Student, binge eater, and looking for balance...

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Yesterday I ate roughly, but just under, 2000 calories, and was just wondering if you guys adapt your calories based on how active you are on the day?

According to my fitbit I walked 25796 steps, and burned 2915 calories-I had a very busy day, went to the gym for an hour (which I have to walk to, to get there), worked a few hours as a babysitter, studied on the campus, etc...

Would you trust the figures given by step counters, and (radically) change your food consumption, based on the stats that they give?

DAY 4:
Breakfast: Two Almond Protein balls (bounce balls) (pre workout) 380cals

Lunch:
Chickpea curry and coconut rice
Banana
615cals

Dinner:
Two pieces of Rye bread, butter, two eggs scrambled (with a splash of semi-skimmed milk), half a can of reduced salt and sugar baked beans.
580cals

Pudding/snack:
Banana, fat free Greek yoghurt, semi skimmed milk(in tea), another protein ball (they were super delicious, hahaha) 396cals

Total food: 1974 calories
Daily calories burnt, according to Fitbit: 2915 calories

Just to note that I'm not feeling like I have lost weight, but my bloating from binges has gone down so much! Feeling much more mobile and feeling like I want to be active :)
 
I eat back some of the calories burned if I have had a particularly energetic day, especially like yours, but never ALL of the calories they say you can.
ChubsterSince96 said:
Just to note that I'm not feeling like I have lost weight, but my bloating from binges has gone down so much! Feeling much more mobile and feeling like I want to be active :)
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That makes me happy. Well done :D
 
cate said:
That makes me happy. Well done :D

... but never ALL of the calories they say you can.
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Thank you! :)

Great, thanks for letting me know- I don't want to put myself at too much of a caloric deficit, but I'm glad it's not a big deal to not meet the calories that is advised, on active days (My Fitness Pal allowed me for another 350+ calories, on top of the 2000?!).
 
Undereating by too much sets me up for binging so I too eat back some of my exercise calories on particularly active days.
 
Yesterday was a very strange day for me-only got 5 hours sleep, felt cold and tired all day but was too busy to have a nap. Felt really ill (felt sick and had stomach cramps-it was definitely my digestive system, not pms), I also randomly got a calf cramp walking? Very strange.

I didn't feel hungry, or like I needed more food, just felt crappy.

Also, I'm no longer vegetarian as I was made a salmon spaghetti dinner last night by a family friend and felt too rude to tell her that I wouldnt eat it (she had already made it)-Ive given a rough estimation of the calories, but I can't say for sure if it's correct.

Day 5
Breakfast: piece of Rye bread, with scrambled whole egg and egg white)(splash of milk and butter) 310cal

Lunch: 3 Black bean and sweet potatoe sausages, half tin of low salt and sugar baked beans, assorted frozen veg (flash fried, without oil) 452 calories

Dinner: spaghetti, olive oil, (Oatly) Dairy free Single cream, onions, salmon. The calories are guess work: 700ish calories)

Snack: Pint of diet coke, two biscuits. 185 calories.

Daily steps: 26154 steps
Calories burned according to fitbit: 2903 cals
Food intake: roughly 1645 calories

Felt very body conscious in the evening, and not happy with how I've let my body get- this is made worse by me feeling like I'm not loosing weight yet. I'm SO pleased I haven't binged in 5 days-as it's a huge deal, but feeling so crappy and am inpatient with seeing body changes... Hopefully I'll have a better day today.
 
ChubsterSince96 said:
I'm no longer vegetarian as I was made a salmon spaghetti dinner last night by a family friend and felt too rude to tell her that I wouldnt eat it
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Take life as it comes - being perfectly strict is only really useful with life threatening allergies and stuff. Not binging for 5 days IS a huge deal, not feeling like your body is changing after 5 days is perfectly normal. Annoying, but normal.
 
LaMaria said:
not feeling like your body is changing after 5 days is perfectly normal. Annoying, but normal.
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Very annoying! Thanks for putting it in perspective-it's so easy for me to get in my own head about it all. I've been thinking about it more rationally today, and I've spent 3-4 days a week for the last month binging-to see results after 5 days wouldnt be healthy. Just got to keep pushing on :)
 
5 days isn't long in the greater scheme of things. Not binging for 5 days is excellent. If you can continue on as you are & at the end of the day congratulate yourself for the changes you have made you will start to feel better about yourself. You may not see changes yourself, but if you stick with this changes will happen.
 
Today has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Have really struggled sleeping the last two nights, as I don't seem to be able to shut off my internal monologue and have been feeling really stressed. Felt quite drained today, but I think it's mainly the sleep deprivation-tomorrow I'm planning to have a calm day, eating healthy food, doing uni work and drinking lots of tea.

