Recovering male anorexic here. Such an inspiring video, mate. My story is very similar - going from overweight to dangerously thin. Nice to see men sharing their experiences with this awful, self-hating illness. Thank you!
I also began weight training just under 2 months ago and it has helped me both mentally and physically in accepting myself as well as feeding/taking care of myself.
When you said “id cry myself to sleep hoping that i could one day become normal again “ i felt that and immediately started crying 😔 I really want to get better mentally and accept myself but my mind won’t allow me too
I wouldn't wish an eating disorder on my worst enemy, it screws with who you are to the point where you can lose everything. When it comes to guys and eating disorders, it seems like we become really tied into bodybuilding while we suffer or recover. I've made a lot of gains thanks to the brilliant energy you feel in recovery, but I've become addicted to getting bigger, I don't know where to draw the line, and ultimately, I'm scared of relapsing, controlling my nutrition and going back to the awful state I was once in. I think I'm not the only one with this deep rooted fear
+Erik TheElectric I love your videos, i saw your other videos, and like the comment above i never would have guessed either. it was a big shock it broke my heart. but i'm glad that you're healthy and happy now.
really people...having an eating disorder is no joke, i never had one.. but i cannot imagine how mentally taxing it is to go through something like that then recover. Good job man, ignore the negativity and stay strong
What struck me the most about this, having seen you around a lot in the forums back in the day and having followed your early v-logs somewhat, is just how much you have changed. I kept clicking back to the beginning of the video and looking at current you, then going back to where I was and looking at old you. You have accomplished the monumental, to be sure. Great job, and keep pursuing the things you love man.
You poor thing! You're such a beautiful human. Glad you're strong again!! Very brave for sharing. It's usually just girls but more and more guys are coming out and sharing their hidden stories.
This is the first ive heard or seen of this video Erik & im really proud o see how far you have come! i too have a past of anorexia/bulimia.i still suffer from low self estem & negative body image plus anxiety.thanks for the inspiration!
I see pictures of myself when I was anorexic and I get scared too. I really thought I was overweight when I was about 100lbs, 22lbs underweight. I still have BDD so it's hard to believe I wasn't standing in a special way to look skinnier. I do not find myself obese anymore, but still think I have extreme broad shoulders and that I don't look like a girl. The mental recovery is the hardest thing ever...
wow. my story is eerily similar to yours. started at the doctors as well. told me i was overweight and it crushed me. I was so determined to prove him wrong and make him look dumb but i wasnt smart about it at all. I would deprive myself to 1,000 calories a day on vigirous exercise. all that mattered to me was the number on the scale and that it was lower everytime i stepped on it. this would then lead to binge eating and making me feel even worse about myself. I had no social life. I didnt want to to anything. It caused severe depression. Constantly lifting my shirt up in the mirror to make sure i wasnt fat. The more skin and bones i saw the better. I was in severe denial to everyone around me including my family and friends when they were just trying to help me. I felt like everyone was teaming up on me instead of recieving their help. This went on for a long time. Everyday was a constant battle with food. My weight would fluctuate like crazy after binge eating so i would not eat for the whole next day. I was all the way down to 110 pounds at the age of 16. I thought this was a good thing. numerous stress tests and doctors visits followed. i was very sick, mentally and physically. With tons of help from family and friends i realized i had a major problem and that was the biggest step in my recovery. It was very embaressing being diagnosed with anorexia because everyone links that to women and girls. It is a very serious condition and one that should not be taken lightly. I applaud you very much for this video man. Me and you both overcame it! if youre suffering from this please dont be afraid to admit you have a problem and get help!
Thank you for sharing Erik. I found myself tearing up several times. This was incredibly brave and honest of you to share. May God bless and keep you safe always.
I am almost 18 years old. I am still 5' 3''. I was anorexic from December last year until June this year. Before my anorexia and bulimia, I weight 96 pounds. During the summer, I weight 67 pounds. I exercised 30 minutes every day, limited myself to 100 calories, and only ate vegetables. During graduation, everyone was telling me to eat because I would die if I didn't. Of course, I did not listen. I was proud.. because I was always "the skinny girl". People came to me personally during graduation and told me that they hoped I would get better, and told me how skinny I was. People called me a skeleton, a walking stick, or just bones. Honestly, then, that made me so happy. Anorexia messed with my brain.. I felt so sick. My skin on my face was light green and blue. I hardly had any fat on my legs.. But I was proud still. During mid- June, I was on the way to the hospital because I was showing/having signs of a heart attack. I blacked out when the police arrived (my dad was speeding). I was in the hospital when I woke up, and my heart rate was about 120 with a blood pressure of more than 140. Back then, my HR was less than 60 with less than 60 blood pressure. Luckily, I only had an anxiety attack. If the police didn't arrive, I would have died the doctors said.. Even with a panic attack. It was so bad that I could not walk.. I was so sore and in so much pain.. I had all the symptoms of anorexia and bulimia. I have been in recovery since July, I was on a diet of 3000 calories but I hated it then because I did not like the effects.. I've relapsed 3 times.. But this time, I am hoping to gain weight along with muscle and trying to eat 900 calories a day. I want to say thanks to Erik and many other people who have inspired me to recover. And to those who are recovering, you can do it! It takes time, so you have to be patient. It pays off in the end. I believe anyone can recover if they are determined to do it.
You will need to eat more than 900 calories because you need around 1500-2000 which sounds scary and a lot buts its healthy. But for now you got this keep going you will get there x
It's interesting that we can get so obsessed in how we look when people don't give a shit about how you look. Everyone is conscious about how themselves look but don't care about how others look. When I go to the store I see fat people skinny people and fit people, and I don't give two shits about how any of them look. But still I'm worried about how I look, it's very ironic I must say.
EmptySpace Well in my case because of anorexic tendencies I tend to compare if there is someone really skinny I'd always want to be as skinny as them or skinnier. It empowered me if I was skinnier that everybody else. This disorder made my mindset really disgusting, but even with my warped vision of my body, I see everybody else's normally. I'm recovered though but the thoughts still come back every so often, although not as severe.
