How do you stop overeating/binging?

juganaut

I'm stuck in a terrible cycle of eating really well for 4-5 days then BAM - a mindless zombified eating session that sets me back to the start.

I would be grateful for any tips on how to make this stop!

mandamrtz

Whenever i feel hungry i drink a glass of water. Or workout to keep my mind off food.

ana3067

I did it by not trying to "eat well." I just... you know, eat. Any food I like. So no foods are off limits. Because of this I actually on average eat the lower nutritious foods less frequently, or at least in smaller quantity. I haven't binged the entire 7 months I've logged.

waxflower

Just posting here to see other's answers. Same problem, would like some solutions as well.

cheshirecatastrophe

Are you eating enough when you eat well? How big a calorie deficit? For me, truly mindless/autopilot eating is almost always a sign that I'm working out too hard and not refueling enough.

If it's emotional, then you would want to work on alternative coping strategies for frustratio and stress.

exlibrissilvio

I hate when people say "Drink Water". That's one of my biggest pet peeves. I drink a gallon of water a day, stop tellin me to drink water! You drink water, I need food! Haha

Anyway.

I just...don't overeat anymore. AND I'M A COMPULSIVE OVEREATER! I just know that I've been there, done that, got the t-shirt...and it didn't fit. Overeating is joyful in the moment and then...I feel sick. I am sad. I hate myself. So I've done it. I've had my fun. Now it's time to be serious so I can actually ENJOY life instead of just...eating myself into a state of sadness and self-hatred. Enough is enough.

juganaut

To be honest, I do have some fairly low calorie days and I do workout 6 days a week. I assume there is also an emotional aspect to it as I have been fairly stressed out with irregular hours at work.

I've already decided to quit my job in the next week or two - this will allow me total unemployed control of my daily routine and eating habits. It will also keep me away from the footlong subs.

However, quitting my job does not stop me from visiting the fridge a dozen times at night. I might have to start embracing that feeling of hunger at nights and do intermittent fasting again.

999tigger

Im just focused. If I want to binge or eat over then thats fine, but I work hard in the gym which gives me that insurance. By having the freedom to binge if I want to and having focus, then it means I dont.

I dont do hunger its a stupid and undermining thing to go through.

You are probably either too aggressive which is a path to bingeing or you arent focused enough so when that binge time comes you dont have a strategy in place to bypass the bingeing and do soemthing else non food related to get you past it. Ofc if you arent eating enough in the first place then you are going to be going to the fridge etc and by that time you will eat whats there.

Solution.
1. Eat enough calories in the first place.
2. Look at what you eat, so you eat stuff that will satisfy your hunger.
3. Allocate more calories to late night.
4. Work on dealing with stress, which might divert you from emotional eating.

sheldonklein

Stop walking to the fridge. If you want, plan for an evening snack, but don't free feed.

belimawr

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

Are you eating enough when you eat well? How big a calorie deficit? For me, truly mindless/autopilot eating is almost always a sign that I'm working out too hard and not refueling enough.

I'm going to go along with the "eat more" and properly crowd.

I realized this myself as I dug into some chocolate chip caramel covered apples a coworker gave me for a holiday. I started eating the outside candy it as I figured it's getting time it would go bad I couldn't eat the apple (in the fridge for 2 months), then realized what I was doing. I realized had I eaten properly all day (I had been up for 24 hours at that point, on around 1500 calories), I wouldn't have wanted that candy.

exlibrissilvio wrote: »

Overeating is joyful in the moment and then...I feel sick. I am sad. I hate myself.

This is exactly what happened in the above scenario. When I realized what I had done, I hated myself. I'd put in so much effort, and while one moment of weakness wasn't bad, it could have been avoided.

paradi3s

I drink water and go on MFP forums to pass the time. Or I would just be doing my homework haha

oedipa_maas

As some have said, you might have to eat more. Too-low calorie days can set you up for a binge later. It's just not worth it if I'm going to eat 1,200 calories (which is too low for me) for days and then go nuts for days because I didn't eat enough. So really look hard at how much you're eating, and also if you're being sure to eat foods that you love. Sometimes I binge when I've insisted on eating only "healthy" foods and haven't let myself eat a hamburger because that's what I really craved. I need to eat more veggies? I eat the ones I love, and don't force myself to eat things because I think I have to to be healthy. Maybe none of this applies to you, but I just wanted to share my experience.

The other huge thing is dealing with my stress/intense emotions in ways that don't involve overeating. It's really, really hard. It's my life long go-to. But I feel so bad afterwards, it compounds my difficult feelings, and so I've added to my distress, which is the last thing I need. I have a book called "50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food" and it's really helpful.

