Reaction to Diet
Question:
I have a daughter who turned one on August 6. During my pregnancy
I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I was sent to a dietician
and put on a diabetic diet and forced to prick my finger 4 times
a day to test my blood sugar. I have never been overweight and have
only had to diet after the birth of my two other chilldren to lose
the "baby fat". I gained only 12 pounds during the last
pregnancy due to the diet and at 30 looked great following delivery.
However, I then began to eat everything I could get my hands on
with the thought that some day someone might tell me I could not
eat it again and I should enjoy it now. I have tried to exercise,
diet, etc. but have continued to gain weight since the delivery
and have become larger than I have ever been. I went from a size
8 to a size 12 in one year. I find myself closet eating because
I can. I tried exercising at the gym but the problem is that my
daughter who is used to being with me screams at the babysitter
and the babysitter calls me out of aerobics class to take my daughter.
I might also mention that this has been a terrible terrible year
for my family, I lost a nephew, my sister was diagnosed with cancer
and my father was diagnosed with cancer.
Please help. I have tried everything I can think of!
Answer:
>From what you say in your letter, you seem to be dealing not
only with the rebound effect of a diet, but also with a series of
intense and emotionally upsetting family crises. It is not surprising
that you feel a need for help.
You describe your reaction to having been on a strict diet so well
I am sure it will sound familiar to many people. Feelings of deprivation
often build up during a diet (even a medically-ordered diet such
as yours) and afterward, this can lead people to feel driven to
eat "everything I can get my hands on". Continued dieting
could make this problem worse for you. Many people get stuck in
a yoyo cycle, dieting and then rebelling against rules and deprivation,
then taking away food, then treating themselves. When this happens,
people end up spending more and more of their energy thinking and
worrying about food and weight.
Mothering an infant is rewarding but also very taxing. On top of
this and your other family responsibilities, you and your family
have experienced the stress of loss and serious illness, all within
the past year. Eating may provide some relief from this intensity,
and in a way, worrying about your weight may also distract you from
this painful stress. I suggest you take care of yourself by finding
a psychotherapist who can help you sort out some of these issues
and perhaps to develop some alternative coping mechanisms. Check
with The Renfrew Center or Online
Psych Treatment Locator to find a therapist who specializes
in eating problems or to find a therapist in your area.
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