binge eater afraid of calorie intake

In my experience, drastically undereating is far more likely to lead to bingeing/overeating. Eating at a small calorie deficit (at least 1200, for me, even more than that works best) does not lead to bingeing. If you've tried countless diets that have failed, doesn't that tell you that maybe you have the wrong idea about how many calories you "should" be eating? Why don't you give this a go and see how you get on? Believe in yourself. If you can restrict yourself to less than 1200 calories, then you can restrict yourself to 1200, or 1300, or 1400.

It might be fruitful for you to schedule an appointment with a mental health counselor to explore why you feel the need to binge, and what triggers and binging session. Treating the underlying condition instead of the symptoms, as it were. Good luck!

Hi guys,

"Each time I diet, I drastically cut the calories because I feel like eating 1200 calories a day is so much. MFP is telling me that I need to eat more but I am afraid that if I do, i'll just start eating and won't be able to stop. In my mind I don't see how I can eat 1200 calories a day and still lose weight. I know that specialists say that under 1200 isn't healthy but Im having a hard time eating that much. I hate exercising so I can't lose the calories. Please help me with this!"

It sounds like you've found the issue... Drastically cutting calories.

If you're used to eating 3000 calories a day (or whatever the number is) and you cut it to 1200 or even less than that, of COURSE you're not going to have success. The more you tell yourself you can't have it, the more you're going to binge when you can.

If I may make a recommendation or two...

- Log a binge day. Don't worry about what the numbers look like. Eat what you'd normally eat on a binge day. (You get to do this just once though...) And log EVERYTHING. Then take a look at that number and determine if making the jump to 1200 right away is that realistic. You might have to do this in steps instead of jumping all at once.

- Then consider taking a TDEE with a deficit approach. You might have more success if you're more closely meeting your body's need for fuel, without going over it. The Fitness Frog website has a TDEE calculator. If you do TDEE -15%, that might be more manageable and you might be less likely to feel starved, then more likely to binge out of hunger.

I don't know your height/weight and I'm not sure why MFP comes up with 1200 for EVERYONE, but that seems to be the magical number on here. Granted, it's probably "enough" to keep you from getting bounced to the ER for malnutrition, but I'm not sure it's the right number for everybody. I know it's not enough for me. If I eat at 1200, I'm cranky as all heck.

I'm not a dietician, nor do I pretend to be one on tv, but if we look at our bodies as vehicles, in the same way that gallon of gas in a Vespa scooter is going to be consumed a lot differently than a gallon of gas in a sedan and in an SUV, 1200 calories might be ok for someone who's 110 lbs, but isn't enough fuel for someone who's 200 lbs at the same height.

I've found from personal experience that I either stall or gain when I'm not eating enough. For me, 1200 is not eating enough. It sounds bass ackwards, but that's how my body works. This seems to be how many other people's bodies work too. (We have a group called "Eat More To Weigh Less" on here.)

So maybe the answer is to find a happier medium between the 1200 that seems unattainable and where you're at now. This way, you're still eating, feeling satisfied, and making progress. You'll find lots of support here and even more support in the EM2WL group.

Best of luck. Feel free to send me a private message if you have questions.

It might be fruitful for you to schedule an appointment with a mental health counselor to explore why you feel the need to binge, and what triggers and binging session. Treating the underlying condition instead of the symptoms, as it were. Good luck!

This! People, please stop using these forums as replacements for true mental health therapy. We are not psychologists and do not have your medical files, asking for support and encouragement is fine, but asking for "answers" when you have a deep seeded mental health issue is asking for trouble.

bump

Read Brain over Binge. Look it up on amazon. It was very helpful to me.

Have you tried dividing 1200 by a set number of meals? For example, I eat 4 times per day, and that's only 300 calories per meal. It's really easy to get 300 calories. This morning I had 1 serving of oatmeal with 1 tablespoon of raisins and 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter. That plus my coffee and half&half went a little over 300 calories.

I'm more of an all-day snacker rather than a binge eater, so I don't know if thinking in terms of one meal at a time will help you, but it definitely helps me.

Best wishes in your struggle. We CAN overcome bad habits; we have free will.

Thanks for all the answers guys! I'm checking out all the websites you sent me.
I know that I have to see a specialist, and I fully intend to, but I just moved and do not have insurance yet so I can't for the time being. Which is why I am here, for the mental support until the moment where I can get help from a professional.

http://www.overeatersanonymous.org/

This is a free organization where you go attend meetings to get the help and support you need before you get insurance. No excuses! Try it!

Honestly it sounds like you have some serious food related issues that should be resolved with a medical/mental health professional before attempting another diet.

This is what I usually suggest to new people just starting to track their calories:

Journal one day of the things you would eat before (e.g. enter everything in you would typically eat on a binge day). Look at the total calories of THAT.

Now do you feel bad about eating all 1200 calories? Or even 1500, which would be healthier.

When you drastically reduce the number of calories you intake, your body thinks you can't find food. And it doesn't know when you will again, so it will hold on for dear life to all of your "insulation".

First off, I totally agree that this is a deep seated mental health issue; you really
need to see a therapist and figure out why you need to binge eat. This is not a
luxury; this is for your health. If money is an issue, you can work out a sliding
scale fee with your therapist which is based on your ability to pay.

Secondly, log your food here every day, even when you binge. Take a few days
to see what your eating patterns are, before you even worry about weight loss.

Thirdly, I would keep a diary of your feelings and thoughts. Sometimes it can
provide a lot of insight.

Sue