How low can I go in calories if I am overweight? I can't really do damage then, right?
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People who had EDs should always get a treatment team onboard for their weight loss journey. Doctor, therapist, dietitian.
Some people disagree, but I'm in the "Once an anorexic, always an anorexic" camp. (Or bulimic or whatever.) You have to watch it and be careful about losing for life because dieting is uber-triggering. IMO. Even if I'm wrong, a treatment team can't hurt.
The most upsetting thing I read in your post was that you think they kicked you out when you reached a healthy weight because you were "too fat." Entering the healthy BMI does not make you fat, much less too fat! That's your BDD and disorder talking. A big NO on fat. I could see you thinking you were fat when they booted you, but as time goes on, you should realize that you were NOT fat. That's part of recovery, learning to see yourself properly.
Most insurance companies will pay for follow-up appointments for anorexics and many places toss the follow-up in as part of the original cost. Look into that stuff!
And PUHLEEZE spare me with the "skinny fat." You are skinny or you are fat. You're not both, no matter what kind of garbage you hear. That "skinny-fat" thing is inaccurate and a little offensive. It's an insult, plain and simple. You wouldn't call a friend names like that and you shouldn't do it to yourself. You should be kind to yourself because you deserve that!
I don't mean ANY of this to hurt you or gang up on you. Even the skinny-fat thing is more my frustration with that ridiculous term than it is with you. I sincerely am not trying to hurt your feelings, so please read this stuff with that in mind.
Get a treatment team and then begin your weight loss journey. If at any time you feel like it's getting obsessive or you start thinking "I like this empty stomach feeling! I've missed this!" it will be time to take a break. Be honest with yourself (but not unkind) and be honest with your treatment team.
You can successfully lose weight with an ED history. Plenty of people have! You just need support and to keep an eye on yourself so you can catch triggers before they send you spiraling back into hell.
I hope it's a total success. I am confident that with a good treatment team and a lot of honesty, you CAN do this!! 0 -
Wahbluffet wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »sayyestohealthy wrote: »"I have been to an ED specialist before but got 'kicked out' for being fat again (aka once you reach a healthy weight there is no reason to be there)"
I'm sorry but i think you need to seek help. From experience you're just going to gain and lose weight over and over again if you have a bad mental relationship with food.
Especially since you just compared being a healthy weight to being fat again.
Please just focus on your health and well being before thinking about weight.
Also the fact that ED specialist would not kick you out because you were fat.
well i mean they literally wont let you in for treatment if you dont meet the requirement of being underweight, but you probably dont know much about that world. its messed up. i was denied from a couple programs way back when. but you're missing the point.
This may be beating a dead horse at this point, but the others are right. At the very least, you need some cognitive behavioral therapy because you describe your weight as "horrendous," which screams unhealthy relationship with your body and food. It doesn't matter what your weight is. Yea you do not meet the qualifications by the DSM of anorexia, but that doesn't mean your thoughts aren't disordered. I was a healthy weight but treated for bulimia. Weight, in a sense, doesn't have as much to do with it when it comes down to a mental illness. It's just one of the pawns to control, if you understand what I'm getting at.
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Wahbluffet wrote: »Wahbluffet wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »Are you seeing a therapist?
why is this your answer? why are you being salty?
You're kidding, right?
wait why are you people ganging up on me
Here's the deal, some people here either want to help and are just really bad at it, or act like snarky mean girls I suppose because it gives them some sort of satisfaction..You just gotta ignore those posts and sift through to find the genuine people.
My only advice is that it seems you have a medical history, and I'd suggest having your doc refer you to a dietician who can help you establish a healthy gameplan. Outside of that, just know this whole thing is a big game of trial and error, and it can take seriously long time. Keep at it, try to keep your chin up, I wish you the best of luck.
