Am I headed towards Anorexia/Bulimia

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SplitPea123
SplitPea123 Posts: 14
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I'm currently trying to maintain my weight by eating 1500-1600 calories a day and exercising 30 min daily. Sometimes I binge, but I never purge afterwards. I only punish myself by doing a lot of exercise afterwards. I don't want to become too skinny, but I am TERRIFIED of gaining more weight. Is this bad? I tend to worry A LOT about gaining weight and if I do gain a pound, I start to think I look fat and refuse to leave the house. I think about food a lot throughout the day and it's really starting to get on my nerves. How do I stop these tendencies or enjoy life but maintain my current weight?
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Replies

  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
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    I'd skip the terror if I was you. Seems kind of unpleasant.

    The thing is, if you've already lost weight, you've learned how to lose weight. So if you see the scale creeping upward again, you can nip it in the bud. You have the tools to do it in a short time. And your "goal weight" isn't realistically a single number, it's a range. I allow myself from 130lbs to 135lbs. If I stay in that range, I eat at my maintenance level of calories. If I creep up above that range, I'll cut a couple hundred calories until the scale goes back down. If I dip below that range, I'll add a couple hundred calories until I'm back in the zone. But there's zero drama, it's just math. :drinker:
  • AtLeastOnceMore
    AtLeastOnceMore Posts: 304 Member
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    I'm currently trying to maintain my weight by eating 1500-1600 calories a day and exercising 30 min daily. Sometimes I binge, but I never purge afterwards. I only punish myself by doing a lot of exercise afterwards. I don't want to become too skinny, but I am TERRIFIED of gaining more weight. Is this bad? I tend to worry A LOT about gaining weight and if I do gain a pound, I start to think I look fat and refuse to leave the house. I think about food a lot throughout the day and it's really starting to get on my nerves. How do I stop these tendencies or enjoy life but maintain my current weight?

    Worth seeing a counsellor or psychologist ASAP, honey. These aren't good signs, especially the weight related anxiety. I lost a good mate to anorexia when I was younger, and suffered from bulimia myself - head it off at the pass, if you can. Kudos for recognising it - feel free to add me if you'd like a support system here, but seriously, see a professional. Good luck! *huge hugs*
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Categorizing your feelings as "TERRIFIED" is not good. I lost a significant amount of weight years ago, maintained for years, had kids, gained baby weight, lost weight...point is: my weight has been up and down over the last years (only up due to pregnancies). I didn't WANT to gain weight, but I knew it would be inevitable with pregnancies. I just accepted it. I was never terrified...more like "not pleased" with gaining weight, but I dealt with it.

    If being afraid to gain weight impacts your daily life, then, yes, this is a problem. If you start engaging in unsafe (binging/purging/over exercising, etc) behaviors, b/c you are afraid of gaining weight, then it is problem. Just keep that in mind.
  • inside_lap
    inside_lap Posts: 738 Member
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    Surprise! There is a subset of bulimia that uses exercise as a purge method. Most people don't know this so I'm actually not trying to be flippant or condensating. Not saying you have bulimia but food for thought in how you define a purge. Have you considered talking to your doctor? Good luck on you path towards better health.
  • staringatthesun
    staringatthesun Posts: 38 Member
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    hey! adorable koala btw. :) just wanted to let you know that i've been in a very similar place to where you are now, and the fact that you are aware of these destructive thoughts means that now you can do something to change them! life is much happier on the other side. i'm certainly no doctor, but there is a non-purging classification of bulimia that many people are unaware of:

    - "Nonpurging Type: during the current episode of Bulimia Nervosa, the person has used other inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as fasting or excessive exercise, but has not regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas"
    (via: http://www.something-fishy.org/whatarethey/bulimia.php)

    is there any way you could look into therapists in your local area? http://edreferral.com/ is a good place to start.

