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BlueBay
Senior Contributor

Exercise to eat excessively

Hi everyone 

@Owlunar @Shaz51 @Maggie @Faith-and-Hope @Flying_Hams @Zoe7 

abd others reading this - 

 

I've been diagnosed with an eating disorder last year. Excessive emotional eating. 
Just the past few weeks I've been exercising twice a day. The problem I'm having is I'm eating more because I exercised. It's like my mind says "it's ok you can eat that because you've exercised"

I don't know how to break this terrible habit. It's csusing more stress which means more excessive eating. 
haven't told my dietitian yet. 

7 REPLIES 7

Re: Exercise to eat excessively

That's a natural response @BlueBay  .... more exercise means your body needs more energy so it wants you to eat more.

 

Try to park up any embarrassment Hon, and speak to your dietician so you can work together with this ..... there will be foods that support your exercise changes without the guilt feelings, and your dietician will be aware of how to tweak your intake appropriately without leaving you feeling hungry or deprived.

 

Thats why she / he us the specialist.

 

💜💕

Re: Exercise to eat excessively

Thsnks @Faith-and-Hope 
The trouble is thst I'm not eating healthy. I'm bi..e eating so much to compensate the extra exercise I'm doing. I will def mention this to my dietitian. He's very supportive and I feel comfortable in telling him anything incl my mental health. 

Re: Exercise to eat excessively

I overeat too, I had weight loss surgery a year ago and lost 45 kg but the surgery doesn't address the emotional issues that go with overeating, nor the emotional issues that deter me from exercise. I'm feeling a bit lost. What I thought about your message though is, isn't an eating disorder something a therapist would deal with? I saw a dietician, I know what I'm SUPPOSED to eat, I just have these pesky mental blocks. 

 

Re: Exercise to eat excessively

Hi @MaddieM 

well done on losing that huge amount of weight. 

I do see a psychologist for my eating disorder as well as my mental health. But my dietitian works at same place as my psychologist and they often consult each other with my permission. 
my dietitian is very well informed on eating disorders and he is so supportive. He really understands my challenges. 
I think you're right though the emotional part is so important to wirk through as this has a huge impact. 


are you able to start walking even for a littke bit like 10 mins? 

are you seeing someone now? 

Re: Exercise to eat excessively

Thanks @BlueBay 45kg is a lot isn't it. I don't congratulate myself for that, I "should" have lost so much more. 

I'm glad you have some talk therapy and that your people can communicate, that's pretty impressive 🙂  

I have pretty bad social phobia but it's an improvement from the agoraphobia which I mostly got rid of 3 years ago. I have NDIS funding to help me do stuff but now I am having great trouble looking for someone to accompany me. A little bit covid-19 related but mostly I am bashing myself over the head for not being able to do something as simple as go for a walk.

I was seeing a therapist but she's decided not to see clients any more because she doesn't want to share germs around. She has done phone consults but talking on the phone is another anxiety-inducing thing, after a few minutes my voicebox seizes up and I go hoarse and it hurts to talk. 

I hope you have a good day, and thanks again for responding, I feel a bit less isolated 🙂

Re: Exercise to eat excessively

Hi @BlueBay 

 

Good on you for doing all this exercising - that's a plus

 

I really can't comment on an eating disorder issue - you need to speak to your dietician about things like burning keytones and building muscle meaning you can add healthy weight. 

 

There's no need to feel embarrassed about it though - it might help to talk about it with this therapist - he seems like a very understanding man

 

Dec

Re: Exercise to eat excessively

Hey

Thanks for your honest post...I have an ED and excessive exercise is part of it. It's a bit of a nasty cycle of guilt for not doing enough and the need to push myself to do more to relieve anxiety.

 

I have spent a few years now working with a treating team for my ED. I am learning to trust the limits they set me and eat according to what I am required to have to stay well.

 

This process is a journey...being really honest with a team of professionals will help you as you navigate this space. Having the responsibility of what I can do taken off me has really helped me to sit with the mental discomfort.

 

Hang in there....there is a way forward...

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