Severe binge eating.

Options
Hi guys! I've always been into the nutrition and weight loss scene and still am, but I go CRAZY sometimes when it comes to eating! Here lately, I haven't been able to get back on track. I'm binge eating like crazy. I have one bite of something sweet or salty and want MORE MORE MORE. Even if i'm stuffed...Last night I ate dinner but was craving the leftover pizza in the fridge, so I ate the last 3 slices. Tonight, I ate dinner and had a salted caramel chocolate protein bar for dessert, but went for the rest of the pizza cookie my mom brought home from work. Then I wanted something else sweet so I went and ate 2 pumpkin muffins. I always think about food. I'm not overweight, i'm 5'8'' and around 140 pounds. I HAVE been overweight before though and I don't ever want to be at that state again. I've looked up about binge eating and I have every symptom. I am not willing to go to a therapist though. I was just looking for any tips on how to get this under control again and train my brain back to normal!!! Thanks in advance (:
«1

Replies

  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Options
    If you recognize that you have a problem, then why aren't you willing to seek treatment?
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited October 2014
    Options
    beth934 wrote: »
    Hi guys! I've always been into the nutrition and weight loss scene and still am, but I go CRAZY sometimes when it comes to eating! Here lately, I haven't been able to get back on track. I'm binge eating like crazy. I have one bite of something sweet or salty and want MORE MORE MORE. Even if i'm stuffed...Last night I ate dinner but was craving the leftover pizza in the fridge, so I ate the last 3 slices. Tonight, I ate dinner and had a salted caramel chocolate protein bar for dessert, but went for the rest of the pizza cookie my mom brought home from work. Then I wanted something else sweet so I went and ate 2 pumpkin muffins. I always think about food. I'm not overweight, i'm 5'8'' and around 140 pounds. I HAVE been overweight before though and I don't ever want to be at that state again. I've looked up about binge eating and I have every symptom. I am not willing to go to a therapist though. I was just looking for any tips on how to get this under control again and train my brain back to normal!!! Thanks in advance (:
    You realize that your eating is out of control and that you may have a problem, but refuse to seek help from a source who can best give it.

    But you will seek help from random people online.

    Do you see how silly that is? If you need help, go to the place where you'll get the BEST help!

    But, okay. You don't want the best help. You want our help. I suggest just stopping. Use some self-control and stop eating junk. Eat healthy food only for six weeks, then see if you an manage to have a little junk without going crazy with it. If you can't, go another six weeks.

    If you don't start eating the junk, you won't continue.

    Good luck.

  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
    Options
    This sounds like someone you should be seeing a therapist about. I'm not sure why you're against it, but speaking to a professional who specializes in eating disorders/binge eating disorder is your best bet.
  • intrepidelephant
    intrepidelephant Posts: 100 Member
    edited October 2014
    Options
    I used to binge eat a lot in university and was similar dimensions to you (5'6 and 135 lbs). I did a lot of binge/fasting which ruined my energy. Most people tend to binge in the evenings. Solution is to make sure to eat enough at set times early in the day and eat until you are full. Firstly, start eating breakfast and try to make it as big as possible. If you are as slim as you are, you are probably binge/fasting as well. Start the breakfast after a "good" day when you wake up hungry. Your instinct will be to try and starve yourself again, and you'll probably end up bingeing again. Resist this urge. If you get full at breakfast, you probably won't want to eat again until at least noon. When you start getting hungry wait for no more than an hour and eat until you are full. By the time you get to dinner, you'll have less incentive to binge. Don't delay eating by more than an hour after you start getting hungry. If you aren't sure whether you're hungry, drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes. If you still feel hungry you still are hungry. Try to have sweet things that aren't junk in the house ie. fruit, granola, flavoured yougourt to fill the sweet void when you need it. A trick I found is taking a some extra magnesium during the week leading up to my period will help curb the urge for sweets during this time.

    Bingeing is a bad cycle to get into when you're slim. Obese people may be eating way too much but normal weight people who binge are almost always bingeing and fasting/purging/exercising. It stems from an urge to be thinner when you don't actually need to be. Once you accept your (very slim and attractive weight), managing what you eat will become easier
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    Kalikel wrote: »
    beth934 wrote: »
    Hi guys! I've always been into the nutrition and weight loss scene and still am, but I go CRAZY sometimes when it comes to eating! Here lately, I haven't been able to get back on track. I'm binge eating like crazy. I have one bite of something sweet or salty and want MORE MORE MORE. Even if i'm stuffed...Last night I ate dinner but was craving the leftover pizza in the fridge, so I ate the last 3 slices. Tonight, I ate dinner and had a salted caramel chocolate protein bar for dessert, but went for the rest of the pizza cookie my mom brought home from work. Then I wanted something else sweet so I went and ate 2 pumpkin muffins. I always think about food. I'm not overweight, i'm 5'8'' and around 140 pounds. I HAVE been overweight before though and I don't ever want to be at that state again. I've looked up about binge eating and I have every symptom. I am not willing to go to a therapist though. I was just looking for any tips on how to get this under control again and train my brain back to normal!!! Thanks in advance (:
    You realize that your eating is out of control and that you may have a problem, but refuse to seek help from a source who can best give it.

