Binge Eating and Weight/Calorie Control

HDCANDYZ
HDCANDYZ Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm not new to MFP, but I'm also at wits end with my eating habits and in need of major help, I started MFP late last year. First some background info. I used to weigh about 300 pounds before something in me clicked and I went on a 900-1100 calorie diet with calisthenics about every to every other day for about an hour. I was dropping 2-4 pounds a week and lost 130 pounds in 10 months. I got very, very lean. This was in 2010, January to October. Then I "accidentally" discovered CrossFit in December 2010 and have been doing it ever since.

I struggled for the longest times year after year of people telling me to eat more food to lift heavier. Well, it was working I guess but I was also gaining weight, some of the good and bad. It freaked me out, I stopped eating, then again at the time, I never tracked what I ate.

Coming from a background of an ongoing eating disorder, to this day, I tend to binge eat. My weakness is sweets, specifically Raisin Bran and Ginger Snaps (which apparently I grew up on which might explain it). I'm a 5'11" Male and 30 years old. I truly struggle to find a good weight for me, and when I ended my extreme diet in 2010, and was super lean, I have struggled to get that lean again. Sure, I have gotten down to 165 pounds, but still have this subcutaneous fat/skin that wont go away. Perhaps I binge because I don't eat enough carbs, I eat tons of vegetables, meat, fats, all the good stuff though.

I'm rambling so let me get to my point, I'm tired and cranky and feel sick after this sugar binge. What do I do now? Continue eating the same the next day, fast, exercise and fast, run a ton? Running hurts my knees. A day of fasting seems it could offset it. I think I may have eaten like an additional 2000 calories on top of 2300 calories.

Additionally, I struggle with energy levels in my CrossFit and making gains perhaps, how many calories should I realistically be eating daily? I'm not sedentary, I have a job where I stand most of the day and then go to the gym and my FitBit on average calculates 2500+ calories. I feel trying to lose weight while in CrossFit doesn't make too much sense when you're already 170 pounds, but I'm trying to get rid of my love handles and lower abdomen "excess" fat/skin. I can start seeing my abs for the first time, but I can't lose this stubborn fat.

The binge just makes me think I MUST run 5 miles the next day or do something. Like I mentioned, I can have low energy levels and I may have started treading into adrenal fatigue from doing so much work. I describe myself as a health nut, but I don't feel like one. Should I just aim for 2000 calories a day? What do I do now after a binge?

Admittedly, and this may be a big part of my problems, I do drink those sugar and calorie free energy drinks daily and diet soda. It's what I do to get my kick for the day. I drink a gallon or two of water daily as well.

Replies

  • HDCANDYZ
    HDCANDYZ Posts: 25 Member
    BUMP

    Just need help on this in case I do this again (which will happen I'm sure).
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Coming from a background of an ongoing eating disorder, to this day, I tend to binge eat.

    This is the reason I feel that you need to seek professional help. No one here is qualified to assist those with eating disorders. Your weight and eating are all over the place so please seek professional help and get yourself into a support group.
  • oedipa_maas
    oedipa_maas Posts: 577 Member
    This is really hard. The thing is, your "solutions" to your binge are broken. They are the disordered brain speaking--e.g., fast, over-exercise--it's still got you in its teeth. I think it's particularly hard to break free of an eating disorder when you are a man; there's just not as much attention paid to men, and they might feel ashamed or excluded from getting help.

    I had an eating disorder for a really long time, so I feel a lot of compassion for you. Even after all my recovery work, I still struggle with restriction/purging urges. Sometimes I starve myself to make up for overdoing it. Although of course it doesn't make up for anything.

    Please consider getting support for your ED. Health and food and life shouldn't be infused with suffering. We all have our burdens to bear, but some can be specifically treated. I used anad.org for my ED. Maybe you have some other resources to fall back on.

    I'm sorry if this doesn't actually answer what you wanted answered :(

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