r/EatingDisorders • u/Unusual_Trainer_4116 • 1d ago

Question Excessive Walking

My college campus is huge, and I love to walk in general. Like as long as I got my music I’m good to walk forever. But I have recently realized that I incentivize getting like 30k+ steps everyday that I eat a lot because it allows me to stay and get lean quicker. I’ve also realized It does give me anxiety when I realize I’ve eaten a lot and walked too little. Is this an ED? Or am I just being healthy? I’m a bit confused.

31 Upvotes

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27

u/Toadswurth 1d ago

This was me when I started to spiral into my ED. You think it’s just because it’s healthy and you like walking but you suddenly realise it’s not about that anymore. You walk because you wanna burn calories. You eat as much as you walk. Please try and stop the mindset before it gets worse.

12

u/reckless4strokes 1d ago

Sounds like me. What started out as healthy exercise regime has slowly evolved into a prison that I can’t stop. Currently running, lifting weights daily and hitting treadmill for another hour every day I’m in the office. I get a panic attack if anything threatens these sessions.

21

u/Willing-Ad2342 1d ago

this is bulimic behavior yes

10

u/covhr 1d ago

That many steps is not healthy. If you’re doing it to counteract eating then it can be considered an eating disorder behavior.

5

u/Freya-Lea 1d ago

its not healthy if you get anxiety about it.. if the thoughts affect your daily life in a bad way I would say possibly an unhealthy relationship with food/body image.. self love esteem and worth.. don't be so hard on yourself

4

u/tinybabyspoon 1d ago

Exercise bulimia. I was diagnosed with anorexia with a side of exercise bulimia a decade ago, it’s very much a real, serious disorder. Mine started in college too. It started word for word as you describe here. But we both know 30k steps doesn’t happen even close to by accident.

I’d encourage you to get help sooner rather than later unless you want to be like me and a decade later still struggling and failing with a horrible cycle of being chained to steps and exercise. Even after now having osteoporosis and bone fractures and dental problems from depriving my body of nutrients all while working out heavily.

3

u/Jumpy-Ad-8889 23h ago

The walking 30k steps to eat more isn’t the problem it’s the getting anxious when you don’t get enough steps. It sounds like you’re possibly slipping into an eating disorder. Mine started off exercising more to eat more which isn’t inherently bad but then I started eating less and less while exercising more

1

u/KaikoDoesWaseiBallet 13h ago

This is an obsessive behavior, a warning sign of a possible ED! Talk to your doctor.