Grad School triggered my binge and purge cycles, NZ

By Kaley / Client Stories

my binge and purge cycles started in high school
in just the first week of working with Kelly, I felt a million times better
since Kelly and I built a routine together, I don’t even think about food
now I’ve stopped purging!!!
my face is less poofy
I BROKE the perfectionist mindset (which was really holding me back)
Now I feel like a new human

No more binge and purge cycles

When I started graduate school it triggered very bad eating habits, like binge and purge cycles. These unhealthy behaviors started when I was in high school and I thought I’d overcome them. I wanted to get healthy so I could enjoy this incredible graduate program and the social activities that come with it. I didn’t feel like I was bringing my best self to any of it.

The reason I got in touch with Kelly was because she fully recovered from her disordered eating years ago.

So I wanted her to show me how she broke the binge and purge cycles for good.

Country: New Zealand

Career: Graduate School

Age: 25

Diets I’ve tried before: Intermittent Fasting

Other preoccupying habits:

bingeing
purging
skipping meals if I think I ate too much
exercising if I think I ate too much
looking in reflective surfaces
eating while cooking
doing something symbolic to mark a new start
weighing myself
being on and off diets

I gained 10 pounds from my binge and purge cycles

We didn’t really eat “meals” or eat as a family growing up.

My dad started calling me 'sausage legs' in middle school and it really made me feel self-conscious about my weight— Kaley, New ZealandMy dad started calling me “sausage legs” in middle school and it really made me feel self-conscious and uncomfortable about my weight.

Since then, I’ve been hyper-focused on my weight and have gone in and out of binge and purge cycles.

When I moved across the country to start a graduate program, feeling uncomfortable in my skin started a new cycle.

And I gained 10 lbs in a little over one month.

I work in a hospital setting so food and nutrition are a major part of my life.

Going in and out of binge and purge cycles for years

Always trying to say the perfect thing to make everyone happy triggered old habits— Kaley, New ZealandMy first diet was in middle school.

Then in high school I started falling into binge and purge cycles.

I thought I was through with my bingeing and purging.

But all the pressure of meeting the grad students in my class and always trying to say the perfect thing to make everyone happy triggered old habits.

My worst days are when I’m caught in binge and purge cycles

I really wanted to start this chapter of my life without disordered eating— Kaley, New ZealandAnd they look like this:

skip breakfast but drink a lot of coffee
skip lunch
no exercise
then around 2 or 3 pm I’m starving
so I get take out or eat all the snack type things (not a real meal) that I can find in my kitchen or at convenience stores
then I purge
after I swear I won’t eat for the rest of the day
then, around 8 pm, I find something else to eat

And the whole cycle starts again.

I really wanted
to start this chapter of my life
without disordered eating.

Getting on a better path

I wanted to get healthy so I don't waste anymore time worrying about my weight or feeling hungry— Kaley, New ZealandWhen I found myself restricting and then stuck in the vicious binge and purge cycle, I went online to figure out how to stop.

That’s how I found Kelly’s article about how she overcame bulimia.

I wanted to get healthy and spend my time talking to people, entertaining, going to restaurants, reading and hiking—rather than feeling hungry or worrying about my weight.

Right in our Discovery Call I signed up to work with Kelly.

No more wasting time in the binge and purge cycles!

In just the first week I felt a million times better.

Kelly’s HAPPY Weight Method helped me make eating simple.

Instead of:

skipping breakfast
just having a bit at lunch
then overeating in the afternoon

Which led to bingeing and purging at night…

Kelly immediately helped me get into a routine that was easy for my lifestyle and included all the food I love to eat.

Breaking the perfectionist mindset changed everything for me— Kaley, New ZealandAlso, this simple way of eating gave me more energy.

Kelly helped me break the perfectionist mindset, which changed everything for me.

Before I’d get hung up on little things that weren’t perfect, and they stopped me from doing BIG things!

Feeling good about my routine has allowed me to enjoy other people because I’m not worrying about all the time-consuming and exhausting behaviors in the binge and purge cycles.

Kelly’s anti-diet method helped me break the binge and purge cycles

Now I know you don’t have to drastically restrict your diet or cut anything out.

Now food is a complete afterthought— Kaley, New ZealandAnd change doesn’t have to be cold turkey.

Just making small changes and and using Kelly’s method guarantees progress because it keeps you moving in the right direction.

Being mad at yourself doesn’t actually help the situation either!

Also the routine that Kelly and I made together is easy to do anywhere and makes food a complete afterthought because I’m excited and busy with friends and the classes I’m taking and just enjoying each day.

I never thought I’d be able to stop thinking about food!

Breakthroughs since I stopped the binge and purge cycles

I don’t need to feel bad about my body or mad at myself for being human and eating!

Also, it feels amazing to not be scared to eat in front of other people.

For years I’ve covered my mouth with my hand when I chewed.

Even on long flights I wouldn’t eat on airplanes.

Overall I feel like I’m gaining more control of my life. It’s not 100% yet, but I’m getting there little by little.

Which, for the first time, makes this real change that will last.

No extremes!

Steady improvement.

And lots of momentum…

Even when I very rarely overeat, it does NOT not lead to bingeing, etc.

Stopping the binge and purge cycles is FREEDOM!

I feel like a new human.

Like I can’t even explain it in words.

I’m just completely out of my head and actually living.

I’m not over-analyzing and feeling guilty like I used to.

I can eat cake without it triggering bingeing and purging— Kaley, New ZealandInstead I can host a party at my place and enjoy the company, go to a wedding and navigate the buffet and also have cake or meet with my study group—without it triggering binge and purge cycles.

Even last year a friend send me a birthday cake and I ate the whole thing.

This year I just had a piece of cake for my birthday. Enjoyed it. And moved on.

What a difference!

And Kelly’s given me the tools to make these situations easier for myself too.

She’s taught me how to set myself up for success!

I feel liberated.

And my face is less poofy too.

Why I love working with Kelly

All of a sudden I have a sister/friend/mentor who cares about me— Kaley, New ZealandAll of a sudden I have a sister/friend/mentor who cares about me ❤️ enough to support me when I regress but also to push me when there is potential.

And I just want to say, Kelly you are so awesome for putting yourself out there and sharing your story and helping people like me overcome the binge and purge cycles.