How Do You Define A Binge?

superj016

How do you define a binge? Eating with the feeling of being out of control or eating a certain amount of food?

ryanhorn

For me, it's the feeling of being out of control which usually in turn leads to an excessive amount of food. I've had binges which have been over 10,000 calories, but I've also had binges that have only been about 3,000 calories, so I rarely define it in those terms anymore. For me, it's all about the loss of control, the guilt felt shortly after, and the desire to cut back and restrict myself from food following a binge.

I think it really depends on the person, but I have found that when I used to define binges in calories, it would spark me to binge further because I would think "Oh, I've already went over my binge threshold of 4,000 calories, might as well go all the way."

superj016

Good points.

I have been doing a very low calorie medically supervised diet since mid January. This means, I am only supposed to eat their high protein meal replacements. I was on plan until 2 weeks ago and then gave into a binge. It's been a struggle to get back on plan and stay there since. The good news is that I had gotten used to so few calories, I filled up really fast. So, my binge wasn't really a typical binge it was more that I knew I shouldn't have had those foods in the first place.

Ever since, I've been playing mind games with myself, not necessarily to justify binging but to make myself not feel AS terrible about doing it - like, I "only" had this or I didn't eat "that" much of that. I started the monthly challenge to track my binges but then realized I was letting myself eat off plan without considering it a binge just because it wasn't a ton of calories. So, I think I'm going to tell myself, any day going off plan is a binge because, like you said, I feel out of control when I do it.

Grr. This is so hard.

ryanhorn

superj016 wrote: »

Good points.

I have been doing a very low calorie medically supervised diet since mid January. This means, I am only supposed to eat their high protein meal replacements. I was on plan until 2 weeks ago and then gave into a binge. It's been a struggle to get back on plan and stay there since. The good news is that I had gotten used to so few calories, I filled up really fast. So, my binge wasn't really a typical binge it was more that I knew I shouldn't have had those foods in the first place.

Ever since, I've been playing mind games with myself, not necessarily to justify binging but to make myself not feel AS terrible about doing it - like, I "only" had this or I didn't eat "that" much of that. I started the monthly challenge to track my binges but then realized I was letting myself eat off plan without considering it a binge just because it wasn't a ton of calories. So, I think I'm going to tell myself, any day going off plan is a binge because, like you said, I feel out of control when I do it.

Grr. This is so hard.

Hang in there! I know you can do it! It's all in your head, so just keep telling yourself that.

superj016

Thanks I'm doing my best!