Previous Eating Disorder, now trying to diet healthy
Beautifulx0xButterfly
Posts: 7 Member
I am a 31 year old woman. When I was in highschool, aged 13-20 I had Bulimia. It took a long time, but I finally recovered from Bulimia by going to a psychiatrist and learning to love my body again etc. But then I went the complete opposite direction and learned a love for food (all the bad kinds of food) pizza, poutines, chicken wings, pasta, cake, chips etc. Now, I am at the complete opposite side of the relationship with food I was when I was a youth. I've been trying to lose the weight the healthy way this time around. I have been going to the gym doing cardio workouts for 2 hours each time, as well as keeping my calorie intake at 1300, but I have only lost 5 pounds, and I am hungry all the time.
My question is, how do I keep on my dieting without going back to binge eating or bulimia because I am feeling discouraged
Any advise from others in the same situation who have overcome?
My question is, how do I keep on my dieting without going back to binge eating or bulimia because I am feeling discouraged
Any advise from others in the same situation who have overcome? 6
Replies
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What proportion of your exercise calories are you eating back, and how did you calculate them? MFP intends you to eat back all exercise calories assuming they are calculated correctly. If you’re not eating them back, you may be undereating.
Depending on your starting weight and how long you’ve been trying to lose weight, 5 pounds may be reasonable or even too fast.3 -
First, if you are going to workout, 1300 calories is way too low - no wonder you're hungry.
How much weight are you trying to lose? Set your goals accordingly and EAT.
I would suggest you go back to your treatment team to get you set up with a calorie and food plan.
2 -
If the cardio is new, you are likely retaining water from that, which can mask fat loss.
You've lost 5 pounds in what amount of time? And how much weight do you have to lose total?
I agree that depending on these factors, 5 pounds could be reasonable or even too fast.0 -
1. Five pounds is a great start. There’s no reason to say “only five pounds.” You’ve lost five pounds. Awesome job.
2. 1300 calories isn’t enough if you’re doing two hours of cardio daily. Of course you’re always hungry.
3. Be careful with your mindset. Over exercising and undereating and becoming obsessive about these things can trigger old bulimic-like habits.
4. Patience. You didn’t gain weight overnight. You won’t lose it overnight. I didn’t lose weight successfully until I stopped trying to lose it all at once. Change the way you eat and live and then allow the weight loss to come naturally.
5. Look more into your relationship with food. If you spoke with someone previously to overcome your issues, consider doing that again.
6. Try not to restrict yourself too much. Consider eating at maintenance for a while and adjusting as you feel comfortable. Going from eating whatever you want to being very restrictive and over exercising is a great way to trigger binge eating. It’s a cycle. You feel guilty for binging, so you restrict. Which causes more binging.6 -
Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.-4
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Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
You have no idea what s/he is eating.
What are you even talking about?9 -
cmriverside wrote: »Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
You have no idea what s/he is eating.
What are you even talking about?
Hormones. Insulin, cortisol, ghrelin, etc.. Are you hungry? I'm not. I eat 1 meal a day. So let's see..-1 -
cmriverside wrote: »Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
You have no idea what s/he is eating.
What are you even talking about?
Hormones. Insulin, cortisol, ghrelin, etc.. Are you hungry? I'm not. I eat 1 meal a day. So let's see..
I'm not hungry, but thanks for caring.
This woman isn't eating enough in general and is working out two hours a day.
She suffered from bulimia in the past.
Pretty sure there's more going on there than processed food causing her to be hungry.
Number of meals is not relevant here.14 -
cmriverside wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
You have no idea what s/he is eating.
What are you even talking about?
Hormones. Insulin, cortisol, ghrelin, etc.. Are you hungry? I'm not. I eat 1 meal a day. So let's see..
I'm not hungry, but thanks for caring.
This woman isn't eating enough in general and is working out two hours a day.
She suffered from bulimia in the past.
Pretty sure there's more going on there than processed food causing her to be hungry.
Number of meals is not relevant here.
That's why I told her to message me if she has further problems with hunger. There are tons of reasons, being processed foods as the most common.-2 -
Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
She made no mention of what she is eating now. Her references to pizza, etc., were post her bulimia.
Is the pizza I make ok because it is made at home by a woman? Is it ok if I am using organic flour? Or does it also have to be stone-ground? Or are all grains bad? Or just wheat grown in the US? What if the wheat was grown in the US but I buy wheat berries and grind them by hand? Still processed, but processed by me. Or do I need to buy heirloom wheat seeds and grow, harvest, and grind my own wheat?