    But you will seek help from random people online.

    Do you see how silly that is? If you need help, go to the place where you'll get the BEST help!

    But, okay. You don't want the best help. You want our help. I suggest just stopping. Use some self-control and stop eating junk. Eat healthy food only for six weeks, then see if you an manage to have a little junk without going crazy with it. If you can't, go another six weeks.

    If you don't start eating the junk, you won't continue.

    Good luck.



    I have the same problems at the moment i am on a 5 bite diet and i wont get help from people offline becasue its embarrrasing telling somone in person what is wrong. But people online if you get too embarrased you can jsut ignore them, but its harder it ignore somone in person.

    that might be how this person feels.

    just saying

    They've heard it before. They've studied it and worked with people who have or had those problems. You will NOT tell them anything they haven't heard before.

    There is NO reason to be ashamed. You have a problem, just like lots of other people do and have in the past.

    The therapists got into that line of work because they know people have those problems and they WANT to help. Not every therapist is good. Even if they are good, not every one is for every person. Sometimes you gotta go through a few before you find the one for you.

    You should go. You want help. They want to help you. It's a win-win.

    Five bites, as I'm sure you're aware, is extreme and unhealthy. Your body needs more food. You deserve to eat more food. You deserve to be healthy and happy.

    Think about seeing a therapist. Just some non-caloric food for thought. :)
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
    Options
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    beth934 wrote: »
    Hi guys! I've always been into the nutrition and weight loss scene and still am, but I go CRAZY sometimes when it comes to eating! Here lately, I haven't been able to get back on track. I'm binge eating like crazy. I have one bite of something sweet or salty and want MORE MORE MORE. Even if i'm stuffed...Last night I ate dinner but was craving the leftover pizza in the fridge, so I ate the last 3 slices. Tonight, I ate dinner and had a salted caramel chocolate protein bar for dessert, but went for the rest of the pizza cookie my mom brought home from work. Then I wanted something else sweet so I went and ate 2 pumpkin muffins. I always think about food. I'm not overweight, i'm 5'8'' and around 140 pounds. I HAVE been overweight before though and I don't ever want to be at that state again. I've looked up about binge eating and I have every symptom. I am not willing to go to a therapist though. I was just looking for any tips on how to get this under control again and train my brain back to normal!!! Thanks in advance (:
    You realize that your eating is out of control and that you may have a problem, but refuse to seek help from a source who can best give it.

    But you will seek help from random people online.

    Do you see how silly that is? If you need help, go to the place where you'll get the BEST help!

    But, okay. You don't want the best help. You want our help. I suggest just stopping. Use some self-control and stop eating junk. Eat healthy food only for six weeks, then see if you an manage to have a little junk without going crazy with it. If you can't, go another six weeks.

    If you don't start eating the junk, you won't continue.

    Good luck.



    I have the same problems at the moment i am on a 5 bite diet and i wont get help from people offline becasue its embarrrasing telling somone in person what is wrong. But people online if you get too embarrased you can jsut ignore them, but its harder it ignore somone in person.

    that might be how this person feels.

    just saying

    They've heard it before. They've studied it and worked with people who have or had those problems. You will NOT tell them anything they haven't heard before.

    There is NO reason to be ashamed. You have a problem, just like lots of other people do and have in the past.

    The therapists got into that line of work because they know people have those problems and they WANT to help. Not every therapist is good. Even if they are good, not every one is for every person. Sometimes you gotta go through a few before you find the one for you.

    You should go. You want help. They want to help you. It's a win-win.

    Five bites, as I'm sure you're aware, is extreme and unhealthy. Your body needs more food. You deserve to eat more food. You deserve to be healthy and happy.

    Think about seeing a therapist. Just some non-caloric food for thought. :)

    Thank you!
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Options
    In my experience, I would binge eat because I was being too restricive on the types of food I ate. Once I stopped being restrictive and let myself eat pizza and cookies and chocolate without saying that i was cheating or that it was a "special" treat - all food is just FOOD, it's to nourish and satiate me and to be ENJOYED - I stopped having this issue. I can easily say "I really want that extra slice of pizza, but then I'll be over calories/macros. I'll just eat it tomorrow."

    So.. I think you just need to address the WHY of your binge eating. Do you have a history of restrictive eating, either from a calorie or food group standpoint? Do you under-eat currently? Do you log, and if so can you open up your diary so we can see whether something about your current eating habits are potential contributors to these habits?

