Compulsive exercise after binge

lb628

So I've probably eaten around 6000 calories in the past 36 hrs or so and I think it's bc I have been eating at 1600 (myRMR) and exercising for the whole week before that. However twice in this time I have had a compulsive need to exercise. I do about 45-1 hr of bleachers and running around the track. Can I still lose fat this way? The calories I ate were pretty bad.. mostly cereal, Nutella (ugh), almonds, eggs, yogurt, milk, oatmeal, pb, ice cream, pretzels, these big texas cream cheese rolls, ugh I stopped keeping track bc I was getting out of hand....like nothing was going to get in my way of scarfing everything. I get out of control. This happens only when I go home and I hate it bc I get in such awful moods around my family cause of the guilt. At least does anyone struggle with this?

msliu7911

ETA: I've deleted my previous post because after looking at some of the other topics you've posted, its pretty obvious you have a binge eating disorder.

You're not going to lose weight if you continue to binge eat. If you continue to do so and then just figure you will eat nothing the next day to even out the calories, think again. This messes with your metabolism as well as making you much more likely to just binge again out of starvation... and thus the cycle continues.

I've been through this, gained 15lbs, sought help from counseling, and I'm now finally losing the weight.

Its not something you will be able to stop yourself. Tackle the issue at the source and go seek counseling /professional help for this.

If you need to chat about it, please feel free to IM me. Hope this didn't come off harsh, just trying to help.

lb628

Either way though, I think the main thing you need to focus on is why you are binging and possibly consider finding a way to stop if its a serious problem.

I know why. It's bc going home is a trigger for me. I've even tried to get professional help with this because it IS a problem. I've been to 3 diff people who have all referred me to someone else...so I gave up. Really frustrating actually when you feel like you have a problem and not even shrinks will help.

nrvo

I think that might be considered "exercise bulimia" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exercise_bulimia)

I'm sorry going to the shrinks didn't help. Maybe there is a support group in your area?

mattschwartz01

I'll answer to this...

Can I still lose fat this way?

You will lose weight by making sure your calories out > calories in. Whether you do that by eating a smaller amount of calories or by exercising to make sure you are burning more calories, it really all ends up equal.That formula is all its about.

Wanting to workout after you've eaten a ton of food or have had a bad weekend with food is not a bad thing. I think it would be bad if every time you ate you had the urge to burn it immediately. Your "compulsive" need to exercise really sounds normal to me.. there are plenty of people on here who want to work out when they feel like crap after a big meal.

Either way though, I think the main thing you need to focus on is why you are binging and possibly consider finding a way to stop if its a serious problem.

It isn't quite that simple. If you consumed your entire daily allowance of calories in ice cream, you will most likely not lose weight because you'll spike your glucose and build insulin resistance. It is important to chose nutritious foods relatively low in sugar and high in lean protein.

inside_lap

Eating issues vs family issues can have two very different recommendations for courses of treatment. Unfortunately both issues are pretty common among college age individuals. I recommend going to ur college counseling center as an option for treatment. Most colleges offer free or cheap treatment as its rapped into student dues. Otherwise I would recommend a eating disorder specialist if u feel that u have a eating disorder. Best of luck!

lb628

Eating issues vs family issues can have two very different recommendations for courses of treatment. Unfortunately both issues are pretty common among college age individuals. I recommend going to ur college counseling center as an option for treatment. Most colleges offer free or cheap treatment as its rapped into student dues. Otherwise I would recommend a eating disorder specialist if u feel that u have a eating disorder. Best of luck!

I did go to them and they are the ones who kept referring me. Listened to my problems and didn't even give me advice...like really?! This is your job! And you're right I feel like they should get this all the time with college girls.

inside_lap

And try to see a psychologist bs a psychiatrist or counselor (usually a masters level psychology major or social worker) if uve been to the other two, it would explain ur referrals as they may not be equips to take care of a eating disorder if that's what ur seeking treatment for.

msliu7911

I'll answer to this...

Can I still lose fat this way?

You will lose weight by making sure your calories out > calories in. Whether you do that by eating a smaller amount of calories or by exercising to make sure you are burning more calories, it really all ends up equal.That formula is all its about.

Wanting to workout after you've eaten a ton of food or have had a bad weekend with food is not a bad thing. I think it would be bad if every time you ate you had the urge to burn it immediately. Your "compulsive" need to exercise really sounds normal to me.. there are plenty of people on here who want to work out when they feel like crap after a big meal.

