“I thought I didn’t look good, but I couldn’t stop losing weight” | Stories behind the news

Do you feel as small/big as you?

“This varies. I have Lyme disease, which often makes me experience general malaise. Lyme causes me constant pain in my muscles. I can only walk short distances and cannot stand on my feet for long. I even have a disabled chair in the bathroom. In this regard Sometimes I feel like I’m 80. Mentally I feel too young. I had anorexia from the age of 15 to 25. I skipped a lot of my childhood because of this, and now I’m catching up with it. When it comes to dating, for example, I’m Too late; I had my first kiss and sexual experience long after my friends.”

When exactly did your eating disorder begin?

“When I was 15, I was very insecure about my body. Like many teens, I wasn’t feeling well and I was very insecure. When a teacher said to me, ‘Hey Josh Daniel, you’ve gained so much in such a short time,’ the switch went off. In my mind. I had to lose weight. At that time, my dad – who was living in America at that time – was dieting a lot. He followed a diet where he lost 10 kilos in 6 weeks. I decided to give it a try too and it worked. I lost weight Very quickly and I was able to get rid of it. In the end I passed.”

“I saw in the mirror that I lost a lot of weight. I thought I didn’t look good, but I couldn’t stop losing weight. It became an obsession, my surroundings didn’t know anything about it. An eating disorder is not recognized if you are still at a healthy weight. It hasn’t gone down. I put on a lot of weight after I was 19 until people started to worry, but even in clinics you’re not taken seriously unless you’re underweight. I find this to be a problem, because the eating disorder often starts much earlier. “.

“I’ve had countless hospital admissions and after my 25th birthday I finally overcame my illness. I don’t want to tell you what my weight was at the slightest point, because I don’t want others to compare themselves to me. I once read in a magazine that Sylvie Miss She has a certain weight and then I did everything to reach that weight. Fortunately, I am now at a healthy weight. My therapists told me that I would never fully recover from my eating disorder and that it would be something I would carry with me for the rest of my life. However, I am now completely convinced that I will not go back. Start “.

Do you have a beauty secret?

“Not exactly, I’m a huge fan of self-tanners. I feel more comfortable in my skin when I have a tan. I do my work remotely and that’s why I’m partly in Amsterdam and partly in the south of France, so these days, I tan a little bit anyway because of the sun French. I also think that good skin care is very important. I’ve been more aware of this since I was 30. Fortunately, the French drugstore has the best brands, so I’m trying it now.”

What do you like most about yourself?

“My appearance and open attitude. I try to live without prejudice and I think I radiate it. My friends recently told me they thought it was so special that they actually told their entire life story in the first half hour they met, when they normally would never. I make myself Vulnerable and because of that others automatically dare to be much more sensitive.”

“In appearance, I feel good about my hands. My fingers look graceful and my nails are naturally very long. I usually get the most compliments on my hands.”

What are you least happy about?

“If I could change anything, it would be my Lyme. It’s something that really affects my life. It sometimes makes me feel less than the rest and can also make me insecure in relationships. When I’m dating a guy I always think, ‘Just wait. It’s not going to be that way’ The ease if you have to live with me. I’ve always been very insecure about my small breasts. Fortunately, I now see the benefits of that: You don’t have to wear a bra and they don’t get hung up so quickly either.”

Are you where you wish you were?

“In part, I’m so grateful for the work I’m doing now. The fact that I’ve recovered from my eating disorder is already a big thing, but I think it’s better now that I help others with this. In terms of my health, I still have a lot of yards to go. Still Lyme has a huge impact on my daily life and I would like to see that change. I will soon start ozone therapy, and hopefully this treatment will make me feel a little better.”

What makes you young?

Parties and monsters! I love to go out and meet new people. That’s why I date a lot at the moment. Meeting new people keeps you young and broadens your horizons.”

Do you have a life lesson?

“Recovering from an eating disorder is worth it. You’ll never regret it if you really give it a chance. Doomsday scenarios you might have in your head don’t really come true. You can’t die of anxiety, you can die of an eating disorder.” Book Rehabilitation, rewiring, recovery! By Tabitha Farrar Helped me a lot in my recovery. We hope this also benefits other girls or boys with eating disorders.”

Do you also want to be in this department? We are still looking for a nice female in her 30’s. Especially also if you are 50, 60 or older. As long as you are comfortable in your own skin! Send an email with your name, phone number, motivation and two current photos (one and one photo) to [email protected]†