Eating Disorder Support Group

[tal1990]

environ, i really dunno what to do, its just that i dont want to gain weight, so every day i eat 500 calories, then the binges just comds, its average one to 6 days, every 6 days i binge, and i like "food-addicted" i cant control my self, i eat until full full and stuff like food addicted, ill binge on 2000-3000 calories and then again.. and i dunno what to do, really, i just not have life, its all about food..(( please help me, how should i stop thoe binges, when its starts i just cant stop myself, please give me tips, what should i do ((((((((((((((((

[SoulMeetsBody]

Again, why? Did you have any options? Did you prefer to stay at a place where you COULD binge?

Sadly, I really didn't have options. I didn't binge my birthday night, it was last night.
After a binge day I would typically take 40 mg of adderall and energy drinks to feel motivated, otherwise I wouldnt feel motivated to do 3 hours of cardio after major binge days. I already know that I'm messing with my mind, because I think I'm unconsciously training my brain that I get a reward-the dopamine boost from adderall- after a MAJOR binge day. I only take 20 mg on regular days. Adderall makes me soooo weird, but it's the only thing that helps me not think about food 24/7 and not be self-loathing all the time. I am so guarded without adderall. It's love/hate. I hate it because I walk around extremely paranoid and word vomit all my personal life. But I love it because I'm able to take risks. Without adderall, I hold back and I'm very inhibited. So it freaks me out that a drug is making me so open and I never hold anything back, I'm not comfortable being this way, and the thoughts of what I do and say on adderall make me binge. In the end adderall exacerbates my anxiety, making me have the WORST binges, BUT I AM ABLE TO USE UP A LOT of the ENERGY bc I'm basically on speed. So it's like without adderal, I binge and binging causes me to lose motivation and energy. On adderal I can almost allow myself to binge and have the motivation to be very active all day. But if I didn't take adderall then stress from school work/deadlines would make me unmotivated and just binge everyday. I am CONSUMED. I'm not even really living.

Yesterday I had to drive 3.5 hours home from visiting my sister and my new nephew. I decided I would make it a binge day. I don't know why. I ate 1,700 healthy calories before the binge started around 7pm. I first stopped at one rest area and got a big brownie and big peanut butter bar. Then I stopped and got an ice cream cone. Then I stopped at Friendlys and got a double scoop ice cream with whipped cream. Then I went to the grocery store and got a digornios stuffed crust pizza, brownie mix, and a gallon of ice cream. I ate all but 1 serving of the pizza...the last serving I sprayed with perfume so I wouldn't pick it from the garbabe. Then I ate about 6 brownie servings with LOTS of ice cream on top.. I was numb and sick. Now today because I can't run and because I feel gross to be in public, I am just fasting. I have to get school work done today...It's so hard for me with school and it always has been...I've failed so much in the past BECAUSE ONLY BECAUSE I let myself be consumed by this. I am a failure. I'm 25 and have been an undergrad for 7 years!!

[Environ]

Originally Posted by tal1990

environ, i really dunno what to do, its just that i dont want to gain weight, so every day i eat 500 calories, then the binges just comds, its average one to 6 days, every 6 days i binge, and i like "food-addicted" i cant control my self, i eat until full full and stuff like food addicted, ill binge on 2000-3000 calories and then again.. and i dunno what to do, really, i just not have life, its all about food..(( please help me, how should i stop thoe binges, when its starts i just cant stop myself, please give me tips, what should i do ((((((((((((((((

In your present state, it is unlikely that you can stop binging immediately. You keep asking me for advice and I keep telling you to follow a normal meal plan - in other words, eat regular meals throughout the day. That is what I am going to tell you no matter how many times you ask me for help. The bottom line is that YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO EAT.

You already know that eating 500 calories a day is ridiculous. If you want to stop binging, you have to eat regularly and you have to take in enough energy to support your lifestyle. I can't tell you anything else.

And, you need to see a therapist immediately if you're not already seeing one.

[Environ]

Originally Posted by SoulMeetsBody

Again, why? Did you have any options? Did you prefer to stay at a place where you COULD binge?

Sadly, I really didn't have options. I didn't binge my birthday night, it was last night.
After a binge day I would typically take 40 mg of adderall and energy drinks to feel motivated, otherwise I wouldnt feel motivated to do 3 hours of cardio after major binge days. I already know that I'm messing with my mind, because I think I'm unconsciously training my brain that I get a reward-the dopamine boost from adderall- after a MAJOR binge day. I only take 20 mg on regular days. Adderall makes me soooo weird, but it's the only thing that helps me not think about food 24/7 and not be self-loathing all the time. I am so guarded without adderall. It's love/hate. I hate it because I walk around extremely paranoid and word vomit all my personal life. But I love it because I'm able to take risks. Without adderall, I hold back and I'm very inhibited. So it freaks me out that a drug is making me so open and I never hold anything back, I'm not comfortable being this way, and the thoughts of what I do and say on adderall make me binge. In the end adderall exacerbates my anxiety, making me have the WORST binges, BUT I AM ABLE TO USE UP A LOT of the ENERGY bc I'm basically on speed. So it's like without adderal, I binge and binging causes me to lose motivation and energy. On adderal I can almost allow myself to binge and have the motivation to be very active all day. But if I didn't take adderall then stress from school work/deadlines would make me unmotivated and just binge everyday. I am CONSUMED. I'm not even really living.

Yesterday I had to drive 3.5 hours home from visiting my sister and my new nephew. I decided I would make it a binge day. I don't know why. I ate 1,700 healthy calories before the binge started around 7pm. I first stopped at one rest area and got a big brownie and big peanut butter bar. Then I stopped and got an ice cream cone. Then I stopped at Friendlys and got a double scoop ice cream with whipped cream. Then I went to the grocery store and got a digornios stuffed crust pizza, brownie mix, and a gallon of ice cream. I ate all but 1 serving of the pizza...the last serving I sprayed with perfume so I wouldn't pick it from the garbabe. Then I ate about 6 brownie servings with LOTS of ice cream on top.. I was numb and sick. Now today because I can't run and because I feel gross to be in public, I am just fasting. I have to get school work done today...It's so hard for me with school and it always has been...I've failed so much in the past BECAUSE ONLY BECAUSE I let myself be consumed by this. I am a failure. I'm 25 and have been an undergrad for 7 years!!

There are ALWAYS options; you just couldn't or wouldn't think of any. Of course, the most logical 'option' is not to binge, but that is so hard for people to choose.

I'm not a doctor or a medical professional so I can't really comment on the Adderal, only to say that I think it makes your life worse than makes it better.

With regard to yesterday, you said yourself that you DECIDED to make it a binge day. This is your first mistake or poor decision. If you want to get over this, you have to decide to make every day a NON-binge day. Of course, you have to take every day one at a time, and there are sure to be days when you aren't strong enough to resist the temptation, but you can just get back on the wagon the following day.

