Stuck in a starving/binging cycle?!

MeganFG
MeganFG Posts: 9
in Motivation and Support
I'm 5"9 and recently gained a whole load of weight to become 160 lbs
For a couple of months I've been stuck in a horrible cycle of eating no carbs and 1000 calories throughout the week, feeling amazing (yes, feeling hungry makes me feel better) but then as soon as the weekend hits I binge for entire two days and I don't know how to stop, and why I start in the first place after telling myself over and over again that I shouldn't.
After binging I feel down and insecure and a failure. My best friend is perfect and slim and I always feel like that just makes me seem even bigger because we're often together.
I've been eating this way because for months I've been working towards a perfect 'bikini body' but this horrible cycle has pretty much destroyed any chance of me going out in a swimsuit this summer, I feel disgusting.
Any help?:(

Replies

  • seefyboy
    seefyboy Posts: 68
    Is there any reason you binge just on the weekends? And 1000 calories is really low for 160lbs! Perhaps up your calorie intake so you'll feel fuller each day and won't feel the next to binge at the weekends.
  • Shreshy
    Shreshy Posts: 1,263 Member
    this happened to me this weekend! and i feel the exact same! so horribly disgusting and insecure :( i feel angry because i let myself down and gave in. i worked out though to get rid of the extra weight i must have put on. I've vowed to never do this again but i kind of feel like im going to let myself down again. I want to change and be healthy but its so hard :( i envy those people that eat much more than me but are still so slim even without excersing :(
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I would binge too, if I limited myself to 1000 calories during the week. Increase your calories each day by at least 200, if not 3 or 400 and you will not feel so hangry on the weekends.
  • MeganFG
    MeganFG Posts: 9
    I'm still trying to figure it out. It might be because my willpower fades, or I'm not around everyone at school, or maybe I'm just bored, I'm not sure. I know 160 is a small amount, but because I've been doing it for a while I guess I'm used to it now. You're right, I think that's my problem, but now I've got this mental obstacle that if I go over 1000 then I'll gain a ton! I need to try and get around this somehow, thank you x
  • MeganFG
    MeganFG Posts: 9
    Exactly! Every weekend I vow never to do it again, but I always do :( at first it was just a 'slip up' but now it's a cycle :(
  • MarianneC93
    MarianneC93 Posts: 60 Member
    I recommend this:
    1) Increase your calorie intake
    2) Bring back the carbs! Have wholewheat pasta and brown rice to give you the good stuff. Your elimination of carbs may be the main reason your body is craving the binge at the weekends.
    3) I have a treat night each week - for me it's Friday. I get a bag of quavers in or a little bag of salt and vinegar crisps in, perhaps a little wispa bar, and I make sure I go for an hour cycle ride on that day.

    It is okay to fall off the badwagon IF you get back on track. I had my birthday this week and oh my goodness, so much more alcohol than what I've been used to the past 2 and a half months. But today, I went for a long cycle ride, stayed on my feet all day, and have hidden those chocolates I was given. We can do this. There's no point giving up, especially since you've already been on it for a few months already. :) (ALSO: Get some fresh juice in or make yourself a yummy smoothie - stops me binging usually)

    Best of luck!!
  • Shreshy
    Shreshy Posts: 1,263 Member
    it could be boredom, stress or just not knowing what else to do. the trick to finding out if you are really hungry is drinking a glass of water. If you are still hungry after that then that means your body is being deprived of food. You shouldnt have to starve yourself and 1000 calories is way too low. Maybe add on 400 calories
  • ChanceTakr2131
    ChanceTakr2131 Posts: 96
    Stop eating so little calories during the week.
  • MeganFG
    MeganFG Posts: 9
    Thank you so much, that was just what I needed. I think my problem is I either starve or binge - I cant seem to get moderation. As soon as I have one tiny treat, the rest are gone before I know it! I'll work on that, and I'll try and up the calories :)
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    It's time to get some help. Talk to a professional (therapist, counselor) about it.
  • GODfidence
    GODfidence Posts: 249 Member
    Eat more.
    It's better to consistently eat 2000 calories
    Than to eat 1,000 for 5 days and then 10 thousand over the weekend
    Feeling bloated and bad about yourself.
  • ferocityturbine
    ferocityturbine Posts: 110 Member
    I too spent a long time in this cycle and it ended up with me gaining weight, still feeling deprived and feeling awful about myself. I'm so sorry that you're in the same situation, because I remember how each binge increases the feeling of desperation to starve.

    From my experience, I found that the only way to break the cycle was to do just that. Binges are caused by the overwhelming feeling of deprivation, that it is impossible to sustain the starvation. It's your body's rebellion against having so low a calorie intake. The only way to break this is to give your body a break.

    Ideally, I'd suggest taking some time out where you try to eat in moderation to break the cycle. Just try to eat for a while to maintain your weight to try and recalibrate your hunger levels. I know from experience though that it's really difficult to get into a habit of eating more without binging, and also of eating less without trying to lose weight.

    What it comes down to is that you need to start eating more calories through the week so your body and mind don't feel deprived and drive you to binge. You need to break that feeling that eating anything over your calorie allowance means you can/need to/may as well just keep eating.

    You obviously want to lose weight quickly by restricting so much, but one step forward and two steps backwards will not help. It's much better to eat more, and lose weight more slowly but steadily. This is where exercise is brilliant. If you really want the deficit from 1000cals a day, could you not eat 1500cals and burn 500 a day instead? You'd find your hunger and desires to binge greatly stabilised by simply consuming more.