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Anorexia is very rare in men but my brother had a very similar story and you remind me so much of him in this video. I am so happy that you got help when you did. My brother went on way too long with anorexia and bulimia and he spiraled out of control and turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with his depression and anxiety. He went to several treatment centers and finally got clean and hasn't binged or purged for 9 months now !
Thank you for sharing. I remember using intermittent fasting as an excuse as to why I wasn't eating at normal times. When I did have my "feeding window" I would barley eat. I'm so proud of you for where you're at now.
This is seriously so inspiring. Im currently diagnosed as annorexic. I was 160 and in a matter of 4 months i dropped to 103. I was admitted into the hospital for a week because my heart rate also dropped into the 20s. Ever since i got out, keeping up with everything has been hard. Especially since im an athlete. The break is killing me. Thank you so much for posting this.
I can completely connect with you Erik. Anorexia enveloped my life for a good two years, and led me on a path toward two more years of weight gain and loss. Luckily however, I have now made an almost full recovery and have a balanced, healthy relationship with food. Your videos are not only fun and interesting to watch, but provide lots of motivation (even for females). Now I am proud to say that after being at both ends of the spectrum for many years, I am now the healthiest I've ever been at 5'8 and 130 pounds. I've obtained my second degree black belt in taekwondo and am now beginning weight training again for the first time in a year or two. Proud of us man.
Oh my gosh. i cried and cried watching this video. I developed an eating disorder when going on my journey to lose weight. I did not expect to develop a disorder, but I never found someone who could relate. Wow. I love you Erik!
philipx550 do you have a goal weight or are you happy with where you’re at? i mean sure happiness is important, but i’m honestly very concerned about your weight, it’s really really low for your height. i really don’t mean to make you feel insecure or anything but i’d suggest gaining some weight for you health and well-being. :)))
Im also recovering from anorexia and depression and though I've watched so many videos on recovery, this one was very inspirational. When you said, 'I was that weird kid, and i had a full blown eating disorder and tried to hide it and everybody knew it,' I connected with that so much. That was me last year. Hang in there!
Erik - I've lived this journey as well. I am so proud of you and I hope you are of yourself as well. It's not easy - the echos still haunt me. But, I am another survivor. I had different reasons (struggling with identity) but I get it. It's a battle, but we've overcome it. Thank you for this video.
My eating disorder started about 3 or 4 years ago. I went from overweight, depressed and insecure, to skinny, happy and confident. But then, I became depressed and insecure once again and I turned into a living skeleton. I'm getting professional help right now. The nutritionist who gives me my meal plans has helped me tremendously, I am truly grateful to her. I really want to be happy again, just like when I was a toddler. I miss that part of myself.
this is so inspiring. i too am a recovering anorexic and i think its a horrible illness to have. you're so strong and i really am proud of you, you've given me strength to continue with recovery. thank you Erik x
watching this 5 years later but when he mentioned going onto concerta; that hit home for me. i am recently recovering from anorexia, i was pretty much recovered for about a year until i went on concerta for my adhd in february. it was the first med i tried and i was excited to finally have ‘control’ over my adhd. i was 150lbs when i started, and only a few weeks later i was 120lbs. i was rapidly losing weight and didnt have an appetite for anything. it triggered my eating disorder thoughts and now, almost 5 months off of concerta, im still trying to recover from my eating disorder AGAIN. it was terrifying and frustrating. but thank you for sharing your story, erik. im glad somebody felt the way i did.
I've been watching you for months now and this just showed up on my recommended. You the real MVP my man, glad to see you eating all those donuts and candy these days!
You're so brave for uploading this kind of video, and I hope you know how much people out there appreciate the fact that you shared your story and allowed them to find something to relate to, inspire them, and help them realize that you're not alone. Your courage in being so open is truly making a difference.
So amazing dude! It was like watching my own life. Had gyno, got surgery, struggled with eating, was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, relapsed multiple times, and am now strength training/managing recovery. Keep going! It's so nice to know that other males have struggled with the same terrible disorder!
i came across your channel last week because i love food challenge videos because i love the idea of just being able to eat all that food, you know? i’m also a male with anorexia and it just made me feel so much less alone to be surprised nearly to tears by this playlist of yours. this is so inspiring to me and you’re so amazing to be sharing this story with us. i hope one day i can be as far along as you and as free as you. you are an inspiration to me and it warms my heart.
You're such an inspiration for me. I am suffering from anorexia as well and i know how hard it is. But you can be so so proud of you! Thanks a lot for being such an inspiration :) stay strong!
I have so much respect for you for making this video. I've been struggling with an ED for a long time and even though I know I'm not the only guy, it's still eye opening to hear another guy talk about it. I wish you all the best.
Lots of ups and downs man but you're in a good place now. Im in a similiar position where I started out big, lost weight and was and kinda still am terrified of getting gaining even though im small. Very relatable story so far, cant wait for the next one.
Andres Chavez I know exactly where your at.. I started out large and found running. I dropped weight so quickly and could eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. I ended up developing testicular cancer and after my chemo treatments I couldn't run like I did before without pain. I became so afraid I would become large again that I started counting my calories and weighing my food obsessively. Living alone made it easier to adapt to my new habits and eventually i started to avoid social outings because I couldn't control my environment in regards to food. When I would have people over for dinner, I found myself cooking for others in a way I would love to eat like by adding extra butter and cheese to dishes. But when it came to me I would avoid those items at all cost. Like others I discovered intermittent fasting and dropped to my lowest weight. At the age of 31 I was 121lbs. Not only did I start this regimen but I also began to chew and spit food which eventually led me to bulimic bouts every now and again. When I visited home one for Christmas, my parents became concerned due to my drastic weight loss since they last saw me and hooked me up with a personal trainer in my town. I am pleased to say that after a few months of lifting and eating right I am at 145lbs but with muscle. I still struggle to be comfortable with this weight but I know its for the best. I am not going to lie and say that I don't obsess everyday with weight and food. I currently find myself going on benders every weekend rather than incorporating treats in my everyday life. I am so mad at myself sometimes for getting to this stage and not being able to just live like others live. I am hoping that one day soon I will be able move past this hurdle and finally overcome this issue that consumes me. What makes matters worse is that from everyone else perspective I am healthy and in shape but I know inside I am a mess.. Wasn't trying to hijack your comment but I just wanted you to know that we are out there and we can overcome this...