How do you feel about your sister starting (or adding to) her own family? Are you envious? Do you wish you could be as free as she is? I'm asking you this to see if it is related to why you chose to make yesterday a binge day. After all, you were going to visit your new nephew - a joyous occasion - but you added in a binge which ruined it for you. Perhaps you thought that the binge would make up for the fact that you are stuck in your life while those around you are moving forwards.

[Environ]

Originally Posted by pretty.batgirl

I have an extremely close relationship with my mother, she practically brought me up on her own, she had me when she was 15 and we're kinda more like BFFs than Mother/Daughter, however I am currently studying away from home and it's been such an extreme change from seeing her everyday to not seeing her at all. We usually talk on the phone, she calls me every couple of hours or so...She knows I've been struggling with food, but I don't know to what extent. She's expressed her concerns a number of times but it upset me even more when she bought it up (for some reason, her thinking I had an ED pushed me towards one...if that makes sense.) Over the past couple of months (especially last month) I've been telling her how hard it is being away from home/friends and how isolating it can get and l don't think she understands. She shrugs it off and tells me to go out or do something to occupy my time. She's not taking me seriously at all and it's so frustrating. I keep reiterating and I feel like she doesn't want to accept the fact that I have a problem, it's like she's neglecting me. Our relationship has changed so much over the past year. Now that I'm no longer home, she's concentrating on my younger brother and sister...98% of the time when she calls it's either because she wants school advice or my help in finishing one of their school projects, or she vents about my little sister's craziness.

She keeps telling me she'll be over to see me and spend time with me but she never is. She was supposed to be here 1st of January, then it was easter, then it was 'oh no, a week after easter!', then it last Monday...Yesterday, and now it's 'Thursday, Thursday morning!' I told her that I stopped getting my hopes up when April ended so whether she's comes or not, it doesn't really matter anymore.

Last week when we talked I told her I wanted to see someone to seek help (not just with food struggles but with everything that's been going on) and she completely shut me off and ignored it. It's like she thinks I'm saying it to get attention or I'm just being spoilt.


^ That is so eye-opening and inspiring, thank you. <3 When I eat something out of my meal plan I feel so guilty and weak, I've been trying so hard to let go but I can't. It's always there staring me in the face. I'm willing to get help but I can't if my mom isn't willing to meet me halfway and realize her 'perfect' daughter actually has a real problem.

There is almost a sense of competitiveness or challenge between you both. If you go and see a therapist, be prepared to have to go through this relationship forensically. She may be reluctant to come to terms with the fact that you do have an eating disorder because she thinks that it means that she failed as a mother.

You don't necessarily need your mother for you to start getting treatment (except, perhaps, for financial assistance). She will have to be involved later on though.

[tal1990]

Originally Posted by Environ

In your present state, it is unlikely that you can stop binging immediately. You keep asking me for advice and I keep telling you to follow a normal meal plan - in other words, eat regular meals throughout the day. That is what I am going to tell you no matter how many times you ask me for help. The bottom line is that YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO EAT.

You already know that eating 500 calories a day is ridiculous. If you want to stop binging, you have to eat regularly and you have to take in enough energy to support your lifestyle. I can't tell you anything else.

And, you need to see a therapist immediately if you're not already seeing one.

its justs, that if ill eat 1000 calories that its normal amoutn - ill know i gain weight, i scard from gaining weight and i dont want to gain weight, and ill know ill gain if ill eat more then 500, thats why im so scard and ****edup

[icery]

I didn't look thoroughly in this thread about this but.. environ especially, what is your feeling on eating disorders being treated as 'addictions'.. apparently some forms of treatment include 12 step programs etc..

[Environ]

Originally Posted by icery

I didn't look thoroughly in this thread about this but.. environ especially, what is your feeling on eating disorders being treated as 'addictions'.. apparently some forms of treatment include 12 step programs etc..

I think that it is wrong to describe an eating disorder as an 'addiction'. I think that it is far more than that. Furthermore, I do not believe that you can treat an eating disorder the same way that you can treat an addiction. I do not think that 12 step programmes are suitable or appropriate for the treatment of eating disorders.

There are commonly two ways to 'treat' eating disorders - you can teach somebody to cope with living with the condition and, in that regard, people often use 12 step programmes or similar alternatives. This is much the same as helping an alcoholic to cope without alcohol or a drug addict to cope without drugs. You can't really do that with eating disorders because you simply have to eat food to survive. The alternative is that you can treat somebody to be completely free of the condition and then can resume a perfectly normal life and put the condition behind them. In my view, the latter option is far more preferable.

[Environ]

Originally Posted by tal1990

its justs, that if ill eat 1000 calories that its normal amoutn - ill know i gain weight, i scard from gaining weight and i dont want to gain weight, and ill know ill gain if ill eat more then 500, thats why im so scard and ****edup

1,000 calories is not a normal diet for an adolescent or an adult. You don't know that you'll gain weight on 1,000 calories because you are afraid to try. Furthermore, if you are very underweight, then you MUST gain weight. You have to accept this.

[lilly_julia]

Originally Posted by SoulMeetsBody

Again, why? Did you have any options? Did you prefer to stay at a place where you COULD binge?

Sadly, I really didn't have options. I didn't binge my birthday night, it was last night.
After a binge day I would typically take 40 mg of adderall and energy drinks to feel motivated, otherwise I wouldnt feel motivated to do 3 hours of cardio after major binge days. I already know that I'm messing with my mind, because I think I'm unconsciously training my brain that I get a reward-the dopamine boost from adderall- after a MAJOR binge day. I only take 20 mg on regular days. Adderall makes me soooo weird, but it's the only thing that helps me not think about food 24/7 and not be self-loathing all the time. I am so guarded without adderall. It's love/hate. I hate it because I walk around extremely paranoid and word vomit all my personal life. But I love it because I'm able to take risks. Without adderall, I hold back and I'm very inhibited. So it freaks me out that a drug is making me so open and I never hold anything back, I'm not comfortable being this way, and the thoughts of what I do and say on adderall make me binge. In the end adderall exacerbates my anxiety, making me have the WORST binges, BUT I AM ABLE TO USE UP A LOT of the ENERGY bc I'm basically on speed. So it's like without adderal, I binge and binging causes me to lose motivation and energy. On adderal I can almost allow myself to binge and have the motivation to be very active all day. But if I didn't take adderall then stress from school work/deadlines would make me unmotivated and just binge everyday. I am CONSUMED. I'm not even really living.

