Recovery and Binging

BrianOconnor1

Am in Recovery from anorexia and was wondering if going on uncontrollable binges was part of recovery? Like I eat say 3000 calories at lunch and then have another 1500 at dinner is this normal? A don't know what I should be eating to recover or why his is happening? I'm 5ft 11 male and weigh 118 pounds. Quite scared. Are there people in the same boat?

xcalygrl

I have no personal experience with anorexia, but I have read that binging can be quite normal at the beginning of recovery. Your body has been undernourished that it kind of goes into shock when you start eating more. It then wants food, and lots of it, which can causes binges.

If you're not already, I would get under the care of a doctor and/or in a recovery program. Both options can provide you with information and support on the road of recovery.

moto450

I would ask your doctor about it. That is probably something we are not qualified to give advice on. Good for you for working to get on the right path. Good luck to you! You can do this.

sjohnson__1

Posting here was a great idea, Brian. Though there likely isn't anyone qualified to work with you directly, there's a large amount of ED recovery support on MFP, and even a good number of people in recovery themselves. I would take the advice of those above me and seek professional treatment, but you can always lean on your peers here for support! Good luck!

worldofalice

In my opinion, there is no such thing as "binging" in recovery. Many specialists refer to it as reactive eating. I still calorie count obsessively, and one thing I've noticed is that if I eat, say, half the amount I need for a few days, eventually my body will drive me to eat about double what I need for the following days. So essentially, it evens out. Now imagine you've been depriving yourself for months, years even - that is a LOT of calories your body needs to make up! Even if your stomach feels full, you may even want to eat beyond that, for both physiological and psychological reasons. I experienced this regularly for the first 6 months into my weight gain and it does go away, so long as you just allow it to happen - it will pass eventually!

khacker4

I have the exact same problem! I started recovering from restrictive anorexia and orthorexia a little over a month ago. The first couple weeks I had this ALOT and it scared the crap out of me. It eventually died down a bit but unfortunately the last week I have relapsed, I'm getting back on track now and the binging is starting again! So I think the above comments are right, after restricting it's our bodies ways of calling out for the calories we have deprived it of. Like I just ate half a pint of icecream at 4am!! Haha it's crazy scary but it's part of the process:)

Monketo2002

It works out in the end I gained 20 pounds and then lost ten just eating normally. Just eat the food it will heal your body

tmielcarek129

I preface this by I have no authority to say anything and please consult a physician. I just wanted to add that I don't think binging is necessarily a "normal" part of recovery from anorexia. I don't think it's that simple. Though I think there is merit in the bodies attempt at normalizing and therefore swinging the pendulum towards eating too much to get out of starvation mode, I also see the potential for binging to become another form of disordered eating. Anorexia and binging have gone hand in hand for many people. Binging can set up a shame/avoidance/sabotage cycle that is destructive. I hope you are simply adjusting and this will level out for you.