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Hi Sorry to hear your struggles... Most of us here can relate! And I'm sure you will get advice left and right... some might be contradictory... Here are my thoughts... I don't think eating around 1200 calories could hurt you IF you eat the RIGHT STUFF! I've been on MFP a looong time... and haven't yet succeeded at losing weight... mostly because I don't think I was "really ready" to make the commitment... I've reached that point now... I'm 5'9 and am 307 lbs (ideal should be above 170 at most) AND I have a 54 inch waist (anything about 35 inches is very dangerous!).... so I've started again... and this time I did it differently... I mentally prepared myself for a few weeks... I have a plan for the cravings I KNOW will come... I have safe guarded my environment so it is the MOST fail proof ever ... not only did I throw out all the junk... I REPLACED it with healthy stuff... .and I am following a plan that has been laid out more clearly than any other plan...
Look at my food diary for yesterday (Oct 19 2015).... I add just a tad above 1200... and in all honestly... I couldn't even finish my last meal... I was full... these foods that I'm eating... they ACTUALLY MAKE YOU FEEL FULL... FOR A LONG TIME! I thought... no way I can eat just that and not be hungry... but I wasn't at all yesterday!! I still had a few cravings... but I did what I had to do... brushed my teeth... completed a small task to distract myself (doing laudry, cleaning my car... wtv... something I couldn't do while eating at the same time)... and as strong as the cravings are in the moment... they really do pass!!
The key is to be prepared and have a real plan in front you... don't just jump in with this vague idea of "I want to lose weight".. plan it... picture it... imagine how you will feel when your weight doesn't suffocate you anymore!! Decide that that momentary pleasure of eating or escaping wtv it is is NOT WORTH IT ANYMORE... those little immediate "rewards" are actually punishments...They've trapped you in a body that is now unhealthy, heavy to bear, and makes you feel like you can't do the things you want to do (at least... that's how I feel... I can't go on roller coasters cause the seats are too small, I can't go zip linning cause I'm over the weight limit, I can't tie my shoes without getting dizzy, I can't even wear my seatbelt properly because it chokes me! grrr)... you deserve better than that! We all deserve better! But we are the only ones who can make that "better" happen... we have to start treating our bodies the way we deserve them to be treated!
anyways... sorry for rambling! lol
Add me to your friends if you want! I can try to tell you what I do each day and what I eat... since my diary is viewable by friends... and msg me if you have questions... I can also recommend the book I'm following... it is a great help so far and I carry it with me everywhere.... I've been memorizing it for weeks! lol... Anyone interested... just add me!
Good luck Wahbluffet! Don't give up... one day at a time 0 -
I am really not trying to mean girl anyone here... But why is the science flouted? No adult woman should eat under 1200 calories, period. And no 300+ pound woman should eat only 1200 calories without being under the supervision of a medical professional. Every day this type of stuff comes up here... are there really this many people suffering from EDs? I'm disturbed. I'm sorry. I don't think it is possible to succeed long term at healthy & lasting weight loss unless you accept certain biological facts. It feels like discussing when it's 'okay' to drive drunk with a pack of alcoholics! I hope you guys get better. I'll bow out now...0
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Wahbluffet wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »sayyestohealthy wrote: »"I have been to an ED specialist before but got 'kicked out' for being fat again (aka once you reach a healthy weight there is no reason to be there)"
I'm sorry but i think you need to seek help. From experience you're just going to gain and lose weight over and over again if you have a bad mental relationship with food.
Especially since you just compared being a healthy weight to being fat again.
Please just focus on your health and well being before thinking about weight.
Also the fact that ED specialist would not kick you out because you were fat.
well i mean they literally wont let you in for treatment if you dont meet the requirement of being underweight, but you probably dont know much about that world. its messed up. i was denied from a couple programs way back when. but you're missing the point.