Yesterday I had to drive 3.5 hours home from visiting my sister and my new nephew. I decided I would make it a binge day. I don't know why. I ate 1,700 healthy calories before the binge started around 7pm. I first stopped at one rest area and got a big brownie and big peanut butter bar. Then I stopped and got an ice cream cone. Then I stopped at Friendlys and got a double scoop ice cream with whipped cream. Then I went to the grocery store and got a digornios stuffed crust pizza, brownie mix, and a gallon of ice cream. I ate all but 1 serving of the pizza...the last serving I sprayed with perfume so I wouldn't pick it from the garbabe. Then I ate about 6 brownie servings with LOTS of ice cream on top.. I was numb and sick. Now today because I can't run and because I feel gross to be in public, I am just fasting. I have to get school work done today...It's so hard for me with school and it always has been...I've failed so much in the past BECAUSE ONLY BECAUSE I let myself be consumed by this. I am a failure. I'm 25 and have been an undergrad for 7 years!!

you need addiction counseling. You are addicted to drugs and food. Its not a soft addiction, either, its really, really, REALLY in control of your life. There is nothing on these boards that anyone can say to help you. You need treatment.

Your life is worth living outside of this cage! Find out what is the underlying cause of all this grief and drive to punish yourself. I would quit school for now if I were you and focus on getting better mentally. Adderall is speed, its a drug, its doping you like crazy, food is also. You really, REALLY need counseling. I hope for nothing but the best for you.

[Spielzeug]

Originally Posted by pretty.batgirl

Why do I keep doing this to myself? I've been working so hard at the gym, training and finally treating my body right and eating properly. It's like, I've thrown that all the window now. I can't help but feel like all my hard work's for nothing, I don't know what to do. Every time I try and take my control back, I have it for a second and then I'm defeated. I know all facts, I'm so aware of how I'm hurting myself and I feel so weak for not being able to overcome my struggles. For a while now there's been something in me that's been wanting to breakdown and as I keep being stoic and prolonging it, I feel like it's going to explode. And if that happens, I really don't know where I'll end up.

I know exactly how you feel. I was - or what I had thought - a reformed anorexic. It's the mentality that is the hardest thing to shake. Never feeling satisfied with yourself regardless of how much effort you put forth and lacking the capacity to truly be happy. I was able to suppress it for about a year but it seems these issues are coming back to haunt me. The only thing you can do is try to come back stronger each time, it's not an easy battle.

[spicytunaroll]

I weighed 250 in July 2007. I now weigh 180 and look fantastic. I am the picture of apparent health as I am lean and muscular. I am anything but healthy though.

Right about 3 months ago, everything went wrong and I started bing eating sushi at a local all you can eat joint. I was feeling particularly guilty after one binge and decided to stick my finger down my throat as I estmated I had taken in about 7,000 calories in that sitting from the tempura and spicy tuna rolls. I ate a couple hundred rolls and 40 pieces of shrimp tempura (the staff could not believe that this skinny guy was eating so much).

This became a pattern and has continued, up through last Sunday night when, after a disciplined week of strict eating, I went into a maniacal eating binge, scarfing down an entire gallon of french vanilla ice cream, a box of klondike bars and a large tub of peanut butter. I almost choked myself trying to vomit it all up and ran 3 hours yesterday after work to burn off any calories that my body might have absorbed from the sugar during the 2 hour binge.

I HATE feeling this way. I am ALWAYS hundry and can NEVER eat any food without feeling extremely guilty. I need to beat this. Glad I found this site.

[randomhero565]

Originally Posted by spicytunaroll

I weighed 250 in July 2007. I now weigh 180 and look fantastic. I am the picture of apparent health as I am lean and muscular. I am anything but healthy though.

Right about 3 months ago, everything went wrong and I started bing eating sushi at a local all you can eat joint. I was feeling particularly guilty after one binge and decided to stick my finger down my throat as I estmated I had taken in about 7,000 calories in that sitting from the tempura and spicy tuna rolls. I ate a couple hundred rolls and 40 pieces of shrimp tempura (the staff could not believe that this skinny guy was eating so much).

This became a pattern and has continued, up through last Sunday night when, after a disciplined week of strict eating, I went into a maniacal eating binge, scarfing down an entire gallon of french vanilla ice cream, a box of klondike bars and a large tub of peanut butter. I almost choked myself trying to vomit it all up and ran 3 hours yesterday after work to burn off any calories that my body might have absorbed from the sugar during the 2 hour binge.

I HATE feeling this way. I am ALWAYS hundry and can NEVER eat any food without feeling extremely guilty. I need to beat this. Glad I found this site.

i no what your going through, the same thing was happening to me for about a year in a half, i was down to 140 pounds and was almost hospitalized because i refused to eat and when i did i would throw up, i guess you could say im both bulimic and anorexic. im over coming my disorders tho, ive found that you cant be so strict on your diet or you'll end up going crazy on sweets after about a week, try and have like a spoon full of ice cream or a bit size candy once a day to help fight the urge to binge on sweets, as for being hungry all the time i am like that too, try and eat small meals every 2-3 hours so you dont get that bloated feeling (that also made me want to throw up) i hope i help you alittle bit
if you need any help with anything let me no

[ASteffes]

If binge eating was a medical condition i would be diagnosed. I work all day and then hit the gym hard. and train for 45 minutes to an hour with little rest just busting my rear the entire time until my muscles are too exhausted to carry on. Nutrition is my worst enemy. I will have days where everything goes well. wake up with oatmeal eat a nutrition bar between breakfast and lunch then eat turkey rap for lunch eat some peanuts and drink a shake for mid afternoon snack and eat some sort of high protein meal for dinner and have a shake at the gym. but it all goes to hell the next day when the first thing i grab to eat at lunch is a bag of tostitos chips and seem like a bottomless pit to me. It's hard but i need to try a lot harder. good thread to open up bout this about. time to shed the unwanted weight!!

[jaim91]

Hey guys...

I struggled with anorexia for 9 years, and only RECENTLY got over bulimia (I just traded one ED for another ). I wrote an article on it for bodybuilding.com, http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/eati..._struggles.htm, and I thought maybe some of you could find it useful.

Just know that you're never alone...

[MarkVI]

Originally Posted by ASteffes

If binge eating was a medical condition i would be diagnosed. I work all day and then hit the gym hard. and train for 45 minutes to an hour with little rest just busting my rear the entire time until my muscles are too exhausted to carry on. Nutrition is my worst enemy. I will have days where everything goes well. wake up with oatmeal eat a nutrition bar between breakfast and lunch then eat turkey rap for lunch eat some peanuts and drink a shake for mid afternoon snack and eat some sort of high protein meal for dinner and have a shake at the gym. but it all goes to hell the next day when the first thing i grab to eat at lunch is a bag of tostitos chips and seem like a bottomless pit to me. It's hard but i need to try a lot harder. good thread to open up bout this about. time to shed the unwanted weight!!

