Mental Health Matters: Reddit User Sheds 23 Pounds in 4 Months

Introduction

Weight loss journeys have always been inspiring stories for people, especially when journeys also involve mental health recovery. This is no exception for the Reddit user strangerin_thealps, who shared her journey of losing 23 pounds in 4 months.

History of Compulsive Behaviors

The user shared their story of growing up overweight and obese, and how they struggled with binge eating and bulimia. At the age of 20, they developed severe anorexia and dropped to 100 lbs. within two to three months. They started to recover but then developed night eating syndrome, leading to worse binge eating problems than ever before. They ate up to 6-10k calories in a single sitting and gained 70 pounds in a few months at age 21-22.

Establishing a Healthy Relationship with Food and Exercise

The turning point came when strangerin_thealps started dealing with her depression in ways that really worked and stopped using food as a crutch. Instead, she rode a bike a lot, did manual labor, and experienced the outdoors. She developed healthy habits such as food moderation and sobriety from alcohol. A healthy relationship with food was the key to her developing good physical changes in her body.

Managing Mental Health

The user's weight loss journey was not quick, and it took a lot of therapy and hopelessness to arrive where she is now. Weight was never her primary goal, but a byproduct of her newfound healthy lifestyle. The key for her success lied in seeing her mental health improvements and positive healthy behaviors reflect in her physical appearance.

Encouragement to Try

Overall, strangerin_thealp's story is a testament to the value of patience and the importance of making healthy choices for both the body and the mind. Apart from seeking medical advice, anyone can learn to cope better with their mental health through therapeutic activities such as sports, meditation, and going outdoors. Use her journey to encourage trying things out instead of rushing for results.