Eating Disorder

[IronMarc]

Hi guys, I haven't posted in a while, but whenever i feel an issue is important enough I refer to you guys for your input. This is a great source for knowledge, and bro-telligence. Anyway, I was looking at some sites and saw that I had all the symptoms for compulsive overeating, or Binge eating. What do I do? It's not like drinking where I can simply avoid it, I have to EAT. The problem is I eat way too much at one sitting, and also it's like a trigger when I eat a small meal that leads to a big meal....I need help and I am not going to pay some snooty psychiatrist to tell me what you guys probably know. THanks for any help.

 

[SwordBurn]

From my experience...anything with Hoodia...I use to eat huge meals all the time until I tried Venom Hyper Drive 3.0

But before you start taking anything, remember to do your research ^-^

 

[Jayhawkk]

You can try supps that'll kill your appitite but binge eating isn't based on hunger but a state of mind, mental issue sort of problem. Anything from stress to chemical imbalances. You can always mask the symptoms but I suggest talking to a doctor and asking them.

 

[IronMarc]

I also agree, I mean, I have taken ephedrine and I have been able to stop eating....but I don't want to be taking ephedrine every day, my problem is mental, I was wondering if anyone knew anyone who went through this and what they were told to do to cope with it.

 

[Jayhawkk]

Depends, some people I know have been put on anti-d's because their compusive eating was during their depressive or anxiety moments. Other times people find out what their issue is and do their best to keep that type of situation from occuring. At home keep all foods in the house completely non-instant as much as possible and only buy enough for several days at a time.(just an example)

 

[IronMarc]

That's a really good way of doing it, however I live with my parents and siblings, so there is always plenty of stuff around, i can avoid junk food, however even when I eat low GI foods, I never seem to get full, I am eating healthy, just such a large volume.......most of my calories are protein and whole grains, very low from simple carbs, but lots of calories nonetheless

 

[Jayhawkk]

Drink a buttload of water prior to every meal and keep drinking it trhoughout the day. At least a gallon a day and you will have a harder time putting that much food down and you don't burn yourself out taking ehpedrine.

 

[Chippewa]

Hi guys, I haven't posted in a while, but whenever i feel an issue is important enough I refer to you guys for your input. This is a great source for knowledge, and bro-telligence. Anyway, I was looking at some sites and saw that I had all the symptoms for compulsive overeating, or Binge eating. What do I do? It's not like drinking where I can simply avoid it, I have to EAT. The problem is I eat way too much at one sitting, and also it's like a trigger when I eat a small meal that leads to a big meal....I need help and I am not going to pay some snooty psychiatrist to tell me what you guys probably know. THanks for any help.

Well, here's what a snooty psychiatrist would tell you:

binge-eating is caused by a disfunction in the hormone CCK (Cholecystokinin), which sends messages of satiety from the gut to the brain. The malfunctioning CCK prevents the brain from sensing fullness, or alternately is sends a false message of hunger. In cases of bulimia, for example, the person overeats due to CCK inactivity to the point of purging--it's not a voluntary "cosmetic composition change" behavior as commonly accused. CCK malfunctions are less common in males, but still occur.

Treatment for CCK malfunction is available, by medication. In some cases, SSRI meds seem to improve the function of CCK (okay I'll admit I don't know why that is), but scans of gastric emptying show a marked improvement in persons before and after CCK treatment.

This isn't a dioagnosis, of course; by all means, try Hoodia and see if it works by blunting the appetite itself. But bear in mind that if you have a CCK malfunction, hoodia is only a clever workaround, not a resolution.

And a doctor may tell you that your binge eating has nothing to do with CCK at all and diagnose something else (BTW, a "snooty psychiatrist," as you call them, might actually be a good place to start given that psychiatrists are MD's; perhaps you were thinking of a psychologist who would pigeon-hole you into an eating disorder category?)

 

[IronMarc]

Well written response, however confirming that the information I would get from seeing one is probably around the same information I could get from someone on here...I would treat this just like any other addiction, alcohol, drugs, w/e, I am aware of the problem and that's pretty much a good first step, talking about it to others is another good step.....and getting information and researching it is another. I just need a method to keep from binging now. Portion control, limiting myself to food, staying away from vast amounts of it ie. buffets....oh god dont get me started on buffets...., and staying out of the house where food is kept....

