Try GOLD - Free
The Eating Disorder: Nobody Talks About
Essentials
|April 2020
Gripped by a dangerous eating disorder, Cara Davis was bingeing on 30 000kJ a day. Here she reveals how she transformed her life

We all have those days when we don’t eat as healthily as we should. Maybe you have an extra biscuit with your cup of tea, a few squares of chocolate at your desk at work. But not so long ago, when I felt my willpower waiver, I’d gorge on whole cakes, an entire loaf of bread and multiple packets of chips – and no matter how full I was, I just kept going. As a child, I was chubby and even though my parents told me it was puppy fat, I only got bigger in my teens. I had a sweet tooth, so I’d spend my pocket money on sweets. I knew I was heavier than other girls my age; while my friends wore crop tops, I hid my shape in baggy dresses. So self-conscious, I was just 14 when I started counting kilojoules. I’d pack a salad for school lunch but, while my intentions were good, it never lasted. In the following years, I tried countless diets – from Atkins and juicing to taking pills to suppress my appetite. I’d lose a few kilos, but then I’d give in to my cravings and put it all back on.
When I went to varsity in 2005, aged 19, I was 83kg. Then, in 2006, a friend suggested that I try meal replacements. She explained that by drinking shakes instead of eating meals, I’d cut my kilojoule intake to 2 500kJ a day, losing large amounts of weight in a short time. Willing to try anything, I signed up. Immediately, my weight plummeted – I lost 5kg in the first week. Friends complimented me on my new shape and when my boyfriend, Zack*, came to visit, he hardly recognised me. Six weeks later, I’d shrunk from a size 16 to a 12. I was doing so well that, three months after starting the diet, having shed almost 20kg, I reasoned that I could treat myself. So I bought a chocolate. As I ate the first bite, it was like I was trying chocolate for the first time – I’d forgotten how delicious it was! And within seconds
This story is from the April 2020 edition of Essentials.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Essentials

Essentials
Find Balance In A Wired World
Tech was supposed to make life easier, but have our days got more, not less, pressured? Here’s how to reclaim your time and your sanity by managing your online habits
4 mins
June 2020
Essentials
Food To Boost Your Mood
Are you feeling stressed out or lacking energy? Turns out can eat your way to happiness
1 mins
June 2020

Essentials
Are You Eating Your Emotions?
Lots of us reach for food when we’re down, stressed or tired. Here’s why we do it – and how to break the cycle, fast!
5 mins
June 2020

Essentials
‘I dream of having A VINEYARD'
AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS SCARLETT JOHANSSON ON PLAYING COMPLEX FEMALE CHARACTERS, RAISING HER DAUGHTER AND CO-PARENTING AFTER A DIVORCE
4 mins
June 2020

Essentials
MEAL MAKEOVER 'FRIED' CHICKEN
MEAL MAKEOVER 'FRIED' CHICKEN
2 mins
June 2020

Essentials
FOCUS ON AVOIDING GERMS
Staying well has become our biggest priority. Fight the nasties with this expert insight
4 mins
June 2020

Essentials
HOW DO YOU FIND LOVE IN THE MIDDLE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC?
Life as we know it has changed – with social distancing and curfews putting nights out on hold, we find out if romance is off the table, too
4 mins
June 2020

Essentials
DITCH THE GUILT FOR GOOD
Are you carrying remorse, regret and guilt around with you? You’re not alone...
3 mins
June 2020

Essentials
DON'T TELL ME I CAN'T LAUNCH MY OWN BUSINESS AGED 40
BUSY MOM LUCY PARLEY WANTED TO EMBRACE HER CREATIVITY
3 mins
June 2020

Essentials
Don't Tell Me I Can't: Rediscover My Childhood Hobby
Esther Wane realised it was a shame to leave her talents in the past
3 mins
April 2020
Translate
Change font size