Binging uncontrollably

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lydslaura
lydslaura Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So basically, I've been in eating around 1500 calories for around a year (I'm a 20-year-old 5'7 female) and became obsessive with disordered eating, lost my period and my BMI two weeks ago was 17.5 (weighing 110 pounds, which is underweight but only just) - I don't think this will be my BMI anymore since I think I have put on loads of weight in the past two weeks, but haven't weighed myself as I am going to wait a couple of weeks free of binges to get an accurate result. I am currently home from uni and for some reason, this has triggered uncontrollable binges - I have binged probably 9 or 10 times in the past 2/3 weeks at around 4000-6000 calories a time. I have three questions - 1. If I go back to my normal eating will any weight gain be reversed eventually (within a couple of weeks) or have I binged too much and need to eat less? 2. Should I maybe up my calories? I have been eating as MFP told me with the settings on maintain weight but my activity has been sedentary. I put my activity as this as I spend a lot of my time sitting down in lectures but I do try to go to the gym every day and I walk to and from uni - does this mean my activity should be lightly active which will put my calories up to around 1800? 3. Why have I suddenly lost all willpower and binged so much? Is this my bodies way of telling me it's done with the restriction or is it just me being lazy now I'm home from uni? Sorry that was a lot of questions, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated x

Replies

  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
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    Are you currently seeking out treatment for an eating disorder? If not, I recommend you do so ASAP. Your university should have resources and counselors that should help you. Everything about this post screams red flags of them to me. 17.5 is not a healthy BMI, especially if it is causing symptoms like disruption in your menstrual system. Binge eating is also another potential sign. You definitely should not be restricting calories at this time. A counselor will be able to provide you with more specific help than this, but at the very least, you need to be eating back your maintenance calories (if you walk a lot, you are at least lightly active, if not more), and all of your exercise calories back.
  • meganpettigrew86
    meganpettigrew86 Posts: 349 Member
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    I'm guilty of going to extremes too. I find it helps to find a level headed support person to talk to. That does not mean someone who tells you off for over or under eating but someone you can talk to about the problem without them judging you. My partner lets me have my binges and my extreme deficits but is there to talk to me about them when I acknowledge them and helps me get back to sensible eating.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,632 Member
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    I will encourage you to talk to someone in real life.

    Your 17.5 is not "just" below, it is quite a bit below 18.5.

    And at 5ft 7" you don't qualify for short statured Asian populations for which, in part, the previous 20 was lowered to 18.5.

    Your previous 1500 was losing weight calories and you have no good reason to be trying to go this low at this time.

    What you should be trying to do at this time is eating at full maintenance, possibly a bit above, and getting weight restored to BMI 20ish and talking with someone in real life.

    You may also find that not attempting restriction may alleviate some of the urge to binge.
  • Fflpnari
    Fflpnari Posts: 975 Member
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    Definitely reccomened seeking professional help please!

    Try to eat maintance calories at least, preferably a surplus.
    DO not restrict you calories to make up for eating more recently.
  • reddwarf63
    reddwarf63 Posts: 24 Member
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    I have just finished not quite an easter binge, but a eating above maintainance week, thanks to Easter. But hey twice today and im back on track, no dramas
  • reddwarf63
    reddwarf63 Posts: 24 Member
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    Twice to the gym i meant
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,898 Member
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    lydslaura wrote: »
    So basically, I've been in eating around 1500 calories for around a year (I'm a 20-year-old 5'7 female) and became obsessive with disordered eating, lost my period and my BMI two weeks ago was 17.5 (weighing 110 pounds, which is underweight but only just) - I don't think this will be my BMI anymore since I think I have put on loads of weight in the past two weeks, but haven't weighed myself as I am going to wait a couple of weeks free of binges to get an accurate result. I am currently home from uni and for some reason, this has triggered uncontrollable binges - I have binged probably 9 or 10 times in the past 2/3 weeks at around 4000-6000 calories a time. I have three questions - 1. If I go back to my normal eating will any weight gain be reversed eventually (within a couple of weeks) or have I binged too much and need to eat less? 2. Should I maybe up my calories? I have been eating as MFP told me with the settings on maintain weight but my activity has been sedentary. I put my activity as this as I spend a lot of my time sitting down in lectures but I do try to go to the gym every day and I walk to and from uni - does this mean my activity should be lightly active which will put my calories up to around 1800? 3. Why have I suddenly lost all willpower and binged so much? Is this my bodies way of telling me it's done with the restriction or is it just me being lazy now I'm home from uni? Sorry that was a lot of questions, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated x

    1500 calories was clearly too low for you, as it led you to an Underweight BMI. And that undereating likely contributed greatly to your recent binging.

    How about you eat at maintenance until you get back to school and then discuss this with a professional?
  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 980 Member
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    As well as eating at maintenance (or at least as many calories as MFP allocated you), make sure you track your exercise and eat those calories too. An activity level of Sedentary is fine as you're spending most of your time sitting in lectures (I'm the same as most of my day is spent sitting in an office) - but you must then enter the time spent walking to and from uni as exercise and make sure you also eat those calories. Do the same for your gym session too - log as exercise and eat the calories. That's how MFP is designed to work. If you consistently eat less than MFP allocates, you eventually starve and your body starts falling apart.

    To answer your question as to why you've suddenly binged - it's probably because you're starving yourself and your body is telling you that it would like some food. Eat enough and the bingeing should disappear. However, I do agree with others that you should seek professional help as soon as you can.
  • MissFoxyOne
    MissFoxyOne Posts: 20 Member
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    I am suffering from a eating disorder and I hope you find someone to help you....find ways to get out of the cycle...I struggle with mine and it is horrible. I wish I didn’t have it but I do.....try to be kind to yourself and eat healthy fruits and vegetables or seek help Fromm a professional
  • aessom15
    aessom15 Posts: 9 Member
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    The same thing happened to me. I restricted for almost a year and lost loads of weight. I never thought of it as starving myself I thought I was eating healthy and having willpower. I started overeating on just Saturday’s and then binging then my binges turned in to 2-3 times per week until suddenly I was gaining weight again. My new goal-and advice to you- would be to eat at maintenance EVERYDAY and stay active to avoid urges to binge . Managing stress and binges and being kind with your body are more important that weight gain/loss. If you treat your body right your weight will eventually level off at what’s healthy for you. If you’re waking and or working out several times per week even if it’s light exercise then I would assume your maintenance calories should be more then 1500. If you’re still feeling hungry after meals then you need to eat more.

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