Binge Eating is a medical condition, it's a mental disorder. It does not sound like you have it from your small post, but none of us here can really know. It sounds like you may be doing what 90% of the nutrition section is doing -- hardcore dieting and restricting followed by a binge. This would be called disordered eating most likely or even bulimia depending on how bad it is and how often it happens, and also your state of mind.

I too struggle with binge eating sometimes, it happens without even knowing it mostly. I'll be eating my normal food, not thinking about it and then I'm suddenly eating bowls and bowls of cereal.....food that doesn't really fill you up. For me, I just need to be cognizent of it and it isn't usually an issue -- and also I need to make sure that I'm not restricting good food from my diet or restricting calories more than what would be necessary for my goals. Also - try not doing the typical bodybuilding thing and eat alone, eat socially.

[MarkVI]

Originally Posted by jaim91

Hey guys...

I struggled with anorexia for 9 years, and only RECENTLY got over bulimia (I just traded one ED for another ). I wrote an article on it for bodybuilding.com, http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/eati..._struggles.htm, and I thought maybe some of you could find it useful.

Just know that you're never alone...

IZ PROUD good Job Jaim!

[Environ]

Originally Posted by MarkVI

Binge Eating is a medical condition, it's a mental disorder. It does not sound like you have it from your small post, but none of us here can really know. It sounds like you may be doing what 90% of the nutrition section is doing -- hardcore dieting and restricting followed by a binge. This would be called disordered eating most likely or even bulimia depending on how bad it is and how often it happens, and also your state of mind.

I too struggle with binge eating sometimes, it happens without even knowing it mostly. I'll be eating my normal food, not thinking about it and then I'm suddenly eating bowls and bowls of cereal.....food that doesn't really fill you up. For me, I just need to be cognizent of it and it isn't usually an issue -- and also I need to make sure that I'm not restricting good food from my diet or restricting calories more than what would be necessary for my goals. Also - try not doing the typical bodybuilding thing and eat alone, eat socially.

Well done to you. Keep up the good work and I hope that everything works out great for you now that you're talking to someone who can help you.

[thejoeedwards]

Firstly, this is a very serious post for me.
I struggle to let things out in the open, so this is a big big step for me, and hopefully it will help me greatly.
When I was younger, I was very fat. When I was 15 I weighed 16 stone. Then I found basketball, and starting exercising by playing in order to lose weight (I would get to school early and play, then I would also play during my breaks and at lunch) - this was because I made up my mind and chose to improve my body in order to look more attractive, but mainly to feel more attractive as a person on the inside.
About 6 months to a year later, I found the gym, and started doing what I thought was proper training - in reality it was about 3 times a week, not pushing myself hard enough, and focusing on bench press and biceps- something which I feel has damaged my overall body shape- small triceps, small legs, small shoulders. I also overate a bit as well, so fat loss was very slow.
I always look in the mirror and am disappointed- I feel like I have worked hard enough to have a ‘perfect’ body, but I’m still not there.
My diet has always probably been of poor structure- I mean I get about 2000 calories per day, but I can never bring myself to eat more fats through fear that they will cause me to put on weight. This is also the case with carbs- I eat mainly salads or stir fry (no noodles, veggies and meat only) in my diet. Any protein I eat reflects this- very lean- tuna, chicken breast or whey protein.
When I got to university, I continues with this imperfect diet, did a bit more cardio, but ended up maintaining only due to drinking alcohol once or twice a week ( getting drunk, not just casuals).
Then I decided finally to clean my diet up and to cut the body fat away, and have a ripped physique like I have always wished I has whenever I look in the mirror.
This is what my diet and training looks like;
I am currently 81kg’s, 6’ 3”, about 10% body fat( fair bit of loose skin on my stomach- which also causes me to be unhappy, because it is hard to see definition through the loose skin), but aiming to get down as low as 6% to get the actually ripped look.
TRAINING
Use http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/richardc_newyear.htm for workout exercises.
• Weight Lifting - 5 times per week
• Cardio - immediately after lifting - Burn 500 calories using any machine you chose.
• 40 minute morning walk before breakfast - take ECA before going).
WORKOUT BREAKDOWN:
• Monday-Chest + Cardio
• Tuesday-Back + Cardio
• Wednesday-Legs (Quadriceps, Hamstrings + Calves from link) + Cardio
• Thursday- REST
• Friday-Shoulders + Triceps + Cardio
• Saturday-Biceps + Abs + Cardio
• Sunday-REST
NUTRITION
BASICS:
• Keep a diary of your food intake (note details per meal- Include Calories, and Grams of Protein, Carbs and Fats)
• Drink a minimum of 1 gallon of water per day (aim for 2 Gallons).
• Eat every 2 hours.
• Get 40g protein per meal.
• Average 2000 calories per day.
• Ratios are probably Protein 60-65%, Carbs 25%, Fats 10-15%
• Carbs = 50g porridge pre-workout, 50g porridge post workout, the rest is made up of the sauces I put on my salads and egg whites and cottage cheese.



MEAL BREAKDOWN:
• Meal 1 (1 Hour Pre-Workout) - Protein + 50g Porridge Oats + Fruit (if you want it)
• Meal 2 (Immediately Post Workout) - Protein + 50g Porridge Oats + Fruit (if you want it)
• Meal 3- Protein + Fibrous/Leafy Vegetables
• Meal 4- Protein + Healthy Fats + Fibrous/ Leafy Vegetables (usually cottage cheese salad)
• Meal 5- Protein + Healthy Fats + Fibrous/Leafy Vegetables (usually cottage cheese salad)
• Meal 6- Protein + Healthy Fats + Fibrous/Leafy Vegetables (usually cottage cheese salad)
• Meal 7- Protein (Cottage Cheese usually).
NUTRIENT SOURCES:
Protein sources
• Whey
• Tuna
• Chicken
• Cottage Cheese
• White Fish
• Oily Fish
Healthy Fat Sources
• Cook protein in Olive oil
• Oily fish
• Buy Omega 3/ Fish Oil/ Flax seed oil Capsules
Carb Sources
• Porridge Oats
• Fruit ( Pre + Post-workout only)
Supplements
Creatine- 5g Pre-Workout, 5g Post-Workout.
L-Glutamine- 5g Morning, 5g Pre-Workout, 5g Post-Workout, 5g Before Bed.
BCAA’s- 5g Morning, 5g Pre-Workout, 5g Post Workout, 5g Before Bed.
ECA- 1 before (fasted state) morning cardio, 1 at Lunch time.
Animal Pak – 1 before (fasted state) morning cardio
I also have a number of EFA capsules from which I try to get 10g’s of fats from.

