is this a binge?

i have to be honest - i really don't have any experience with this behavior in myself which is why i'm posing the question. I'm currently 133-135 (5'8") and prob a little on the high side, due to bloating after the holidays. i've def been taking in a lot more food in the past few weeks but have also been exercising to try to minimize the damage. but today, i stopped at the store before work for my normal box of cereal and also picked up fiber one bars. i happened to be starving and ate 3 bars before i even got to work! and then, once at work, i ate almost the entire box of cereal (there might have been a cup left, if anything). after dinner, i'll be at 2150 calories. i know this is not a high count but my burn meter is at 1960. i'm just concerned because i'm coming off the holiday gluttony and feel that this is NOT the way to get back on track. should i be concerned?

2150 in a day is not a binge. Trust me - I used to be an emotional eater. A binge, for me, was something closer to whole jars of peanut butter, whole bags of marshmallows, tins - plural - of soup, chocolate, bread and butter, yoghurts, cereal, cheese... combinations of all these. In one spree. Less 2150 in a day, more 2150 in a sitting. So no. You didn't binge.

Can I ask your stats? If you suddenly had the urge to eat, it's very likely you're not eating enough for your height, age, weight, activity level and gender. So if you let me know all of those, I might be able to help you out as to whether you're actually eating as much as you ought to be.

thx for the quick reply lalabanana! (as you can see, i was hoping someone would answer so i could respond) - i'm not really sure what my true burn is. i estimate that i do low-impact aerobic exercise, anywhere from 1-2 hours / day but in actuality i do a bollywood dance workout (don't laugh!) with light handweights. i'm 5'8", female and weigh around 133 - but again, i'm prob a bit higher right now post-holiday bloat - thx again!

How old are you?

30

i agree with banana.  i typically consume 5,000 calories a day and that's on a "regular/typical" day when i'm NOT binging.  either way, it's difficult to manage bad habits (i'm an emotional eater).  good luck to us all in 2009!

Eating above your daily caloric intake once in awhile is perfectly okay. Besides, 2150 calories is not a lot since bodybuilders take in much more calories than that!

ugh, ok so i got home last night and i was still craving sugar after dinner. i had some trader joe's dark chocolate covered edamame (200 calories) and homemade hot cocoa (200 calories). i also missed something in my log so all in all i ate 2700 calories! i exercised for 90 more minutes last night but the burn meter only came out to 2300 calories burned...

The calculator I use  - entering your stats as stated and putting you down as 'very active' - estimates you need 2550 cals a day to maintain your weight.  So 2700 cals is the right amount for you, give-or take.   What's probably bothering you is the feeling that eating the cereal bars and chocolate beans is involuntary and a little out of control.  Sugar cravings are often caused by low blood sugars... and low blood-sugars are more likely to happen when you don't eat enough, if you eat infrequently or if your diet is poor nutritionally.   If you do a lot of exercise, you need to replenish the energy.

Try to plan your day out with that 2550 in mind..... think about a larger breakfast, for example, bigger meals in general, healthy snacks throughout the day.   In terms of balance try to add more foods with a good protein content since these make your meals more satisfying.   Wholegrain, high-fibre foods are another good way to increase the satiety.  Make time to eat.... Rather than boxes of cereals or bars bought on the way to work for breakfast make time at home to cook up some eggs with wholemeal toast, yoghurt and fruit juice.  Chocolate gets a bad rap but it's a good food as part of a balanced diet.... enjoy the cocoa etc., without thinking you're doing anything wrong.

Eat better rather than less....

thanks gi-jane!

i have had problems with low blood sugar in the past, to the point where i was so low that when i replenished sugar levels (with  the wrong types of sugars), i became disoriented and my vision got blurry. that is definitely a very rare occurrence but does show that i should be more weary.

i typically eat very clean - organic foods and have a largely vegetarian, even vegan, diet. however, over the holidays, i've been eating more candy / meat than i am accustomed to and its definitely thrown me off. but this is a wakeup call and the perfect opportunity to return to my normal eating habits.

i'm very surprised by the 2550 calorie calculation! i've been basing my burn on 1650 (sedentary) and adding in exercise - which comes to 2200-2400 typical burn! i welcome the opportunity to eat a little more though - thanks!

jmullen,  I'm also 5'8" and I tend to look almost too thin at 135 (I have a small frame).  I really hope you're not trying to lose more than a couple vanity pounds :\

That being said, a couple hundred calories over in a week is okay.  Especially since you're working out a lot.  Keep thinking positive :)  Try and keep some 100 cal snacks in your purse.  ziplock snack size bags are great!  I can fill on entirely up with cheerios, grab some clementines, and be ready for when hunger strikes :)

Also, dancing is a GREAT workout :)  I Salsa (when the Virginia Tech kids are in town) and that works wonders for lhelping me lose!  Too bad they all go home right as the holidays strike!