I know that this is a little late..but yeah. I'm 14 and I've had an eating disorder for like 14 months now and I was deeply deppressed last year. I'm not badly underweight but if I lose just a little bit more they will take me in. Before this video I had no hope at all. But you've showed me that there will be a time after this..and I kind of have a hope now. I can relate to the things you're talking about here and I don't feel alone anymore..thank you.
I'm crying, it's unthinkable what you've gone through and what you have so strongly overcome. You're an inspiration for me, and when I want to enjoy some moments on youtube, I always open your videos. Thank you Eric, enjoy life!
This is an amazing story!! I am in recovery from drug addiction (Concerta was actually a go to prescription med that I abused) and there are SO many parallels between the two. Once I got sober from the drugs, disordered eating also came up as a problem for me. Luckily the 12 steps have continuously been able to help me. Its awesome to hear that the same was true for you. Always cool to find a fellow 12 stepper :P Thank you so much for speaking out about your experience. Makes me think about opening up a little more about my struggles.
This made me cry, I relate so much to your struggles ;-; This is beautiful and you are one of my biggest inspirations ever. Keep on being you and thank you for being brave enough to share your experiences.
Thank you for the video. I had anorexia. Was a terrible time. I remember the comments but feeling a disconnect. i appreciate your sincerity humility and the obvious "well" of maturity you own
I've been watching your videos for a few months, following your threads on the forum and this is powerful and so brave. So amazing to see how far you've come and only greater things to come.
I just came out of the hospital 2 weeks ago for anorexia, I spent 13weeks in the hospital restoring my weight and I'm still 10lbs under my goal weight. Watching you helps me. I'm a 14 year 5'10 boy and I weighed 95lbs. If you see this I would love if you could respond, I understand if you don't though. Thanks a lot!
Ur so brave for sharing ur story. I have no doubt that sharing ur story will have helped more people than u could know. Keep being strong and know that U have many people who believe in u. Including a beautiful charming woman that loves u Xxx
I know what you went through. I was anorexic for about 23 years. My lowest weight was 96 pds. It started after my husband died. My friends would take me out try to cheer me up. And one so called friend said that I needed to lose weight and that my hips and tummy were to big. I took that to heart. Im 5'5 I was 130 pounds. So the diet started and went downhill from there. I tried hiding it but my mom found out. I ended up in the hospital for 3 weeks suffering from anorexia and malnutrition. It took 20 years to get above 102. Its so hard you keep slipping up. So it took having my son to finally get my life straight. I got to 115 pds and kept it for years. Then finally i got to 129 and there for two years. But now with things not going to great im back down to 110 but im not going to give up. Im glad that you didnt. Its so hard sometimes this disorder is no joke. We cant let people tell us what we should look like. Learn to love you just as you are. I think your pretty awesome. 😀
Erik, all the love in the world to you, brother. Stay strong and keep your head up! You mean more to this world than you can imagine. You are an inspiration to SO many people! #ElectricEmpireForLife
I think it's extremely brave of you to share your story with the world, especially because you're a man, and we all know that even if anorexia is widely misunderstood and despised, male anorexic are even less understood and considered as men than women. And I'll never thank you enough for that. Being a girl who suffered from anorexia for over 2 years - and has been recovered for 8 months now -, I can tell you it's people like you who helped me get through this. Thank you, and keep on being awesome.
Very impressed with how honest you have been with yourself. This is going to allow many who are suffering with the same disorder. You are an inspiration, man!
Thanks for sharing this very personal story. I was very heavy but lost so much weight… but I am becoming fearful I could be at the start of developing an eating disorder. This is very eye opening
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. You didn't have to do that personally in my opinion, but I am sure it will benefit others that are going through that struggle like you did. By the way, your videos are awesome as always...keep it up man!
That treatment of treating you like a child again, I'm glad you didn't take it the wrong way because that could give other people a complex and may even exacerbate the problem. For some girls, the eating disorder was all about control and taking away their control will lead them to an even deeper problem.
This is big stuff and very transparent and honest ! , that takes a man Erik and you will change lives with what you are doing I have been a sub for a while now and am so pleased I did , your content is fantastic from what ever angle you are delivering it from , your going going places fast mate and I wish you every success .
I’m not sure if you’ll see this but I hope you do. I have struggled with eating disorders my whole life and I’ve actually been watching your videos as recovery inspiration. I didn’t even know you were recovered from an eating disorder, I just loved your attitude toward food and physical activity. Now knowing this part of your journey, i feel it is even more possible for me to recover. Thank you so much, I’m crying as I write this. You have no clue how much you’ve affected me. Thank you
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video. I am a guy going through anorexia right now, and I feel so isolated being consumed by a "women's disease" because I see no one like me. You are so strong, physically and emotionally, and you are a huge inspiration for me. I wanna look as strong as you. Knowing someone like you has battled with anorexia like I am is so uplifting. I know that this isn't the end for me, that I can be as strong as you are.
Man, the amount of courage that it must take to share your story is incredible. You're such a strong guy and i'm really happy that you had such a great support system to help you make a positive change. I've seen you around on the bb forums and i've probably been subscribed to you for a couple of weeks and it's awesome that you can share your daily life so freely with us. Stay strong man and god bless
I had NO idea you went through this. I have also been there and recovered. It takes immense strength and thank you for helping break the stigma around male sufferers ❤
Thank you Erik for sharing your experience with us. I am on my own journey to recovery from a minor anorexia/ED. I was pretty overweight when I was younger, and with the people around me who kept judging me at that time, I took the wrong path of diet... And became underweight. My goal now is to gain back to healthy weight, and I'm not gonna lie if it wasn't for bodybuilding, I don't think I have the courage (mentally) to see myself gain back those kgs. I'm 100% sure that this video is helping numerous amount of people right now, whether they are on their journey to recovery or haven't started yet. THANK YOU Erik!
hey buddy, I'm Eric from singapore somewhere in Asia. Just wanna say that your video put out a great message and because of you I got inspired to take up road riding as a hobby.
maudsley fucked me up with flashbacks and traumatic memories just as bad as anorexia. i'm grateful to be alive though. props for having the courage to make this. stay strong brother.
