Sleeping after a binge?

[Kazeriu]

I read a post a bulimic made once about how after a binge they would stay awake for as long as possible. How does this help? Do you digest more while awake than when you're sleeping?

[anonomousmia]

Im bulimic and I did exactly the same. I would not go to sleep and try to move around by tidying, or even running as soon as it got light! I would also lay in bed twitching my leg muscles to burn just a few extra calories! Just because I didn't want to wake up like a few pounds heavier. I don't think it makes a difference whether you sleep or just lie/sit around. But obviously going for a run helps, although not at like 2am!

[Wannabewaif]

My only guess would be that staying awake burns more calories and gives you the opportunity for more activity.
It could also just be the idea of sleeping instead of doing something active... I know I've always felt guilty when I intend to purge and then fall asleep.

[sparkles]

I've heard both sides. Google really doesn't help either. From what I've collected it seems that the body doesn't really store fat any differently (though I do not see how it could possibly digest as well as when awake and active), it's just the issue of binging and then not working it off.

I personally do not eat past 8:00 p.m... Night time is when I used to get my worst cravings too, esp. when I had a good day and think "oh hell you can have one cookie (which leads to 4 more cookies)." Now I know myself, and I just drink some decaf tea and think about the work out I'll wake up to do tomorrow morning.

lots of luck!
<3mj

[x2to00x]

yeah, calories in/ calories out. doesn't matter what time.

the reason people talk about not eating after 7pm is that is when most non-necessary eating happens. you're not really hungry, your just sitting around bored so you eat/ or binge.

also, people tend to do really well during the day and then lose it at night cause they are really hungry and opportunity presents itself.

[Vision Thing]

It's probably not so much being awake as the opportunity to exercise. And depending on the food you eat. Like if you eat a bunch of carbs before sleeping, as a food for energy, carbs will simple get stored on your body as you wont be burning them off whilst sleeping.

[cksummer]

i completely agree with x2to00x. i've also heard that it's not so much what time you eat, but how MUCH you are eating and what you are eating. i have problems snacking at night :-( mostly because i'm just relaxing and bored and wander into the kitchen...

[damaged]

Its not just staying awake, its moving around. If you eat and go to sleep or just sit around for the rest of the day your not burning off those calories so your body just stores them, which means you put weight on.

[Static]

another reason people will avoid sleeping after a binge is that binges are often made up of jnk food, or high sugar food, which can disrupt your sleep-- you're far more likely to have nightmares, for instance.