Who did overcome binge eating and how?

Tatarataa

I am looking for tips and advice how to overcome my binge eating, please. I am also already member of the group but was thinking that maybe some people here around also have a history of binge eating that they overcame...

HollyPFlax

Two things helped me a lot. 1) I stopped buying snack food that I eat too much of. You shouldn't have to cut out certain foods to lose weight in general, but anything you have a tendency to binge on should be banished for right now. 2) I bring my phone with me into the kitchen when I get a snack. Before I eat it, I log it in MFP. Will this snack mess up my day? If yes, I delete the entry and put it away. If not, I will measure the reasonable serving I should be eating, put it in a container like a cup or bowl, then I leave the kitchen and eat what I measured.

You should be able to eventually re-include the foods you binge on by following #2 to a tee. Follow #1 while you adjust to following #2.

ems212

I have struggled with it for a very long time. I'm on the path to overcoming it though.

I started by pre-measuring and planning everything I was going to eat. That included snacks, meals, beverages...everything. I'd document everything, day by day, and add a check mark next to things once I had consumed them. When I'd get the urge to eat more, I'd drink 8oz of water and put a tally mark at the bottom of the page for that day. Basically, I forced myself to fill up on water so eating wasn't an option.

I also got rid of all of the trigger foods (things like potato chips - man I miss though). I got rid of all foods that I knew I could/would sit down and eat an entire package of.

It's been about a year since I did that. Now, I can have those foods in the house, but I still pre-measure and plan everything. I will count out 1 serving of potato chips or measure out 1/4 cup of Chex Mix.

It's still a struggle. Every day I battle myself. I remind myself that portion control is one of the hardest parts of this. But, it gets easier.

nosebag1212

by not setting a massive deficit

Queenmunchy

I used to binge on low calorie vegetables, egg whites, and whatever I had in my house (not much). I stopped binging when I stopped starving myself all day.

rungirl1973

There are some trigger foods that can only come into my house one serving at a time.

Binge eating, my opinion, is not something that you "overcome". You fight it every day, and it gets easier. The urge is always there, though - for me.

If I have a strong craving for something, I go out and have it in a single serving. This usually takes care of the craving, and I don't have a huge bag of chips, gallon of ice cream or box of cookies in the house.

tibby531

nosebag1212 wrote: »

by not setting a massive deficit

Queenmunchy wrote: »

I used to binge on low calorie vegetables, egg whites, and whatever I had in my house (not much). I stopped binging when I stopped starving myself all day.

these. I stopped a lot of my "binging" (which was more like a refeed for my poor, deprived body) when I upped my calories to a sustainable amount. now I just have to be aware of "mindless eating." it requires some thought, but, I think I'm worth it.

cmcdonald525

I had to stop forbidding myself from eating certain foods. The more I told myself I want allowed to eat something, the more I would think about eating it. And once I caved, I would eat MASSIVE quantities of it. By allowing myself to eat anything, as long as it fits into my day, I'm not so tempted to just keep eating.

I also quit smoking and started vaping. I buy e-juice in flavors I'm most likely to binge on. If the temptation does hit me hard and I can't satisfy it by eating it in moderation, I vape it instead. Not saying this is the answer for everybody, but it's what works for me

noobletmcnugget

Although I've heard of people whose binging was a lot more severe than mine, there was a time a few years ago where a couple of times a week I'd get through about 5 chocolate bars, 7 packets of crisps and many other mini cake bars in a single sitting after a normal daily intake. There'd be other days where I'd eat a big share bag of crisps and big bag of M&Ms at night after dinner.

I remember it feeling like I couldn't stop until I had finished. I still struggle a lot with moderation. Eg. If I buy a big pack of biscuits, I'll have finished them by the next day.

Now I just don't buy large amounts of the stuff I'm likely to binge on. If I want to eat crisps, I'll buy a single packet. If I feel like chocolate I'll buy a single bar. That way you can't overeat.

I find it's much easier to make the right decision in the shop when you're buying the junk rather than when you're at home alone with access to it all.

Other tips that can help you to avoid bingeing include chewing gum, brushing your teeth, drinking a load or eating loads of low calorie vegetables to satisfy the urge to eat a large volume of food.