Day 6:

Breakfast: fried egg on toasted Rye bread 258calories.

Lunch: Two pieces of Rye Bread, scrambled egg (1 whole egg and 1 egg white), butter and Marmite on one slice. 330 cal

Dinner: Soya burger, jacket potato (smallish), mangetout, baby corn, kale. 430cal

Snacks: red grapes, an orange, eat natural protein bar. 381 cals

Total Calories: 1400
Fitbit daily step:19642
Calories burned according to fitbit:2420
 
cate said:
Not binging for 5 days is excellent.

If you can continue on as you are & at the end of the day congratulate yourself for the changes you have made you will start to feel better about yourself.
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Thanks, for your support! I would be really pleased if I could keep this up- I think this forum has really helped me stay motivated and accountable :)
 
You're welcome. You are not going to see huge physical changes as I think you said that you don't have much weight to lose. Probably focussing on eating healthily & finding ways to cope with stress will benefit you most. Typing in my diary helps me too. It's good to know that you have support & are not judged. We're in this together.
 
I do have to disagree with cate a little this time, with proper body re-composition the biggest physical changes can be seen at the end of the journey however without the correct exercise you can reach goal weight and still look a little flabby.
 
Trusylver said:
without the correct exercise you can reach goal weight and still look a little flabby.
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Unfortunately I can only get in the gym 2-3 times a week max, with my schedule atm and this has been my first week back in the gym in a while. I've previously tried doing lots of running-wasn't so happy with slimmer legs and bigger mid section. But have started to try and do HIIT cardio in the gym, followed floor exercises (sit ups with a medicine ball, weighted squats, etc) ... I reached out to an old friend who has agreed to teach me how to lift weights-sounds slightly scary but exciting :)
 
3 days per week is fine in the gym, if you are training correctly. :) but be careful of getting a friend to teach lifting, the vast majority of gym lifters and even a good percentage of trainers have poor form themselves, you need to be careful not to pick up bad habits from the beginning because they are hard to break later on.
 
Was feeling pretty weak during the day, despite not being very active at all (only 3000 steps on the fitbit) - again, I think this was down to a lack of protein (I stay with my mum most weekends, who is vegan, which makes things tricky).

Tomorrow I'm planning to go to Holland and Barretts to buy protein powder for shakes-I think it will really help when I'm on the go, rather than buying expensive/ high fat protein bars. Also, I am struggling to meet my protein quota unless I have eggs everyday-which I'm sure I will get bored of.

I was attempting to properly count calories today and stick to around 1350 calories, but plans changed and suddenly we were all going round my brothers house for a takeaway curry-wouldn't have had an ice cream after lunch if I had known xD

Day 7:
Breakfast: muesli, raspberrys, strawberry, with hemp milk. 298 calories.

Lunch: Sweet potato, mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, kidney beans (an attempt at protein). 297 calories.

Snack: an apple, a vegan cornetto ice cream. 299 calories.

Dinner: tandoori King prawn (dry), quarter of a takeaway rice, one onion bhaji, one popadom, mixed salad.

I attempted to have the healthiest meal possible for a takeaway curry, but have no clue of my overall calories for the day. It would have been easy to have a massive blow out with the curry, as I was feeling relatively hungry all day, but decided it wasn't worth it.
 
I had curry yesterday too. I have no idea how many calories I consumed, but I do know it was delicious. So long as you don't go crazy any food should be fine. Life is to be lived & enjoyed. I ate very light in the evening & that's what we can do. It's all about balance.
 
Today was a tricky day. Haven't done enough studying lately and feeling SO stressed-my mum has really injured her back so have had to do all the house work, help her get dressed, cook dinner, etc. I don't mind helping with any of those things, but it's so time consuming that I haven't managed to do more than two hours reading.

Going shopping was really hard-desperately wanted to buy a family bag of chocolate and down the lot of them, but didn't, as I know it's only the stress talking. I've been feeling so much better in myself-feeling more confident, and am actually looking forward to going out partying next week for my friends 21st-which I would have found an excuse to avoid, if I was still bingeing.

Day 8!-wowza:
Breakfast: Meusili, raspberries and grapes
Calories:314

Lunch: Ciabatta roll with half can of baked beans. Calories:375

Dinner: I made lentil Ragu and spaghetti, with salad and tomatoes- am not sure of the calories, but was all made from scratch (not much oil) and stuck to small portion. Calories: unkown.

Snacks and pudding: biscoff biscuit & 15g of vegan chocolate= 164
Small serving of raspberries and grapes.

Calories consumed: Not sure, but wouldn't have met the calories I burned.
Daily steps on the fitbit: 13500
Calories burned: 2100
 
cate said:
Give yourself a great big pat on the back!
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Thank you, Cate! :)
 
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