Mind over Fatter reminds me of what is important

by Zoe
(USA)

I am a university-bound teenager from the United States. Two years ago I was diagnosed with anorexia, a battle that eventually found me in the hospital. The inpatient and partial outpatient programs taught me a lot about nutrition and body image, but it far from "cured" me.

I still struggle tremendously with a negative body image and a preoccupation with food and weight. I have been through more bouts of restricting my intake, bulimia, purging, and general self loathing brought on by food and weight. Dieting has robbed me of too much time. I'm angry at the media for the image of an "ideal" woman; I may dislike it, but it has influenced me greatly.

I found Mind Over Fatter by chance. I've spent a lot of time browsing through articles and reading stories. It has changed my attitude and made me want to be MY ideal weight, not someone else's. Every time I find myself depressed by weight gain, or upset over my own eating habits, MOF reminds me of what's important.

The hospital program never taught me to listen to my body, and for me that has been the biggest challenge. With MOF, I'm learning to slow down and listen to my body's signals and I find that doing so makes me feel most at peace and satisfied. It's hard. I never knew it could be difficult to listen to myself, but a long time of messed up eating habits and mixed messages has made it difficult for me to connect to my body. I'm trying to rebuild the relationship.

Thank you to all the contributors and readers of MOF. I deeply appreciate everything you do.