About Star LaBranche, Author of "Binge Eating Recovery"

My name is Star LaBranche and I'm so excited to be writing for the new blog, Binge Eating Recovery. I've struggled with my weight and body image my entire life. Although my eating problems went unnoticed for years, I was finally diagnosed with overeating and food addiction (now known as binge eating disorder) a few years ago. Since then, it's been a journey of discovery to find a way to eat, be healthy and feel comfortable in my own skin. It hasn't been easy and there are always setbacks, but I'm on the right path.

The Start of My Eating Disorder

I first noticed that I was fat in second grade. I immediately started imposing diet restrictions on myself and telling myself that if I only lost weight, my life would improve. As a teenager, things got even worse. I started comfort eating and ended up gaining about 40 pounds in a very short period of time. Determined to lose the weight and at a loss for how to do it, I decided to starve myself. I lost 70 pounds in about five months and everyone around me was eager to tell me how great I looked and what a good job I was doing.

Binge Eating During College

During college I managed to keep a handle on my weight. But after I graduated an episode of major bipolar depression set in; I gained weight very rapidly. I ended up being 315 lbs and helpless to stop myself from eating. At the time, the only thing that made me happy was food and I had to be eating to maintain that happiness. In 2012, I underwent gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. Since then I have lost over 100 lbs and have gone from a size 24 to a size 14.

On the Right Track to Binge Eating Recovery

Since my surgery I've had to relearn how to eat and clean up my act as my new stomach comes with certain restrictions. My hope is that my writing will help to encourage others to face their problems, find common grounds for starting a dialog about eating disorders and know that they're not alone in dealing with these issues. Eating disorders are an everyday struggle. But with support and education, we can learn to cope and live full and wonderful lives.

More about Star LaBranche and Binge Eating Disorder

Find Star on Twitter, Google+, and on her personal blog.