    I personally don't think it's something that needs to be discussed with a health professional unless you believe that there are some mental health problems going on. My experience is with something different, but it might help explain my stance. I have depression and I've struggled since I was a child. There have been some situations that have definitely made it worse, but I have also often just felt depressed for no apparent reason. My moods shift at the snap of a finger, today I was crying because I was late for a volunteering shift and this left me feeling suicidal... like.. what? I went to a therapist last year and she used a cognitive behavioural approach with me, which aims to change your thinking in order to change your behaviour/depression. This did not really work for me at all. Because mental health problems run in my family (schizophrenia, depression, anxiety), I believe that my problems are related far more to physiological imbalances. So while CBT might work for one person with depression, it doesn't mean it will work on someone else. The way you work to solve your problem needs to be compatible with the cause of your problems.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited October 2014
    Options
    ana3067 wrote: »
    In my experience, I would binge eat because I was being too restricive on the types of food I ate. Once I stopped being restrictive and let myself eat pizza and cookies and chocolate without saying that i was cheating or that it was a "special" treat - all food is just FOOD, it's to nourish and satiate me and to be ENJOYED - I stopped having this issue. I can easily say "I really want that extra slice of pizza, but then I'll be over calories/macros. I'll just eat it tomorrow."

    So.. I think you just need to address the WHY of your binge eating. Do you have a history of restrictive eating, either from a calorie or food group standpoint? Do you under-eat currently? Do you log, and if so can you open up your diary so we can see whether something about your current eating habits are potential contributors to these habits?

    I personally don't think it's something that needs to be discussed with a health professional unless you believe that there are some mental health problems going on. My experience is with something different, but it might help explain my stance. I have depression and I've struggled since I was a child. There have been some situations that have definitely made it worse, but I have also often just felt depressed for no apparent reason. My moods shift at the snap of a finger, today I was crying because I was late for a volunteering shift and this left me feeling suicidal... like.. what? I went to a therapist last year and she used a cognitive behavioural approach with me, which aims to change your thinking in order to change your behaviour/depression. This did not really work for me at all. Because mental health problems run in my family (schizophrenia, depression, anxiety), I believe that my problems are related far more to physiological imbalances. So while CBT might work for one person with depression, it doesn't mean it will work on someone else. The way you work to solve your problem needs to be compatible with the cause of your problems.
    The OP needs professional help.

    It sounds like you could use some, too. You should not be feeling suicidal because you're late for work. You deserve to be happy and healthy. Consider trying a new therapist.

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
    Options
    I would talk to a therapist.
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
    Options
    MrM27 wrote: »
    You really need to knock it off with the 5 bite diet stuff.

    QFT
  • Wiltord1982
    Wiltord1982 Posts: 312 Member
    Options
    tumblr_ltlkx0yDiH1qfdzwzo1_500.gif
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Options
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ana3067 wrote: »
    In my experience, I would binge eat because I was being too restricive on the types of food I ate. Once I stopped being restrictive and let myself eat pizza and cookies and chocolate without saying that i was cheating or that it was a "special" treat - all food is just FOOD, it's to nourish and satiate me and to be ENJOYED - I stopped having this issue. I can easily say "I really want that extra slice of pizza, but then I'll be over calories/macros. I'll just eat it tomorrow."

    So.. I think you just need to address the WHY of your binge eating. Do you have a history of restrictive eating, either from a calorie or food group standpoint? Do you under-eat currently? Do you log, and if so can you open up your diary so we can see whether something about your current eating habits are potential contributors to these habits?

    I personally don't think it's something that needs to be discussed with a health professional unless you believe that there are some mental health problems going on. My experience is with something different, but it might help explain my stance. I have depression and I've struggled since I was a child. There have been some situations that have definitely made it worse, but I have also often just felt depressed for no apparent reason. My moods shift at the snap of a finger, today I was crying because I was late for a volunteering shift and this left me feeling suicidal... like.. what? I went to a therapist last year and she used a cognitive behavioural approach with me, which aims to change your thinking in order to change your behaviour/depression. This did not really work for me at all. Because mental health problems run in my family (schizophrenia, depression, anxiety), I believe that my problems are related far more to physiological imbalances. So while CBT might work for one person with depression, it doesn't mean it will work on someone else. The way you work to solve your problem needs to be compatible with the cause of your problems.
    The OP needs professional help.

    It sounds like you could use some, too. You should not be feeling suicidal because you're late for work. You deserve to be happy and healthy. Consider trying a new therapist.