Sorry I have to chime in. There are many therapists that will see you. Most are covered under insurance. Since you have a history getting a referral should be no problem. This is my suggestion to you and I speak from experience. Do not go down this road alone.0 -
It's reasonably feasible that a petite, older, inactive woman might need to eat under 1200 a day.I am really not trying to mean girl anyone here... But why is the science flouted? No adult woman should eat under 1200 calories, period. And no 300+ pound woman should eat only 1200 calories without being under the supervision of a medical professional. Every day this type of stuff comes up here... are there really this many people suffering from EDs? I'm disturbed. I'm sorry. I don't think it is possible to succeed long term at healthy & lasting weight loss unless you accept certain biological facts. It feels like discussing when it's 'okay' to drive drunk with a pack of alcoholics! I hope you guys get better. I'll bow out now...
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Honestly? 145 isn't "horrendous" and the way you are talking is scary and sounds like a serious ED. 145 is a little bit overweight. I'm 5'4", only 2 inches taller, and I was thin at 145. Your BMI is only 25.7 and 25-29.9 is only "overweight" so you barely make it into the overweight category. Up to 25 is normal. Literally, if you lose 5lbs, you are at a normal BMI... The way you are talking, asking about heart conditions, mentioning having been 85lbs and sounding like 175 is huge (we have seen people on here in the 400s etc so I guess maybe to me 175 isnt that horrible and can be fixed with regular diet and exercise within a year?) No one is trying to mock you, so I am sorry you felt that way, but we are seriously concerned. I wish you luck.. You're short, no offense, so 1200 calories is OK but make sure when you exercise you eat the calories you burned off back. Do not go below 1200 calories net.0
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Also, if you feel forced into social eating, plus have or had an ed, maybe you are too worried about what other people think? You aren't forced. Eat what you want and tell them you're not interested in it. If you want it, eat it and fit it in your calories. If you do not, do not eat it. I have a book you might like too, called "When I say no, I feel guilty" lol ijs. Im serious haha I literally bought that book... I need it. lol 0
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OH Third!!! Sorry haha but I have been borderline ED so if I sound mean it is tough love not meant to be mean. I know how it feels. I'm not thin either, but I have ED symptoms and have experienced ED in spurts throughout my life. You're not alone in it, but it does not mean we don't need to learn to go about this the healthy way. Try to look at yourself in a more positive light, even though it is difficult, please.0
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Wahbluffet wrote: »I'm pretty damn overweight. I've calorie restricted a hell of a lot in the past but since I was a kid, I didn't do it "right." I would eat a lot of junk and wonder why I was still skinny fat (too many carbs) or I would try and starve myself for a week and binge the next. I went down to 82 lbs before. And I've ballooned up to 174 lbs before (please be sensitive, this is hard to say).
I'm a young adult now and am ready to give it a go the second time around and not screw up. So I know about BMR, TDEE, and all that jazz, but what if I wanted to know how low can I go in terms of calories to jump start my weight loss? I am 147 now, and that's horrendous for someone that's 5'2. I have 30% body fat. If I eat 1200 calories a day (100 under my BMR) and work out for 45 minutes on the elliptical ( i for one get pretty sweaty and shakey and red-faced after using this machine, so i think it definitely works for me, although i hear treadmill is better, i'm too fat to run right now/get chest pains ) would that destroy me and make me feel starved? i have tried SO so hard to eat maintenance, but it just makes me gain weight because when i eat maintenance and i have one huge slip up day every few weeks, I easily blow through my small calorie deficit and am back to square 1.
do you guys think ill become groggy or destroy my heart if i eat 1200 and exercise? my heart has been destroyed before. i have dipped so low i had cardiac issues. now i dont know what to do cause im so fat and im scared that i dont have a good system in place. i just cant do maintenance or close to it any more, its not working. i need the buffer of going low for a day when i want to have a snack, or when i have a social event and am forced to have wine and cheese or people say "why aren't you eating? eat!!!" please help.
You need to start with talking to doctor about what is safe for you to do considering your cadiac issues. A dietician and therapist would be good ideas too.
Plan a slower weight loss- no more than 1 lb a week. Give MFP your stats and eat the calories recommended. Eat some of your exercise calories if you exercise.
