Running and Eating Disorders

[Dread Rooster]

I was talking to my sister tonight about what got her in to running. I was surprised to find that it was because she found it to be the best medicine for her bulimia. She went on to explain that the benefits were two-fold. Being able to "run meals out of her stomach" instead of vomiting helped satisfy one of the causes of the disorder for her; a need to be in control of her body. And the more she ran, the less she was concerned with what her body looked like, and more with what it was able to perform.

Has anyone heard of people having success in overcoming other eating disorders or body dysmorphia through running?

[Andrew Chandler]

I have never heard of it curing an eating disorder. I guess from what you are describing, it makes sense. Especially the control factor.

I have wondered if a few runners have eating disorders because lets face it... its easy to get into the math of things and be like "hey, if I don't eat a lot, it means less to lug around."

[Dread Rooster]

Its funny you should mention that. I, myself, recently got into that mindset. I have been on a mission to drop down to 170 from an original 195, and recently my quest has dipped into madness. Running out of fuel in the middle of a run put a quick stop to that stupidity.

[cody daneille]

There is an entire science behind losing weight to gain speed. I have a great coach who has won multiple marathons and owns a running store here in Fargo, when I first started competing as a runner he told me the general rule is for every pound you lose its a minute gained. However there are tables that state less than a minute per pound that seem more accurate. He said for himself it was about 40 seconds. I dont necessarily think that many runners have eating disorders, or that competitive runners are running to lose weight. But I do think that serious runners know that having leaner mass at a lesser weight will make you faster and help gain speed. Also that your BMI must stay above 18.5 for the rule to apply to you. If you are above 18.5 you may be able to afford losing pounds, runners may be below this but it is not suggested they try losing to gain.
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304--11903-0,00.html

[Andrew Chandler]

Lets seeeee... I was 200 pounds, ran a 12 minute mile. I dropped 40 pounds and ran sub 8's... soooo... 4 minutes... 40 pounds... I'm horrid at math.

[Dread Rooster]

Thanks for the link. I liked the approach they took to weighing weight against speed, even though I, in general, hate the body mass index.

[Andrew Chandler]

isn't bonking so much fun? LOL

[Dread Rooster]

I always work towards the same ridiculous conclusion when I reach that point,"how can I convince the guy at the convenience store to give me food on the promise I will return with payment?"

[Andrew Chandler]

that's why I always carry a 5 on me when I'm running...

[Beau]

If I recall correctly, Pam Reed (author of The Extra Mile) suffered from anorexia and found that running competitively helped her eat because eating became fuel for performance. This reframing of food overcame a big part of the anorexia, a part that numerous treatment approaches had failed to resolve.

As for running to lose weight, I also experienced a huge boost in my speed once I lost 40 pounds. Rather than watch the BMI factor I gauge my body fat percentage. I have learned that I need to keep above 2 percent or I have break down problems.

[Heather!]

i have kind of a similar story... i started running just for fun then realized it would be a wonderful accomplice to my on-again off-again eating disorder. but eventually i got to the point where i discovered that running was something i enjoyed more than destroying my body and i started adjusting my diet in order to fuel my body for running. plus it helped to lessen the mental blow of how much i was eating. through running i've been able to get over my food issues sans therapy. it's not that i don't still freak out about eating too much... it's still something i think about a lot (i think that's just kind of how it is with eating disorders - i really don't think anyone truly cuts the cord) but i have so much less anxiety about it 'cause i know i need the calories and i know it'll help me be a stronger and faster runner. i still probably don't eat quite enough but it's so much better now that things are at least a little more balanced.