    If OP can resolve her problems without therapy, then that's fine. If not, then that's fine. As for my own problems, I am solving them through going back on medication. This is the approach that works for how my problem is manifesting (when I was in therapy, I did not experience any benefits until I went on medication). Different approaches work for different people based on the WHY of their problem. Because everyone was telling OP to seek therapy, I was letting her know that this is not mandatory if her problem is not a symptom of mental health problems.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Options
    blazepurr wrote: »
    I've got the same problem, I used to eat good during the day, have my dinner and then want to eat the whole house right after I finish my food. Now I control it by not having ANYTHING after dinner. I make myself brush my teeth right after so that everything tastes bad anyway. If you do this for a while it becomes a habit and you'll no longer get the urge to eat everything right after you have your dinner

    Did you ever try just eating most of your calories in the evening instead? So a very light breakfast/lunch and then eating the rest throughout the evening? This is another approach that could work for OP if the problem is solely with binging in the evening. When I binged, it would be at any time of the day.
  • intrepidelephant
    intrepidelephant Posts: 100 Member
    Options
    blazepurr wrote: »
    ana3067 wrote: »
    blazepurr wrote: »
    I've got the same problem, I used to eat good during the day, have my dinner and then want to eat the whole house right after I finish my food. Now I control it by not having ANYTHING after dinner. I make myself brush my teeth right after so that everything tastes bad anyway. If you do this for a while it becomes a habit and you'll no longer get the urge to eat everything right after you have your dinner

    Did you ever try just eating most of your calories in the evening instead? So a very light breakfast/lunch and then eating the rest throughout the evening? This is another approach that could work for OP if the problem is solely with binging in the evening. When I binged, it would be at any time of the day.

    Dinner is the biggest meal of my day, it ranges from 500-800 calories. Yet I still stuffed my face even more about 20 minutes after. I used to save calories for a snack after dinner, but now I don't and just have my extra snacks during the day. If I have them at night it makes me eat even more and sometimes eventually binge. But yes this may work for the OP, but I think she does need to see a professional about the problem

    Bingeing usually happens when you've finished dinner and you're still hungry. Saving your calories for the end of the day doesn't work because you've been hungry all day and when your evening "payoff" doesn't pay off, you get frustrated and binge
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Options
    How bout 'skipping' a traditional dinner if you cook for yourself and instead try to make your snack food fit your macros? That way you can snack on more calories?
  • DavePFJ
    DavePFJ Posts: 212 Member
    Options
    New limited edition pop tart flavors are out - Gingerbread and Sugar Cookie.
  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
    Options
    You can find workbooks in your local bookstore or online that will help you overcome emotional issues and addictive behaviors. They work better if you can do them along with therapy, but you can still benefit from using them alone. It's not immediate, but it really does help you learn new behavioral patterns and overcome emotional issues that lead to things like binge eating.

    Also, try to break the cycle of binging. Set aside a week or two to really focus on redirecting your behavior. You will probably need to avoid your normal trigger foods during that time.

    I used to have three different types of binges: binging on all food until sick, binging on sweets until sick or no more sweets, and what I like to call black out binges, which means that I didn't realize what was happening until I ran out of food. (That last one might sound crazy. As an example, one time I bought a bunch of cookies from Great American Cookie Company with the intention of sharing them but accidentally ate them all without realizing it. I didn't even taste them, aside from the first few bites of the one cookie I intended to eat. They were just gone.)

    You need to figure out why your binging if you want to fix it. You CAN fix it though. It takes work, but it's not really about willpower. It's about getting to know yourself and working to fix what's wrong.

    I never thought that I could eat whatever I wanted without risking a binge, but I can't even remember the last time I had one.

    Good Luck!
  • jdt242
    jdt242 Posts: 106 Member
    Options
    beth934 wrote: »
    Hi guys! I've always been into the nutrition and weight loss scene and still am, but I go CRAZY sometimes when it comes to eating! Here lately, I haven't been able to get back on track. I'm binge eating like crazy. I have one bite of something sweet or salty and want MORE MORE MORE. Even if i'm stuffed...Last night I ate dinner but was craving the leftover pizza in the fridge, so I ate the last 3 slices. Tonight, I ate dinner and had a salted caramel chocolate protein bar for dessert, but went for the rest of the pizza cookie my mom brought home from work. Then I wanted something else sweet so I went and ate 2 pumpkin muffins. I always think about food. I'm not overweight, i'm 5'8'' and around 140 pounds. I HAVE been overweight before though and I don't ever want to be at that state again. I've looked up about binge eating and I have every symptom. I am not willing to go to a therapist though. I was just looking for any tips on how to get this under control again and train my brain back to normal!!! Thanks in advance (:

    I understand why you don't want to see a therapist. Been there too.

    Ask your mom to not buy the food that triggers a binge. You will need to do the same. Pizza Is a weakness of yours. As is chocolate. Keep them out of the house until you feel strong enough to say no. Your body doesn't need them. As I have said before...ever binged on raw veg? On fruit? Stock up.

    There is no reason why you have to go back to being overweight. You've been there, done that. Practice good habits. Every evening without a binge is a victory. Break the cycle....do something different in those hours.

    Good luck.