Either way though, I think the main thing you need to focus on is why you are binging and possibly consider finding a way to stop if its a serious problem.

It isn't quite that simple. If you consumed your entire daily allowance of calories in ice cream, you will most likely not lose weight because you'll spike your glucose and build insulin resistance. It is important to chose nutritious foods relatively low in sugar and high in lean protein.

While I do agree its important to mostly choose nutritious foods for your calories, I also still firmly believe that a weekend of eating junk but staying within your calorie goals will not harm your weight loss progress.

inside_lap

Eating issues vs family issues can have two very different recommendations for courses of treatment. Unfortunately both issues are pretty common among college age individuals. I recommend going to ur college counseling center as an option for treatment. Most colleges offer free or cheap treatment as its rapped into student dues. Otherwise I would recommend a eating disorder specialist if u feel that u have a eating disorder. Best of luck!

I did go to them and they are the ones who kept referring me. Listened to my problems and didn't even give me advice...like really?! This is your job! And you're right I feel like they should get this all the time with college girls.

Sounds to me like they think u need a higher level of care. Remember if u only went to one appointment w each individual then it was likely only an intake. Ie they are gathering information for a recommendation. If u truly have an eating disorder, the college counseling center my refer u out as it may not be equip to give u the intensive care u need. On the flip side, u may just have been unlucky enough to get a trainee each time. Colleges are often internship sites. Best of luck!

KyliAnne26

I saw in another post that you're an athlete but you've estimated your TDEE for sedentary person? If you're really an athlete your TDEE could be much higher than 1900, and you're probably not eating enough. Could this be possible? Maybe you could try purchasing a fitbit or something that will help more accurately estimate the cals you're burning on top of your workouts?

ETA: If you do seriously have a binge eating disorder, you should definitely seek help and find out what the underlying cause to your poor eating habits are. I know from experience that it will not go away on its own.

frantim528

I agree with nrvo. Sounds like exercise bulimia. Go to OA.org and check out the link for newcomers. If it looks like youi may have a problem then go to a few meetings. Couldn't hurt and it may change your life. It helped me.

msliu7911

Eating issues vs family issues can have two very different recommendations for courses of treatment. Unfortunately both issues are pretty common among college age individuals. I recommend going to ur college counseling center as an option for treatment. Most colleges offer free or cheap treatment as its rapped into student dues. Otherwise I would recommend a eating disorder specialist if u feel that u have a eating disorder. Best of luck!

I did go to them and they are the ones who kept referring me. Listened to my problems and didn't even give me advice...like really?! This is your job! And you're right I feel like they should get this all the time with college girls.

Sounds to me like they think u need a higher level of care. Remember if u only went to one appointment w each individual then it was likely only an intake. Ie they are gathering information for a recommendation. If u truly have an eating disorder, the college counseling center my refer u out as it may not be equip to give u the intensive care u need. On the flip side, u may just have been unlucky enough to get a trainee each time. Colleges are often internship sites. Best of luck!

That really stinks.

The lady I went to with my issue was awesome. The first appointment I was unsure of her, but she gave me "homework", I went back and saw her a week later... then continued to see her ever 2 weeks for 6 months until she moved out of state. Fortunately by then my issue was at bay because after her I've had HORRIBLE luck (like you) with counselors. It feels like they don't really provide help. They just listen... and that's all. Twiddling their thumbs. They don't provide suggestions, they don't try to help you out. Almost like they think you just want to talk but they should know you're going to them to seek advice/help.

Keep looking around until you find someone who helps. Or maybe try to talk to whoever is in charge at the center. Tell them you've received no help since going to 3 different people- you need someone who is professional and cares. Best of luck.

lb628

I saw in another post that you're an athlete but you've estimated your TDEE for sedentary person? If you're really an athlete your TDEE could be much higher than 1900, and you're probably not eating enough. Could this be possible? Maybe you could try purchasing a fitbit or something that will help more accurately estimate the cals you're burning on top of your workouts?

ETA: If you do seriously have a binge eating disorder, you should definitely seek help and find out what the underlying cause to your poor eating habits are. I know from experience that it will not go away on its own.

