Just another weekend binging topic

ineedaproperusername
ineedaproperusername Posts: 4
in Motivation and Support
(I find it kind of funny that my very first post on the MFP forum - although I've been using MFP for months now - is about binging.)

Hey there!

I'll be as short as I can because I know you've probably seen dozens of topics and posts like these. I'm 17 and a half years old (will be legal in about three months, yay!), I've started exercising and eating less (won't even lie and say eating healthy) last summer and I've been eating around 1200 calories for about half a year.
It wasn't until the beginning of this year, though, that I started having serious concerns about my body and food. I'd normally eat around 1200 calories every day, exercise lightly (I LOVE blogilates, so I do her workouts a few times a week) and then binge madly on Saturdays. I'd drink and I'd eat whatever there was to eat, and then I'd hate myself the day after.
That resulted in having days when I ate around 600 - 700 calories. I knew what I was doing (and sometimes still do) was really bad, but I knew that I'd feel ashamed and guilty if I ate more than just breakfast and a bit of lunch because I had indulged in that stupid binging behaviour.

It was the same last night; the whole week was great, I ate around 1200 calories a day, rode my bike A LOT, exercised every day before breakfast (just light cardio) - and then ate and drank like a pig last night even though I made a silent promise to myself that I would stop binging so much.
My question is, what do you think I should do to either prevent these things or to make myself feel less guilty about them? I know I shouldn't cry over spilt milk, but if only I hadn't eaten so many cookies!

This is all over the place because it's early here in Croatia and I've had three hours of sleep, but I hope someone will be nice enough to give me an honest answer :)

xx

Replies

  • ninjakowski
    ninjakowski Posts: 158
    If you are eating 1200 calories and not eating extra when you exercise, you are probably not really eating enough - the result is you get to the end of the week and your body is screaming for more fuel = binge.

    I would try upping your daily calorie goal slightly to spread your calories more evenly throughout the week. You will probably feel better for it and be less like to lose control of your eating on the weekend.
  • ineedaproperusername
    ineedaproperusername Posts: 4
    but I feel like eating more than that is too much :/
  • mamosh81
    mamosh81 Posts: 409 Member
    when i first started i was the same way i tryed to eat under 1200 cals and was miserable now i track everything and eat what i want when i am hungry and i am usually around 1200-1600 cals a day but i upped my exercise. Dont starve yourself during the week eat when you are hungry and eat what you feel like, but track it some food calorie contents are real eye openers. If you dont restrict yourself and starve you should not get binges during the weekends and in case you do just go for a nice long walk or hit the gym to burn it off =)

    edit* i should add i still eat cookies and cake and chocolate almost on a daily base BUT in small doses like 1 cookie or 1 piece of chocolate and track it of course but that way i dont get gravings for that stuff and go over board once i cant control myself anymore
  • ninjakowski
    ninjakowski Posts: 158
    But if you manage to eat so much more on the weekend, how does more than 1200 feel like to much on other days?
    If you eat at 1200, then exercise, you're going to be netting under 1000 cals a day, which anybody will tell you - is not enough for your body to survive on, hence the weekend binging.

    If you physically can't eat more volume, add some low volume, calorie dense foods - olive oil, nuts or nut butters, avocadoes. Heck, have a piece of chocolate, it won't kill you and might help you keep some self control.
  • ineedaproperusername
    ineedaproperusername Posts: 4
    it's not that I physically can't, it's that I always feel bad and guilty or something like that after I see that I've eaten more than my daily goal. I seem to lose my self-control on the weekend, which is the main problem, I think
  • ninjakowski
    ninjakowski Posts: 158
    Thats what I'm trying to explain, 1200 is not a sustainable goal, thats why you are having trouble keeping self control. You need to increase it, there is plenty of info accross the forums on working out how to calculate a reasonable caloric goal for yourself, have a look, work it out - I'm pretty sure the number you get will be higher than 1200. Or if you stick to 1200, at least eat back your exercise calories. As long as you overly restrict your eating, you will have problems with self control - your body is trying to tell you something!
  • Irene514
    Irene514 Posts: 62
    I think you have some kind of an eating disorder. You are starving your body by not eating enough and that is dangerous. You said you`ve been on 1200 a day for a year and a half? I'm guessing you must be really skinny then! So why are you still so worried about food and restricting yourself so much?
    You should not be feeling guilty every time you eat! I think you need some professional help because what you are doing is very unhealthy for your body
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Well you know what people are going to tell you... but by eating a normal amount (ie, probably 1500 or something at your age, without counting exercise), you will be much less likely to binge, and you will lose weight an healthier way.

    Remember, MFP gives you a goal BEFORE exercise. You're supposed to 1) use the 'lose 1lb a week' setting, 2) eat back your exercise calories. This way you don't starve yourself, your metabolism doesn't slow down, you're less likely to binge, and you're more likely to be able to maintain your weight once you're at goal.
  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
    I don't live alone. Not everyone in my house shares my desire to make better food choices...
    Cookies and cupcakes, and ice cream and all kinds of other crap makes its way into the house.
    I don't like having this stuff in the house, because I can resist it...damn it...cookies and ice cream taste good...trying to say you'd rather have a carrot than a cookie is BS.

    Sometimes I take their crap, and just plain throw it away....I deny it when I've been accused of it, but I just can have this crap in the house, so I move stealthily like a ninja in the morning, and throw this crap away.
  • ineedaproperusername
    ineedaproperusername Posts: 4
    thank you all for your answers xx
  • sseangirish
    sseangirish Posts: 6
    Protein shakes stop my binging. But there is nothing wrong with cheat day. The sadness you feel is probably just a blood sugar crash from binging. Which is OK stick to your dietary guns and definitely Dont try to make up for yesterday with eating less.

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