Eat foods with protein, fats and fiber to help you feel full. Plan meals and snacks that are foods you like and find filling. Log everything you eat as accurately as you can.0 -
Wahbluffet wrote: »CrazyMermaid1 wrote: »Have you ever considered therapy to help with your eating disorder?
i have been to an ED specialist before but got 'kicked out' for being fat again (aka once you reach a healthy weight there is no reason to be there)
Ok, so you may not qualify for a program for anorectics at this time, but those aren't the only programs for EDs out there. I would think an "ED specialist" would treat disordered thinking and binge eating as well.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Wahbluffet wrote: »CrazyMermaid1 wrote: »Have you ever considered therapy to help with your eating disorder?
i have been to an ED specialist before but got 'kicked out' for being fat again (aka once you reach a healthy weight there is no reason to be there)
Ok, so you may not qualify for a program for anorectics at this time, but those aren't the only programs for EDs out there. I would think an "ED specialist" would treat disordered thinking and binge eating as well.
You are correct. Not everyone with an eating disorder is under weight and to avoid the progression important
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Wahbluffet wrote: »BurnWithBarn2015 wrote: »just eat what MFP recommends + a part of your exercise calories
its that simple
ok! i just signed up today so i didnt know. a friend told me to not eat back exercise cals cause MFP overestimates.
While the burns are considered to be inflated, the system is designed that you eat back exercise calories, so many people suggest you eat back around 50% of them.0 -
This is a clear case of just plain "disordered thinking" and dysmorphia.. this person does not need the MFP community to intervene and give advice on what is safe to eat or not eat when clearly a major medical issue is or was in play at one point.
OP needs to seek medical supervision for cardiac issues and needs a therapist to help with psychological and emotional issues surrounded by the issues displayed in this thread..0 -
This is a clear case of just plain "disordered thinking" and dysmorphia.. this person does not need the MFP community to intervene and give advice on what is safe to eat or not eat when clearly a major medical issue is or was in play at one point.
OP needs to seek medical supervision for cardiac issues and needs a therapist to help with psychological and emotional issues surrounded by the issues displayed in this thread..
^^ in addition I think she maybe just needed to vent.0 -
Wahbluffet wrote: »rankinsect wrote: »Wahbluffet wrote: »I'm pretty damn overweight. I've calorie restricted a hell of a lot in the past but since I was a kid, I didn't do it "right." I would eat a lot of junk and wonder why I was still skinny fat (too many carbs) or I would try and starve myself for a week and binge the next. I went down to 82 lbs before. And I've ballooned up to 174 lbs before (please be sensitive, this is hard to say).
I'm a young adult now and am ready to give it a go the second time around and not screw up. So I know about BMR, TDEE, and all that jazz, but what if I wanted to know how low can I go in terms of calories to jump start my weight loss? I am 147 now, and that's horrendous for someone that's 5'2. I have 30% body fat. If I eat 1200 calories a day (100 under my BMR) and work out for 45 minutes on the elliptical ( i for one get pretty sweaty and shakey and red-faced after using this machine, so i think it definitely works for me, although i hear treadmill is better, i'm too fat to run right now/get chest pains ) would that destroy me and make me feel starved? i have tried SO so hard to eat maintenance, but it just makes me gain weight because when i eat maintenance and i have one huge slip up day every few weeks, I easily blow through my small calorie deficit and am back to square 1.
do you guys think ill become groggy or destroy my heart if i eat 1200 and exercise? my heart has been destroyed before. i have dipped so low i had cardiac issues. now i dont know what to do cause im so fat and im scared that i dont have a good system in place. i just cant do maintenance or close to it any more, its not working. i need the buffer of going low for a day when i want to have a snack, or when i have a social event and am forced to have wine and cheese or people say "why aren't you eating? eat!!!" please help.
The best advice anyone can give you is to take things slow and get into a better place mentally with food. I would also see a cardiologist if a treadmill gives you chest pains.
