New Weight question

Hey everyone I have a question that has been puzzling me for the longest. So here it is.. I have traveled out of the country and recently lost 20lbs in 3 months since last summer 2007. Ever since I've been back to America I've been a bit paranoid i'd go back to my old ways and gain it all back. I haven't went back to my old ways but I do binge quite frequently on chocolate (i've never had a sweet tooth before i lost that much weight!) Any way..I am 5'3" and 102lbs. I just finished a binge of a bunch of chocolate and cereal and pasta and smoothies w/ nuts and raisins (all in 1 sitting) and YES i feel uncomfortably full, and a little guilty but I have not really gained any more then 2 lbs (it flucuates) from all this binging. I am tired of feeling guilty for no reason if I'm not gaining any weight...although i FEEL chubbier and my pants feel tighter etc. Is it possible to be getting "bigger" but have it not show on the scale? Is it possible that my new body weight is around 105lbs and I won't get any heavier then that no matter how much I eat? Before I lost all the weight my average weight was 128/130lbs and now it's been staying around 101/106lbs. I'd just like to know a definite answer so I can stop beating myself up for binging. By the way..i don't excersise any more or count calories (and I'm not on a binge/starve cycle). I am seeing a therapist for body image therapy but if some one could give me a good answer bout that new body weight question i'd be greatful..thanks

If you just finished a binge, it's VERY likely that you're bloated, and yes, your clothes could definitely feel tighter.  This won't last, though, if you go back to eating well.  Drink some water, go for a walk, don't beat yourself up. 

I truly don't know about your weight question at all.  I know there are theories about your body taking a certain amount of time to get to a weight that it "likes," so to speak, so if you've maintained a particular body weight for a long period of time, it's likely that your body now "likes" that weight (also assuming you're treating it healthily, etc.) and will hover around it barring any huge, permanent changes.

Thanks. Do you/anyone else know what factors get put in to your body's new preferred weight? In other words..what makes your body prefer this new "weight" and WHY does it prefer it? I'm not lookin for a chemical equation or anything like that, just a basic summary or something simple. I'm just mystified as to why i'm binging so much and not even excersising to loose some of the calories yet i'm still not really gaining anything. I know some people might think that I'm not really binging but oh boy..i am,...also I never do it in front of people so that is why my parents/friends do not believe me that I binge. Any way. . . I'm just curious and I would really like to know more about how the body works.

Your 'binges' are probably your body's way of topping up a calorie short-fall.  If you're undereating regularly (whether consciously or unconsciously) then your body will send out signals that you need more energy.  

An adult female your size can maintain on about 1900-2000 cals a day.  If you keep a food log here and spot-check your calorie intake for a few days I think you'll find you've been eating less than that.   If the binges take you up to 2000 cal average then you won't gain or lose weight.

Increase your intake, eat regularly, eat well and your body won't need to top up with binges.

ok i'll up my cal intake. i'm not scared of that or any thing.  I just don't wanna binge anymore and be thinking about food!

Binging, no matter if you gain or not, is not healthy. It can backfire if you get comfortable in your binges. It also takes your body approx 3 days for your body to make excess calories into fat. So it could catch up with you - possibly. Not saying it will. How long have you been back in America?

I, too, beat myself up for binges so I can completely relate.

I know binging is not healthy, and it feels horrible too.  I don't like it at ALL.  Some times it's not even that enjoyable eating the foods I put in my mouth when I binge even  if its chocolate.  Like, I eat so much of it I feel sick but yet I shove it in my mouth any way. Any ways, I have been back in America since Aug 2007 but before then (3months) I lost 20lbs a quick and unhealthy way by eating very little and excersising a lot.  I do realize i was very determined and had a lot of disciple which I am proud of but I guess my body did not like that big change and has been messing with my mind ever since.  I never feel hungry when I binge, I think it's just in my head.  Also, some times binges lead to sugar binges...like I start out eating healthy, and then  when I go for a second round of food the foods I intake have more sugar in them..then eventually I just pour sugar on the unsweetend ones to make them sweet.  It's very weird.  I'm not overweight but I do fear if I keep this up I will get back to my old chubby self. 

 

Also, I am 101lbs but my stomach is very flabby and not firm like I thought it would be when I was 120lbs witha  goal of 101lbs. 

Some of the reason your clothes feel tighter and you feel bloated is b/c you mentioned that you aren't exercising. Your weight may not change but your body will look different depending on exercise and muscle tone. And take it from me, if you continue to binge the scale will eventually show it. Your metabolism isn't going to keep compensating for your binges and the pounds will come back if you binge w/ any regularity. It's a tough battle. Good luck.