Am I anorexic?

[beelzebabette]

Interesting. Were your problems limited to regurgitation, or did you have other problems (e.g., lack of energy, long recovery times, etc.) as well?

I raise this because I am pretty sure that I did not eat enough to recover from the weekend and my performance on Monday suffered greatly. So maybe this thread actually belongs in the gym and not the diner.

My energy level has always suffered a lot any time I drop out of the normal BMI range so I can't say for certain it was related solely to diet. My workouts were definitely crappy on the mornings subsequent to those I wasn't able to keep enough calories down. I generally felt all day like I do when I don't eat (Gu) often enough while running so I think it's safe to say the malaise was related to nutrition.

[BigPiney]

Based on your comments the other day about getting down to the single digits, I would just caution you to be careful, and to up your calorie intake now, before your body simply learns not to eat. (The latter is in answer to your question about the risks of regularly not meeting your ideal calorie intake.)

This is an interesting thought. I was sitting here driniking my 44 oz dr Pepper about to eat a maple bar and thinking, how can he not eat that many calories. Of course I don't eat the healthiest, but at some point you need to eat what tastes good to you if you are burning that much. Heck the reason that I work out, is one because I am vain and competitive, and two, is that I want to eat whatever the hell I want.

[Babs]

This is an interesting thought. I was sitting here driniking my 44 oz dr Pepper about to eat a maple bar and thinking, how can he not eat that many calories. Of course I don't eat the healthiest, but at some point you need to eat what tastes good to you if you are burning that much. Heck the reason that I work out, is one because I am vain and competitive, and two, is that I want to eat whatever the hell I want.

There gets to be a point where you physically can't eat - not enough to maintain your weight. Anorexia is not just psychological, it's physiological, too.

[FTR, no, I've never been diagnosed as an anorexic. But I think I'm always about this close.]

[Pheidippides]

There gets to be a point where you physically can't eat - not enough to maintain your weight. Anorexia is not just psychological, it's physiological, too.

That's my problem, to some degree. I am eating until I am full at most meals, but full means something different now than it did 6 months ago. The problem is that I need to eat a lot of what I'm eating to eat enough. Maybe I should add cookies back in?

I am still tracking my calories, though, mostly because I want to match up inputs and outputs. I have held the same weight (within 10 pounds - 185 to 195) for about two months now, so there's no unexplained loss. Still, as I ramp up my training, I don't want to run myself into wraith-like proportions.

Also, based on this thread, I am doubling the size of my lunch.

[Jarid in Cedar]

That's my problem, to some degree. I am eating until I am full at most meals, but full means something different now than it did 6 months ago. The problem is that I need to eat a lot of what I'm eating to eat enough. Maybe I should add cookies back in?

I am still tracking my calories, though, mostly because I want to match up inputs and outputs. I have held the same weight (within 10 pounds - 185 to 195) for about two months now, so there's no unexplained loss. Still, as I ramp up my training, I don't want to run myself into wraith-like proportions.

Also, based on this thread, I am doubling the size of my lunch.

There is something to that. I was watching Throwdown and they did one on a cookie made by a pair of triathletes. They initially made them to help carb load. They had like 300 calories each.

[BigPiney]

There gets to be a point where you physically can't eat - not enough to maintain your weight. Anorexia is not just psychological, it's physiological, too.

[FTR, no, I've never been diagnosed as an anorexic. But I think I'm always about this close.]

That would suck, I love eating. I can't wait for the french flourless chocolate cake that my wife is making for me this evening. I'll probably follow that up with some homemade salsa and maybe some of that peach pie that we made the other night. This is all after dinner and during tv watching time. Yumm

[UteStar]

Now, the funny thing is that I'm staying about the same, give or take, weight wise. But I know why and I'm pretty sure that's not going to last - if I stay as I am, I expect to drop a few pounds over the next weeks. I don't care much about dropping them, but I'm not necessarily interested in doing it either.

Oh poor Niku...can't eat enough, lose weight, fit as a fiddle. Are your diamond shoes too tight too?

[YOhio]

Oh poor Niku...can't eat enough, lose weight, fit as a fiddle. Are your diamond shoes too tight too?

I hate to admit this, but lol.

[Surfah]

Eating disorders are complex. But really to be diagnosed, Jared's comment was on point.

I really don't think you have one Nikuman. And based on your comments and the interaction I have had with you I doubt you're close. Your motivation now seems to at least be more concerned with competition than image driven. You're not looking in the mirror and still seeing the January '09 version of yourself. Granted, this is just my own personal and non-professional opinion, but I like to think that I have a pretty good grasp on eating disorders.

I have shared before but not in length that my youngest sister was bulimic with anorexic tendencies. She battled this for years, before she was even a teenager and even younger than that (age 8 or so therapists speculate) she began developing the psychosis that accompanies these diseases. When her friends were heading off to college, she was headed to rehab where she spent 3 months. Then she spent 3 more months in an intensive out patient program where she lived with me and Gidget as newlyweds. She's doing better now, recently married in the temple, and working as a PT assistant and going to school. She was also recently the subject of a book her therapist in Utah published. She'll battle these diseases for the rest of her life. But she's been given some tools to better help her.

