Binging and Exercise

la_vie_est_belle_

I find I am more likely to binge if I exercise a lot. It makes me insatiably hungry! If I do some moderate exercise (some walking , yoga, etc.) I am much less likely to binge. Of course, this means that I have to keep my calories lower because I'm burning less but it's worth it if it doesn't make me want to binge!

Anybody else feel the same way about exercise?

lynn1982

I find I am certainly hungrier if I exercise more. However, I also find that I am less likely to binge when I exercise and more likely to make healthier choices... but that's just me. You need to do what is right for you!

gbutler0140

I have trouble with binge eating too. I get a fair amount of exercise, and, in fact, during more intense training I sometimes take in up to 5000 calories per day. It is extremely difficult for me to spread that intake out throughout my day to keep my digestive system balanced. I tend to go most of the day without food and then eat a ton at night. which never sits well with my body. A few things that have helped though:
1.) I drink juice & smoothies instead of eating sometimes.
2.) I eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible.
3.) I created a written meal plan... the difficult part is sticking to the plan. I write in substitutions sometimes when eating the same meal gets old; but I try to avoid exceeding my maximums in fats, calories, and sodium, while achieving my minimums in carbs, protein, vitamins, calcium, and iron.
I have done so varying periods of success, and some weeks I blow it completely... but I keep coming back to the plan with determination. Eventually I hope to find a balance that works very well, keeps me healthy, satisfied, and performing to my full potential.
I guess I'm just saying I won't give up on my goals, and I encourage you to keep working toward yours also. I hope you can keep finding new ways to be inspired.

Pudding1980

5000 calories per day????

gbutler0140

Some days.

Pudding1980

May I ask what you do for workouts and how you know your calorie burn? That's just very high. Are you a competitive athlete or something? Honestly just curious

gbutler0140

I ride a bike... and play soccer. Some days I ride for 6 hours or more and I take in a ton of calories.

Pudding1980

Hmmm, okay. Interesting.

gbutler0140

The problem with that, I've found, is that it becomes a habit for me to eat tons of food even when I'm less active. And I binge eat because I get used to eating a lot every time I eat. Which can often be very counterproductive.

KnitOrMiss

There is scientific evidence supporting this theory. Low intensity burns and exercise durations of 45 minutes or less tend not to spike the hunger need (you don't burn through the 40 grams or so of glycogen your body stores naturally, so you just need to refill that, not the extra burst you get from your liver if you dip lower), so even though it can be nice to see larger calorie burns and such, it physiologically will make you hungrier, so for folks like us, that's a danger zone. Better to get low level burns consistently, in my opinion.