You are such a strong individual and an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your struggle as well as your success in this video. The male side of eating disorders is rarely shown and I applaud you for shining your light onto the issue. Keep fighting ❤️ much love
Thank you Erik for sharing your experience. I think that you are a very strong man! Sharing these difficulties is not easy at all, only strong people can do that! Thank you!
wow im sure that none wouldve guessed that im so sorry you had to go through that and im so happy that you look better now and hopefully never have to go through it again your a very strong person to be able to do the things your doing even with having anorexia in your past im currently recoverying from an eating disorder still suffering from depression and this is just so insprational thnx for putting this
We love you Erik ❤️ Thank you for sharing I’m in recovery and I love you’re channel. My story is somewhat similar. I was overweight and my doctor told me I needed to lose weight. I did but only because of my eating disorder. It was tough.
Wow I just wanted to thank you so much for sharing your story. I relate to a lot through out your struggles. It's a terrible thing to struggle with in life but I believe it makes you a stronger person. I'm sorry if your not religious and don't mean to bring God into this but he truly gives his toughest battles to the strongest people. I'm glad you are doing better now and really touched by your story. :)
Erik, man thanks for sharing i suffered and still do from anorexia. for me from 2011 -2014 i was in and out of impatient treatment 3 times. each tim it was in Denver and i live in oregon. the first 2 times i was forced by my parents and would check myself out after 8 or so weeks. finally at the age of 23 i said fuck it in going back ad doing the whole program! this year I'm healthy, I'm stronger in the gym than ever before and back to racing motocross :) and this year was the first time to be home for Christmas and my birth day in 3 years!! being in treatment for the holidays sucks!! but I'm proud to say I'm in full recovery mode now and enjoy things like i did when i was a teen.. thanks for your story!!
Proud of you and thank you for sharing your video many people don't think guys could go thru the same thing good to know u put it out there and it might help someone to know they r not alone 👉🏻😊
The fact that doctors classify slightly chubby kids as obese is a problem too. It is scary to think you’re obese and sometimes that fear is enough to keep you pushing to be thinner and thinner. Until suddenly you’re too thin and it is a problem. Though when you first lose weight everyone is praising you so much. You want that praise. It’s like wow I’m doing great. And for me I didn’t even notice those bad habits. Maybe that’s not others issues but I feel that way
Hey Erik been a subscriber for about less than a year and I have a problem with food ( Cant call it an eating desorden because I haven’t been diagnosed with it ) and I just want to say that your story it’s inspiring and actually helped me a lot to understand why I’m going trough
I respect you so much. You are such an inspiration. I'm going into inpatient soon, and this helped me to accept it, I guess? I still don't know if I'm ready or not, but I want to try. Thank you, so much.
hey erik thank you for sharing your story with us. Your past was hard but i can tell you're doing well now. Focus on the future and the bright side of life. Never forget YOU ARE AWESOME!
im a new subscriber and im so sorry that u had to go thru this :( im 16 and have been dealing with my eating disorder since i was 10 and it sucks so much. i just started getting treated for it just about a month ago. i love u and thank u for making this video, it must’ve took a lot.
Recovering male anorexic here. Such an inspiring video, mate. My story is very similar - going from overweight to dangerously thin. Nice to see men sharing their experiences with this awful, self-hating illness. Thank you!
I also began weight training just under 2 months ago and it has helped me both mentally and physically in accepting myself as well as feeding/taking care of myself.
+Rap Goth is it still going good??
+John Doe thank you for your comment and yes it's still going good! I've been behaviour free for just over 6 months now! It's insane!
Im Recovering as well
Rap Goth how’d it go?
Dang he beat the crap out of anorexia
he could like eat 10 of them now, in a single serving.
Thousand likes, one reply...
real
Not in a good way
to become bulimic instead wbk
When you said “id cry myself to sleep hoping that i could one day become normal again “ i felt that and immediately started crying 😔 I really want to get better mentally and accept myself but my mind won’t allow me too
We are here for you, you got this!
I’m in the same boat as you were when you made this comment, hope you’re better now
@@Fablles i was :( but got bad again :(( i hope you’re better :( !!
@@bibiXo thats how it seems to be for many, including us. We just need to develop our own ways of managing these debilitating thoughts.
I wouldn't wish an eating disorder on my worst enemy, it screws with who you are to the point where you can lose everything. When it comes to guys and eating disorders, it seems like we become really tied into bodybuilding while we suffer or recover. I've made a lot of gains thanks to the brilliant energy you feel in recovery, but I've become addicted to getting bigger, I don't know where to draw the line, and ultimately, I'm scared of relapsing, controlling my nutrition and going back to the awful state I was once in. I think I'm not the only one with this deep rooted fear
Same! I relapsed. I got into bodybuilding. Gained 10kg. Got an injury. Began restricting. Ended back underweight close to dying
Same, but I don't want to go back
Hope youre doing fine in 2022 :)
i wouldn’t wish it on them because i’d be jealous
I'm recovering right now and I had no idea when I saw your other videos, I never would have guessed, you're doing amazing
+jeheeca lala Hope you're OK w your recovering! :)))
+Erik TheElectric I love your videos, i saw your other videos, and like the comment above i never would have guessed either. it was a big shock it broke my heart. but i'm glad that you're healthy and happy now.
Im also currently recovering. Anorexia almost killed me
@@hunterfagan6272 you doing good after 2 years? 😄
really people...having an eating disorder is no joke, i never had one.. but i cannot imagine how mentally taxing it is to go through something like that then recover. Good job man, ignore the negativity and stay strong
What struck me the most about this, having seen you around a lot in the forums back in the day and having followed your early v-logs somewhat, is just how much you have changed. I kept clicking back to the beginning of the video and looking at current you, then going back to where I was and looking at old you.
You have accomplished the monumental, to be sure. Great job, and keep pursuing the things you love man.
***** I'm MulattoRance - I did a lot of lurking, though, and only spoke up in
your threads once or twice, so ya might not remember me hah!
+Erik TheElectric i dont get it your still skinny 😕 u dont have 💪s but your getting there ? i guess who cares get bigger im broly and im out
You poor thing! You're such a beautiful human. Glad you're strong again!! Very brave for sharing. It's usually just girls but more and more guys are coming out and sharing their hidden stories.