MustLoveCats21

I don't think about food outside of eating times. At all. If I do, I immediately do something else to distract myself, like cleaning or drawing. I treat that first thought of food like a cue for doing something else. But basically, stop yourself from even thinking about it.

s_saint88

I definitely do the same! I'm real healthy during the week then go freaking nuts on the weekend. I'm yet to fully deal with it but the top reasons why I do so on the weekends are:
- lack of routine
- Bored
- Not thinking
- Hangovers
i know I have to recognize the warning signs of an impending binge session and try stop. Strategies in going to try are not skipping a healthy brekkie, brushing my teeth after a treat when I feel I'm going to keep going, do something that'll get me away from the fridge eg clean the bathroom/bedroom, wash hair, do nails.
If I have a job that in trying to avoid (then I reach for the snacks) then embrace that the job shouldn't be dealt with and do something more fun.
Step away from Netflix!!! That turns me into a couch potato with snacks....

baciami2

I struggle with the same thing. I will go 5 it 6 days then BAM! Binge! It always sets me back

Marxytron

Grab protein bars or a handful of almonds... If u want fries, fry some sweet potatoes instead of the regular fries... Sweet potatoes=complex carbs

SwankyTomato

juganaut wrote: »

To be honest, I do have some fairly low calorie days and I do workout 6 days a week. I assume there is also an emotional aspect to it as I have been fairly stressed out with irregular hours at work.

I've already decided to quit my job in the next week or two - this will allow me total unemployed control of my daily routine and eating habits. It will also keep me away from the footlong subs.

However, quitting my job does not stop me from visiting the fridge a dozen times at night. I might have to start embracing that feeling of hunger at nights and do intermittent fasting again.

Try adjusting your caloric intake and eat back some of those calories. Working out 6 days a week needs fuel. You may have your calories/day set too low.

Other than that, just log your binge and move on with life.

I "binged" last night with 2 extra slices of pizza, a candy bar, and a soda! Logged it and now I am going to take the doggies for a long walk in the park this morning...

moonbutt9155

i am a binge/over eater who has hashimotos thyroditis. which adds to the starchy/sugar cravings. and once i start i can't stop. i had to recognize my trigger foods and emotions. and accept that i can never eat gluten if i want my thyroid to heal. it's a hard journey but you just have to keep getting back on the horse and down on your knees talking to a higher power (if you believe in one). i've been gluten free almost a month. it is my major trigger and the cravings have subsided. good luck. don't give up

sophzhr

I spend my entire day working at home next to my kitchen, so the possibility of a binge is very high, 24/7 for me. Stress, loneliness and sadness are all triggers for me, so the usual 'distracting before it happens' is what I try first. Then I've started doing this: usually before a binge, I'll walk to the kitchen, reach for the loaf of bread and literally force myself to freeze. I'll stand frozen in my kitchen for a good minute, making a conscious effort to remind myself that my mind CANNOT make me move. Forcing myself to become aware of how I am responsible for everything I do, and of how I am the one in control, takes away a lot of the binge's power for me.

DeWoSa

A binge or compulsive eater is someone who consumes thousands of calories in minutes, seemingly against his or her will. It's not about pleasure or hunger but about emotional issues.

Are you doing that? If so, you need help. There's plenty of help out there for people with eating disorders, including Overeaters Anonymous, rehab centers, mental health therapists specializing in eating disorders, etc.

If you are overeating because you aren't planning your meals, then plan your meals and stick to the plan. Find out which foods make you feel full the longest. You might do better with many small meals rather than several large meals. You might do better with a lot of fat in the morning, or a lot of fat in the evening. Those are personal preferences that you'll have to discover for yourself.

And don't forget to weigh, measure, and log everything so you have a clear idea of the number of calories you are consuming.

Best of luck to you!

Bruce_Rickey

This is my first post here at MFP. I battle binge eating cravings every night. I also have dealt with anxiety attacks as a result of PTSD. Both are very similar. Once I start to eat, it is all over. I have talked with a lot of people and over the years I have realized that the mechanics of binge eating is much like problems alcoholics face. The only thing that works is to deal with the urges without eating. Much like learning how to work thru panic attacks you must become aware that these urges are a result of a temporary chemical surge in your body. You must accept that you will never be able to stop the urges. Therefore you must learn how to "Weather the Storm". There are multiple coping mechanisms. For some people working out helps, others drink water, but for the most part, (and most successful for me) is to take a moment and consciously recognize these cravings for what they are. Chemical surges in your body that will pass and that you have to consciously control. Like panic attacks, most of these urges will last about 20 minutes. Hang in there for that time. Most importantly, You must not start eating. Like panic attacks, once you give in to the attack or in the case of urges you start to eat, you have lost the battle. Body chemistry takes over and the chemicals that started the urges increase. If your urges come late at night, the best thing you can do is just go to bed. Another tactic if your serious about beating them is to log your cravings. Note when and why they occur. You will be able to develop a pattern and learn what your triggers really are. One of the cruelest and probably best bits of advise that my doctor told me is to, "Make hunger your friend".
takes over.

Skierprincessak

These responses were all really helpful for me too, Im also a compulsive over eater, it's really ruining my life.

Sabine_Stroehm

I didn't "binge" but I overate certain foods regularly. I stopped having them in the house. Because we don't have kids, that was a do-able approach for me.
Now (at maintenance for many years) if I feel like nachos when we're out, I may get an order and share with hubs. But I still don't keep bags of tortilla chips lying around.

