It's turning into an obsession

misha9456
misha9456 Posts: 2
in Motivation and Support
I'm not a very consistent person. I know this, I can admit it to myself and I know that's how things end up out of control for me.

It's how it all started; I gained about 8-10kg last summer and suddenly none of my clothes fit me anymore. It was more than likely a culmination of exam stress, erratic eating patterns (I went through a period of religious fasting and my eating times were terribly confused and my new found love for baking.
Anyways after this I realised I needed to lose a little weight because I just didn't feel healthy at my new weight. (and because in my family (cousins/sister) I'm one of the bigger ones, even though I'm nowhere near overweight, and somehow seeing everyone so thin and in pictures next to them I just stuck out so much).
This led to me restricting quite a lot and eventually after several days of intense restriction I would end in a binge where I would maybe eat 1500-3000 calories in one sitting.
This cycle of binge/restrict wasn't really continuous; I would have periods in between where I would eat normally and then all of a sudden I would look in the mirror and it would start all over again.
It stopped a few months ago (I stopped counting calories and busied myself with other activities) but recently it's started again. I don't know what to do because I feel like it's worse and I don't want to feel like this. I can't enjoy food anymore.
I just restrict and then all of a sudden I just can't take it and end up binging (it never ends in purging though) and afterwards I feel guilty and I restrict even more the next day.
The past few days have been mainly restricting although I did binge on a box of biscuits (around 800 calories) and I've just been feeling so confused with myself.
I feel stupid just saying all of this but I just need to know how can you stop yourself from wanting to restrict and thinking about food like this?

Replies

  • wanttoloseweight4
    wanttoloseweight4 Posts: 253
    how about you find what calorie range you need to be in to lose weight and stick to it and fit foods that you like into the range that way you dont feel like your keeping all the foods that you love away from yourself
  • misha9456
    misha9456 Posts: 2
    That's not the problem. I don't avoid 'fatty foods'. I just count calories. I eat the foods I like on a normal day but say for example I eat chocolate one day, I restrict other foods in my diet for that day to make up for it.

    I can't bring myself to eat over 1000 calories in a day (although on a day where I binge then it can quite easily be five times that number).

    I know it's a problem and that I need to fix it but it's so hard to do it.
  • wanttoloseweight4
    wanttoloseweight4 Posts: 253
    ok so the problem is that your restricting like i said just because you eat a chocolate doesnt me you have to limit everything else you eat if the chocolate fits in your calorie range then why worry about restricting other food? and 1000 calories is way to low figure out your daily calorie goal and stick to that that why youll lose wait and not binge from not eating
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    You actually sound like you're having a bit of an eating disorder. The first step is to realize that food is your friend. It keeps you alive, it keeps you energized, it tastes good... You can't restrict yourself so much or you'll go crazy. I agree with the above comment to find out how many calories you should be eating, based on your *realistic* goal and lifestyle, and then make healthier choices. Key word: healthier- not completely, restricted, must only eat this or that discipline. Allow yourself a cheat day for a while. 1 day per week. Allow yourself to go over your calories if you need to. The weight will come off.... but that's not the most important thing right now. Repairing your relationship with food is. You'll never lose the weight, keep it off, and be happy doing the yo-yo dance of yours. Once you get into a consistent habit, you can look into cutting down on the cheating.

    Also, 1000 calories a day is not enough. You are putting your body into starvation mode. No wonder it screams at you to eat until you binge! Allowing a bit more calories per day will lesson the binge eating and work to your advantage.
  • snowfooper
    snowfooper Posts: 14 Member
    Eat your recommended amount- seriously! It's there for a reason.

    Eating under 1000 calories makes your body crave food, hence you binging. Trust me, I've been there. Being on a 1200 calorie-diet was weird since I used to eat so much less to lose weight, but it's there for a reason.

    1) You feel full. Sure, you won't be dropping weight as fast but you'll also be changing your lifestyle, becoming healthier, and you WILL lose the weight, slower but much more certainly since you feel satiated every day. Some people legitimately feel full after 800 calories a day, but that's not for everyone and you should listen to your body.

    2) Maintenance. Living on super low calorie eating is hard to keep up. Especially if you do something like eat chocolate. That's your whole eating for the day? Of course you're going to binge later. Your body needs more. Having a set caloric pattern allows you to balance what you want to eat - so maybe you eat chocolate that day, but only one piece instead of the whole bar and then you go on a 10 minute walk. You are able to still eat what you want to eat, just in different portions.

    Do you exercise at all? Instead of not eating for the rest of the day when you eat chocolate, why not exercise? Or, allow yourself a cheat snack (as long as you don't go overboard).
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    You're eating 1000 calories a day. That's why you're bingeing. Bump up the calories to 1400, OR configure your TDEE and minus 250-500 cals from it.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    You're eating 1000 calories a day? No wonder you binge--your body is starving and needs nutrition!

    You need to eat more on a daily basis and the urge to binge will decrease.

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