It's like it's weird for you to say I have poor eating habits because 5 or 6/7 days of the week I'm insanely healthy. Like I get picked on about it. It's just when I go home and there's all this junk at my disposal...like I know the underlying cause. I just don't know how to fix it...

littlebudgie

When I was looking for a counsellor I discovered a webpage that allows you to search for psychiatrists, psychologists, etc. by area and by specialty. It seems that they also cover Texas, and you there is a whole category of counsellors who focus on treating eating disorders. Here is their website: http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php

I wish you the best of luck in finding someone able to help you. I know how frustrating it can be to reach out only to not find help.

KyliAnne26

I saw in another post that you're an athlete but you've estimated your TDEE for sedentary person? If you're really an athlete your TDEE could be much higher than 1900, and you're probably not eating enough. Could this be possible? Maybe you could try purchasing a fitbit or something that will help more accurately estimate the cals you're burning on top of your workouts?

ETA: If you do seriously have a binge eating disorder, you should definitely seek help and find out what the underlying cause to your poor eating habits are. I know from experience that it will not go away on its own.

It's like it's weird for you to say I have poor eating habits because 5 or 6/7 days of the week I'm insanely healthy. Like I get picked on about it. It's just when I go home and there's all this junk at my disposal...like I know the underlying cause. I just don't know how to fix it...

By 'poor eating habits' I mean your binges, not your choice of foods. You missed the point of my post though: are you an athlete, or are you sedentary? If you're underestimating your activity level when calculating your TDEE, of course you're binging - you're slowly starving yourself.

lb628

By 'poor eating habits' I mean your binges, not your choice of foods. You missed the point of my post though: are you an athlete, or are you sedentary? If you're underestimating your activity level when calculating your TDEE, of course you're binging - you're slowly starving yourself.
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Yeah I'm an athlete, and yes you're right. My TDEE is 1911 when I am sedentary. However, my workouts probably only burn like 150-200 calories because it's just lifting (although it is an hour and a half sometimes). The weirdest thing though is this weekend I binged like crazy and now I'm not even hungry hardly....like I'll be doing good to reach 1200. What will this do in the long run? Should I eat more even if I'm not hungry?

jagh09

I'm so sorry to hear about your struggles. Don't give up on the mental health component. Keep at it until you find someone who will listen and work with you. Use Google to find specialists in your area and reach out to them on your own.

Have you tried Overeaters Anonymous? That might be a great place for you to get connected with others who share your food habits, and help you deal with your emotional triggers in a safe and supportive environment. It's a free program, based on the 12 steps (Like alcoholics anonymous). Many people find success with those programs.

AbsoluteNG

You seem normal to me. Six thousand calories in 36 hours is along the lines of eating 3k calories per day and your exercising for 1 or 2 hours. That is normal! It is normal to want to exercise after eating, just like children who become hyper after eating candy. Why must we come up with stupid eating disorders for normal behavior? Maybe she should be sitting on her *kitten* after eating 3000 calories and become obese? IB628, your body does not work on a 24 hour cycle. If you under eat one day, you will have the need to binge a few days later to make up for it and it works the other way around too. If you binge two days in a row, you can go the entire third day on vey little calories. It is biologically normal for your body to hold onto fuel for more than one day, the reason people get fat and the reason why athletes can carb up a few days before a marathon. What isn't normal and unhealthy is losing the ability to sense when your body is full and satisfied, which are people who constantly binge day after day with no exercise making them obese.

msliu7911

You seem normal to me. Six thousand calories in 36 hours is along the lines of eating 3k calories per day and your exercising for 1 or 2 hours. That is normal! It is normal to want to exercise after eating, just like children who become hyper after eating candy. Why must we come up with stupid eating disorders for normal behavior? Maybe she should be sitting on her *kitten* after eating 3000 calories and become obese? IB628, your body does not work on a 24 hour cycle. If you under eat one day, you will have the need to binge a few days later to make up for it and it works the other way around too. If you binge two days in a row, you can go the entire third day on vey little calories. It is biologically normal for your body to hold onto fuel for more than one day, the reason people get fat and the reason why athletes can carb up a few days before a marathon. What isn't normal and unhealthy is losing the ability to sense when your body is full and satisfied, which are people who constantly binge day after day with no exercise making them obese.

^^^ BRAVO to the poster above!!!!!^^^ :drinker: VERY well said! (aside from the lack of paragraphs lol..)

Annahasababy

For what it's worth meditation may help. Www.dhamma.org. The courses are free and last ten days. I have found I get more out of ten days of meditation than I would in two years of therapy. I have not had a binge eating disorder but I used to be quite anxious and learning meditation completely healed me.
Hope that helps.