[CountryStar]

Hey all. Tomorrow will mark one month of gluten free.
Before i got diagnosed i went to the doctor because i had fallen back into bingeing and purging terribly. So when i found out about the celiac i just said okay. don't worry about the 15 pounds you need to lose. just try to eat healthily and stay gluten-free and see how you feel. well i feel better. the thing is i am a bit depressed about how i look. i guess i want to look as good as i am now beginning to feel! i realize now that being unaware of the celiac really lead to my bingeing and purging on some level because i felt like crap when i ate a little or alot....
Well now i want month 2 to be sort of like phase 2. i want to get healthly all around.
i want to eat 3 meals a day maybe a snack or two and exercise.
can anyone give me a little encouragement? because i want to do this but at the same time it feels overwhelming...
thank you for listening.

[FMcGee]

Hi! I think it's great that you want to get healthy. My first question is: have you seen a counselor? Even if you're not still binging and purging, a counselor can help you get your mind around how to treat yourself right and be kind to yourself during a process that is far more mental than it is physical.

In terms of food, most people recommend 6 or so small healthy, high-fiber meals a day. That way you don't get too hungry and eat a ton at your next meal, which is what I do if I'm starving at meal times. Also, remember that everyone messes up sometimes, and beating yourself up for that is counter-productive.

As far as exercise, are you getting any now? What do you like doing? Whatever you do, it's important to get a mix of cardio and strength training, but you don't have to do the traditional run on the treadmill/lift weights routine if that doesn't appeal to you. If you're into DVDs, my sister uses anything with Jillian Michaels in them and swears by them. I've used them a few times myself, and I'm in good shape and they wear me out! If you aren't exercising at all now, I'd start with 30 minutes a day of light exercise (walking, gentle swimming, whatever appeals) and work up both the intensity (jogging, swimming hard) and length (up to an hour) and also do some strength training a few times a week.

Good luck! Keep us posted.