(The above illustrates many food myths I have heard, held myself, or are/have been held by family members. My mother and grandfather were at health weights when they ground their own flour by hand in a grinder, and at healthy weights when they switched to pre-ground flour. This is because their Calories In did not exceed their Calories Out.)5 -
cmriverside wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
You have no idea what s/he is eating.
What are you even talking about?
Hormones. Insulin, cortisol, ghrelin, etc.. Are you hungry? I'm not. I eat 1 meal a day. So let's see..
I'm not hungry, but thanks for caring.
This woman isn't eating enough in general and is working out two hours a day.
She suffered from bulimia in the past.
Pretty sure there's more going on there than processed food causing her to be hungry.
Number of meals is not relevant here.
That's why I told her to message me if she has further problems with hunger. There are tons of reasons, being processed foods as the most common.
Are you a registered dietitian, or a mental health professional trained in treating eating disorders?8 -
cmriverside wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
You have no idea what s/he is eating.
What are you even talking about?
Hormones. Insulin, cortisol, ghrelin, etc.. Are you hungry? I'm not. I eat 1 meal a day. So let's see..
I'm not hungry, but thanks for caring.
This woman isn't eating enough in general and is working out two hours a day.
She suffered from bulimia in the past.
Pretty sure there's more going on there than processed food causing her to be hungry.
Number of meals is not relevant here.
That's why I told her to message me if she has further problems with hunger. There are tons of reasons, being processed foods as the most common.
Are you a registered dietitian, or a mental health professional trained in treating eating disorders?
Straw man argument. I'm just offering help.-1 -
Some changes in mindset that have helped me:
(1) Food is not "bad" or "good". Foods have varying degrees of nutrients and calories, and it's important to balance what I eat to (a) care for my body properly and (b) enjoy food/life.
For example, you may automatically think carrots are "good", but a diet just of carrots will eventually lead to death. You call pizza a "bad" food but it includes protein, fat, carbs and many micronutrients (calcium, vitamin D, vitamins A&C, iron, etc.). It's actually possible that a diet purely of pizza that isn't over the person's calorie needs could lead to a long life. I would certainly recommend just pizza over just carrots. But, obviously, eating a wide variety of foods is the best option.
(2) Exercise is very good for health. A good exercise routine should include cardio, strength, flexibility, and balance. A good exercise routine should also be something that I can do virtually "forever".
(3) It's healthy for me to question and think about my attitudes towards food.
Here's an example from my life. I grew up in a large family without much money. Treat foods showed up occasionally and disappeared quickly. I had to grab quick and eat fast if I wanted some. As an adult, I still have to remind myself that I have a car, a credit card, and a healthy bank balance. If the candy I bought for a treat is eaten by someone else, I can simply drive to the store and buy more. There is no scarcity except in my own mind!
Try to take it slow. For someone with a former eating disorder, losing .5 lbs/ week or even less is often a better option. Be patient and kind to yourself. Don't hesitate to call in professional help. Use exercise to keep your body healthy, not just to aid weight loss, but, also, eat your exercise calories to fuel your body well.
Good luck!5 -
cmriverside wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
You have no idea what s/he is eating.
What are you even talking about?
Hormones. Insulin, cortisol, ghrelin, etc.. Are you hungry? I'm not. I eat 1 meal a day. So let's see..
I'm not hungry, but thanks for caring.
This woman isn't eating enough in general and is working out two hours a day
She suffered from bulimia in the past.
Pretty sure there's more going on there than processed food causing her to be hungry.
Number of meals is not relevant here.
That's why I told her to message me if she has further problems with hunger. There are tons of reasons, being processed foods as the most common.
Or maybe the fact she's trying to eat 1300 calories and work out two hours a day and is struggling with hunger because she's not eating enough..
I hope she has better sense than to get into a personal and private conversation with someone who is offering up "not eating processed food" as the solution.
I lost 80 pounds 12 years ago and I've kept it off eating a wide variety of foods, many of them processed. That's not the problem here, and telling someone with an eating disorder that there are "good and bad" foods or that she has to eat in a particular way or at a particular time... that's just not helpful.8 -
cmriverside wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
You have no idea what s/he is eating.
What are you even talking about?
