Hello. I'm not technically overweight, but I've had problems with weight control for as long as I can remember (age 10?). I exhibit extremes: in adolescence I suffered alternately from binge-eating disorder, bulimia, and anorexia (I'd subsist off of 100 calories a day for a few months, break down and start bingeing, try to prevent the 'damage' by purging, and eventually just give up and binge several times a day with no penance; repeat). I tried to end the cycle by refusing to weigh myself or diet in college. Over the course of 4 years I went from about 85lbs to 140lbs (I'm 5'3). My doctor, not aware of my history, told me I needed to lose weight, so I spent a year dieting, not quite as extremely as before, but far from healthily, and got down to about 95lbs. I tried to stop there and maintain, but since last summer I've been steadily gaining and am now over 120--I know, boo hoo. I just want to learn how to eat and exercise healthily, moderately, normally, and figure out how to maintain my weight so that I can permanently break the cycle of gaining/losing. I want to lose maybe 10 pounds and then try to stay there. Today is the first day of what I swear will be a healthy diet. Rather than skipping meals, I'm drinking slimfasts and V8 juice. Any advice or commiseration would be welcome.

I don't think I'm in any position to give advice, but I just wanted to welcome you to the forum and say this is a really supportive group, and I'm sure if you stick around you'll make some friends here.

The majority of us - I think - are trying to eat healthily for life as much as lose weight, so you're in good company, and there's a lot of really good information here.

Welcome