Has anyone managed to maintain with binging issues?

Francl27

Still 2 pounds to lose (well, probably 3 now), but I just end up binging way too much... most days I still manage to stay under my calories, some days I just fail miserably.

Has anyone managed to maintain in those circumstances, or am I just doomed to fail? I'm totally clueless about why I binge. It's like I have a physical need for it or something (and I'm a stay at home mom so I'm home a lot). I'm going to stop buying what triggers my binges (I managed to do moderation for 1.5 year, not sure what changed), but man this is just depressing.

tesstcool

I binge too and have been maintaining and even losing a little. Depending on how bad the binge is if you stay under most days then going over should even it out. Watch your weekly intake over daily. Also, when im in binge mode i just have to stop and do something else that will keep me from eating. Painting your nails works wonders.

toolzz

I have maintained for 7 years while having an unbalanced calorie distribution. I don't think what I do is considered true binging but I definitely have moments (days) where I have no boundaries. I believe maintaining has worked for me because no matter how disordered my eating is, I have always maintained a constant work out routine and that has never been difficult for me. Somehow it all balances out. I will add, maintaining for me has a 5lb range so I don't worry if I go up that much as I will more likely go down that much eventually.

mamadon

I've been in maintanance for several months. I still binge about once a month or so. I think I do know why I do it, but I still struggle with it. I just try to move forward, and not be so hard on myself. It hasnt caused me to gain, probably because I dont do it very often and I just eat a little less on other days.

RaspberryTickleChicken

I think everyone hankers for something different every now & again - perfectly normal imho.

The key to controlling it is to reflect on the triggers (root cause). For women that time-of-the-month (hormonal flux) is notorious to drive cravings & binges.

Personally, I log in everything. There's something about seeing the laundry list of crap that seems to helped reign it in for me. I still have cravings but I don't stock my go-to junk food of choice in the house so I'm forced to have healthier alternatives - so that can be a great first step to try.

Bottom line is unless you are seeing a stall in progress or gaining, I would just make a conscious effort to choose healthier options when you get the attack of the snack monster.

Good luck!

ShannonMpls

toolzz wrote: »

I have maintained for 7 years while having an unbalanced calorie distribution. I don't think what I do is considered true binging but I definitely have moments (days) where I have no boundaries. I believe maintaining has worked for me because no matter how disordered my eating is, I have always maintained a constant work out routine and that has never been difficult for me. Somehow it all balances out. I will add, maintaining for me has a 5lb range so I don't worry if I go up that much as I will more likely go down that much eventually.

This is my exact experience - 2 years maintaining a 130 pound loss.

jannickegn574

What keeps me from binging (though I still sometimes do) is to not have anything available for it at home in my weak moments. I never buy any snacks that isn't fit for my diet and calorie intake for the same day. Always have low cal snacks like berries or small fruits at home, so when you're at the store you'll know that there is something sweet at home if you want to buy a lot of unhealthy food.

Francl27

jannickegn574 wrote: »

What keeps me from binging (though I still sometimes do) is to not have anything available for it at home in my weak moments. I never buy any snacks that isn't fit for my diet and calorie intake for the same day. Always have low cal snacks like berries or small fruits at home, so when you're at the store you'll know that there is something sweet at home if you want to buy a lot of unhealthy food.

Yeah I like that. There are snacks in the house for the kids but so far I've managed to resist those pretty easily.

And no more baking for me unless it's single serving recipes...

Wheelhouse15

jannickegn574 wrote: »

What keeps me from binging (though I still sometimes do) is to not have anything available for it at home in my weak moments. I never buy any snacks that isn't fit for my diet and calorie intake for the same day. Always have low cal snacks like berries or small fruits at home, so when you're at the store you'll know that there is something sweet at home if you want to buy a lot of unhealthy food.

This is good advice. Will power may not exactly be a myth but it's hard to avoid what's there but avoidance is a much easier road to travel. That's probably why marriage is the worst thing for a diet since one or the other will likely unitentionally sabitage the others efforts by having snacks in the house. It's not easy to resist but avoidance is generally not too hard for most.

Oishii

My understanding is that your body kind of 'scans' for body fat before sending hunger signals, so if you have lost some fat it makes those hunger signals more insistent.

Maybe try upping your calories gradually as you come towards maintenance to make it less of a shock?