    also, feel free to add me. you got this girl!
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    You need to ask a professional this question.
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
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    Recovering (or recovered, dare I say?) bulimic here. Over-exercising may be a symptom of eating disorders such as non-purge type bulimia or anorexia athletica. It's definitely worth seeking psych help for as these attitudes to food can rapidly develop into disordered habits (such as those you described) that can seriously affect your health. If this is having a negative impact on your day-to-day life and you're obsessing about food, I think it's definitely worth seeing someone to address the habits, why they have arisen and how you can conquer them.
  • SplitPea123
    SplitPea123 Posts: 14
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    Is it possible to rid yourself of bulimic thoughts/tendencies without a "therapist" or "professional help"? I don't believe in western medicine. I want to cure myself on my own. I've been to a therapist before (for my anxiety) and they did nothing but prescribe medication.
  • lucentabella
    lucentabella Posts: 114 Member
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    I think the best thing you can do, for your long-term health, is talk to a Psychatrist or Psychologist (or nutritionist/doctor/therapist/counselor) who specializes in eating disorders. Good luck.
  • inside_lap
    inside_lap Posts: 738 Member
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    Then don't go to a psychiatrist and see a psychologist and nutritionist. Multidisciplinary teams and treatment centers give best all around care.
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
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    Is it possible to rid yourself of bulimic thoughts/tendencies without a "therapist" or "professional help"? I don't believe in western medicine. I want to cure myself on my own. I've been to a therapist before (for my anxiety) and they did nothing but prescribe medication.

    Then request you see another psych because that one wasn't working for you. People do recover from EDs on their own but the rate of relapse is fairly high - it's safer to recover with help so you do it right and don't fall into dangerous traps that lead to relapse. Also, there is nothing inherently wrong with meds, although I understand why you don't want to take them (nothing I've been prescribed has ever agreed with me, but it's very personal).
  • mfp2014mfp
    mfp2014mfp Posts: 689 Member
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    Good on you hon for reaching out for help, just another suggestion in case a psychologist is out of your reach money wise (I know it would be for me) There are alot of ways you can learn how to love yourself, your true self and not just your physical self. Just google "learn how to love yourself" and you'll find many pathways from modern to alternative approaches. I personally like to mediatate and use positive affirmations when I catch myself in a negative thought cycle. Just reaching out for help shows you know you have self worth. I think this would help you as you use terms like punish and terrified, you have no need to punish yourslef or be terrified or your behaviour, youre an amazing person, take the time to remind yourself of that.
  • klmorg1227
    klmorg1227 Posts: 66 Member
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    hey! adorable koala btw. :) just wanted to let you know that i've been in a very similar place to where you are now, and the fact that you are aware of these destructive thoughts means that now you can do something to change them! life is much happier on the other side. i'm certainly no doctor, but there is a non-purging classification of bulimia that many people are unaware of:

    - "Nonpurging Type: during the current episode of Bulimia Nervosa, the person has used other inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as fasting or excessive exercise, but has not regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas"
    (via: http://www.something-fishy.org/whatarethey/bulimia.php)

    is there any way you could look into therapists in your local area? http://edreferral.com/ is a good place to start.

    also, feel free to add me. you got this girl!

    This original poster describes me to a 'T' and this above ^ Non purging bulimia... I am gonna have to google it because it also describes me with the over exercising. I didn't know this was a symptom. I had some trouble with all this about 10 years ago but have been in control maintaining at a 'healthy' weight now. But the tendencies are there (always). To this day I look in the mirror and see a 'fat' person. Good jump start on recovery is acknowledging there is an issue. I used to weigh myself three times a day...thats nerve wracking, now I only weigh myself once a week, one time only. At my worst I was 119 pounds and taking laxatives when ever I crossed over about 900 calories for the day. Was exercising daily also, A LOT. Passed out while running one day. Was taken to the hospital where they proceeded to tell me my kidneys were shutting down and other organs were beginning to not function properly. They told me I was also looking at damage to my liver and heart too if I didn't eat. I maintain now between 138 and 143...like I said I was down to 119 when this happened...looking back at pictures I was a skeleton...
  • adam1885282
    adam1885282 Posts: 135 Member
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    Binge eating disorder can be brought on by dieting, according to Mayo.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/binge-eating-disorder/basics/risk-factors/con-20033155

    It's a problem I've struggled with. I've managed to maintain weight loss, though it has been a constant struggle with binging. Losing was easy, maintaining is hard.

