Adverse affects when I reduce food intake

Dear Forum,
As I said in my two other posts today, I don't think there's one post in the forum that I cant relate to in some way, although my own experiences and situation may be vastly different. I could write pages. Suffice it to say I'm admitting to BED. But, my question to the forum is this.......have any of you experienced physical downsides, when you do eat less? In my case, if I skip a meal I feel very cold, especially my feet and legs, and I seem to want to go to the toilet more often. Strangely, although I binge a lot on the foods I really like, (there's items in my fridge and cupboard that I wouldn't want in a month of Sundays), I never seem to 'go off' any of my favourites. I've often heard friends say that they ate too much of their favourite cake, and have now sickened themselves, and don't want it ever again. I wish.

The adverse effects you experience when reducing your food intake, could be anything. It could be as simple as a shock to the system if the change is radical enough or even somewhat radical.

When I would start a new regiment of foods (better foods), I would get a little dizzy, feel "out of it" and a few other things which were disconcerting. I also had problems when going to the toilet. After two weeks things would adjust and I would be fine - but you have to give it time.

It could also be connected to something that is a real part of the way your body processes foods and parts of foods: sugars, salts, fat, iron and other things.

My advice is to write down the changes in food that you eat before/after and see your doctor about the symptoms you are having. If you haven't had a physical in a while maybe you could do the above and get a series of tests done as well: thyroid, blood sugars levels, cholesterol, etc.

Regarding never sickening of the "bad" foods you eat, I guess it is different for each individual. I HATE the binge food I eat. HATE IT. Anyone who doesn't understand this logic, has never suffered BED or other eating disorders. Actually, I should say I hate it afterwards. Not just because I feel defeated, but because I actually hated the taste, the amount food, and everything about it. When I am on new "food plan" I love everything I eat. the food taste better and gives me a better appreciation of food.

I can't say this categorically, but bad foods seems to destroy our appreciation of food. The heavy fats, salts and sugars have to bombard our taste buds and make food with subtler and more meaningful taste, seem bland.

Otter.

Dear Otter,

Many thanks for troubling to reply. I have had blood tests recently, which would appear to be OK, and I feel well enough. It's just that, it's hard to cut down on calories when reducing them makes me feel so cold. However, you have a point, and I'll try to keep a diary on it. As it's Spring and hopefully warmer weather on the way, it would be an ideal time to put this to the test.

It's interesting that I only eat a lot of the things that I like the taste of. That's what I meant when I said I have things in the fridge and cupboards that I wouldn't dream of eating, even when I feel really hungry. I only go for the items I crave. If I don't have the items I crave, I tend to feel very restless and pace about a lot. I guess I'd be heading for the local supermarket, if I could drive, but I wouldn't venture out, walking in the dark by myself. (At least I've not got that bad yet).

I always feel ravenous in the evenings, no matter whether I've had a breakfast or a lunch.

I came across some information today, that got me thinking. A bit crazily perhaps.

I'd been reading up on food colouring and flavour enhancing, following a documentary on UK TV about the tricks that the supermarkets get up to, to make us buy things. That led me to the internet to follow up. To cut a long story short, one scientist said that we only eat things that are the colour that we expect. And going back to our cave-man days, we tended to avoid anything blue, black and purple, because - so the story goes - they were more likely to be poisonous.

As I'm desperate to cut down my food intake, maybe I should colour all my favourites blue!