This diet, although it does seem to be quite decent, I have found to feel incredibly restrictive. I never really eat anything particularly flavoursome, fatty or carbohydrate dense enough.
It also, does not seem to be working anywhere near fast enough- therefore I assume it to be an inefficient setup of the macros.
It has got to the extent where it is so restrictive that I have become bulimic. I know that bulimia is an illness, and I hate having it, but currently I cannot get my head to realise that it is bad for me. Currently in my head, I think the only way for me to get to my goals and also to be able to eat some food that makes me feel alive through the enjoyment is to eat very strictly, and then every once in a while ( currently doing it once a day, which is a dangerously large amount and I am getting very worried about my health but cannot seem to get myself to stop)
Please can someone help me to find a better setup to maximise fat loss, whilst hopefully maintaining muscle mass (I lift heavily not light). I think I am up for any sort of exercise regime you throw at me, because I’m pretty sure mine is quite a demanding setup (early mornings, lifting for about 90 minutes 5 days a week, 2 cardio sessions per day 5-7 days a week), and also an improved set up for my diet- possibly with adjusted macro’s to help maximise fat loss in association with the training plan.
I believe that if someone can help me with this, I will be able to overcome my illness, and will also be able to eat more foods that are slightly better tasting (more carbs and fats in the macros than my current diet).

[determined4000]

Originally Posted by thejoeedwards

Firstly, this is a very serious post for me.

I believe that if someone can help me with this, I will be able to overcome my illness, and will also be able to eat more foods that are slightly better tasting (more carbs and fats in the macros than my current diet).

1. At your height and weight, I dont think you should be trying to lose weight.
2. At your size 2000 calories is far from sufficient/healthy.
3. I think your problems extend beyond just food. Training 90 with weights + 2 cardio sessions isn't a healthy exercise regimen(more isn't always better).
4. You feel too restricted by your diet because it is too restrictive. Living off cottage cheese salad isn't healthy and you won't be happy.
Food is fuel and you aren't providing yourself enough.
Food should be enjoyable, you clearly don't enjoy your current diet.
Exercise should promote good health. Obsessing about working out and having your life revolve around exercising and food will never lead to happiness no matter what your % body fat is. Given your diet and exercise load I would venture to guess you have lost/will keep losing muscle mass.
You need to figure out why you have a distorted perception of your own health, diet and workouts.

The only specific recommendation I will give you on your diet is to add more fats and carbohydrates. 50-60% protein will leave you deficient in the micronutreints, vitamins and energy you are not getting from carbs.
Also Diets too low in fat
1. Puts you into the starvation zone
Low calories and skipping meals aren’t the only things that send you into
survival mode. When dietary fat intake is reduced to less than 10% of total daily
calories, this also sets off the starvation alarm.
2. Causes large fluctuations in blood sugar
Fat slows down the release of carbohydrates into the bloodstream. When large
amounts of simple and refined carbohydrates are eaten alone, they shoot rapidly into the
bloodstream, creating a large spike in blood sugar.
3. Causes greater insulin release
When your blood sugar spikes, your pancreas releases a lot of insulin to bring
blood sugar back down to normal. Moderate amounts of insulin are necessary (and
anabolic). Large amounts or insulin are lipogenic (cause fat storage) and anti-lipolyic
(prevent fat release).
4. Causes hormonally related hunger and cravings
You can have more willpower than a celibate monk in the Playboy mansion, but if
you get hormonally induced hunger, you won’t to be able to fight it. Whenever there’s an
unusually large blood sugar spike, it’s a law of nature that there must be an equal or
greater valley. This blood sugar valley, known as hypoglycemia, is the cause of those
intense, almost irresistible cravings that send you frantically to the nearest Baskin
Robbins or Krispy Kreme store.
5. Reduces testosterone
Low dietary fat levels are correlated with low testosterone levels. For someone
trying to become leaner and more muscular, this spells disaster.
6. Can be deficient in essential fatty acids

Focus on Getting EFAs
There are at least eleven important function of EFA’s in your diet:
- EFA’s improve insulin sensitivity
- EFA’s are required for absorption of fat soluble vitamins
- EFA’s are essential for joint health
- EFA’s are required for energy production
- EFA’s are required for Oxygen transfer
- EFA’s maintain cell membrane integrity
- EFA’s suppress cortisol production
- EFA’s improve skin texture (dry skin is a classic symptom of EFA deficiency)
- EFA’s are growth promoting
- EFA’s increase metabolic rate
- EFA’s help burn fat
Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats tend to lower levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, inflammation in arteries, reduce risk of heart disease

[Environ]

Originally Posted by thejoeedwards

Firstly, this is a very serious post for me.
I struggle to let things out in the open, so this is a big big step for me, and hopefully it will help me greatly.
When I was younger, I was very fat. When I was 15 I weighed 16 stone. Then I found basketball, and starting exercising by playing in order to lose weight (I would get to school early and play, then I would also play during my breaks and at lunch) - this was because I made up my mind and chose to improve my body in order to look more attractive, but mainly to feel more attractive as a person on the inside.
About 6 months to a year later, I found the gym, and started doing what I thought was proper training - in reality it was about 3 times a week, not pushing myself hard enough, and focusing on bench press and biceps- something which I feel has damaged my overall body shape- small triceps, small legs, small shoulders. I also overate a bit as well, so fat loss was very slow.
I always look in the mirror and am disappointed- I feel like I have worked hard enough to have a ?perfect? body, but I?m still not there.
My diet has always probably been of poor structure- I mean I get about 2000 calories per day, but I can never bring myself to eat more fats through fear that they will cause me to put on weight. This is also the case with carbs- I eat mainly salads or stir fry (no noodles, veggies and meat only) in my diet. Any protein I eat reflects this- very lean- tuna, chicken breast or whey protein.
When I got to university, I continues with this imperfect diet, did a bit more cardio, but ended up maintaining only due to drinking alcohol once or twice a week ( getting drunk, not just casuals).
Then I decided finally to clean my diet up and to cut the body fat away, and have a ripped physique like I have always wished I has whenever I look in the mirror.
This is what my diet and training looks like;
I am currently 81kg?s, 6? 3?, about 10% body fat( fair bit of loose skin on my stomach- which also causes me to be unhappy, because it is hard to see definition through the loose skin), but aiming to get down as low as 6% to get the actually ripped look.
TRAINING
Use http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/richardc_newyear.htm for workout exercises.
? Weight Lifting - 5 times per week
? Cardio - immediately after lifting - Burn 500 calories using any machine you chose.
? 40 minute morning walk before breakfast - take ECA before going).
WORKOUT BREAKDOWN:
? Monday-Chest + Cardio
? Tuesday-Back + Cardio
? Wednesday-Legs (Quadriceps, Hamstrings + Calves from link) + Cardio
? Thursday- REST
? Friday-Shoulders + Triceps + Cardio
? Saturday-Biceps + Abs + Cardio
? Sunday-REST
NUTRITION
BASICS:
? Keep a diary of your food intake (note details per meal- Include Calories, and Grams of Protein, Carbs and Fats)
? Drink a minimum of 1 gallon of water per day (aim for 2 Gallons).
? Eat every 2 hours.
? Get 40g protein per meal.
? Average 2000 calories per day.
? Ratios are probably Protein 60-65%, Carbs 25%, Fats 10-15%
? Carbs = 50g porridge pre-workout, 50g porridge post workout, the rest is made up of the sauces I put on my salads and egg whites and cottage cheese.



