Hey. My name is Karen and I’m 23. Since I hit puberty, my parents told me to “eat less” and “lose some weight.”
I have been dieting since I was 16, a literal teen. Since I hit puberty, my parents told me to “eat less” and “lose some weight.” Everyone on social media used to think that being skinny was the trend, and everyone would post pictures flaunting their body and fat-shame who didn’t. In school, everyone would harass me and say nasty things about me, even my so-called friends.
I developed Anorexia because my parents would put me on diets. I would gain 5 pounds, and they would start freaking out and blaming me for “overeating,” which would make me hate my body even more. I started avoiding mirrors so I didn’t have to look at myself. I couldn’t even talk to my friends because they would begin commenting on my weight. I felt worthless to be alive, to be honest. It felt like my only goal in life was to lose weight. Sometimes while walking down the street, I dreamt a car would hit me, and this nightmare would end. I wanted it to happen.
Anyway, one day, I found this app on my phone; I think my mom downloaded it “for me.” I was checking out the app when I read in a review that it also provides psychological support. So, I thought I would try it and reach out to them.
I knew I didn’t want to fast or stop eating a particular food, as I have been doing that for my whole life. Lasta understood this and introduced me to mindful eating, a form of meditation. As a result, I started learning how to cope with my anxiety about food. I went from dreading food to appreciating it.
They gave me CBT training along with their intuitive eating program. I started making affirmations, which reduced my negative thoughts and helped me recover my mental health. Mindful eating made me regain the respect I had lost for my body.