Q. Okay, I'm a 15 year old girl, 5'0 tall and 90 lbs. I used to be 112 lbs, but I cut my calorie intake and started going to the gym. I WAS 85 lbs at one point, but I gained weight from constant binging until I was 95 lbs, but then I lost 5 more.
I WAS eating 1500 a day and burning off about 200 but I wasn't losing any weight, so I took it down to about 600-800 calories a GOOD day, which is about 5-6 times a week, burning off 300-400 calories.
Meanwhile, I somehow became obsessed with food and counting calories. But either once or twice a week, I'll binge eat and can eat anywhere from 3000-4000 calories a day. Today, I probably ate more - I don't even want to think about it. I only binge eat with friends though, even if they aren't binging themselves.
After I binge, I starve myself for a couple days for damage control by eating 600 a day. I obsess with calories and planning my meals.
It's taking over my life, and I don't even know why. Help me figure out why and what to do?
I WAS eating 1500 a day and burning off about 200 but I wasn't losing any weight, so I took it down to about 600-800 calories a GOOD day, which is about 5-6 times a week, burning off 300-400 calories.
Meanwhile, I somehow became obsessed with food and counting calories. But either once or twice a week, I'll binge eat and can eat anywhere from 3000-4000 calories a day. Today, I probably ate more - I don't even want to think about it. I only binge eat with friends though, even if they aren't binging themselves.
After I binge, I starve myself for a couple days for damage control by eating 600 a day. I obsess with calories and planning my meals.
It's taking over my life, and I don't even know why. Help me figure out why and what to do?
A. OK well first things first. You are underweight. Period. You don't need to lose weight and you could be doing your health serious damage. (Calculate your BMI: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/) but I suspect you already know this.
You sound as though you're dangerously close to (if not already) having an eating disorder.
This is very common - particularly for teenage girls. Read up on anorexia and bulimia http://www.b-eat.co.uk/Home (sorry I don't know what the USA equivalent is).
Psychologically a strict calorie controlled diet can be positively reinforcing - you feel in control, and the weight you lose spurs you on to controlling your diet even more. The binging happens because this isn't sustainable, and probably because you're "overcompensating" so that your friends don't suspect you're starving yourself. Only you know all your reasoning and emotional triggers though.
You should also seriously consider going to see a doctor. If for no other reason, you need to make sure you're physically OK, but I think you know you need help from a therapist or you wouldn't have posted on here.
Some other good resources on disordered eating are on this website http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/consumers.cfm - workbooks "overcoming disordered eating" parts A and B
It's really great that you've recognised that your eating patterns aren't normal - please consider confiding in someone close to you. You'll need their support to get it under control. Good luck!
You sound as though you're dangerously close to (if not already) having an eating disorder.
This is very common - particularly for teenage girls. Read up on anorexia and bulimia http://www.b-eat.co.uk/Home (sorry I don't know what the USA equivalent is).
Psychologically a strict calorie controlled diet can be positively reinforcing - you feel in control, and the weight you lose spurs you on to controlling your diet even more. The binging happens because this isn't sustainable, and probably because you're "overcompensating" so that your friends don't suspect you're starving yourself. Only you know all your reasoning and emotional triggers though.
You should also seriously consider going to see a doctor. If for no other reason, you need to make sure you're physically OK, but I think you know you need help from a therapist or you wouldn't have posted on here.
Some other good resources on disordered eating are on this website http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/consumers.cfm - workbooks "overcoming disordered eating" parts A and B
It's really great that you've recognised that your eating patterns aren't normal - please consider confiding in someone close to you. You'll need their support to get it under control. Good luck!
I have an eating disorder and I need help.?
Q. my life is now made up three thigns. starving, binging and purging. I cannot stop this cyle. USUALLY I starve durign the day, cannot take it anymroe and binge (becuas eif im gonna eat migh as welll eat big and start over starving tomorrow) then purge. I try to throw up and my body cant (I dont know why) then i over excercise. All I want is to lose weight. That is all I want. I am a level 9 gymnast moving up to level 10 and i work out 4-5 hours a day. its so ahrd havign snorexia and being a gymnast because you neveer have enough energy. please someone help me. I talk to a few close friends about this but i have recently become very secretive about it. someone help me i have no where else to run to and i CANNOT tell my parents becasue that is not an option.
A. Anorexia and bulimia arenât about food. Theyâre about using food to cope with painful emotions such as anger, self-loathing, vulnerability, and fear. Disordered eating is a coping mechanismâwhether you refuse food to feel in control, binge for comfort, or purge to punish yourself. But you can learn healthier ways to cope with negative emotions.