Find what works for you.

deonnegrantwelsh

I am a fertility nurse and patients are always bringing chocolates cakes of as a way of thanking us for getting them pregnant.once I go in the tea room and there all there spread on the table it physically hurts to walk past and not taste Everything . It's just a sheet moment of madness then I am angry as I do have fruit at my desk

tat2cookie

I was a binge eater/over eater as well. These are some of the things that I do to help me.
I leave the house and go for a walk when I can feel a binge coming on (between 2-4 where my weakest times).
I keep dinner in the kitchen so I don't pick at it at the table. Then I have my kids and husband put the left overs away cause I'm one of those who would eat while cooking, eat, eat again then eat while cleaning up.
If I'm still feeling like I need to eat I have raw almonds or a banana.
If I can't control my binge I pig out on veggies with hummus. For me it fulfills that need without adding a ton of unwanted calories.
I keep my trigger foods out of the house. No chips, candy, junk food or pop.
IF I do binge on bad things I don't let it wreck my day. I just know I have to work that much harder the next thing.

Just take it one day at a time.

Sabine_Stroehm

Marxytron wrote: »

Grab protein bars or a handful of almonds... If u want fries, fry some sweet potatoes instead of the regular fries... Sweet potatoes=complex carbs

fwiw, white potato french fries=complex carbs as well.
(I'd go for sweet potatoes because they taste better and have a slightly better nutritional profile)

seltzermint555

For years I was stuck in the pattern of unintentional deprivation when I thought I was "eating healthy" and then I did at times feel out of control and near-powerless against fast food places as I drove down the street on days when I was downright HUNGRY and frustrated...and I would indulge and feel that I failed.

Like others have said here, balance things. Eat something "bad" every single day along with tons of healthy food, all of it logged and fitting your calories and fitting the macros within reason. Eat back the exercise calories. If you're not comfortable eating back all of them go for at least 50%+.

As others have said, barring serious emotional issues I think this will make a big improvement.

Even though I do follow this "advice" myself I still sometimes find myself making bad choices or overeating, even after getting my weight to a place where I am comfortable with it and easing into maintenance. And it is almost ALWAYS due to a few days in a row when I just didn't feel super hungry or didn't crave sweets, and was under my calories...it ALWAYS catches up with me eventually and it was kind of awful at first, making me feel out of control. Now I'm just like "Yep I have been slightly undereating this week and now I'm going over by 300 cal of pizza on Saturday". That doesn't have to happen but it doesn't freak me out when it does, now.

WednesdayJanuary07th2015

I believe that the best thing, if/when possible to do; is avoid bringing it home/to begin with. I say if/when possible because since it's Winter here where I am, I try to have an emergency stash of soup cans; in case I can't cook because of the electric going out and/or my neighbors causing frozen pipes. Unfortunately I binge eat them too because I like them, so I only have about 4 cans; every week in the house. I'll also try buying flavors, that I don't crave; so that I'll literally only consume them/when there's an actual emergency.

Spocky

I eat about six times a day. You should never really feel too much hunger. I am not hungry at 11:00 when I eat my orange and not really hungry when I eat my apple at 16:00. It can seem weird to eating this many times but we don't have endless willpower so when you become very very hungry you will eat too much.

TheRoseRoss

I ate well during the week when I'm at work and have structure. My diet "fails" on the weekends when I'm just sitting around the house, passing the time. What's helped me is:
- having things to eat, so that I'm not "looking for something to eat." What I mean is, instead of saying "I'm hungry. Let me see what there is to eat," I say "I'm hungry. Which I why I have cottage cheese, peanuts, raisins, apples, bananas, etc
- Eating "a lot" when I'm hungry has helped. I used to "Feel hungry," and would grab 5 crackers in order to "put it off." I found that 10 mins later, I was back looking for something else to munch on, and that's when I would end up eating an entire sleeve of crackers, telling myself "it's okay. They're fat free." Since then, when feeling hungry I would put together something "substantial" in order to satiate my hunger. It is better to grab cottage cheese, mix in an apple, banana, and peanuts, than it was to eat the cottage cheese alone, only to come back soon after to "graze."
- remind yourself of your long term goals. I want to look good when the water park opens in the summer. I can justify it by saying that "I'll compensate for this burger by exercising more later," or I can skip the burger, exercise more anyway, and be that much closer to my goal. Sure, it's easy to say that "one burger won't hurt," but it's just as easy to say "one burger doesn't HELP, so why waste your time with it."

Good luck.

Sabine_Stroehm

Spocky wrote: »

I eat about six times a day. You should never really feel too much hunger. I am not hungry at 11:00 when I eat my orange and not really hungry when I eat my apple at 16:00. It can seem weird to eating this many times but we don't have endless willpower so when you become very very hungry you will eat too much.

Actually, this is me. I eat snacks between breakfast and lunch, and between lunch and dinner (and sometimes dessert). If I'm not hangry, it's easier to manage cravings and impulses.