 

[TeamSavage]

Marc - This is actually a very common problem, that isn't often recognized as a problem because nowadays people are so goddamn fat that overeating is considered normal.

First, a little more information would be helpful... When you say binges, what are we talking here? 1500 calories in a sitting, 5000 calories in a sitting, etc? Do these binges last for a single sitting, or do they stretch out all day or for many days? How often does this occur? Is it just that you don't feel full and want to keep eating, or do you feel an absolute compulsion to keep eating that is completely beyond your control? etc.

As for quick fixes, anti-depressants might be helpful. Chippewa mentioned SSRIs (e.g. Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, etc.), which might be worth looking at because (a) as Chippewa said, they can help improve CCK function, and (b) SSRIs are currently the best pharmaceutical treatment for OCD and other compulsion-related problems like anorexia and bulimia. But SSRIs also have problems: they can cause sexual side effects such as impotence, and for some people they can actually cause dramatic weight gain (20-30+ lbs) and increase carbohydrate cravings... so they're not necessarily ideal.

If I was your psych, I'd take a long look at bupropion (Wellbutrin). This is a reuptake inhibitor that's selective to norepinephrine and dopamine, but does not impact serotonin and thus avoids the sexual side effects and weight gain common with SSRIs. Dopamine especially plays an important role in reward, cravings, and satiety. And bupropion is also marketed to help people quit smoking (under the name Zyban). My gut tells me that it might be the ideal antidepressant for your situation.

I'm not saying you should go on an antidepressant, just trying to lay out your options... Other quick fixes are hoodia (as already mentioned) and nicotine. (There's statistical evidence that the rising obesity rates in both men and women are inversely correlated with declining smoking rates.) I'm not saying you should start smoking, but some nicotine gum might be helpful in a pinch.

But for long-term results in treating compulsive problems, research shows cognitive-behavioral therapy (and especially therapy paired with medication) is more effective than medication alone. If you're really concerned about this problem, see a doctor, but not just a general practitioner or even a general psychiatrist. Rather, you should see a psych that specializes in eating and/or compulsive disorders. They are qualified to deal with this type of problem; most MDs are not.

All that said, if your problem isn't severe then I strongly suggest that you buckle down, summon your willpower, and make a concerted effort to change your behavior. When it comes to overcoming compulsions, the old adage that "practice makes perfect" holds true. There is research showing that once an individual is able to resist a compulsion, and continues to do so for an extended period of time, the "pathways" in the brain that are driving the compulsion actually become weaker until the compulsion is eventually eliminated. In other words, resiting the cravings will require real effort at first, but eventually it becomes much easier until the cravings subside altogether. If you go see a psych for cognitive-behavioral therapy, this is in essence what they will have you do, so you should try doing it on your own.

I hope this helps...

 

[IronMarc]

Wow, ok, well when I binge....it usually goes until I actually have to do something, ie at work when I take a break....I will eat my break is over, even take a lil extra time if I need too. Another example is when I go to a buffet, I eat until my friends want to leave....I mean I could easily sit there and keep going, and as far as calories go, I would say they are passed teh 1500 mark for each sitting. I know this is part mental, but sometimes I actually do get hunger pains from not eating, even after I finish eating a pretty big meal I still feel empty, it's like there's a hole in my stomach...I usually get really depressed afterwards too because I know the extra cardio I did was just ruined by me eating a big meal....and that depression makes me want to eat more. Portion control is also a huge problem...I start off saying I will only eat a certain amount....then I eat that amount and continue to eat. Chips, chocolate, nuts, anything that comes in a bag, I will open and eat the whole thing...I once ate half a jar of Old Fashioned Peanut Butter...it's sad, and I hope you guys laugh at this because I need some criticism, everyone always tells me how good I look now, because I used to be much heavier, but what motivated me when I was heavier is having people push me, now they don't do that and I mentally start to think it's ok to eat what I want, but no I can't. It's come to the point where I don't care about muscle atrohpy, I would starve myself on a 1000 calorie a day diet just to lose some BF...I figure muscle memory will kick in anyway and I would gain back my muscle after I lose the weight...It may not be as much as a medical problem as the fact that I might be completely insecure and kind of a mental case. It's hard to be positive when all your gains in the gym go unnoticed because you can't see your biceps underneath the flab of ur arms, or you can't see the horse shoe shape of ur triceps, the tear drops in your quads, the rippling six pack, the pec split in your chest, or even the xmas tree in your lower back. It's just sad, and I hate my thin friends who complain about not being able to pack on the lbs, they're ripped and they don't do a min of cardio, it's not fair, but that is genetics for you....I don't care if I can no longer squat 4 plates a side, or do 120's on dumbell presses, you can't enter a contest looking like a powerlifter....unless maybe you're Marius Pudznowski.