Vegan What Now wtf stfu pos
This is the first ive heard or seen of this video Erik & im really proud o see how far you have come! i too have a past of anorexia/bulimia.i still suffer from low self estem & negative body image plus anxiety.thanks for the inspiration!
You went from barely eating anything to being a total beast. This is a great story good job man! 😃
Yep we Support you erikthe Electric
I see pictures of myself when I was anorexic and I get scared too. I really thought I was overweight when I was about 100lbs, 22lbs underweight. I still have BDD so it's hard to believe I wasn't standing in a special way to look skinnier. I do not find myself obese anymore, but still think I have extreme broad shoulders and that I don't look like a girl. The mental recovery is the hardest thing ever...
***** 5'7''
wow. my story is eerily similar to yours. started at the doctors as well. told me i was overweight and it crushed me. I was so determined to prove him wrong and make him look dumb but i wasnt smart about it at all. I would deprive myself to 1,000 calories a day on vigirous exercise. all that mattered to me was the number on the scale and that it was lower everytime i stepped on it. this would then lead to binge eating and making me feel even worse about myself. I had no social life. I didnt want to to anything. It caused severe depression. Constantly lifting my shirt up in the mirror to make sure i wasnt fat. The more skin and bones i saw the better. I was in severe denial to everyone around me including my family and friends when they were just trying to help me. I felt like everyone was teaming up on me instead of recieving their help. This went on for a long time. Everyday was a constant battle with food. My weight would fluctuate like crazy after binge eating so i would not eat for the whole next day. I was all the way down to 110 pounds at the age of 16. I thought this was a good thing. numerous stress tests and doctors visits followed. i was very sick, mentally and physically. With tons of help from family and friends i realized i had a major problem and that was the biggest step in my recovery. It was very embaressing being diagnosed with anorexia because everyone links that to women and girls. It is a very serious condition and one that should not be taken lightly. I applaud you very much for this video man. Me and you both overcame it! if youre suffering from this please dont be afraid to admit you have a problem and get help!
Thank you for sharing Erik. I found myself tearing up several times. This was incredibly brave and honest of you to share. May God bless and keep you safe always.
I am almost 18 years old. I am still 5' 3''. I was anorexic from December last year until June this year. Before my anorexia and bulimia, I weight 96 pounds. During the summer, I weight 67 pounds. I exercised 30 minutes every day, limited myself to 100 calories, and only ate vegetables. During graduation, everyone was telling me to eat because I would die if I didn't. Of course, I did not listen. I was proud.. because I was always "the skinny girl". People came to me personally during graduation and told me that they hoped I would get better, and told me how skinny I was. People called me a skeleton, a walking stick, or just bones. Honestly, then, that made me so happy. Anorexia messed with my brain.. I felt so sick. My skin on my face was light green and blue. I hardly had any fat on my legs.. But I was proud still. During mid- June, I was on the way to the hospital because I was showing/having signs of a heart attack. I blacked out when the police arrived (my dad was speeding). I was in the hospital when I woke up, and my heart rate was about 120 with a blood pressure of more than 140. Back then, my HR was less than 60 with less than 60 blood pressure. Luckily, I only had an anxiety attack. If the police didn't arrive, I would have died the doctors said.. Even with a panic attack. It was so bad that I could not walk.. I was so sore and in so much pain.. I had all the symptoms of anorexia and bulimia. I have been in recovery since July, I was on a diet of 3000 calories but I hated it then because I did not like the effects.. I've relapsed 3 times.. But this time, I am hoping to gain weight along with muscle and trying to eat 900 calories a day. I want to say thanks to Erik and many other people who have inspired me to recover. And to those who are recovering, you can do it! It takes time, so you have to be patient. It pays off in the end. I believe anyone can recover if they are determined to do it.
Hun, 900 kcal is not enough :c
☝🏻this person is right. 900 cals is nothing. I was similar to you. I thought i would recover on 1500 cals but needed way more for many many months
@@_eszti_9542 900 isn't even enough for a child
Keep trying tho and hopefully u can up ur intake to a normal level
You will need to eat more than 900 calories because you need around 1500-2000 which sounds scary and a lot buts its healthy. But for now you got this keep going you will get there x
It's interesting that we can get so obsessed in how we look when people don't give a shit about how you look. Everyone is conscious about how themselves look but don't care about how others look. When I go to the store I see fat people skinny people and fit people, and I don't give two shits about how any of them look. But still I'm worried about how I look, it's very ironic I must say.
EmptySpace Well in my case because of anorexic tendencies I tend to compare if there is someone really skinny I'd always want to be as skinny as them or skinnier. It empowered me if I was skinnier that everybody else. This disorder made my mindset really disgusting, but even with my warped vision of my body, I see everybody else's normally. I'm recovered though but the thoughts still come back every so often, although not as severe.
I feel the same
Major respect for sharing this dude. Overcoming an obstacle as tough as this is extremely admirable to say the LEAST. you're strong man. thanks.
I’m so happy you’re still here with us. 🖤
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Anorexia is very rare in men but my brother had a very similar story and you remind me so much of him in this video. I am so happy that you got help when you did. My brother went on way too long with anorexia and bulimia and he spiraled out of control and turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with his depression and anxiety. He went to several treatment centers and finally got clean and hasn't binged or purged for 9 months now !
Thank you for sharing. I remember using intermittent fasting as an excuse as to why I wasn't eating at normal times. When I did have my "feeding window" I would barley eat. I'm so proud of you for where you're at now.
Super proud of him opening up about his eating disorder. Males get eating disorders clearly exist and should be noticed more often.❤️
This is seriously so inspiring. Im currently diagnosed as annorexic. I was 160 and in a matter of 4 months i dropped to 103. I was admitted into the hospital for a week because my heart rate also dropped into the 20s. Ever since i got out, keeping up with everything has been hard. Especially since im an athlete. The break is killing me. Thank you so much for posting this.