Hormones. Insulin, cortisol, ghrelin, etc.. Are you hungry? I'm not. I eat 1 meal a day. So let's see..
I'm not hungry, but thanks for caring.
This woman isn't eating enough in general and is working out two hours a day.
She suffered from bulimia in the past.
Pretty sure there's more going on there than processed food causing her to be hungry.
Number of meals is not relevant here.
That's why I told her to message me if she has further problems with hunger. There are tons of reasons, being processed foods as the most common.
Are you a registered dietitian, or a mental health professional trained in treating eating disorders?
Straw man argument. I'm just offering help.
It's a very valid argument, if you don't understand the implications of what your advice can have on someone who is struggling with or has previously struggled with an eating disorder. Even what seems like normal advice can be triggering and potentially dangerous.
For example: "Stop eating processed food" - it's not necessary to cut out processed foods and many ED therapists will advise not making rules around food.
Also not sure why they'd need to message you, that alone is a bit of a red flag.8 -
Beautifulx0xButterfly wrote: »I am a 31 year old woman. When I was in highschool, aged 13-20 I had Bulimia. It took a long time, but I finally recovered from Bulimia by going to a psychiatrist and learning to love my body again etc. But then I went the complete opposite direction and learned a love for food (all the bad kinds of food) pizza, poutines, chicken wings, pasta, cake, chips etc. Now, I am at the complete opposite side of the relationship with food I was when I was a youth. I've been trying to lose the weight the healthy way this time around. I have been going to the gym doing cardio workouts for 2 hours each time, as well as keeping my calorie intake at 1300, but I have only lost 5 pounds, and I am hungry all the time.
My question is, how do I keep on my dieting without going back to binge eating or bulimia because I am feeling discouraged Any advise from others in the same situation who have overcome?
Almost 30 year old woman here... experienced bulimia in my early/mid 20s after weight gain... I can relate to what you're saying here and the best advice I can give you is my experience. I know how badly you want to lose the weight and it's easy to be frustrated that you used to have the "will" to be thin. The truth is, you will start over and over and over and cause yourself way more unhappiness if you restrict. Eat more food. You will feel much better and you can still be in a deficit. You won't believe the difference that a few hundred calories makes... you'll feel full and satisfied but you will start feeling slim as well. Please try it, you have nothing to lose.5 -
Please quit hijacking the thread. This person needs advice on hunger. That's all I'm helping them with. If they need bulimia help, that's on their own accord. Quit with the straw man arguments. There are some foods more nutritious than other foods. Flour that has been enriched is processed. Quit with the if this food generalizations. They have no part in this discussion. Have respect.0
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Please quit hijacking the thread. This person needs advice on hunger. That's all I'm helping them with. If they need bulimia help, that's on their own accord. Quit with the straw man arguments. There are some foods more nutritious than other foods. Flour that has been enriched is processed. Quit with the if this food generalizations. They have no part in this discussion. Have respect.
OP is hungry because she is not eating enough for someone who is doing 2 hours of cardio per day, it's that simple.
Regarding the bolded yes there are, but you don't know what she's eating as all she has said about her current diet is:Beautifulx0xButterfly wrote: »I've been trying to lose the weight the healthy way this time around. I have been going to the gym doing cardio workouts for 2 hours each time, as well as keeping my calorie intake at 1300,
4 -
Please quit hijacking the thread. This person needs advice on hunger. That's all I'm helping them with. If they need bulimia help, that's on their own accord. Quit with the straw man arguments. There are some foods more nutritious than other foods. Flour that has been enriched is processed. Quit with the if this food generalizations. They have no part in this discussion. Have respect.
Again, she made no mention of what she is eating now. Her references to pizza, etc., were post her bulimia treatment.5 -
Please quit hijacking the thread. This person needs advice on hunger. That's all I'm helping them with. If they need bulimia help, that's on their own accord. Quit with the straw man arguments. There are some foods more nutritious than other foods. Flour that has been enriched is processed. Quit with the if this food generalizations. They have no part in this discussion. Have respect.
All flour is processed. Flour is literally the result of processing grains. You should stop offering advice when you have no idea what you're talking about.13 -
cmriverside wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »Hunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
You have no idea what s/he is eating.
What are you even talking about?
Hormones. Insulin, cortisol, ghrelin, etc.. Are you hungry? I'm not. I eat 1 meal a day. So let's see..
I'm not hungry, but thanks for caring.
This woman isn't eating enough in general and is working out two hours a day.
