Eating Disorder Support Thread: Recovery in Numbers (2nd Edition)

[fldhkybnva]

@natnat5

Counting calories is often a trigger not only for the initial onset of an ED but relapse. Are you still in treatment? You might want to stop counting calories or perhaps do it under the supervision of a professional.

[natnat5]

@natnat5

Counting calories is often a trigger not only for the initial onset of an ED but relapse. Are you still in treatment? You might want to stop counting calories or perhaps do it under the supervision of a professional.

I was seeing a nutritionist for over a year and working with him on improving my relationship with food. I stopped seeing him about 5 months ago and things seemed to be going a lot better. I started getting into bodybuilding more and reading a lot more about nutrition and then counting calories and it all just made me more obsessive about it again. I did decide to try to stop counting and just eat real food when I'm hungry. We'll see how that goes. I have problems with junk food...

[StanPT]

I was seeing a nutritionist for over a year and working with him on improving my relationship with food. I stopped seeing him about 5 months ago and things seemed to be going a lot better. I started getting into bodybuilding more and reading a lot more about nutrition and then counting calories and it all just made me more obsessive about it again. I did decide to try to stop counting and just eat real food when I'm hungry. We'll see how that goes. I have problems with junk food...

I think all humans have problems with eating junk. However no food is junk and I'm trying to realise that more. It's easier to eat 4 biscuits at 115 calories per pop than it is to eat broccoli in that quantity. So it's not the junk, it's more of how easier it is to eat that.

Take milk chocolate vs Dark chocolate

Milk - dissolves very quickly and easier to over consume.
Dark - long in mouth and only really dissolves if your chew it

So I would eat more milk chocolate because of how quickly it's eaten than the darker variety.
Hope this helps?

[simoxeh]

Thought I would try this. My problem is I binge eat junk food. I'm a diabetic and working out was to help control that. Currently my toes are tingling a sign of nerve damage from high blood sugar. I don't want to loose any limbs and I do try to watch what I eat but I always give in. Last night it was two pies from McDonald's and over the weekend it was three king size Reeses and king sized peanut butter snickers. I didn't eat two of the Reeses but I wanted to and I eye them every day trying to find an excuse to have it.

I love eating food but it's always the wheat and sugar products that I love. I can go five days eating right but I eventually break and usually not in a small way. Been very focused on getting diet under control lately but it's hard because when my blood sugar does good it can drop and sugar is needed to get it into safe ranges thus reintroducing the addiction. What is the solution because I need sugar when my blood sugar drops.

I am aware that I eat from boredom or other emotional needs. I can go all day without food when entertained. So I binge more at work and weekends when I have nothing planned. Any suggestions.

[fldhkybnva]

@StanPT

I understand that you're trying to be helpful. But your advice is laced with signs that you yourself have disordered thoughts about food which isn't particularly helpful.

[fldhkybnva]

@simoxeh

For most of us if not nearly all of us, recovery is about reclaiming our lives from the damage that has been caused by disordered eating. You are in a similar situation, however you have a much larger variable to consider and that's your diabetes. If someone continues with disordered eating behaviors there will of course be long term consequences but your consequences are far greater and the risk of irreversible damage is much higher. The fact that you already have diabetic neuropathy means that you are also likely experiencing the consequences of diabetes at the level of small vessels which can affect the eyes and kidneys. Are you seeing a physician for your diabetes? Eating disorder recovery is about getting your life back but you need to recognize in your situation that the stakes are much higher. I think that you are relatively young and if are to lead a long life without disordered eating behavior it has to stop now because by continuing this behavior you are causing permanent damage. If you're not seeing a physician, you need to make an appointment ASAP and work with them and a nutritionist and/or therapist to get your blood sugar under control.

[simoxeh]

@simoxeh

For most of us if not nearly all of us, recovery is about reclaiming our lives from the damage that has been caused by disordered eating. You are in a similar situation, however you have a much larger variable to consider and that's your diabetes. If someone continues with disordered eating behaviors there will of course be long term consequences but your consequences are far greater and the risk of irreversible damage is much higher. The fact that you already have diabetic neuropathy means that you are also likely experiencing the consequences of diabetes at the level of small vessels which can affect the eyes and kidneys. Are you seeing a physician for your diabetes? Eating disorder recovery is about getting your life back but you need to recognize in your situation that the stakes are much higher. I think that you are relatively young and if are to lead a long life without disordered eating behavior it has to stop now because by continuing this behavior you are causing permanent damage. If you're not seeing a physician, you need to make an appointment ASAP and work with them and a nutritionist and/or therapist to get your blood sugar under control.

Yes I see a doctor but he only wants to pump me full of meds. My goal is to get to a point of not needing to take medicine. I am trying to reverse the damage before it becomes permanent. I know if I stay away from certain foods, like wheat, I can do it. I have reversed it before to the point where taking meds was causing more problems than anything. I was just dealing with depression then so I would do harmful stuff or stop caring about myself and fall back into this behavior.