I can completely connect with you Erik. Anorexia enveloped my life for a good two years, and led me on a path toward two more years of weight gain and loss. Luckily however, I have now made an almost full recovery and have a balanced, healthy relationship with food. Your videos are not only fun and interesting to watch, but provide lots of motivation (even for females). Now I am proud to say that after being at both ends of the spectrum for many years, I am now the healthiest I've ever been at 5'8 and 130 pounds. I've obtained my second degree black belt in taekwondo and am now beginning weight training again for the first time in a year or two. Proud of us man.
July 2014, I was only 120lbs.
Today, I am now 170lbs.
keep kickin' ass bro.
What ya height
At 170 lbs
@@usernotfound162 u 85kg yet bro
@@Johnneh_coming_home nah bro. How do I do it
Oh my gosh. i cried and cried watching this video. I developed an eating disorder when going on my journey to lose weight. I did not expect to develop a disorder, but I never found someone who could relate. Wow. I love you Erik!
I'm 16, 6'1 and 150 lbs. 2 years ago I was just 105 lbs. Still going for 180
*****
And you think you're doing something that won't get lost in the comment section and be forgotten?
*****
Great job dude
+Vittorio Barbati Yh Italian bitch
My username is so obnoxiously long and there is absolutely nothing you can do about the matter omggg did you reach your goalll
philipx550 do you have a goal weight or are you happy with where you’re at? i mean sure happiness is important, but i’m honestly very concerned about your weight, it’s really really low for your height. i really don’t mean to make you feel insecure or anything but i’d suggest gaining some weight for you health and well-being. :)))
Im also recovering from anorexia and depression and though I've watched so many videos on recovery, this one was very inspirational. When you said, 'I was that weird kid, and i had a full blown eating disorder and tried to hide it and everybody knew it,' I connected with that so much. That was me last year. Hang in there!
Erik - I've lived this journey as well. I am so proud of you and I hope you are of yourself as well. It's not easy - the echos still haunt me. But, I am another survivor. I had different reasons (struggling with identity) but I get it. It's a battle, but we've overcome it. Thank you for this video.
My eating disorder started about 3 or 4 years ago. I went from overweight, depressed and insecure, to skinny, happy and confident. But then, I became depressed and insecure once again and I turned into a living skeleton. I'm getting professional help right now. The nutritionist who gives me my meal plans has helped me tremendously, I am truly grateful to her. I really want to be happy again, just like when I was a toddler. I miss that part of myself.
Ady Kotidou how did you lose weight what routines did you follow
@@yung_bruh6967 are you fucking serious? Do you ask this on a video like this?
@@yung_bruh6967wtf? Get your fcking thinspo somewhere else!
Good luck on getting better
@@theanswerisyesmyfrend Thank you! It's been 2 years since my comment, and I'm doing a lot better now.
this is so inspiring. i too am a recovering anorexic and i think its a horrible illness to have. you're so strong and i really am proud of you, you've given me strength to continue with recovery. thank you Erik x
watching this 5 years later but when he mentioned going onto concerta; that hit home for me. i am recently recovering from anorexia, i was pretty much recovered for about a year until i went on concerta for my adhd in february. it was the first med i tried and i was excited to finally have ‘control’ over my adhd. i was 150lbs when i started, and only a few weeks later i was 120lbs. i was rapidly losing weight and didnt have an appetite for anything. it triggered my eating disorder thoughts and now, almost 5 months off of concerta, im still trying to recover from my eating disorder AGAIN. it was terrifying and frustrating. but thank you for sharing your story, erik. im glad somebody felt the way i did.
I've been watching you for months now and this just showed up on my recommended. You the real MVP my man, glad to see you eating all those donuts and candy these days!
You're so brave for uploading this kind of video, and I hope you know how much people out there appreciate the fact that you shared your story and allowed them to find something to relate to, inspire them, and help them realize that you're not alone. Your courage in being so open is truly making a difference.
So proud of you Eric. It's 2024 and you're doing great. Couldn't be more proud 🙌🙌
So amazing dude! It was like watching my own life. Had gyno, got surgery, struggled with eating, was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, relapsed multiple times, and am now strength training/managing recovery. Keep going! It's so nice to know that other males have struggled with the same terrible disorder!
i came across your channel last week because i love food challenge videos because i love the idea of just being able to eat all that food, you know? i’m also a male with anorexia and it just made me feel so much less alone to be surprised nearly to tears by this playlist of yours. this is so inspiring to me and you’re so amazing to be sharing this story with us. i hope one day i can be as far along as you and as free as you. you are an inspiration to me and it warms my heart.
also really relatable with the biking thing you had as i do the same with running.
I wanted to hug that little boy on the screen so bad. I am happy that you overcame this Erik. Just amazing.
You're such an inspiration for me. I am suffering from anorexia as well and i know how hard it is. But you can be so so proud of you! Thanks a lot for being such an inspiration :) stay strong!
You’re so strong for sharing your story and we are all so proud of you for overcoming theses struggles. We love you Erik ❤❤
Thank you for being so strong and sharing your story with us
I have so much respect for you for making this video. I've been struggling with an ED for a long time and even though I know I'm not the only guy, it's still eye opening to hear another guy talk about it. I wish you all the best.
RaySnaps Can I ask which one?
Lots of ups and downs man but you're in a good place now. Im in a similiar position where I started out big, lost weight and was and kinda still am terrified of getting gaining even though im small. Very relatable story so far, cant wait for the next one.
Andres Chavez I know exactly where your at.. I started out large and found running. I dropped weight so quickly and could eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. I ended up developing testicular cancer and after my chemo treatments I couldn't run like I did before without pain.
I became so afraid I would become large again that I started counting my calories and weighing my food obsessively. Living alone made it easier to adapt to my new habits and eventually i started to avoid social outings because I couldn't control my environment in regards to food.
When I would have people over for dinner, I found myself cooking for others in a way I would love to eat like by adding extra butter and cheese to dishes. But when it came to me I would avoid those items at all cost. Like others I discovered intermittent fasting and dropped to my lowest weight. At the age of 31 I was 121lbs. Not only did I start this regimen but I also began to chew and spit food which eventually led me to bulimic bouts every now and again.
When I visited home one for Christmas, my parents became concerned due to my drastic weight loss since they last saw me and hooked me up with a personal trainer in my town. I am pleased to say that after a few months of lifting and eating right I am at 145lbs but with muscle. I still struggle to be comfortable with this weight but I know its for the best.