She suffered from bulimia in the past.
Pretty sure there's more going on there than processed food causing her to be hungry.
Number of meals is not relevant here.
That's why I told her to message me if she has further problems with hunger. There are tons of reasons, being processed foods as the most common.
Are you a registered dietitian, or a mental health professional trained in treating eating disorders?
Straw man argument. I'm just offering help.
A "straw man argument" is defined as refuting an argument that one's opponent did not present. It is not a straw man fallacy to request evidence or expertise in support of others' claims.
It is entirely appropriate to ask for your credentials if you want the OP to message you privately, rather than corresponding with you on a public forum. There are two reasons why I can imagine that you might want to talk to OP via private message:
1) You are a professional in a relevant field and you're offering a professional consultation. If so, that's very generous of you and it should be no problem for you to provide your credentials so OP will have full knowledge of your qualifications.
2) You want to continue providing information like what you've posted so far, but you want to do it in a setting where others can't see it and give feedback on it. That's far more concerning because some of the things you've posted so far are potentially dangerous to OP, as others have noted.
This is all absolutely relevant to the conversation because OP has a history of ED, and bad advice could be harmful even if it is well intended. I hope everyone here can agree that we want OP to be healthy and not harmed in any way.
Finally, if you're the person who keeps flagging others' posts, you should be aware that misuse of the flag function will get you in trouble with moderators. The "abuse" flag is for "extreme abuse of our guidelines; such as posting of pornographic images or hate speech" (https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10007789/flagged-content-reported-posts-warning-points). It is not for "past events gone sour, a dislike of the user, and those who are trying to incite drama, flame-bait, or are flagging to attack another user in a thread due to disagreement." You can click the Disagree button to your heart's content, but you'll get warned by moderators for flagging things inappropriately.11 -
Is finding a therapist now, while in the process of trying to lose weight, an option for you? There are therapists who specialize in EDs, you don't necessarily need to go back through the process of seeing a psychiatrist.
I say that because our minds don't process information related to food, weight, dieting, etc the way other people's do. A lot of the information given on this forum can really mess with your head. It is all perfectly sound, true advice - like a calorie is a calorie, or carbs are not bad - but coming from what we've been through, it questions everything our disorder has made us believe.
It's a really tough process, but that is honestly my best advice. I wish you nothing but healing and success
9 -
I am nearly 30 and had problems with eating disorders from age 12 until my early 20s. The thing that really helped me was recontextualising food and weight so it wasn't all about loss and negatives. Even things as simple as starting weight lifting helped because I had positive goals to work for, eg "I want to be able to lift 50kg" rather than "I need to lose 10kg". I was trying to be more not less, and working UP to something rather than down which in itself felt better.
I also try to be really careful about making strict rules for myself, given that I know the rule-making around food can get out of control, but so can the lack of rules. Your story sounds very familiar to me, I have also experienced both extremes. I now try to set realistic and attainable guidelines rather than rules or bans.
As for losing weight, I'm sure you know about the damage eating disorders cause our metabolisms. Sometimes it may take us a little longer to find balance and settle into a routine that works. I would definitely recommend setting your weekly loss goal low and taking it slowly. Your goal needs to be sustainable, think about something you can implement long term so one day (hopefully soon!) you will have healthy habits by default and not need to spend so much mental energy thinking about food and exercise.
One more thing: do you enjoy the exercise you do? It took me ages to settle on exercise I enjoyed that didn't feel like punishment but it feels so good when you do!
You can do this 🙂 many of us may understand what you're going through and it absolutely can be done healthily, there are plenty of people who are living (and thriving) proof of that.
X8 -
I think the above poster @_Blumenkraft_ has some great suggestions. I’m now 40 and my disordered eating issues started around 12-13. Dealt with bulimia in my 20’s, and now trying to find balance.
Weight training has really helped me overcome some of these body dysmorphic issues. I was able to change my body composition and it just felt great. I enjoy the lifting process.
Doing more cardio and having to drop calories even more just starts a vicious cycle.
Working with a therapist and coach may help put things in perspective for you. Good luck.3 -
kshama2001 wrote: »If the cardio is new, you are likely retaining water from that, which can mask fat loss.
You've lost 5 pounds in what amount of time? And how much weight do you have to lose total?
I agree that depending on these factors, 5 pounds could be reasonable or even too fast.