MEAL BREAKDOWN:
? Meal 1 (1 Hour Pre-Workout) - Protein + 50g Porridge Oats + Fruit (if you want it)
? Meal 2 (Immediately Post Workout) - Protein + 50g Porridge Oats + Fruit (if you want it)
? Meal 3- Protein + Fibrous/Leafy Vegetables
? Meal 4- Protein + Healthy Fats + Fibrous/ Leafy Vegetables (usually cottage cheese salad)
? Meal 5- Protein + Healthy Fats + Fibrous/Leafy Vegetables (usually cottage cheese salad)
? Meal 6- Protein + Healthy Fats + Fibrous/Leafy Vegetables (usually cottage cheese salad)
? Meal 7- Protein (Cottage Cheese usually).
NUTRIENT SOURCES:
Protein sources
? Whey
? Tuna
? Chicken
? Cottage Cheese
? White Fish
? Oily Fish
Healthy Fat Sources
? Cook protein in Olive oil
? Oily fish
? Buy Omega 3/ Fish Oil/ Flax seed oil Capsules
Carb Sources
? Porridge Oats
? Fruit ( Pre + Post-workout only)
Supplements
Creatine- 5g Pre-Workout, 5g Post-Workout.
L-Glutamine- 5g Morning, 5g Pre-Workout, 5g Post-Workout, 5g Before Bed.
BCAA?s- 5g Morning, 5g Pre-Workout, 5g Post Workout, 5g Before Bed.
ECA- 1 before (fasted state) morning cardio, 1 at Lunch time.
Animal Pak ? 1 before (fasted state) morning cardio
I also have a number of EFA capsules from which I try to get 10g?s of fats from.

This diet, although it does seem to be quite decent, I have found to feel incredibly restrictive. I never really eat anything particularly flavoursome, fatty or carbohydrate dense enough.
It also, does not seem to be working anywhere near fast enough- therefore I assume it to be an inefficient setup of the macros.
It has got to the extent where it is so restrictive that I have become bulimic. I know that bulimia is an illness, and I hate having it, but currently I cannot get my head to realise that it is bad for me. Currently in my head, I think the only way for me to get to my goals and also to be able to eat some food that makes me feel alive through the enjoyment is to eat very strictly, and then every once in a while ( currently doing it once a day, which is a dangerously large amount and I am getting very worried about my health but cannot seem to get myself to stop)
Please can someone help me to find a better setup to maximise fat loss, whilst hopefully maintaining muscle mass (I lift heavily not light). I think I am up for any sort of exercise regime you throw at me, because I?m pretty sure mine is quite a demanding setup (early mornings, lifting for about 90 minutes 5 days a week, 2 cardio sessions per day 5-7 days a week), and also an improved set up for my diet- possibly with adjusted macro?s to help maximise fat loss in association with the training plan.
I believe that if someone can help me with this, I will be able to overcome my illness, and will also be able to eat more foods that are slightly better tasting (more carbs and fats in the macros than my current diet).

First of all, well done for being brave enough to face up to this.

What was life like when you were young and overweight? Being oveweight by itself is enough to destroy any body's self-esteem, but where there any other issues when you were young? Bullying at school? Feeling isolated, especially when it came to sport? Not getting the girls? How was your life at home? Have you any brothers or sisters and did you think that they were better than you were or did your parents push you harder than you felt you could cope with?

I am asking you these questions, not so much that you will answer them on this site, but to get you to look at your own past first of all and try to realise that you dislike yourself (even hate yourself). You probably learned to despise the way you looked because you were overweight, but now that you've dropped a lot of weight, you still dislike yourself. And, if you got to single digit body fat tomorrow morning, you would still be dissatisfied with yourself.

It is relatively to overcome your illness on a physical level - just find the right training regime and diet and stick to it. The bigger challenge, however, is to recover psychologically from your illness. Bulimia does not fit into ANY dietary regime EVER. You are perfectly correct - you DO need to stop making yourself sick. The way you wrote your post suggests that food, exercise and your physique consume your every waking moment. Well you have to realise that there is a whole lot more going on out in the world than your physique and you are missing out on it.

A simple truth is this - there is no perfect diet and training regime for everybody because everybody individual. In fact, the law of individual differences is one of the principle laws of training. Determined has given you some good information above that should help you out, but the question is this: will you act on it?

If you get your ideal physique, what then? Will you just maintain and carry on with the rest of your life? Do you think that life is really easy when you're at single digit body fat? That there are no problems? Well, life is not a bed of roses even when you are recovered. Do you think you will be able to stop purging if you get to your ideal physique?

Do you even know what your ideal physique IS? And, most importantly, how realistic is it to think that you can get to that physique. Have you defined the physique that you want to achieve? 'Lean and Toned' is too vague to work towards.

The purging has to stop right now. You must never again purge food from your body. But, of course, this is extremely difficult for somebody with an eating disorder to do.

Finally, there is no such thing on this world as 'perfect'. Everything is flawed. Perhaps if you accepted this concept, then life would be a whole lot easier for you.

[Alyion]

As part of my attempt at recovering from my eating disorder, I've tried to stop all ideas of counting macros/calories etc and just eating 3 normal meals when hungry (and a post workout shake), however I now just can't help but still keep a mental check of my intake. Years of keeping strict plans have gave me a huge amount of knowledge over the carbs/protein/fat of most foods and I'm pretty much now in effect just doing the same thing I use to do, albeit with a great deal of leeway.

Basically, I feel as though i've just totally destroyed my relationship with food and can no longer look at it the same way again - is there anything I can do to try and break this train of thought?

[thejoeedwards]

Originally Posted by determined4000

1. At your height and weight, I dont think you should be trying to lose weight.
2. At your size 2000 calories is far from sufficient/healthy.
3. I think your problems extend beyond just food. Training 90 with weights + 2 cardio sessions isn't a healthy exercise regimen(more isn't always better).
4. You feel too restricted by your diet because it is too restrictive. Living off cottage cheese salad isn't healthy and you won't be happy.
Food is fuel and you aren't providing yourself enough.
Food should be enjoyable, you clearly don't enjoy your current diet.
Exercise should promote good health. Obsessing about working out and having your life revolve around exercising and food will never lead to happiness no matter what your % body fat is. Given your diet and exercise load I would venture to guess you have lost/will keep losing muscle mass.
You need to figure out why you have a distorted perception of your own health, diet and workouts.