I am not going to lie and say that I don't obsess everyday with weight and food. I currently find myself going on benders every weekend rather than incorporating treats in my everyday life. I am so mad at myself sometimes for getting to this stage and not being able to just live like others live. I am hoping that one day soon I will be able move past this hurdle and finally overcome this issue that consumes me. What makes matters worse is that from everyone else perspective I am healthy and in shape but I know inside I am a mess..
Wasn't trying to hijack your comment but I just wanted you to know that we are out there and we can overcome this...
I am so sorry that you had to deal with all of that pain and agony. Look at you now! You are awesome Erik! Bless your heart!!!
I know that this is a little late..but yeah.
I'm 14 and I've had an eating disorder for like 14 months now and I was deeply deppressed last year. I'm not badly underweight but if I lose just a little bit more they will take me in. Before this video I had no hope at all. But you've showed me that there will be a time after this..and I kind of have a hope now. I can relate to the things you're talking about here and I don't feel alone anymore..thank you.
How r u doing now
Good for you man. We all suffer from different addictions in life.
I'm crying, it's unthinkable what you've gone through and what you have so strongly overcome. You're an inspiration for me, and when I want to enjoy some moments on youtube, I always open your videos.
Thank you Eric, enjoy life!
This is an amazing story!! I am in recovery from drug addiction (Concerta was actually a go to prescription med that I abused) and there are SO many parallels between the two. Once I got sober from the drugs, disordered eating also came up as a problem for me. Luckily the 12 steps have continuously been able to help me. Its awesome to hear that the same was true for you. Always cool to find a fellow 12 stepper :P Thank you so much for speaking out about your experience. Makes me think about opening up a little more about my struggles.
+Hannah McCreight Goodjob :) Keep it up
This made me cry, I relate so much to your struggles ;-; This is beautiful and you are one of my biggest inspirations ever. Keep on being you and thank you for being brave enough to share your experiences.
Thank you for the video. I had anorexia. Was a terrible time. I remember the comments but feeling a disconnect.
i appreciate your sincerity humility and the obvious "well" of maturity you own
I've been watching your videos for a few months, following your threads on the forum and this is powerful and so brave. So amazing to see how far you've come and only greater things to come.
I just came out of the hospital 2 weeks ago for anorexia, I spent 13weeks in the hospital restoring my weight and I'm still 10lbs under my goal weight. Watching you helps me. I'm a 14 year 5'10 boy and I weighed 95lbs. If you see this I would love if you could respond, I understand if you don't though. Thanks a lot!
Ur so brave for sharing ur story. I have no doubt that sharing ur story will have helped more people than u could know. Keep being strong and know that U have many people who believe in u. Including a beautiful charming woman that loves u Xxx
you are so strong. Keep it up! And you look amazing. And handsome ofc lol :)
I know what you went through. I was anorexic for about 23 years. My lowest weight was 96 pds. It started after my husband died. My friends would take me out try to cheer me up. And one so called friend said that I needed to lose weight and that my hips and tummy were to big. I took that to heart. Im 5'5 I was 130 pounds. So the diet started and went downhill from there. I tried hiding it but my mom found out. I ended up in the hospital for 3 weeks suffering from anorexia and malnutrition. It took 20 years to get above 102. Its so hard you keep slipping up. So it took having my son to finally get my life straight. I got to 115 pds and kept it for years. Then finally i got to 129 and there for two years. But now with things not going to great im back down to 110 but im not going to give up. Im glad that you didnt. Its so hard sometimes this disorder is no joke. We cant let people tell us what we should look like. Learn to love you just as you are. I think your pretty awesome. 😀
Kimberly Couch dont give upp
Kimberly Couch that’s literally my weight right now and I’m only 13. I’m underweight I supposed but I really feel bad for you. 😢
Erik, all the love in the world to you, brother. Stay strong and keep your head up! You mean more to this world than you can imagine. You are an inspiration to SO many people! #ElectricEmpireForLife
Wow. Hard path to have walked down, but now, you are that much stronger and wiser. What a beautiful human. Inspirational
I get a weird, nostalgic feeling when I watch this video. For some reason, your videos were comforting to me when I had anorexia.
I think it's extremely brave of you to share your story with the world, especially because you're a man, and we all know that even if anorexia is widely misunderstood and despised, male anorexic are even less understood and considered as men than women. And I'll never thank you enough for that. Being a girl who suffered from anorexia for over 2 years - and has been recovered for 8 months now -, I can tell you it's people like you who helped me get through this.
Thank you, and keep on being awesome.
You are so amazing. I'm very proud of the ways you handled it and thank for uploading all videos. I'm glad that I found your channel.
Already recovered from anorexia and bulimia mostly and now I try to recover from binge eating. Thanks for sharing your story. Stay strong.
Very impressed with how honest you have been with yourself. This is going to allow many who are suffering with the same disorder. You are an inspiration, man!
Anytime, Erik! Proud of how far you've come.
Thanks for sharing this very personal story. I was very heavy but lost so much weight… but I am becoming fearful I could be at the start of developing an eating disorder. This is very eye opening
Same people tend to say no you don’t have a EDO your overweight but then when you loose to much weight they start to care it’s crazy
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. You didn't have to do that personally in my opinion, but I am sure it will benefit others that are going through that struggle like you did.
By the way, your videos are awesome as always...keep it up man!
That treatment of treating you like a child again, I'm glad you didn't take it the wrong way because that could give other people a complex and may even exacerbate the problem. For some girls, the eating disorder was all about control and taking away their control will lead them to an even deeper problem.
This is big stuff and very transparent and honest ! , that takes a man Erik and you will change lives with what you are doing I have been a sub for a while now and am so pleased I did , your content is fantastic from what ever angle you are delivering it from , your going going places fast mate and I wish you every success .