Whatever you do, don't try to rapidly lose - you only have about 10 pounds until you're in the normal range, and if you go too fast, you'll end up "skinny fat" again - that isn't because of carbs, it's because you lost a ton of muscle mass along with losing the fat mass, which very commonly happens with aggressive weight loss. Your body doesn't just burn fat when it needs calories, it burns both fat and muscle, and it's actually a lot harder to rebuild the muscle than to just take your time and lose the fat slower, while working to maintain muscle.
Aggressive loss is fine for someone like me, who started this journey well over 300 pounds and has over 100 pounds of body fat to support aggressive loss, but certainly not when you're as close as you are. A 250 calorie per day deficit is probably all you want. Eat back half of your exercise calories.
thank you so so so much! that is very encouraging. and I actually scheduled an appointment with a cardiologist this week, so im happy to say i am taking at least one step in the correct direction.
I'm going to be optimistic and assume the cardiologist will clear you.
In that case, use the treadmill and slow way down. You should be able to speak in complete sentences for your whole workout. Do that, and the chest pains should go away.0 -
1) Abandon the idea of jump-starting weight loss. That will just start you on the same cycle you've been on.
2) You don't have to run on a treadmill. You can add intensity if you want by cranking up the incline. I do it in intervals. It gives me a great sweat. Or, do any exercise you want. It's up to you. (ETA I just noticed about the heart trouble. Yeah. Get medical clearance first. Until then, there's nothing wrong with just a liesurely stroll. You don't have to kick your *kitten* to exeecise.)
3) People aren't trying to be mean suggesting a therapist. They're just going by your description of cycles you've been through, which you admit have landed you in treatment before. And what's with getting kicked out for reaching a healthy weight? Eating disorders are disorders of the brain, not of being the wrong weight. If you feel the need to go back in, definitely do some homework and find a program that will actually TREAT you.0 -
Great news on the cardiology appt!0
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I have been reading along and while I didn't agree with the coming right out and saying are you seeing a therapist. you might actually consider seeing a nutritionist. Actually being able to sit and plan out a calorie plan with a person might start you on the road to success. She/he will be able to gear a plan just for you. From that plan you can set your settings with MyFitness Pal. I have loved this site but I've only recently joined. I have over 100 lbs to go. on a side not, no one can force you to do anything. Practice saying no gently. it's hard but most people are understanding. I don't drink so when asked, I politely decline and either say I'm the designated driver (of me) or if you don't' want to stick out, hold the drink and walk around. never drink it. Works at company parties too!0
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ok 1st please check with ur dtr to make sure uve had no heart damage before u do anything else.yes u did go about it wrong 1st time by gorging,starving urself. alot of people eat back 1/2 of exercise calories.+ set amount. 2lbs aweek loss max. im 5'3&170 & use 1200cal. it sounds like u were taking in more than ur 1200 otherwise ud loose whether u exercised or not, id recommend weighing ur food. You should NOT go under 1200 cals a day. u are not at a horrendous weight here& by using that type of wording along with the binge,starve mentality is what id consider a eating disorder. i would suggest u find a new support group(recovering anorexic here) be smart about this & get ur head above it my friend. u can add me if u wish, choice is urs. hope this helps0
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I have been reading along and while I didn't agree with the coming right out and saying are you seeing a therapist.!
If I heard someone say they were bleeding profusely and ask, "How much blood can you lose and not pass out? By the way I have had a cutting issue in the past." I would recommend an ER visit not a tourniquet.
OP As a concerned person who has been in psychotherapy multiple times. I see disordered thinking, here. I am not sure where you live? If insurance is an issue? But in the US, you could get help with disordered eating no matter what your weight or BMI. Maybe not inpatient but outpatient therapy would be available and covered by many health plans.0 -
daniwilford wrote: »I have been reading along and while I didn't agree with the coming right out and saying are you seeing a therapist.!
If I heard someone say they were bleeding profusely and ask, "How much blood can you lose and not pass out? By the way I have had a cutting issue in the past." I would recommend an ER visit not a tourniquet.
