? Calorie Calculators & Bulimia Facts ?
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| Thu, 04-22-2004 - 10:56am |
I have used every calorie calculator to see how many calories I can eat in a day and maintain my weight which averages about 1200 calories a day (w/ no exercise and no purging). 1200 calories...that scares the hell out of me. What if I eat that and gain weight? Can these calorie calculators be right? I want to maintain my weight but not purge or starve myself. I want to be able to eat a decent meal and not feel quilty about it. I never thought twice about that I ate or my weight until about 1 year ago this month when I started on my downward spiral. I know I am doing harm to my body. I haven't had a period in about 10 months. My ob has put me on prometrium and wellbutrin to try and get my cycle back going (she doesn't know about my ED).
On another note, in the latest issue of People magazine is an article about the actress that plays the voice of one of the Simpson characters that talks about her issues with Bulimia and she said that if you ate 3000 calories and purged, you really on purge about 1500 calories and never get all of it out....that is news to me...has anyone else ever heard that?

I have never heard of that... but wouldn't doubt it.
1200 calories seems reasonable to me for your weight. If you started gaining, couldn't you just adjust? I don't know... I'm not really the best source for diet information, being bulimic myself. I just wanted to let you know that I read your post and hope you get it all figured out.
Hi - sorry I haven't responded sooner. I just got back from vacation last night.
First I want to say that I can relate to what you are going through. Recovering from and ED is hard and scary but it's worth it. I would stop looking at calorie counters becuase they will only feed your obsession with counting calories and none of them will be completely accurate. They can give you a baseline but every body is different. We all have a different basal metabolic rate depending on height, weight, age, exercise level, health, and how badly we have abused our bodies. Given the fact that you have been purging/starving, your basal metabolic rate could be somewhere completely different than that of a person with the same age/weight/height, etc. but who has been eating normally. The key is to one, start working on your emotional issues because that's what is really driving your ED (just like all of us) and two, try to listen to your body and learn when you are really hungry.
I know that those are not easy, but it is the way to recovery and to lead a life free from ED. Have you considered going to therapy or maybe check out some ED groups? It would really help in your recovery. There are many groups like www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org, www.overeatersanonymous.org, and www.celebraterecovery.com (go to Global Locations on the left). The latter has had great success in helping people with EDs.
And the theory about gaining one pound mentioned below is partially correct. One pound does equal 3,500 calories, but it takes an EXCESS of 3,500 calories to gain just one pound (which nobody will be able to see). That means IF your body needs 1,500 calories a day, then you would have to consume 5,000 calories in one day to just gain one pound and that doesn't mean the one pound will stay there permanently. As you start eating, your metabolism will speed up and your body will burn
Love & hugs, Kristina
I also read in a book called "Overcoming Binge Eating" that you probably only get rid of half the calories you binged when you purge. Thinking of that is a good way to stop yourself from bingeing, although I wasn't able to help myself much over the weekend on my little relapse. >> "I had a small semi-relapse (I will explain in another post) Saturday evening and it was a reminder of how miserable my life used to be. I am so glad that this is not a regular part of my days anymore" <<
I hear you on that one, I was doing so well for a while and when I started falling back into the binge/purge routine my depression increased so much. What a horrible way to live. I didn't binge/purge yesterday or today, but I feel so fat from the three days of bingeing and purging I did before that. I know deep down I'm not fat (I'm 5'10 and went from 170lbs to my current weight 140lbs in six months) but it's so hard to not feel that way. *Sigh*. This is so hard. Luckily I'm seeing an excellent therapist and I can finally start healing properly. Something she recommened which i started to do the other night...make a list of 100 reasons not to binge. I got to 25 reasons with barely having to stop and think. I think it's a good excerise to fight those strong urges to binge...just read that list...it's just not worth it. Best of luck everyone, *hugs* Chantelle
i havent been on for a while; i stopped purging completely as a friend told me that only a third of the calories you consume are purged. it just seemed completely pointless after that (about 5 months ago). i know why i put on weight when i was purging (only a couple of kgs but i thought when i purged all the kcals came up, so im not so confused and depressed now that i see there was a proper reason, not just my body being determined to be fat forever...) anyway, thats off track...im at school at the moment and some friends just sat down on comps opposite me and made me really uncomfortable, so i'll come back tomorrow and start a post as i am starting to actually realise a fact i thought i knew ever since the whole thing started; i really am an anorexic...i cant quite believe it...i always thought those people were crazy...
anyway i thought it was about 30% that was actually purged...hope i helped, sorry if i just rambled on bout my miserable existence...i'll start a post 2moz and give a few more details; one friend knows a bit bout it but not the extent of it...she has the same prob but her parents know and are forcing her to eat and making her really depressed...very depressing.
one last thing...i got an excercise bike but i know that im doin way more than any normal person every day..but its built up some muscle and i think thats made me put on weight...does anyone know how much muscle weighs compared to fat? i really need to know...
ive put on some weight and i dont know what to do; stop excercising and burn less kcals and hopefully lose the put on weight/ excercise as much, if not more, add muscle, weigh more, eat bit more and hopefully burn off a lot more kcals...
Any advice/answer to question bout how much fat weighs...
Again ive rambled on about myself so i apologise...i have to go to lessons now, sorry if ive been no help, i just really had to let some of that out...you know...?!
i'll prob be back 2moz if i can
lauren xxx
hugs
good luck everyone, whatever your doing or trying to overcome....