[sadeyesr4ever]

and how often during a day?

[lil_bit]

This question is kind of broad...and it definitely depends on the person more than anything. Some eat very little, some eat nothing at all for some days while others will binge and purge. Then for some people, it's all of those different "amounts" strewn throughout different days. eh..again...depends on the person really..

[Maven]

I thought binging and purging related only to bulimics?

[lil_bit]

purging doesn't always necessarily mean throwing up. It's basically any act done post-binge in a frantic attempt to "burn off" some of what was taken in during the binge. (eg. throwing up, burst of exercise, extended period without eating, etc.)

[Maven]

Oh, I see. Thanks for explaining.

[sadeyesr4ever]

I like to eat just once a day, usually for dinner that way everybody thinks I am eating

[lil_bit]

Yeah i used to just eat once a day for that same reason, but people still got all "suspicious" and nosy and whatnot. Now i just munch little bits throughout the day, an apple here, some juice there..

[sadeyesr4ever]

Hi Lil Bit, I can pretty much get away with it because no one is home during the day and I am like 35 pounds overweight which is harder to tell on than a thin person who is still trying to do that.

[lil_bit]

hey sadeyes, heh i think people would watch me like a hawk no matter what i weighed.
Does anybody have a specific calorie count that they regulate themselves by?

[sadeyesr4ever]

I used to make sure I ate 1200 calories, but man to do that, you are eating all day long! I prefer to just eat one meal day now. Last night I had half a taco, hubby has the opposite problem, he can't refuse any food so he finished up my plate

[Maven]

I can eat 1200 calories in one sitting easily, but my problem isn't being anorexic.

[lil_bit]

Sometimes i'll eat like 200-500 calories a day...but maybe once a week or so i mess up and hit around 1000-1200..those are never good days...meh.
it seems like everything out there is so high calorie! i'll just get the munchies, not even a binge, and they just add up.

[Maven]

I have the opposite problem of anorexics, because I overeat. That's my disorder. I'll eat a whole pint or a big bowl of ice cream. If I put it in a bowl, it's common for me to toss some hot fudge or some other sugary, fattening topic on top of it. On rare occasion, I'll even add some whipped cream.

[sadeyesr4ever]

I used to eat like you Maven but now I am trying to eat just one thing a day.

[zombiette]

when i was anorexic i estimate i would have been eating under 1000 calories a day, i still ate regular meals BUT they were tiny meals. i'm actually an elite athlete so in fact i require around 3000 calories a day, it's hard to get that much in sometimes tho! i think a normal person is meant to have around 2000, below 1200 is considered "starvation" so yeah...

[Maven]

I feel like crap for eating like I do, yet I don't stop. Last night, I got up after eating some cheesecake, and I noticed my foot felt funny. I'd only been sitting a few minutes, and I don't think it was in any funny position, but I realized my foot was swollen. I don't think it had been swollen before, but it's possible it was less swollen and I didn't notice, because it's better than it was, and I can't tell so much when I get up, but I can see it's still swollen. I'm actually going to ask about this in the health forum, but I mention this, because I worry it's something serious, having to do with my diet.

Why is it, so many of us don't want to eat, or eat badly, for fear of others' judgements and our health, yet some of us stop eating or eat very little, while the rest of us can't stop?

[Genevieve]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Maven said:
I thought binging and purging related only to bulimics?

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

What Lil Bit wrote is true, purging refers to any inappropriate compensatory behavior.

There are two subtypes of anorexia, though: restricting, and binge/purge. The B/P form is more common, and there seem to be some biochemical differences between the two disorders. Bulimics are different from both types, though, so it's not quite like a spectrum.

[Maven]

Thanks for the info, Genevieve.

[InACorner]

When i was anorexic the first time...i had no idea what the heck i was doing and ate nothing at all...stored it all in trash bags ..the second time though....i ate probably around 500 calories like lil bit said....and i too did have my bad days....i would get so angry at myself for eating a chip....then i did the whole chew and spit....that doesnt give calories...or so i think ...im not sure.......then for bulimia...could you call it bulimia if you ate normally..not binged...but still purged? i dont know ...anyway like lil bit said though there are so many different things...and let me say....they arent fun and arent good and im glad that i am recovering from the ED!!!!
good luck...love, Inny