9000 calories down, it hurts to move, and there remains nothing but my thoughts
1 week later… Rinse and repeat
Binge eating: “Condition where individuals consume large quantities of food in a short period of time”
Within these short 18 years of life, I can confidently (albeit not very proudly) say that a decent chunk of it has been battling binge eating disorder. I am both fortunate and unfortunate in this regard as I have missed out on many experiences, experiences I should’ve taken but have also learned a tremendous amount that without this experience I simply wouldn’t know nor understand to the depth that I now do.
So, with all this said, here’s what I learned and hope you will take into account, in hopes that you never experience or finally escape the misery that is binge eating.
Weight classes…
If you’ve ever participated in a sport that has weight classes, you must make, then you know the pain of having to do so in a short amount of time and the extreme lengths people go through to make weight. It’s not a surprise to say then that sports with weight classes are ripe grounds for eating disorders such as binge eating. Extreme deficits followed by extreme hunger and lots of eating over and over in a yo-yo style are things you must be aware of and mentally prepared for if you plan on participating in these kinds of sports.
Calorie cycling…
“Eating pattern that involves alternating between high and low-calorie days”
Calorie cycling is a great tool for those who enjoy eating larger portions of food. However, it must be utilised cautiously. By its very nature, calorie cycling is binge promoting. The mistake I made for a long time was downplaying my binging as “calorie cycling”. When in reality it was simply a self-justification that allowed me to continue “cycling” with it growing progressively worse and worse.
If you really want to, then there’s nothing wrong with trying this. Either as an approach to fat loss or lifestyle! However, the moment it starts interfering with your life or you feel negative effects on your energy, please recognise that and stop. Trust me, it gets exponentially harder to stop the longer you continue with it. Some people can handle and in fact thrive with this, and others quite the opposite. So recognise that and do what’s best for you, my friend.
Fasting…
If you’re even remotely into the fitness landscape, then chances are high that you’ve heard about or even experimented with fasting. Fasting comes in many ways, modified protein sparring fasts, 8, 12, 16 hour fasts, and of course the good old 24hr and beyond fasts. Fasting on its own, if not for religious purposes, is absolutely detrimental for muscle building purposes. However, it has been proven to contain health benefits, depending on who you are, may be worth it. Some people thrive on this and utilise it as a lifestyle and weight maintenance tool while others get insufferable energy dips and develop a binge eating mentality.
The latter was the case for me. I tried the traditional 24hr fast. It was both insufferable as well as horrible for my already terrible food mentality. However, interestingly, 8-16hr fasts actually worked quite well for me. They didn’t cause terrible hunger nor energy dips and I enjoyed them, only stopping them due to the muscle building hinderance that comes with them.
This is all to say that experimentation, if you desire, is the best option. Try them all out and see which, if any, suits you best. If nothing, you’ll now know that fasting isn’t for you. At best you’ll find a new tool to add to your toolbox or even a lifestyle you truly love.
Solutions for binge eating
If you are currently or ever begin to suffer from binge eating, here arethe steps that helped me.
New hobbies:
Seriously, if you don’t have much going on in your life except the usual (work, school, routine, etc.) then what do you expect is going to happen? As weird as it may sound, binge eating is a hobby. It requires self-control to restrict food, planning, and constant thinking, keeping your mind busy.
So, how do you fight a hobby? Develop new, better hobbies. Find things that interest you and do them until you find the things you truly love. Never stop doing them and exploring new things. Believe me when I tell you that a life of adventure and mystery is one of the most effective cures against overthinking and bad hobbies.
Meal planning:
Meal planning is a simple yet effective trick that you can utilise to your advantage. When you have a steady flow of meals ready to eat no matter what time of the day it is, sticking to a meal plan is much easier. With enough time you’ll develop better eating patterns. Sticking to a routine like this will be much easier. As you’ll feel better with stable energy levels, a clear, properly fuelled head, and an energy to tackle the days and keep your hobbies up.
Relationships/friendships:
When you put effort into improving or building relationships, you truly care about it, which develops a new sense of purpose. Your problems shrink in significance and the vastness of the world compared to them truly starts to shine. Invite friends out, make new friends, reconnect with old friends. Spend time with your significant other or find one. Whatever gets you out there talking and exploring with other people or even just by yourself if that’s how you roll.
Controversial solution for binge eating
If all else fails… There is one more solution I propose you utilize instead/as well as the others, if desired. A reset.
If you’re extremely lean or lean enough and are okay with gaining fluff, then a reset where you let go and indulge in whatever you want, however long you want. This is a proposal I did and it worked for me, helping me in initiating my recovery. If you’re interested in this, then I highly suggest you watch this video made by Renaissance Periodization which gives an in-depth explanation on the process and how it works.
But, to summarise:
- Eat whatever you want, however long you want, without counting calories, macros, or anything
- When you get sick of eating like that, begin incorporating healthier foods into your diet. Still eating however much whenever you want, simply with the addition of healthier foods.
- When you’re sick of that, create a structured meal plan. Set your meals, only estimating calories, and focus on whole foods with the occasional junk.
- Follow your weight. Eat less if you gain weight, more if you lose, and keep it like that, simply living your life.
- Now you can begin a cutting or bulking phase IF you want to or simply remain as you are living with a stable weight at balance.
Conclusion
Binge eating is a disturbingly common problem in fitness and sports. In general, if you’re not careful, it can overtake and destroy your life.
It occurs through many ways, however, the most common include weighted sports, calorie cycling, and fasting. So, what do these all share in common? Extreme calorie deficits.
The chances of developing an ED vary from person to person as it’s very genetically influenced. So I recommend not shying away from these activities. But try them and recognise how they affect you physically, mentally and socially. Weigh the pros and cons and do what you deem best!
Following the solutions I provided, if you are or ever become engulfed in an ED like binging. This is a great start towards recovery that won’t be easy but will only get harder the longer you stall.
I wish you the best in your journey and hope I provided something of value for you.
Stay safe my friend. (:
Transformation for life