The only specific recommendation I will give you on your diet is to add more fats and carbohydrates. 50-60% protein will leave you deficient in the micronutreints, vitamins and energy you are not getting from carbs.
Also Diets too low in fat
1. Puts you into the starvation zone
Low calories and skipping meals aren?t the only things that send you into
survival mode. When dietary fat intake is reduced to less than 10% of total daily
calories, this also sets off the starvation alarm.
2. Causes large fluctuations in blood sugar
Fat slows down the release of carbohydrates into the bloodstream. When large
amounts of simple and refined carbohydrates are eaten alone, they shoot rapidly into the
bloodstream, creating a large spike in blood sugar.
3. Causes greater insulin release
When your blood sugar spikes, your pancreas releases a lot of insulin to bring
blood sugar back down to normal. Moderate amounts of insulin are necessary (and
anabolic). Large amounts or insulin are lipogenic (cause fat storage) and anti-lipolyic
(prevent fat release).
4. Causes hormonally related hunger and cravings
You can have more willpower than a celibate monk in the Playboy mansion, but if
you get hormonally induced hunger, you won?t to be able to fight it. Whenever there?s an
unusually large blood sugar spike, it?s a law of nature that there must be an equal or
greater valley. This blood sugar valley, known as hypoglycemia, is the cause of those
intense, almost irresistible cravings that send you frantically to the nearest Baskin
Robbins or Krispy Kreme store.
5. Reduces testosterone
Low dietary fat levels are correlated with low testosterone levels. For someone
trying to become leaner and more muscular, this spells disaster.
6. Can be deficient in essential fatty acids

Focus on Getting EFAs
There are at least eleven important function of EFA?s in your diet:
- EFA?s improve insulin sensitivity
- EFA?s are required for absorption of fat soluble vitamins
- EFA?s are essential for joint health
- EFA?s are required for energy production
- EFA?s are required for Oxygen transfer
- EFA?s maintain cell membrane integrity
- EFA?s suppress cortisol production
- EFA?s improve skin texture (dry skin is a classic symptom of EFA deficiency)
- EFA?s are growth promoting
- EFA?s increase metabolic rate
- EFA?s help burn fat
Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats tend to lower levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, inflammation in arteries, reduce risk of heart disease

OK,

So how would you advise me to alter my eating regime?

If I am given sound advice about the best way for me to construct a cutting diet that involves more calories and more fats and carbs, i think it would be very helpful- less cravings because of a less restrictive diet, but also greater fat burning because of a better set out diet...
You say that not getting enough fats or carbs can limit your weight loss, so what should my cals and P/F/C ratio's be?

[rhengst89]

Hey everyone, even though I consider myself to be on the upswing from my ED (although still struggling of course), I thought i'd check in here. I can closely relate to the conversation markVI had with Xhale12 about the paleo diet thing because I have been doing the exact same thing. This has been the newest manifestation of my ED.

I think the seed was planted a few years ago when I just wanted to look better and thought I needed to eat very little food. I had no idea about nutrition back then.

Around August of last year I decided I really wanted to get serious about bulking up (partly because of the BB.com forum) and so I bulked from 177lb. to a hefty 195lb. I am 6'4 so that SHOULD look good on my frame but it was mostly fat. I got there eating a ton when I wasn't even hungry. Pounds of meat, cup after cup of rice, etc.

Anyways, one day I think i decided I felt like **** and looked like it too. I REALLY wish I could find the pic from this forum of me at 195 but I deleted it. Anyways, this is where things got really bad. Funny thing is, a lot of people said I looked BETTER at that weight.

I went on a very low calorie (~1500/day) diet for a period of about 3 months with the occasional cheat binge meal complete with guilty feelings and extreme cardio. At my lowest point I would eat nothing but veggies and egg whites for every meal! I got down to 165 and I finally realized recently that I need to gain some muscle and not worry about "being fat". I know that eating like most people will not make me fat! However, I have a couple of problems..

Markvi, you said you knew a lot about EDs. What does anybody here know about recovery from "anorexia" or whatever you'd consider my ED to be? Because I exhibited almost all of the symptoms of the men of the "minessota starvation experiment" such as low libido, social withdrawal, etc. etc. One of the things they said happened when they took the men off of their low calorie (~1500/day as well) diet was that they had insatiable appetites. This is the hardest part for me. My appetite is insane. Only very recently have I started to feel satiety again after eating!

Anybody else had an experience with that?

I am 19 and realize that dieting should be the last thing on my mind. I know that my performance in the gym increases when I eat what I want, when I am truly hungry.

the NEDA web site is very helpful, by the way!

I can also relate to not following my own advice. I know what I should be doing to be in optimal mental and physical health, but for some reason I have a hard time doing it.

I really like the quote posted on here "What would a person without an ED do?". I am going to try to follow that.

[thejoeedwards]

Also, I take Animal Pak- will this not be supplying me with a decent amount of different micronutrients?
I do try and take in EFA's- i currently have in my head a vision of FATS being bad- i know they arent, but i cant seem to bring myself to eat them all the time- so I take EFA capsules ( fish oil, evening primrose, starflower, rosehip, omega)- get about 10g EFA's per day this way.

The physique i want can be compared to Boxer short models- decent amount of muscle, with a very lean torso- if i can achieve that, i do believe i can be settle- i have always told myself that once i get to that stage, i will switch up to maintneance ( about 3400 calories per day) and start re-introducing slightly less healthy foods and some alcohol. - then, if i do see a change in my body shapre/size, i can switch up my diet to account for that- i think it is harder to be strict when you have never seen the finished good- so i want to get there, and then take it easier with my whole gymming life.

[thejoeedwards]

Originally Posted by Environ

First of all, well done for being brave enough to face up to this.

What was life like when you were young and overweight? Being oveweight by itself is enough to destroy any body's self-esteem, but where there any other issues when you were young? Bullying at school? Feeling isolated, especially when it came to sport? Not getting the girls? How was your life at home? Have you any brothers or sisters and did you think that they were better than you were or did your parents push you harder than you felt you could cope with?

I am asking you these questions, not so much that you will answer them on this site, but to get you to look at your own past first of all and try to realise that you dislike yourself (even hate yourself). You probably learned to despise the way you looked because you were overweight, but now that you've dropped a lot of weight, you still dislike yourself. And, if you got to single digit body fat tomorrow morning, you would still be dissatisfied with yourself.