Like another post has said, pre-logging the food before eating it is a big deterrent for me. Seeing the calories stack up helps you see it's just not worth it.

cmcdonald525

*Wasn't, not want. My phone won't let me edit my post and that's gonna drive me crazy!

Tatarataa

Many thanks for your useful advice!!

adamitri

My first step was learning when a binge was coming on and not zoning out during it. My next step was to talk to my doctor because my bingeing was emotional and not just because it tasted good. Trust me, I've eating some pretty bad things.

mrsburghart

First thing I did was figure out WHY I was binge eating. For me, it was a physical response. I was either not eating/delaying breakfast which caused my body to play catch up once I got home from work. It was uncontrollable, and no amount of measuring/logging/not buying snacks was going to stop me. I tried hiding food from myself (out of sight out of mind right?) but I would zero back in on it and in my mouth it would go.

I was also binging because I was denying myself what I really wanted. If I wanted chocolate, I would eat and eat until I got what it was I wanted. By keeping those things in the house it has actually helped me! I know that I can have 1 or 2 to get rid of the craving and the rest would be there later. It took a lot of stress out of eating. Don't get me wrong, I still log and count and all of that fun jazz, but I don't consider eating "bad" food a "slip-up" anymore. It's more of a "that was delicious" and then back to whatever it was I was doing.

If this is binge eating, and not just overeating (which is difficult, too) it might take help to get it figured out. This is considered an eating disorder and completely out of your control. I saw a therapist, and a nutritionist that was trained in eating disorders, and it helped me get a handle on things. I still binge occasionally, but it's no longer everyday, and I know my triggers (not eating, stress, denial) and it makes it easier to accept the binge and just move forward.

If you don't have resources for a therapist, there are some things you can do. One great thing that helped me was keeping a log. Not necessarily of what you ate, but how you felt before and after, even after a binge. You might start to see a pattern and might be able to decipher what your trigger is. Although, I never would have figured out the breakfast thing if I hadn't talked to someone.

Sorry for the novel, but this is something that really hits close to home. If you have any questions, feel free to get a hold of me!

lalepepper

MrsBurghart is right: if you don't get to the bottom of the "Why?", then the "How" will be a lot more challenging.
I binge ate for about 8 years, from around 11 to 19. I would eat entire sleeves of cookies, full pre-made pie crusts, massive amounts of cheese, bread, and leftovers. It was embarrassing and though I would understandably be blamed for food disappearing, I never received any intervention from family to see WHY I was doing it, and I didn't know myself. At 19 I started having gallbladder problems and had to start confronting my eating habits. Following a lot of trial and error, personal honesty, and introspection, I realized most of my triggers for binge eating were emotional. I felt bored, I felt lonely, I felt upset, I felt anxious...so I ate and ate until I physically couldn't. If you're able to, I would strongly suggest seeking the support of a therapist who is familiar with eating disorders who can help navigate this process, as they can help identify common reasons and suggest healthy replacement coping skills and behaviors.

Once I figured out my triggers for binging, I was able to work in behaviors I could practice instead of/to prevent binging. For me, that includes exploring my feelings before I reach for food, and ask myself why I'm eating something. I try to keep purpose involved, like needing specific nutrients. If I can't come up with something except my feelings, I give it at least 15 minutes and use another coping skill for those feelings. I portion out everything and always consider my remaining calorie budget before having a second serving. I try to think of my calorie budget like I would my checking account - log transactions, avoid overdrafting, and consider how else that "money" could be better spent. It also included developing better coping skills. Now when I'm bored I find something not involving food to do, especially something that it's hard to eat while doing. When I'm sad or anxious, I talk to someone and process out the urge to eat when I don't need to or listen to a relaxing song. I also avoid keeping foods that I have difficulty moderating in the house, and will limit having them to single portions when out and about, such as pretzels. I'd recommend looking in to self-care plans and creating one for yourself to use when you feel a binge might be on the horizon.

I haven't binged like I used to in years, though I'll be honest and say that the thought process that can lead to binging is still there. I'm much more uncomfortable feeling full than I used to be, which helps. The mental health community has acknowledged the parallells between disordered eating and addictions, so it's no surprise that tendencies will remain. It is still pretty common for me to think "I want to eat (more/ridiculous portion/everything)" when stressed out or upset, but I've developed better tools and practices which help nip it in the bud. I hope the suggestions in this thread can help you take the first step.