Currently I have been working out consistently for 7-8 months which is longer than ever before. My therapist said I had out grown her and I could function without her now. My protein and calories are more in sync with what my goals are. I am better in many aspects of my life but this is the one I trip up on the most. Not as bad as before but I am still not in a safe zone to not be cautious about what I eat.

[fldhkybnva]

@simoxeh are you eating this food at home? perhaps try keeping it out of the house

[simoxeh]

@simoxeh are you eating this food at home? perhaps try keeping it out of the house

Yes I am. Usually it's stuff I don't normally buy. Like I never buy anything that has wheat for home food. Usually if I have that stuff it was an impulse buy from a gas station or something. I just over do it. One Reeses won't hurt but I always buy multiple packs and then other candy.

My job has strawberry cake today and I easily avoided it but if I was out somewhere I might not have and I would literally eat the whole cake alone over the course of a few days and only because after eating a third of it I would consider my blood sugar that it isn't in one sitting.

I hate having this high bf with no muscle to show for it. It's all because of crappy eating for decades.

[ErikTheElectric]

@ Simo


As you probably know, binge eating and overeating will only make your diabetes and other health issues worse and complicated. How long have you been dealing with the binging?

[simoxeh]

@ Simo


As you probably know, binge eating and overeating will only make your diabetes and other health issues worse and complicated. How long have you been dealing with the binging?

Whole life honestly. Never was given a limit on food and I have always been on the thin to average side so no one ever questioned it. Until about 7 years ago I only weighed 140ish. Hard to say no because it makes me feel so much better when I am stressed.

[StanPT]

@StanPT

I understand that you're trying to be helpful. But your advice is laced with signs that you yourself have disordered thoughts about food which isn't particularly helpful.

I'm getting to the point where I'm tired of binge eating. Even the small amounts of what I do. The next day I wake up feeling completely rubbish and in a mood.

Last night my binge was a cup of hot milk, half a banana, a few oats and some dark chocolate. That was fine but then I went on to eat 60g ***e Greek yogurt, half a banana and a few oats.

This isn't bad as some may think. However I've binged on a lot more and this is still a binge to me because I wouldn't eat it during the day. I have a sensible diet, even to the point where I don't take in much which may lead to the binge again.

I sat here last night and thought to myself ''Why can't I just go to bed'' I feel like I need to feel full, warm and knocked out with food before I can sleep. Is this become an habit?

Btw thank you for the support once again.

[ErikTheElectric]

^ those are not "binges".

[StanPT]

^ those are not "binges".

Why do I feel so **** afterwards Erik? why do I get all those feelings I got when eating more than that?

Take a look at my Diet plan from last week Erik. Can you spot any signs or triggers? I haven't posted my Exercise.

It's helpful to give input where I may be going wrong.

[StanPT]

Get input*

[shesprints]

@StanPT, you are NOT BINGING. You are simply giving in to your body's real need for more food in order to sleep well. That's a GOOD thing. It's RIGHT to feel 'warm and full' so you can sleep, and since you are straight up STARVING yourself the rest of the day (that meal plan is absolutely insane, very restrictive), obviously you want more food. So you're eating it--that's good, though it's still not enough food or enough variety. Tormenting yourself because you ate it--that's bad.

You need to stop posting your restrictive meal plans here and seek help from a professional in the real world.

[fldhkybnva]

@StanPT you get those feelings because you have an eating disorder!

I'm not sure what else to say. Your "diet plan" is the reason why you are experiencing night time hunger. You are not eating!! Everything is low fat, you're not getting nearly enough protein or fat. Why are you eating literally 4 tbsps of no fat yogurt? Stop making diet plans. Stop counting calories. Stop weighing food. When is your appointment with the therapist?

[mtb4life95]

people need to understand the difference between a binge and just fukking up their diet because they're being too restrictive.

[fldhkybnva]

@mtb4life95

Thank you! A binge and binging has an actual definition which most people confuse with overeating or not eating what they intended to eat. They are not the same.

[sonnydfrizzy]

@stanpt
I am going to try and get a MOD to remove that diet plan and get you banned from this site. You need to stay off a site fixated on body image and "clean eating," go find finds, have your mum or friends or a restaurant cook for you, have someone else make your food, or check into inpatient treatment.

Fix your thoughts around food and exercise dude, don't eat a teaspoon of non fat Greek yogurt (flavored air?), and eat real food when you want and eat what you want. Those plans you post are highly restrictive and can be triggering to others. You post the same things time after time every few days... When are you going to take action and make the change?

By the way... If those are "binges", you should go and "binge" at every meal. It would probably do you good.

[sonnydfrizzy]

@mtb4life95

Thank you! A binge and binging has an actual definition which most people confuse with overeating or not eating what they intended to eat. They are not the same.

I thought I was "binging" for the longest time... But really I was frustrated because I was being so overly restrictive that at night I would eat more than I was mentally "allowed" so I considered it a "binge."

[ErikTheElectric]

@ Stan


There's been a lot of opinions on your current situation and a lot of people have shared their opinions on your eating disorder. The problem is, you refuse to listen. This is probably going to be the 4th time I've said this to you, but you should not be posting diet plans.

