Intro
hello 
my name is Laura, I am new to this community but I am already so inspired by everyone’s unique stories and successes! I have been naturally skinny my whole life but unfortunately this changed shortly after I experienced a trauma in October. I believe most of my weight gain happened in December-February, as that’s when I began unknowingly binging and replacing my boredom/feelings with comfort foods. After weighing myself for the first time in months (around early February), I was in denial and convinced myself the scale was broken! There was no way I was suddenly 10-15 lbs heavier than I had consistently been for years without noticing. After this I yo-yo’d from trying to cut as many calories and work out as much as possible, to giving in and binging and feeling guilty again, to trying to convince myself to love my body for what it had become due to my unhealthy coping mechanisms. For me personally, the extra weight is a constant reminder of the trauma that I went through, and I’d just like for my body to feel familiar again as part of my recovery.
Why
I had done a couple of intermittent fasts during my restrict phases and I loved the feeling of accomplishment after finishing a 36 hour fast. I’m glad I stumbled upon the concept of longer fasts now that I’m in a healthy frame of mind, because now I have the ability to do a fast out of self love and healthy intentions. I’m truly impressed by everyone’s respect, encouragement, research, and commitment to self-improvement in this community, which is ultimately why I decided to try long-term fasting and quit all the super tough workouts and calorie counting for good!
Long Term and Short Term Goals:
Long term:
be able to fit into my jeans again
lose 15 lbs of fat
have a healthy relationship with food
feel comfortable in my body
Short term:
complete a 21 day fast
lose 5 lbs of fat
lose 10 lbs of fat
improve my relationship with food
walk every day
What are some struggles you face or you have faced in the past?
-feeling pressure to eat in social situations
-eating to drown emotions
-being too hard on myself & how I look
-comparing myself to others or how I used to look
-feeling guilty for eating/not eating
-worrying excessively, ultimately leading to not following through with plans to get better
What is your game plan?
I’m beginning by starting a 21 day fast, beginning yesterday (Sun, April 19) around 7 PM. I plan on waiting until I’ve completed the fast to reevaluate how I feel, my results, and what steps to take next. I believe occasional shorter term fasts are a realistic next step after I’ve recovered from my current fast.
How do I feel right now?
I feel very committed to finally doing something that’s going to work for me. I am a little worried (since I’ve moved back home from college due to covid) that I’m going to have to tell my mom why I’m not eating dinner or anything, as she hasn’t really noticed my weight gain and will worry about me not eating. If anyone has any tips regarding that let me know
How will I feel once I achieve my goal?
I’ll feel so accomplished and finally ready to move on with my life. I’ll understand that food doesn’t control my life & that I’m allowed to trust the process and trust myself. I’ll be able to fit into my old clothes again. I will no longer have to be constantly reminded of my trauma every time I look at myself in the mirror.
Daily Affirmation
Just trust the process and you have nothing else to worry about!