CindyCue

mrsburghart and lalepepper know of what they speak and I couldn't agree more. If you are an emotional eater or a compulsive overeater and can afford a therapist you could try it. If you can't afford one or want to try it on your own first, I would suggest you try reading any of Geneen Roth's books on the subject. Most public libraries have several of them on the shelf. My favorites are Breaking Free from Emotional Eating, When Food is Food & Love is Love, and Women, Food and God (nothing to do with religion however. I am not sure where the title came from.) She gives you actual steps to take to discover the reasons behind your bingeing and help you overcome it. She has changed my life, honestly. Good luck!

jessicadb2

Tatarataa wrote: »

I am looking for tips and advice how to overcome my binge eating, please. I am also already member of the group but was thinking that maybe some people here around also have a history of binge eating that they overcame...

The only thing that works for me is getting rid of the foods I binge on or at least just getting them in small quantities when I have them. I have gone up and down in weight because of going back and forth and trying to just control foods I have a problem controlling and it never works for me.

jessicadb2

CindyCue wrote: »

mrsburghart and lalepepper know of what they speak and I couldn't agree more. If you are an emotional eater or a compulsive overeater and can afford a therapist you could try it. If you can't afford one or want to try it on your own first, I would suggest you try reading any of Geneen Roth's books on the subject. Most public libraries have several of them on the shelf. My favorites are Breaking Free from Emotional Eating, When Food is Food & Love is Love, and Women, Food and God (nothing to do with religion however. I am not sure where the title came from.) She gives you actual steps to take to discover the reasons behind your bingeing and help you overcome it. She has changed my life, honestly. Good luck!

I agree. Eventually, I would like to go to this eating disorder program in the city I live in to get help for my binge eating. I would suggest anyone with a serious problem to get help. I cannot afford it now.

whavens2w2

I really (really really) like cheddar sour cream ruffles. I very rarely buy them anymore because I know I will eat all of them in the bag. When I do get them, I get a small bag and eat them with my whole family 6 of us - so they go fast and I am not tempted to eat the whole bag by myself.

I love to eat a big dinner. I sleep better and feel less hungry the next day. I don't like eating like a bird all day and never feeling full. So usually during the week I fast during the day, eat a smallish late lunch, and a huge dinner. I binge way less doing this. I think it's similar to or a form of intermittent fasting.

SLLRunner

Learning to portion food out and weigh it and fit it into my calorie goals helped me. Now, when I say no to something I either don't want it or it doesn't fit into my calorie and/or macro goals for the day. I always have the control, food no longer has control over me. Sometimes I over eat, but I can't name the last time I went on a binge (which, to me,, is eating hoards of food on automatic control).

Kekekylene

tibby531 wrote: »

nosebag1212 wrote: »

by not setting a massive deficit

Queenmunchy wrote: »

I used to binge on low calorie vegetables, egg whites, and whatever I had in my house (not much). I stopped binging when I stopped starving myself all day.

these. I stopped a lot of my "binging" (which was more like a refeed for my poor, deprived body) when I upped my calories to a sustainable amount. now I just have to be aware of "mindless eating." it requires some thought, but, I think I'm worth it.

yup, smaller deficit and I also started doing higher intensity workouts so now I eat a lot of food and still lose. I still have my moments but now that I am properly fed it rarely happens. I also keep trigger foods out of the house.

minties82

I asked my husband to lock all the food away while he was at work. After 5 weeks I had control over myself.

sfkn123

I recently discovered that binge eating is a real thing. Often times, I eat so much that I get to the point where I'm completely stuffed and my stomach would hurt. I didn't know what "full" was, until recently..

I first binged on fruits and veggies - as much as I want, when I wanted. If you're binging on just veggies alone, you can't really have that many calories, but it will still fill the empty space in your stomach. I then started to eat my food slowly - chewing 15 times before swallowing, and drinking water in between bites. Also, drink a lot of water before you start eating.

I'm currently using the Eat to Live diet now. Not sure how it'll turn out, but my weight is dropping by 2 lbs a day while eating as much as I want. Currently weighing in at 148 lbs 5'6". Was 205 lbs prior.