If you're really interested in learning more PM me. But if you care, here are some good books on the subject:

I have talked about this book before. This has little to do with eating disorders, however the approach to food and eating in this book was what my sister was taught in therapy.

http://www.amazon.com/Intuitive-Eati...1225109&sr=8-1

This book was required reading for all the patients in my sister's program. This gives you an interesting view into the mind of someone with a diagnosed eating disorder. This is essentially journal entries and the back and forth of a girl battling ED and her therapist. Key to this book is the way that eating disorders are personified as Ed. Ed is an abusive ex-boyfriend/husband. This was the core idea of the program my sister was in.

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Without-E...1225225&sr=1-4

[Eddie]

This is an interesting thought. I was sitting here driniking my 44 oz dr Pepper about to eat a maple bar and thinking, how can he not eat that many calories. Of course I don't eat the healthiest, but at some point you need to eat what tastes good to you if you are burning that much. Heck the reason that I work out, is one because I am vain and competitive, and two, is that I want to eat whatever the hell I want.

This describes me as well.

I got started exercising because I wanted to get in shape, but also because I wanted to lose weight. As part of that I decided I need to eat better - but I also know that I like sugar just a little too much.

So generally I've been exercising 6 days a week most weeks. And generally I've been eating better (IE: eating until I'm not hungry, not until I'm full; eating generally healthier foods, drinking a TON of water, etc.) But my intent isn't to not eat chocolate cake or donuts - it is to eat less of them and exercise more.

Before I started exercising I had one of those free screenings at a health fair and was told I was "borderline obese". The nurse running the machine couldn't believe it because I didn't look fat and was tall enough to spread it out. At the time I weighed between 235-240 depending on the day.

So I looked at those BMI charts and saw that optimally I should weigh in around 190 for my height and weight. Initially I thought that was ridiculous and set a personal goal of 210. When I started exercising in earnest I ammended it to 195.

I have been stuck right there on 200 for a couple of weeks now - partially because I have had several parties I've been to with lots of food and partially because I've missed some days exercising. I still plan to get down to 195 and try for equalibrium there - but I honestly have not tracked any of my calorie or protein/carb/fat intake and couldn't tell you what it's been.

Long story short - exercise more, eat better foods more often, and you can still reach your goals without cutting out all of the "bad" things entirely.

Now what was the question?

[SteelBlue]

Niku, go to 6 meals/day. I've been doing it for several years now and love it. It requires that you bring a crapload of food to the office each day but I really like eating every 2-3 hours. I eat around 8am-10-12-2-5-7pm (I stagger the last two later because I don't like to be done eating at 6 pm.

[TripletDaddy]

Niku, go to 6 meals/day. I've been doing it for several years now and love it. It requires that you bring a crapload of food to the office each day but I really like eating every 2-3 hours. I eat around 8am-10-12-2-5-7pm (I stagger the last two later because I don't like to be done eating at 6 pm.

steelblue, if you don't mind my asking, what is the approx daily caloric intake on a 6-meal ladder? I currently am eating about 4 times a day, but my body lately has felt more fatigue between meals, so I am thinking of switching to 5 meals a day and less time between eating. The old "grazing" technique.

I have read of 4-meals and 5-meals, but I assumed a 6-meal is more for people that are training pretty heavily. Although now that I think about it, guys like you, bluegoose, et al that are riding all the time probably are considered to be "training."

[SteelBlue]

steelblue, if you don't mind my asking, what is the approx daily caloric intake on a 6-meal ladder? I currently am eating about 4 times a day, but my body lately has felt more fatigue between meals, so I am thinking of switching to 5 meals a day and less time between eating. The old "grazing" technique.

I have read of 4-meals and 5-meals, but I assumed a 6-meal is more for people that are training pretty heavily. Although now that I think about it, guys like you, bluegoose, et al that are riding all the time probably are considered to be "training."

That is purely up to the eater. When I'm cutting I try and stay around 300 cal./meal until I hit my target, and when I'm at weight and training hard it can got to 5 or 600 (which incidentally is a hell of a lot more fun). I like to supplement with protein bars and shakes for one or 2 of those meals just because I don't want to cook so much.

[Rosebud]

If you're active, eating healthily (lots of fruits, vegetables and protein) and feel good there isn't much to worry about IMO. If you feel hungry... no need to deny yourself healthy food. If you don't.... no need to eat what isn't wanted. It's just my experience, but those who learn to listen to their bodies seem to get by just fine.

Unless giving your body what it's asking for is difficult because of sugar addiction, emotional distress, old childhood food issues (e.g. some kids are forced to eat everything on their plates instead of listening to their bodies, others are not allowed to eat when they are hungry), control issues related to negative life experiences, etc. following the lead of your body may be the easiest and healthiest route. In my experience our bodies know what they need... we just don't trust ourselves to listen.

[beelzebabette]

If you're active, eating healthily (lots of fruits, vegetables and protein) and feel good there isn't much to worry about IMO. If you feel hungry... no need to deny yourself healthy food. If you don't.... no need to eat what isn't wanted. It's just my experience, but those who learn to listen to their bodies seem to get by just fine.

Grossly oversimplified, but intuitive eating as a very basic concept has some merit.