Hey, thanks for your response! My 5 pounds I lost over the course of one and a half months.. According to those BMI Calculators, I'm supposed to be 85-100 pounds lighter than I am.0 -
cmriverside wrote: »First, if you are going to workout, 1300 calories is way too low - no wonder you're hungry.
How much weight are you trying to lose? Set your goals accordingly and EAT.
I would suggest you go back to your treatment team to get you set up with a calorie and food plan.
1300 calories is actually way more than I use to eat and even when I meet the 1300 calories I start for feel nauseous automatically. I havent been able to hold actual breakfast down in 20 years, so I have a meal replacement smoothie to just get some nutrients in. Lunchtime I sometimes have two hard boiled eggs and a yogurt, or a tuna sandwhich. Dinner is usually chicken, vegetables and rice (or potatos) or something similar unless I go out on a Friday or Saturday night with the ladies I'll get a dish off the "healthy items" section of the menu.0 -
IHunger when losing weight is not sustainable. You are eating man made food and it's confusing your body. Try natural foods like meat and vegetables and stop eating processed foods. If that doesn't work, or you need further help, then message me and I'll help you figure it out.
.. I don't quite understand this, as even carrots for example go through some sort of processing system. Even meat is processed with chemicals for faster animal growth..0 -
Beautifulx0xButterfly wrote: »I am a 31 year old woman. When I was in highschool, aged 13-20 I had Bulimia. It took a long time, but I finally recovered from Bulimia by going to a psychiatrist and learning to love my body again etc. But then I went the complete opposite direction and learned a love for food (all the bad kinds of food) pizza, poutines, chicken wings, pasta, cake, chips etc. Now, I am at the complete opposite side of the relationship with food I was when I was a youth. I've been trying to lose the weight the healthy way this time around. I have been going to the gym doing cardio workouts for 2 hours each time, as well as keeping my calorie intake at 1300, but I have only lost 5 pounds, and I am hungry all the time.
My question is, how do I keep on my dieting without going back to binge eating or bulimia because I am feeling discouraged Any advise from others in the same situation who have overcome?
Almost 30 year old woman here... experienced bulimia in my early/mid 20s after weight gain... I can relate to what you're saying here and the best advice I can give you is my experience. I know how badly you want to lose the weight and it's easy to be frustrated that you used to have the "will" to be thin. The truth is, you will start over and over and over and cause yourself way more unhappiness if you restrict. Eat more food. You will feel much better and you can still be in a deficit. You won't believe the difference that a few hundred calories makes... you'll feel full and satisfied but you will start feeling slim as well. Please try it, you have nothing to lose.
Thank you for commenting and your suggestions. It's nice to hear from someone with similar situations
0 -
sammidelvecchio wrote: »Is finding a therapist now, while in the process of trying to lose weight, an option for you? There are therapists who specialize in EDs, you don't necessarily need to go back through the process of seeing a psychiatrist.
I say that because our minds don't process information related to food, weight, dieting, etc the way other people's do. A lot of the information given on this forum can really mess with your head. It is all perfectly sound, true advice - like a calorie is a calorie, or carbs are not bad - but coming from what we've been through, it questions everything our disorder has made us believe.
It's a really tough process, but that is honestly my best advice. I wish you nothing but healing and success
Thank you for the kind words. Unfortunately, I don't have the money right now to see a therapist.. I am happy to hear from someone who thinks similarly to me. I feel like I've been undereating for so long, that if I eat more I'll gain even more.. It's almost a mental struggle as well as a physical one.1 -
Beautifulx0xButterfly wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »First, if you are going to workout, 1300 calories is way too low - no wonder you're hungry.
How much weight are you trying to lose? Set your goals accordingly and EAT.
I would suggest you go back to your treatment team to get you set up with a calorie and food plan.
1300 calories is actually way more than I use to eat and even when I meet the 1300 calories I start for feel nauseous automatically. I havent been able to hold actual breakfast down in 20 years, so I have a meal replacement smoothie to just get some nutrients in. Lunchtime I sometimes have two hard boiled eggs and a yogurt, or a tuna sandwhich. Dinner is usually chicken, vegetables and rice (or potatos) or something similar unless I go out on a Friday or Saturday night with the ladies I'll get a dish off the "healthy items" section of the menu.
I started multiple responses, but am just going to leave it with I agree your best bet is to back to your treatment team to get you set up with a calorie and food plan. (If they are no longer available, get a new one.)3
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