertive are You?

How Assertive are You?

Assertiveness is a key skill to develop in the fight against
bulimia. Having this skill will keep you on track when faced
with a difficult situation.

When you behave passively or submissively, you don’t stand up
for yourself, or say what you think, or ask for what you really
want, need or wish for. This behavior can leave you feeling
angry or frustrated with yourself or with the other person.

Thinking one thing, but saying another is a common form of
interaction. The motivations for not speaking our mind may
be many and varied. For example, you may wish not to hurt
someones feelings or you need to think through the
implications more fully, or you wish to be diplomatic;
but what is the cost to you?

Is Bulimia the Symptom of an Underlying Problem?

Is Bulimia the Symptom of an Underlying Problem?

This is an interesting article which talks about
bulimia being the symptom of underlying
problems. The trick is to find away of teasing
out these problems for ourselves.

Sometimes it is very difficult to look at ourselves
and discover what this underlying problem could be.
Yet if we are close to a particular friend or family member,
it is uncanny how they often are able to put their finger on it.

If you have any questions about this, post a note to this blog.

To read the full article, paste the url below into your browser.

http://www.theonlinerocket.com/media/paper601/
news/2005/11/18/News/Pressure.To.Be.perfect-1110185.shtml?norewrite&sourcedomain=
www.theonlinerocket.com

New Bulimia Figures

New Bulimia Figures

New figures show that 1 to 2 percent of girls and women suffer from bulimia in the USA. With of a population of 250 million this means that there are between 250,000 and 500,000 suffers in the USA alone… it makes think you wonder how many are there in the whole world.

I think we can safely say to any bulimia sufferer... you are not alone! Each sufferer probably knows personally two or three other suffers but don’t realise it.

This is an illness people don’t have to suffer, you can get immediate help now at http://www.bulimiahope.com

Eating Disorder Facts

Eating Disorder Facts

Eating disorders have become more common
in adolescents during the past 20 years. Anorexia
nervosa among young females increased until the
late 1980s, while bulimia is still increasing.

About 10 times more females suffer from eating
disorders than males.”

Elsewhere, Binge Eating Disorder (which often results
in considerable weight gain) has been estimated at 4%
of the general population whilst in Ireland, obesity levels
increased by 67% between 1990 and 2000.

Get the full story at:
www.irishhealth.com/?level=4&id=8368

Or click here for more information
http://www.bulimiahope.com/faq.htm

Bulimia is Not Just for the Young

Bulimia is Not Just for the Young

There are over 10 million people with eating disorders.
A new growing trend is women in their autumn
years to start binge eating and purging.

This is down to a number of reasons and the main
one being is that we live a longer and have a healthier life.
Obviously it is a bit of a paradox if we then abuse our
body with binging and purging.

However, because we are healthier it means we still
have a very active social life. And we still want to look
good when we socialize. So we then think that purging
what we eat will help us loose weight – which it doesn’t.

This course explains why purging doesn’t help you loose weight.
http://www.bulimiahope.com

How Does the Media Influence our Body Image?

How Does the Media Influence our Body Image?

Body image is not a genetic predisposition;
it is learned through society and culture. First, the
individual is taught self-esteem from their family
and peers, but as one grows older, those messages
are either reinforced or redirected through the media.

People come armed with questions about how to achieve
outward perfection, men and women are giving
their full attention to the blank, airbrushed faces
of advertising for answers to everything from weight
to skin to inner peace.

The above is an extract from this article, cut and paste this
address into your browser to read it all from start to finish.
http://www.spectator-online.com/vnews/display.v/
ART/2005/11/10/4373b7129081a

Self image is key to beating bulimia and we pay
close attention to it in The Bulimia Success Program
http://www.bulimiahope.com

Eating Disorders Hit One in Ten Students

Eating Disorders Hit One in Ten Students

Ten percent of college students suffer from a clinical or
sub-clinical (borderline) eating disorder, of which over
half suffer from bulimia nervosa according to the
National Institute of Mental Health.

As reported in the Gonzaga Bulletin. This is a jaw
dropping article which really sheds new light on how
prevalent Bulimia is. To read full article either click or
cut and paste this URL into Internet Explorer:

http://www.gonzagabulletin.com/media/paper375/
news/2005/11/11/InvestigativeNews/
Eating.Disorders.Hit.One.In.Ten.Students-1054149.shtml?norewrite&sourcedomain=www.gonzagabulletin.com

For further help with Bulimia click on this link
http://www.bulimiahope.com

Sexual Abuse and Bulimia

Sexual Abuse and Bulimia

Research has shown that women who have been sexually assaulted when they were children are twice as likely to suffer from an eating-disorder like bulimia.

Women who have been sexually abused often blame themselves and feel bad about letting the abuse happen. They will then take comfort from binge eating and afterwards feel disgusted with themselves and so purge the food from their system to try and feel better.

But it only makes them feel better for a very short period of time and then they go back to feeling unworthy because of their binging and purging behavior and so get caught-up in this vicious circle.

Our job is to help women break this cycle which is why we developed the Bulimia Success program. Click on this link for more info http://www.bulimiahope.com

Do Mothers with Bulimia pass on their Eating Disorder to their Daughters?

Do Mothers with Bulimia pass on their Eating Disorder to their Daughters?

Humans learn by copying other people. If a mother exposes her eating disorder behavior to her children, then her children will learn how to be a bulimic too.

Some mothers with bulimia can make poor role models, and because motherhood is often stressful, many mothers who have suffered in the past with bulimia find themselves returning to their old habits when stress hits.

Children see this as normal behavior and unless they learn differently, they are likely to develop bulimia as a stress coping mechanism.

If you are a mother or hope to be a mother then we strongly suggest getting help to overcome your bulimia http://www.bulimiahope.com

What are the Risks of Bulimia during Pregnancy

What are the Risks of Bulimia during Pregnancy

Here's an interesting article we found :

"It is important that women wanting to become pregnant treat their bulimia prior to conceiving. If bulimia moms-to-be start their pregnancies with a poorly nourished body, they run the risk of damaging themselves and those of their unborn children.

During pregnancy, the baby takes nutrients from the mother's body and if those nutrients are not replaced by eating nutritious food, the mother can develop depression, exhaustion and malnutrition.

The mother's teeth and bones can become weak, which can lead to stress fractures and broken bones later in life. Pregnant women with bulimia are also at higher risk for diabetes, and potentially fatal liver, kidney and heart damage.

According to a study reported in Eating Disorders Review (Nov/ Dec 2000), babies of eating disordered moms have a higher than normal risk of miscarriage and premature delivery. If they survive to term, these babies can have a multitude of problems, both physically and mentally.

They can be born with a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or jaundice. But most of the babies' problems will likely show up later in life. They tend to be slower developing, smaller and weaker than other children their age, according to the study. These children may never reach their full potential either intellectually or emotionally, and they can grow into adults who have poor social skills and difficulty relating to other people."

We recommend you read the complete article click here http://pregnancyandbaby.com/read/articles/5753.htm

With regards

Mark Dobryniewsky