Desk Report:
Nowadays, controlling weight is a huge task. Added to this are various diseases like thyroid, PCOS, PCOD, ADHD, eating disorders, etc. which have made this journey of controlling weight even more difficult. However, despite all this, a woman named Emma Hooker has proven that it is possible to win the fight against weight through determination and will. She is now a successful nutritionist and fitness coach.
She was suffering from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and eating disorder at the same time. Despite this, she has lost 72 kg by fighting obesity.
Sharing her experience on Instagram, Emma wrote that due to ADHD, her eating habits were completely irregular. Sometimes she would be excessively addicted to one food, and then after a few days, she would be completely averse to that food. This resulted in a tendency to go without food for a long time, and then suddenly eat abnormally.
In Emma’s words, “I used to think that I lacked willpower. I was lazy. In fact, I couldn’t stick to anything because I didn’t want to. But after a long time, I realized that my ADHD was complicating things.”
To break this cycle, she started a new strategy for meal planning. She has two or three specific food options for each day, so that there is variety and no stress on the brain. She uses a timer to keep track of meal times. At the same time, she also learns to understand her hunger signals. She realizes that when she is upset, she eats more than necessary.
Because she has an eating disorder, Emma used to eat when she was upset, angry, or sad, even if she wasn’t hungry. But now, before reaching for food, she asks herself if she really needs to eat right now. Or does she need something else right now? Like walking, listening to music, drinking water, or resting. Emma says that this tendency to question herself before eating something has now helped her realize that she doesn’t always want food.
Another realization she has is that categorizing food as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ increases feelings of guilt. On the contrary, eating a balanced diet with her favorite foods doesn’t make her feel deprived. Emma says, ‘I used to eat well all day, then overeat at night. I felt like I had ruined all my progress. Now I don’t punish myself anymore. I start over.’
She has made it a habit to look at the menu before going to a restaurant. This reduces the pressure of options and makes it easier to make decisions. Gradually, she has been able to develop a healthy relationship with food.
Her change is not limited to losing weight. Despite losing 72 kg, she says that she still has a long way to go. She says, ‘Sometimes, illnesses still get the better of me. But now I know how to stop myself, show compassion. Even on days of failure, I no longer blame myself, I just get back up.’