The first step is figuring out whatâs really eating you up inside. Remember, âfatâ is not a feeling, so if you feel overweight and unattractive, stop and ask yourself whatâs really going on. Are you upset about something? Depressed? Stressed out? Lonely? Once you identify the emotion youâre experiencing, you can choose a positive alternative to starving or stuffing yourself.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Call a friend
Listen to music
Play with a pet
Read a good book
Take a walk
Write in a journal
Go to the movies
Get out into nature
Play a favorite game
Do something nice for someone
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eating_disorder_self_help.htm
Doâ¦
allow yourself to be vulnerable with people you trust
fully experience every emotion
be open and accepting of all your emotions
use people to comfort you when you feel bad, instead of focusing on food
let your emotions come and go as they please without fear
Donâtâ¦
pretend you donât feel anything when you do
let people shame or humiliate you for having or expressing feelings
avoid feelings because they make you uncomfortable
worry about your feelings making you fall apart
focus on food when youâre experiencing a painful emotion
Adapted from: The Food and Feelings Workbook by Karin R. Koenig, Gurze Books
If you are in the United States you can call the National Eating Disorder Association right now for referrals, support groups and information.
Call them now:
1-800-931-2237
Books dealing with Eating Disorder you can get at library or order online
http://books.google.com/books?q=eating+disorder+helps&source=in&ei=6YwcSoiOIpWstgenvcTuDA&sa=X&oi=book_group&ct=title&cad=bottom-3results&resnum=12
The first step is figuring out whatâs really eating you up inside. Remember, âfatâ is not a feeling, so if you feel overweight and unattractive, stop and ask yourself whatâs really going on. Are you upset about something? Depressed? Stressed out? Lonely? Once you identify the emotion youâre experiencing, you can choose a positive alternative to starving or stuffing yourself.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Call a friend
Listen to music
Play with a pet
Read a good book
Take a walk
Write in a journal
Go to the movies
Get out into nature
Play a favorite game
Do something nice for someone
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eating_disorder_self_help.htm
Doâ¦
allow yourself to be vulnerable with people you trust
fully experience every emotion
be open and accepting of all your emotions
use people to comfort you when you feel bad, instead of focusing on food
let your emotions come and go as they please without fear
Donâtâ¦
pretend you donât feel anything when you do
let people shame or humiliate you for having or expressing feelings
avoid feelings because they make you uncomfortable
worry about your feelings making you fall apart
focus on food when youâre experiencing a painful emotion
Adapted from: The Food and Feelings Workbook by Karin R. Koenig, Gurze Books
If you are in the United States you can call the National Eating Disorder Association right now for referrals, support groups and information.
Call them now:
1-800-931-2237
Books dealing with Eating Disorder you can get at library or order online
http://books.google.com/books?q=eating+disorder+helps&source=in&ei=6YwcSoiOIpWstgenvcTuDA&sa=X&oi=book_group&ct=title&cad=bottom-3results&resnum=12
Should I be worried...?
Q. I often forget to eat, just don't get hungry. Even on days when I'm not busy, if someone doesn't remind me to eat I won't realize until like 10 at night that I haven't eaten anything. Every now and then I eat all day long, little snacks and meals. Most days however I eat one meal and maybe a small snack. I'm over weight, if I eat more surprisingly I lose weight. I just don't think about it. Is this something I should be worried about?
The only reason I eat that late is because I have insomnia, barely get any sleep at all. Normally don't get to sleep until 3 or 4 am
The only reason I eat that late is because I have insomnia, barely get any sleep at all. Normally don't get to sleep until 3 or 4 am
A. I have also struggled with my weight for many years. I used to be over 380 lbs in High school and have kept off 200 for almost 20 yrs now, and it seems to me you are falling into some of the most common pitfalls with your lifestyle. Here is what you need to do.