    I also exercise what some people would consider a LOT. Mostly, I do it because I love it. But, I've definitely done it to counteract overeating.

    It's a real problem, you're not imagining it!
  • Guinivere
    Guinivere Posts: 357 Member
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    I'd skip the terror if I was you. Seems kind of unpleasant.

    The thing is, if you've already lost weight, you've learned how to lose weight. So if you see the scale creeping upward again, you can nip it in the bud. You have the tools to do it in a short time. And your "goal weight" isn't realistically a single number, it's a range. I allow myself from 130lbs to 135lbs. If I stay in that range, I eat at my maintenance level of calories. If I creep up above that range, I'll cut a couple hundred calories until the scale goes back down. If I dip below that range, I'll add a couple hundred calories until I'm back in the zone. But there's zero drama, it's just math. :drinker:

    This. Nip this self destructive habit in the bud! :-)
  • Guinivere
    Guinivere Posts: 357 Member
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    Non purging bulimia can also be known as Anorexia Athletica. In case that's useful for any research.

    I used to exercise for six hours every day after school, so I'm living proof you can re-train your brain.

    And a one pound gain can be the difference of going to the loo or not!
  • SplitPea123
    SplitPea123 Posts: 14
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    Non purging bulimia can also be known as Anorexia Athletica. In case that's useful for any research.

    I used to exercise for six hours every day after school, so I'm living proof you can re-train your brain.

    And a one pound gain can be the difference of going to the loo or not!

    How did you retrain your brain?
  • TaurusV
    TaurusV Posts: 66
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    I had it and I almost went to the point of having a heart attack, affected my mind very badly, dont go there, you dont deserve it. I prefer being mentally healthy and happy than that thin again. I was stressed, it was my first year at college and I tried to control my weight as the only thing I could control in that stressful changing time without friends or parents for the time being and in a very competitive environment.

    2013 was the opposite problem. I gained some weight because another year of changes. But I tell you, now I am losing and I feel better losing in a slow way with exercise to make me feel stronger and focusing on the strength and health part of losing weight.

    When I was forced to eat a lot of food to gain weight quickly, I hated it and had no control over anything. I didnt menstruate for 1 year because of the weight loss, and it was very scary. I thought I would pass at that first year of university, your body knows when is giving up and fragile and it made me really freaked out, but I lost control and the fear of gaining weight was bigger than my body feeling weak by the day. So if you keep this mentality like I did, without your doctor or therapy help for a long time, you might never return from it, take care of yourself, is not worthy the weight loss like that :)
  • TaurusV
    TaurusV Posts: 66
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    Is it possible to rid yourself of bulimic thoughts/tendencies without a "therapist" or "professional help"? I don't believe in western medicine. I want to cure myself on my own. I've been to a therapist before (for my anxiety) and they did nothing but prescribe medication.
    Meditation and yoga helps sometimes (not the super extraneous exercise type). Tai chi, martial arts. For me martial arts helped. But mainly trying to take the focus out of losing weight. The only way for me was somebody (a doctor) telling your own survival is on the line and if you keep going it wont be pretty.

    Therapy is very good too, some therapists are more holistic/dont take the easy way and mine never prescribed medication because I told her I wont have it, I didnt want to become mind numb with those pills.
  • klmorg1227
    klmorg1227 Posts: 66 Member
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    The only way for me was somebody (a doctor) telling your own survival is on the line and if you keep going it wont be pretty.


    This ^ when a doctor in the hospital sits down beside you on your bed and tells you, flat out, you are going to die if you don't stop this behavior, yep...that seemed to snap me out of it for a while.

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