It is relatively to overcome your illness on a physical level - just find the right training regime and diet and stick to it. The bigger challenge, however, is to recover psychologically from your illness. Bulimia does not fit into ANY dietary regime EVER. You are perfectly correct - you DO need to stop making yourself sick. The way you wrote your post suggests that food, exercise and your physique consume your every waking moment. Well you have to realise that there is a whole lot more going on out in the world than your physique and you are missing out on it.

A simple truth is this - there is no perfect diet and training regime for everybody because everybody individual. In fact, the law of individual differences is one of the principle laws of training. Determined has given you some good information above that should help you out, but the question is this: will you act on it?

If you get your ideal physique, what then? Will you just maintain and carry on with the rest of your life? Do you think that life is really easy when you're at single digit body fat? That there are no problems? Well, life is not a bed of roses even when you are recovered. Do you think you will be able to stop purging if you get to your ideal physique?

Do you even know what your ideal physique IS? And, most importantly, how realistic is it to think that you can get to that physique. Have you defined the physique that you want to achieve? 'Lean and Toned' is too vague to work towards.

The purging has to stop right now. You must never again purge food from your body. But, of course, this is extremely difficult for somebody with an eating disorder to do.

Finally, there is no such thing on this world as 'perfect'. Everything is flawed. Perhaps if you accepted this concept, then life would be a whole lot easier for you.

Being young and overweight was horrible, bullying was a slight problem but not massive, I just remember having no slef-confidence because of the way i looked- i just didn't think anyone could find me attractive (something i have always aspired to be)

Once i get to my ideal physique ( boxers model- muscular vith a very lean torso), i want to switch up to maintenance (~3400 calories per day) and start re-introducing the food and drink (alcohol) that i miss.

I don't think life is easy at single digit bodyfat, but the more my physique improves, the higher my self-confidence becomes and the more attractive i feel (on the inside)- that is why i want this dream physique- so that i can feel good about myself- about being me.

I realise that i haven't asked ANY questions, but input from people feels like it is really helping- my head is starting to straighten out a bit, so this is another post that can hopefully encourage some response that can help me more.

I am really really thankful for any input recieved, i have felt lots of kindness and compassion in reply's already- it wasn't unexpected, but i did think i'd get a lot of posts merely saying "go and talk to a doctor, you have a problem!", but the poeple here seem to really understand the problems i am going through!

[determined4000]

Originally Posted by Alyion

As part of my attempt at recovering from my eating disorder, I've tried to stop all ideas of counting macros/calories etc and just eating 3 normal meals when hungry (and a post workout shake), however I now just can't help but still keep a mental check of my intake. Years of keeping strict plans have gave me a huge amount of knowledge over the carbs/protein/fat of most foods and I'm pretty much now in effect just doing the same thing I use to do, albeit with a great deal of leeway.

Basically, I feel as though i've just totally destroyed my relationship with food and can no longer look at it the same way again - is there anything I can do to try and break this train of thought?

Small steps
A lot of us with EDs have aversions to certain macronutrients (fat, carbs or both) ot food groups (breads, fruit, fats, dairy, meat, etc.). Is this the case for you? You say you track macros, so I assume you try to achieve a certain % of carbs, fat and protein? If this is the case, maybe you try to hold fat or carbs to a certain number. Try exceeding that number by a little bit (however, much you can) or including a particular food group you would normally avoid. You will come to find that eating a little bit more of whatever wasn't harmful (if you are restricting too much it will actually be beneficial). And, for example you willfind you can eat X % carbs/fat one day, X+5% tomorrow, and X-5% the next day and will see no difference. This will show you it is alright to loosen things up.
I have always been obsessive about counting (beyond food). I automatically add things in my head. I can tell you exactly what I have eaten in terms of macros like you describe. Although I tryto achieve certain levels (because balance and nutrition is important to me) I am faaarrrr more lenient than I used to be. I don't force myself to hit exact numbers, I just try to stay in a certain range, which isn't difficult if you are eating balanced meals. Once you start becoming more lenient and allowing yourself more freedom you will enjoy eating more and begin to have a better relationship with food.

[MarkVI]

Originally Posted by rhengst89

Markvi, you said you knew a lot about EDs. What does anybody here know about recovery from "anorexia" or whatever you'd consider my ED to be? Because I exhibited almost all of the symptoms of the men of the "minessota starvation experiment" such as low libido, social withdrawal, etc. etc. One of the things they said happened when they took the men off of their low calorie (~1500/day as well) diet was that they had insatiable appetites. This is the hardest part for me. My appetite is insane. Only very recently have I started to feel satiety again after eating!

Well you definitley have an Eating Disorder, that's apparent and no shame in it. I can tell you what I think you should do -- go get a nutritionist and a psychotherapist and go from there.

In the meantime, you need to make sure your diet isn't one of these BS high food volume and calorie sparse diets....where you binge all day and still only rack up 2-3k calories.....real foods,healthy foods both physical and mental health, and being social with your eating. you should refuse to eat alone if at all possible.


Think of food as your medicine if it helps and you need x of this and x of that to be healthy. Your mind will probably get better in time, but you need to start behaving normally even if it doesn't feel normal. Your emotions and thoughts don't need to have any influence on your actions.

But you really need professional treatment.

[determined4000]

Originally Posted by thejoeedwards

OK,

So how would you advise me to alter my eating regime?

If I am given sound advice about the best way for me to construct a cutting diet that involves more calories and more fats and carbs, i think it would be very helpful- less cravings because of a less restrictive diet, but also greater fat burning because of a better set out diet...
You say that not getting enough fats or carbs can limit your weight loss, so what should my cals and P/F/C ratio's be?

This is an ED thread. I don't think you are trying to overcome your problem. I think my answering your question would only contribute to your obsessive disorder. If I told you to eat X% of this and X% of that, then I am sure you would obsess over hitting those exactly to try to achieve the "ideal" physique you desire. The purpose of this thread to to help those with EDs recover not contribute to an unhealthy obsessions. You have to make the choice to get better. One that doesn't include an obsession with a perfect body because these type of desires will always leave you unfulfilled. Once you reach one point, you will just want to get to another.

[Environ]

Originally Posted by Alyion

As part of my attempt at recovering from my eating disorder, I've tried to stop all ideas of counting macros/calories etc and just eating 3 normal meals when hungry (and a post workout shake), however I now just can't help but still keep a mental check of my intake. Years of keeping strict plans have gave me a huge amount of knowledge over the carbs/protein/fat of most foods and I'm pretty much now in effect just doing the same thing I use to do, albeit with a great deal of leeway.

Basically, I feel as though i've just totally destroyed my relationship with food and can no longer look at it the same way again - is there anything I can do to try and break this train of thought?

Don't worry about it. It'll change with time. I know all about what I eat, but I don't care and it doesn't get to me at all. I have far better things to be thinking about.