OP As a concerned person who has been in psychotherapy multiple times. I see disordered thinking, here. I am not sure where you live? If insurance is an issue? But in the US, you could get help with disordered eating no matter what your weight or BMI. Maybe not inpatient but outpatient therapy would be available and covered by many health plans.
Thank you! We are constantly telling people with serious medical issues and/or an ED history to seek professional advice. All of a sudden on this thread it's "mean girls who are ganging up and being mean." Asking this person if they had a therapist is a perfectly valid question and didn't warrant any of the negative responses it has received.0 -
I have been reading along and while I didn't agree with the coming right out and saying are you seeing a therapist. you might actually consider seeing a nutritionist. Actually being able to sit and plan out a calorie plan with a person might start you on the road to success. She/he will be able to gear a plan just for you. From that plan you can set your settings with MyFitness Pal. I have loved this site but I've only recently joined. I have over 100 lbs to go. on a side not, no one can force you to do anything. Practice saying no gently. it's hard but most people are understanding. I don't drink so when asked, I politely decline and either say I'm the designated driver (of me) or if you don't' want to stick out, hold the drink and walk around. never drink it. Works at company parties too!
A registered dietitian would be a better choice if the OP has access. People often use the terms interchangeably but there is a big difference in the amount of training each receives.0 -
I think folks are being a bit harsh on Wahbluffet. But behind the direct comments, I think, is concern about physical and mental health (heart condition; ED). iMHO of course.0
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Wahbluffet wrote: »daniwilford wrote: »I have been reading along and while I didn't agree with the coming right out and saying are you seeing a therapist.!
If I heard someone say they were bleeding profusely and ask, "How much blood can you lose and not pass out? By the way I have had a cutting issue in the past." I would recommend an ER visit not a tourniquet.
OP As a concerned person who has been in psychotherapy multiple times. I see disordered thinking, here. I am not sure where you live? If insurance is an issue? But in the US, you could get help with disordered eating no matter what your weight or BMI. Maybe not inpatient but outpatient therapy would be available and covered by many health plans.
Thank you! We are constantly telling people with serious medical issues and/or an ED history to seek professional advice. All of a sudden on this thread it's "mean girls who are ganging up and being mean." Asking this person if they had a therapist is a perfectly valid question and didn't warrant any of the negative responses it has received.
noooo there is a thing called being nice that I have been trying to be to you! just, i dunno, if you want to approach someone, be nice about it. tough love can't be interpreted on the internet as easy as real life, reading words is...words. (that somehow makes sense)I think folks are being a bit harsh on Wahbluffet. But behind the direct comments, I think, is concern about physical and mental health (heart condition; ED). iMHO of course.
yeah but it sounds a bit like what you'd get kicked out of school for as cyberbullying. i was never mean to anyone and i think too many people here are aspiring to be "mean coaches." seems like i'm talking to mean gym coach tropes.Verity1111 wrote: »OH Third!!! Sorry haha but I have been borderline ED so if I sound mean it is tough love not meant to be mean. I know how it feels. I'm not thin either, but I have ED symptoms and have experienced ED in spurts throughout my life. You're not alone in it, but it does not mean we don't need to learn to go about this the healthy way. Try to look at yourself in a more positive light, even though it is difficult, please.
thank you for your post(s). i guess i only call my weight "horrendous" because my doctor did. i went to a new physician when i made the jump from pediatrics to adult doctors, and they said it was a "horrendous weight gain from 85 lbs." i understand its a jump, but those words really hurt me. or that adjective did. its hard to come on here to find help from fitness folks and be treated like a mental case. i am a person too, and a smart one. i have a real life outside of MFP, one filled with a lot of success. i just also happen to have a vice---i have had an eating disorder and still kind of do. but why would that discredit me from asking for advice online? online is public and free. idk.
also, i am 148 now, and that's not close to a normal BMI for me. you would need to put in the gender and height and age, for which normal is 108-131. ive seen many dieticians to check.
Nice post you are right it is impossible to read tone in words. What someone might write with concern can easily be read as mean and condisending0
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