 

[biglegs]

I also agree, I mean, I have taken ephedrine and I have been able to stop eating....but I don't want to be taking ephedrine every day, my problem is mental, I was wondering if anyone knew anyone who went through this and what they were told to do to cope with it.

i wenr through it and in going on 10+ years. i got counsiling its totally a mental disorder. i would exersie 4+ hours sometimes i woud wake up just to do it. the best way i think is counsling and nnutrtiiioist. its common in men if you are a man, you body really takes a tole,

 

[8pack]

IronMarc. Some great stuff said already but having issues myself and seeing friends with eating disorders I thought I would pipe in. Like TeamSavage mentioned it is all about signaling in one way or another. In order to change your behavior you need to say **** it, come up with a plan and commit. Think of ways to keep from triggering a binge (a bunch of good ones already mentioned). Keeping a diary of what you eat can be a good way of taking responsibility (it can also be bad if you go crazy counting calories). In the end you need to consciously resist the urges and your brain will gradually rewire itself. No easy way around it just strategies to make it go smoother. I think the plan is key though. knowing what you are going to eat tomorrow and the next day, and what you ate the last two days it doesn't come down to an on the spot decision which requires the most willpower to say no. Lastly think long term. If you slip up all is not lost, and don't try to cut 2500 calories in a day or something, just try and stay consistent.

 

[Cardinal]

I had a binge eating disorder for several years and managed to eliminate it on my own. I found simply controlling the disorder to be inadequate. I would have had to fight it mentally my whole life (or so I think) and didn't want to do that. But control can be achieved almost immediately, so...

To control it....make a list of activities you can do in place of binging. By activities I mean anything from taking an appetite suppressant to going for a run in the park, to reading a book or studying or whatever. Train your mind not to binge. Binging is generally a conscious decision. So you have time to think about it before you do it. In that time pick whatever activity suits your purpose best to avoid binging.

Long-term, what worked for me was eliminating the cause of the problem. Achieving satiety was the answer for me. Based on your relative leanness and 1000 calorie days, you are probably doing most of what I used to do. Cyclical dieting is a very poor choice for someone with a BED.

I solved the problem by eating to satiety for about 3 months straight. My caloric intake was huge. I chose to run a cycle of steroids to help partition the weight better. I gained quite a bit of both muscle and fat, nearly 50 lbs when it was said and done. I trained harder than I had trained in ages. Gained a lot of strength and kept very active physically. Such drastic change obviously wasn't the most intelligent approach, but the take home message is to consistently eat more food and do more activity. Get to a consistent calorie level where you reach satiety and get a metabolism that can support that intake.

I understand you may have some body image issues to an extent. But realize that eating to satiety and gaining both fat and muscle will help change your mental outlook. You won't constantly be thinking about food. Everything else in life tends to take on greater importance once you get rid of the disorder. Long-term, when I diet, I tend to do a lot more cardio and keep calories higher to ensure I don't get the problem again. There is a tremendous difference between a man that diets at 3200 kcals a day and maintains at aobut 4000, than a man who diets on 1500kcals a day and maintains at 2300. If you have a BED, you don't want to be the latter guy. You want to be the former.

So basically, eat consistently everyday at least a maintenance. Bulk up to or beyond your bodyfat setpoint over time. And don't deprive yourself of ANY particular food choice.

Feel free to contact me via email if you want. I'll do what I can to help and will also keep an eye on this thread.