- You need to get off, and stay far away from this website.
- You need to be in a treatment facility for your eating disorder (and no, don't play the.."I'm ______lbs so I'm not sick enough to be in treatment card"
- You need to sit down and realize how much your eating disorder impacts and TAKES AWAY from your quality of life. And how many people it's effected.
- You need to get your life back. Right now, you're not living..you are "existing". You cannot live with an eating disorder like you are attempting to do.

^. Those are things you might now want to hear, but there is nothing more you're going to get out of this thread..now or anytime in the future.
We've told you those things numerous times, yet you return with the same questions and disordered thought patterns.
YOU ARE NOT BINGING. You're malnourished and your body is seeking food.

Please, get help.

[StanPT]

Cheers guys. I didn't weigh myself tonight on the body fat scales! and I'm glad you gave me input on my meals because I'm not sure if what I've been eating is safe or not. It makes it a bit easier to eat more without thinking bad thoughts. I didn't realise it was so low in certain nutrients. I eat a lot of fatty mackerel so thought I was eating good fat/protein, etc.

My binges aren't what they was. Last week I ate 2000 calories in 2 hours. I'm trying to control them and eat.

[ErikTheElectric]

^ Why would you weigh yourself at night anyways? No one really gave you input on your overly restrictive and obsessive "meal plan" because at this point, you should even have one.


Please see (and read) more of the posts above.

[StanPT]

@ Stan


There's been a lot of opinions on your current situation and a lot of people have shared their opinions on your eating disorder. The problem is, you refuse to listen. This is probably going to be the 4th time I've said this to you, but you should not be posting diet plans.

- You need to get off, and stay far away from this website.
- You need to be in a treatment facility for your eating disorder (and no, don't play the.."I'm ______lbs so I'm not sick enough to be in treatment card"
- You need to sit down and realize how much your eating disorder impacts and TAKES AWAY from your quality of life. And how many people it's effected.
- You need to get your life back. Right now, you're not living..you are "existing". You cannot live with an eating disorder like you are attempting to do.

^. Those are things you might now want to hear, but there is nothing more you're going to get out of this thread..now or anytime in the future.
We've told you those things numerous times, yet you return with the same questions and disordered thought patterns.
YOU ARE NOT BINGING. You're malnourished and your body is seeking food.

Please, get help.

Thanks Erik. I know people say keep off the site but when I have a really **** day this site helps me. I feel better people seeing my Diet plan and saying ''This is low and that is lacking'' It's like I could actually eat without guilt!

I don't know what I'd do without you guys the last few months. I've cut the calorie count down, rested more and actually didn't do a body fat test tonight! That's some progress and it's thanks to this site.

[StanPT]

^ Why would you weigh yourself at night anyways? No one really gave you input on your overly restrictive and obsessive "meal plan" because at this point, you should even have one.


Please see (and read) more of the posts above.

I'm working on that one dude. I'm going to try and do this slowly and the more I do the better it'll be. It's not easy and I have a poor image of myself which makes it worse.

[fldhkybnva]

@StanPT

I understand the support and just knowing that others have been there can be comforting to you, but Erik is just trying to highlight that at some point you have to make the steps to get better. I was the same way. My family and friends, I feel so awful for what I put them through, but I was like you the same reasoning over and over and over again. I finally had to take the step, they couldn't help me no matter how much they supported and no matter how much my therapist would assure me that recovery was the right choice. I had to make the decision and I had to and have to continue to this day to put in the work every day. You need to disassociate feelings of gulit from eating and exercise and you can only do that with some intensive therapy.

I agree, baby steps are where it all starts but even with those steps you need therapy. You still don't seem to understand that you actually need to stop counting calories, not adjusting them, not fixing them, not counting them at all!

[determined4000]

@ stan

You say this site is helping yet you still have done very little to change.
You need to make HUGE HUGE changes which can only be done by getting some serious (non-internet) help.
What you are doing clearly hasn't been working.
YOu need to prioritze the things that will enable your life to be a real life.

Counting calories, controlling food, over-exercising, counting cals/macros, etc.
All that doesn't add to your life, it deracts from it.
Sooo, STOP ALL AT ONCE NO IFS ANDS OR BUT'S



PS-Please don't reply quote, use the @_____ when addressing others

thanks

[StanPT]

Just discovered the '@' bit. Always used quotes.

I can't keep on waiting for someone to wave a magic wound but I wish they could because I hate being here. I am trying to change but it's hard to let go and it's even harder to stop these night time urges.

[shesprints]

@Stan, you are focusing on the wrong thing. The night-time urges to eat more are probably saving your life, because you're starving yourself. THEY are not the problem. Eating too much is not the problem. Starving is your problem, not binging. YOU NEED TO SEEK HELP IN REAL LIFE FROM A PROFESSIONAL--an eating disorder therapist and/or a registered dietitian. Show THEM that food log and see what THEY say if you don't believe the opinions of every single other person in this thread.