I’m not sure if you’ll see this but I hope you do. I have struggled with eating disorders my whole life and I’ve actually been watching your videos as recovery inspiration. I didn’t even know you were recovered from an eating disorder, I just loved your attitude toward food and physical activity. Now knowing this part of your journey, i feel it is even more possible for me to recover. Thank you so much, I’m crying as I write this. You have no clue how much you’ve affected me. Thank you
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video. I am a guy going through anorexia right now, and I feel so isolated being consumed by a "women's disease" because I see no one like me. You are so strong, physically and emotionally, and you are a huge inspiration for me. I wanna look as strong as you. Knowing someone like you has battled with anorexia like I am is so uplifting. I know that this isn't the end for me, that I can be as strong as you are.
Man, the amount of courage that it must take to share your story is incredible. You're such a strong guy and i'm really happy that you had such a great support system to help you make a positive change. I've seen you around on the bb forums and i've probably been subscribed to you for a couple of weeks and it's awesome that you can share your daily life so freely with us.
Stay strong man and god bless
Took so much courage man... I support you and all of us do. Proud man.
This is awesome for you to share, seriously you're an awesome guy and I've even started biking because of your vids man, keep going strong
I had NO idea you went through this. I have also been there and recovered. It takes immense strength and thank you for helping break the stigma around male sufferers ❤
I had the gynocomastia surgery too and it changed my life
Thank you Erik for sharing your experience with us. I am on my own journey to recovery from a minor anorexia/ED. I was pretty overweight when I was younger, and with the people around me who kept judging me at that time, I took the wrong path of diet... And became underweight. My goal now is to gain back to healthy weight, and I'm not gonna lie if it wasn't for bodybuilding, I don't think I have the courage (mentally) to see myself gain back those kgs.
I'm 100% sure that this video is helping numerous amount of people right now, whether they are on their journey to recovery or haven't started yet.
THANK YOU Erik!
hey buddy, I'm Eric from singapore somewhere in Asia. Just wanna say that your video put out a great message and because of you I got inspired to take up road riding as a hobby.
Man much respect for making this video! Keep up the great videos on your channel! You are a great guy brother!
maudsley fucked me up with flashbacks and traumatic memories just as bad as anorexia. i'm grateful to be alive though.
props for having the courage to make this. stay strong brother.
You are such a strong individual and an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your struggle as well as your success in this video. The male side of eating disorders is rarely shown and I applaud you for shining your light onto the issue. Keep fighting ❤️ much love
Thank you Erik for sharing your experience. I think that you are a very strong man! Sharing these difficulties is not easy at all, only strong people can do that! Thank you!
I absolutely love you for this . So much courage and strength to do this 🙏🏾❤️ Your recovery, journey, and story is amazing . More Life To You 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Thank you for sharing this. My heart breaks watching this. I'm so glad that you're healthy and happy now, you're amazing.
Mate, respect to you for sharing
Eric, i know EXACTLY how you feel. You are a Big motivation! Keep on doing what you are doing
wow im sure that none wouldve guessed that im so sorry you had to go through that and im so happy that you look better now and hopefully never have to go through it again your a very strong person to be able to do the things your doing even with having anorexia in your past im currently recoverying from an eating disorder still suffering from depression and this is just so insprational thnx for putting this
We love you Erik ❤️ Thank you for sharing I’m in recovery and I love you’re channel. My story is somewhat similar. I was overweight and my doctor told me I needed to lose weight. I did but only because of my eating disorder. It was tough.
Good for you for not quitting 🏴
I feel so sorry for you, im very happy you're recovering, keep up the good work man dont let people take you down!
Wow I just wanted to thank you so much for sharing your story. I relate to a lot through out your struggles. It's a terrible thing to struggle with in life but I believe it makes you a stronger person. I'm sorry if your not religious and don't mean to bring God into this but he truly gives his toughest battles to the strongest people. I'm glad you are doing better now and really touched by your story. :)
Erik, man thanks for sharing i suffered and still do from anorexia. for me from 2011 -2014 i was in and out of impatient treatment 3 times. each tim it was in Denver and i live in oregon. the first 2 times i was forced by my parents and would check myself out after 8 or so weeks. finally at the age of 23 i said fuck it in going back ad doing the whole program! this year I'm healthy, I'm stronger in the gym than ever before and back to racing motocross :) and this year was the first time to be home for Christmas and my birth day in 3 years!! being in treatment for the holidays sucks!! but I'm proud to say I'm in full recovery mode now and enjoy things like i did when i was a teen.. thanks for your story!!
Mad respect could never bring myself to watch this video because I knew it was going to be sad but mad respect to you.
Proud of you and thank you for sharing your video many people don't think guys could go thru the same thing good to know u put it out there and it might help someone to know they r not alone 👉🏻😊
The fact that doctors classify slightly chubby kids as obese is a problem too. It is scary to think you’re obese and sometimes that fear is enough to keep you pushing to be thinner and thinner. Until suddenly you’re too thin and it is a problem. Though when you first lose weight everyone is praising you so much. You want that praise. It’s like wow I’m doing great. And for me I didn’t even notice those bad habits. Maybe that’s not others issues but I feel that way
Hey Erik been a subscriber for about less than a year and I have a problem with food ( Cant call it an eating desorden because I haven’t been diagnosed with it ) and I just want to say that your story it’s inspiring and actually helped me a lot to understand why I’m going trough
I respect you so much. You are such an inspiration.
I'm going into inpatient soon, and this helped me to accept it, I guess? I still don't know if I'm ready or not, but I want to try. Thank you, so much.
hey erik thank you for sharing your story with us. Your past was hard but i can tell you're doing well now.
Focus on the future and the bright side of life.
Never forget YOU ARE AWESOME!
Erik I’m so proud of you thanks for sharing your story man we support you
You´re amazing! I stand just before this journey you talk about.
Never give up!
im a new subscriber and im so sorry that u had to go thru this :( im 16 and have been dealing with my eating disorder since i was 10 and it sucks so much. i just started getting treated for it just about a month ago. i love u and thank u for making this video, it must’ve took a lot.
You strong . Im so proud of you . My sister also had anorexia
You are a very strong person . Im glad you got through it
Wowwww I had no idea!!!! Massive ups to you for putting this video online, you're so awesome!!! Thanks so much for sharing!
This is so raw. I love this
Respect for U.
Respect for anyone who dares to tell about themselves and their problems.
Now i understand why u eat do much.
U have my support.
Erik! I hope you know that you are helping recovering people like me to eat more, and that’s even before I found this out about you.