    Slow and steady wins the race is so cliche, but it's something that took me years of failed deprivation diets, ravaged metabolism and lowered self-esteem to really understand. Sorry for the super long reply but I remember well what it's like to be stuck in that cycle.
  • action_figure
    action_figure Posts: 511 Member
    Dude, I am 5'1" and I eat at least 1300 every day. I'm dropping between 2 and 3 lbs per week. I started out heavier than you, but you aren't eating enough. What kind of exercise are you doing?
  • LLStover09
    LLStover09 Posts: 49 Member
    I find I have the same problem! During the week, I"m working 12 hour shifts and plan all my meals ahead but on the weekend we tend to go out with friends, travel away from home and on Sunday were just lazy! Every Monday, I dread that scale after working so incredibly hard all week. Ughh!
  • fabulara
    fabulara Posts: 91 Member
    bump
  • MeganFG
    MeganFG Posts: 9
    Thank you so much, it's a horrible cycle isn't it :( ill take your advice and try and take it slow. I think I've been to ambitious and hard on myself, I'll give myself more time. x
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    Your body is rebelling from the week of starvation. Then on the weekend the change in your shedule allows for just enough willy nilly's to let your inner hulk smash to eat all the cals. I bet if you took an average of all 7 days, you'd be at a reasonable amount for maintenance and thus you are not bikini ready. Once you get that number, compare it to whatever TDEE you find online for your personal circumstances and then do the taking down some percentage for weight loss they recommend. Then eat this daily, steadily for lot's of days. Weeks even. Don't even think of tinkering with a lower percentage or working out until you are sure you have cured yourself of this habit of weekday starvation followed by weekend overeating. I hesitate to use the term "binge" because that means a very specific and dramatic thing and from your description I'm not sure that's what you are doing.

    I think you are just doing what I sometimes do which is switching cals from one day to another and it all evens out when I look at it with my weekly goggles. Only I don't stress about it, and now that you know what it is, you don't have to either, but just correct it because I'm not sure going a whole 5 days in a row with calories THAT low is good for anyone.
  • MeganFG
    MeganFG Posts: 9
    I do half an hour a day of interval training, daily squats and toning, running a few times a week and two intense hour long sessions of netball a week
  • mdearmond
    mdearmond Posts: 76 Member
    i don't want to seem like the bad guy here or like im trying to lecture you or tell you how to think, but the type of mentality you seem to have toward this whole situation seems kind of dangerous and the start of a very slippery slope. It would be much healthier for your body to up your calories a bit, make sure you are getting plenty of protein, and work out some while eating back your workout calories. Depriving yourself throughout the week and saying that you enjoy feeling hungry and then feeling guilty after you binge seems like the gateway to the development of an eating disorder (in my opinion).

    for someone your height and current weight your tdee should be around 1800 cals...basically anything under that should have you losing weight. giving yourself those extra calories every day with good healthy filling food instead of depriving throughout the week and binging later will probably help out quite a bit.

    ps...i know it's hard when people around you "seem" to be thinner or more fit than you are, but remember that sometimes we all have very very skewed perceptions of our bodies and a lot of times were our own worst critics.
  • MeganFG
    MeganFG Posts: 9
    You're right, my mentality to this whole situation is completely wrong. I guess it's just after such a long time of beating myself up over it, I don't really question my methods of doing things anymore.
    That's true, it's often being around my best friend that I sometimes feel bad. Because she's generally very petite and always has been, I don't think she quite relates to how I feel, so I do feel quite alone in this.
    But I'll take everyone's advice and up my calorie intake as my first step, then make sure I don't go near any junk this weekend. Thank you x
  • wnbrice
    wnbrice Posts: 244 Member
    Probably free time and boredum. Try getting out of the house(in a place that is not food orientated) and see if you still get the cravings.

    Also up your daily calories to probably 1400 or so.
  • MeganFG
    MeganFG Posts: 9
    Thank you, I'll do that
  • ChristinaR720
    ChristinaR720 Posts: 1,186
    It's very important that you work on developing a better relationship with food. Starving yourself is not the answer. Depriving yourself is not the answer, as it seemingly leads to binging for you. Allow yourself a healthy balance of foods that are good for you and foods that you enjoy. Moderation is key.

    Remember that food is fuel for your body and should not be seen as a source of guilt for you. Eat and be good to your body. It's the only one you have.
  • MeganFG
    MeganFG Posts: 9
    Thank you, I'll make moderation my aim here too!
  • LeanneGoingThin
    LeanneGoingThin Posts: 215 Member
    And this is why you shouldn't starve yourself, darling. :)
  • runningcat76
    runningcat76 Posts: 82
    Hi, yes, I am struggling too. About 10 years ago I got stuck in a binge/diet/exercise cycle and it was horrible. I gradually went back to eating more consistently but of course the weight went back on. I had a child too so diet etc went on hold!
    More recently I have gradually lost about 28lbs through plenty of exercise and sensible eating.. Around 1700 to 2000 calories a day.. I thought I had got it sorted and was feeling happy with my weight and my eating habits. I wasn't depriving myself and have been allowing treats in moderation.
    But in recent weeks I feel like I am struggling. I am craving the sweet stuff more and more and then yesterday I completely went off on a massive binge. I feel awful today and very depressed about it as I do not want to get back into that awful cycle again. I really thought I had the balance right.
    So, you're not alone.

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