First and for most you have already learned you need to eat more!!! Yes I know this sounds strange but you have lowered your metabolism so much it can not burn and your body has gone into starvation mode. Try eating a lot of small meals during the day and I am not saying you need to eat sandwiches and full meals here just small severing. Like maybe an apple, some cheese and crackers, nuts (this really helps me) stuff like that. Everything in moderation and never tell yourself oh I canât eat that or this because it is not on my diet. You need to realize it is a lifestyle change and not go back to your old way of eating. It sounds like at one time you had gotten your body used to not eating all day that is why you do not feel hungry at all or just get to busy to eat. You need to retrain your body to be able to tell u that you are hungry. There is a book (it is a workbook) that you can read called Diets donât work and the next one is just called diets still donât work written by Bob Schwartz. He will teach you how to listen to your body again and know what to eat and how to tell when you are hungry. His books have helped me so much over the years and I reread them when I find myself slipping back into my old habits. Start drinking more water and exercise a bit I am not saying to go overboard with the exercise just try taking a 30 minute walk each day, take the stairs, park far away from doors just simple stuff like that. Also this will help you in a few ways first it will help raise you metabolism and get the blood flowing again, It will raise your bodies ability to be able to tell you stop I need more fuel, you will believe it or not feel like you have more energy and help you sleep better at night. The other thing you need to do is to get more sleep too. At least 6-8 hours a night (they have done studies on it) will make it easier to lose weight. Also get a physical too you never know if you might have something wrong with your thyroid or something else. You body right now does not know how to balance your food intake and use it for you. And this can cause long term affects plus with you not sleeping enough you your body is not having the proper time to reenergize itself and rebuild. Also you might want to see someone to take to too. With are lives being so busy now a days you could have some kind of depression (or very stressed) and not even realize it. Everyone can be like this it does not mean you are crazy but just have too much on your plate. If you are not healthy mentally it can affect you physically in so many ways. Try eating most of the cals in the early part of the day and light at night. My biggest meal of the day is always lunch and donât skip breakfast at all skipping meals just makes it easier to binge later at night because your body is so hungry you will eat faster and not realize you are full and eat needless cals. Those then turn into fat. Also make sure you do not eat to few cals like you are doing now during the day and donât try and drop your cal intake to low again you will set yourself up to fail. To figure out how many cals you need for your ideal weight (or weight that is comfortable for you) set a realistic idea weight so say you want to be 140 lb times it by 10 you get 1400. so you will need 1400 cals a day just to maintain this weight for an inactive lifestyle then figure in your exercise and how many cals you burn and add this to your 1400. This is how much you need to eat in cals so you do not slow down your metabolism. Plus donât fall into the other pit fall of to low of a fat diet too. Your body needs some fat to work right. Check out the web site www.fitday.com it can really help you out. Good luck and remember this really needs to a lifestyle change I always tell people taking off the weight is the easy part it is keeping it off that is hard. Good luck I hope it all works out well for you. Trust me when I tell you, you can do this!!!
First and for most you have already learned you need to eat more!!! Yes I know this sounds strange but you have lowered your metabolism so much it can not burn and your body has gone into starvation mode. Try eating a lot of small meals during the day and I am not saying you need to eat sandwiches and full meals here just small severing. Like maybe an apple, some cheese and crackers, nuts (this really helps me) stuff like that. Everything in moderation and never tell yourself oh I canât eat that or this because it is not on my diet. You need to realize it is a lifestyle change and not go back to your old way of eating. It sounds like at one time you had gotten your body used to not eating all day that is why you do not feel hungry at all or just get to busy to eat. You need to retrain your body to be able to tell u that you are hungry. There is a book (it is a workbook) that you can read called Diets donât work and the next one is just called diets still donât work written by Bob Schwartz. He will teach you how to listen to your body again and know what to eat and how to tell when you are hungry. His books have helped me so much over the years and I reread them when I find myself slipping back into my old habits. Start drinking more water and exercise a bit I am not saying to go overboard with the exercise just try taking a 30 minute walk each day, take the stairs, park far away from doors just simple stuff like that. Also this will help you in a few ways first it will help raise you metabolism and get the blood flowing again, It will raise your bodies ability to be able to tell you stop I need more fuel, you will believe it or not feel like you have more energy and help you sleep better at night. The other thing you need to do is to get more sleep too. At least 6-8 hours a night (they have done studies on it) will make it easier to lose weight. Also get a physical too you never know if you might have something wrong with your thyroid or something else. You body right now does not know how to balance your food intake and use it for you. And this can cause long term affects plus with you not sleeping enough you your body is not having the proper time to reenergize itself and rebuild. Also you might want to see someone to take to too. With are lives being so busy now a days you could have some kind of depression (or very stressed) and not even realize it. Everyone can be like this it does not mean you are crazy but just have too much on your plate. If you are not healthy mentally it can affect you physically in so many ways. Try eating most of the cals in the early part of the day and light at night. My biggest meal of the day is always lunch and donât skip breakfast at all skipping meals just makes it easier to binge later at night because your body is so hungry you will eat faster and not realize you are full and eat needless cals. Those then turn into fat. Also make sure you do not eat to few cals like you are doing now during the day and donât try and drop your cal intake to low again you will set yourself up to fail. To figure out how many cals you need for your ideal weight (or weight that is comfortable for you) set a realistic idea weight so say you want to be 140 lb times it by 10 you get 1400. so you will need 1400 cals a day just to maintain this weight for an inactive lifestyle then figure in your exercise and how many cals you burn and add this to your 1400. This is how much you need to eat in cals so you do not slow down your metabolism. Plus donât fall into the other pit fall of to low of a fat diet too. Your body needs some fat to work right. Check out the web site www.fitday.com it can really help you out. Good luck and remember this really needs to a lifestyle change I always tell people taking off the weight is the easy part it is keeping it off that is hard. Good luck I hope it all works out well for you. Trust me when I tell you, you can do this!!!
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