Binge Eating
capecodgirl50
Posts: 111 Member
I have done well with the VSG surgery. Lost 75 lbs. (sleeved on 3/27/14) - but I feel myself binge eating. Have gained 6 lbs. and don't want it to go further. Any suggestions?
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Are you eating enough and getting enough protein and water? Do you wait a long time before you eat? Do you plan your meals? Or maybe, is something going on to set off emotional triggers to binge?0
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I'm 4 years out and find I do much better if I plan food for the day at the beginning of the day. For work I take breakfast, lunch and at least one snack. Dinner the husband cooks, but there's always enough calories left to cover that. Weekends re tougher and then I tend to under eat if I don't watch it. Maybe planing meals and snacks will help you stay within calories.0
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What kind of things are you binging on? No judgement just curious... If you feel like eating make it protein or veggies instead of foods that have little nutritional value. Plus protein and high fiber foods will help you fill up.0
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I am not sure I understand what binge eating is all about. Can someone explain it please.
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Binge eating is I just keep eating - my choices are not good. things like Hersey with almonds bars, ice cream, etc. - - not good. Wrote to my psych. and he encouraged me to eat protein items and come in for consult. Skipped the visit but plan on seeing him, my nut. and surgeon in November. trying to eat more yogurt, protein bars. concerned also about calcium - the tablets I am supposed to take are huge and I have to take two three times a day. any suggestions on that.0
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This is a hard one. I think identifying why you are falling back to old habits is essential (fear of success, lack of coping skills,...) I have been there so many times. I think I was comfortable with the way I looked so I gave up...never accounting for how I was feeling. Think of health and happiness when you go to unhealthy food and I think you will find it does nothing to achieve either goal.0
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I have LOADS of suggestions.... because I am a binger, too! Here ya go.....
1) PROTEIN and FAT== these will fill you up. BUT sometimes I have found even when I eat them, I just add junk on top because for me, bingeing is not about physical hunger. I am going for a FEELING-- usually that food-coma kind of thing I get when I eat a lot of carbs.
2) If I am feeling "bingey" I see if I can put off eating for 15 minutes. Sometimes, I am able to distract myself and the urge passes. If not, when the 15 minutes is up, I ask myself if I can wait another 15 mins. If the answer is no, I eat- BUT just one serving of one thing. After that, the 15 minute clock starts again. This is helpful to me because it stops the momentum of jumping from one thing to the next (well I ate the chips so I might as well eat cookies now...blah blah blah).
3) If I am not in crisis, I ask myself what it is I really want. Do I want food, or am I sad? Or tired? (fatigue is a BIG ONE for me- when I get tired- either physically or emotionally, I want to EAT-- and not good food--junk food). Is food going to solve how I am feeling? Sometimes this is super helpful-- other times I am too overwhelmed and just say "eff it" and eat anyway.
4) If I choose to binge eat, I make EVERY EFFORT to NOT BEAT MYSELF UP. This only fuels the bingeing cycle. I do not restrict food. I do not berate myself. I do not say hurtful things to myself. I give myself compassion and understanding- just like I would if my daughter or best freind came to me and said they binged. I make every effort to understand that overeating/bingeing MAKES SENSE in my world-- it serves a purpose. If it didn't serve a purpose, I wouldn't do it. Obviously, the goal is to eventually find other ways to have that purpose served, but in the mean time I acknowledge I am doing the very best I can and it IS good enough.
5) I look for ways my life is out of balance. Am I saying "yes" to people when I want to say "no"? Am I working too much? Am I getting adequate rest? Amd I taking the time to meditate each day? Am I getting the regular exercise I need? For me, bingeing is sometimes a sign that things are out of whack.
6) Am I feeling like my diet/way of eating is more of a "life sentence" than a lifestyle? If yes, are there changes I can make, things I can add that would help me feel good about it? Sometimes bingeing has been my response to a diet that is too restrictive.
Ok.... so there are my suggestions. Hope something in this list is helpful to you. Above all else-- PLEASE be kind to yourself. You are trying and you are good enough right this second- just as you are.
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Are you doing it because of emotions that you're feeling, maybe? You should consider joining the Binge Eating Disorder group here and looking at their tactics. Also, something that helps a lot of people out is the Food & Feelings Workbook by Karen Koenig. You can find that on Amazon and the exercises in the book are very helpful in avoiding binge-brain. There's also Brain Over Binge which is highly recommended by many.
I think even writing things out when you get the urge to binge will help. Evaluate why you're feeling like you want to binge, what was happening just before, what you were thinking about, and what could have possibly triggered it. To have things written out like that makes analysis easier, and after writing about it or talking it out for some time, the feelings seem to disappear.
Tactics involve distraction for 15 minutes, like using a brain-stimulating game app like Quiz Up, Flow, or any other puzzle game. You can do some self-nurture instead because it can get really involved and help distract you from food, too.0 -
Thaeda is so wise.0
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5BeautifulDays wrote: »Thaeda is so wise.
Awww shucks! Thanks!
Bingeing is something I know a LOT about because I have done a lot of it! Less so, these days, but I have had more than my share of practice! 
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Yes, Thaeda is our wise one! New name, Mrs. Owl.
I have been bingey a lot in the afternoon or evening. I have that afternoon snack and want more. So I wait, it should be time to drink water, then I eat again. Sometimes, repeat.
For the most part, the one thing that really helps me is to NOT keep the bad foods in my house. I am stocked full of bariatric safe food, but I do have some snacks that border healthy/not healthy for my kids. (Think fiber one granola bars over quaker oats...fiver one 90 cal brownies, which thankfully insplit with one kid and didn't care for...). When I get snacky, I still track it. Sometimes it pushes me over calories, sometimes it doesn't. I try not to beat myself up and go to the next day. I can't bring ice cream into the house, as I know I'll have a hard time portioning. But, I have had froyo a few times, and ice cream twice out with my family. I always opt for no sugar added, low fat, etc...and top with nothing or fruit. It's a controlled portion, and I'm happy. Not sure where the bingeing is happening, but can you remove the trigger foods?
Also, drink more. If you feel that way, drink water. We often confuse thirst and hunger. You might be thirst, but satisfying it with old treats. And NOT satisfying it because you're really thirsty.
And other said it, but always protein first!
Good luck. It's a part of the lifestyle change we have to make mentally that surgery won't fix.0 -
capecodgirl50 wrote: »concerned also about calcium - the tablets I am supposed to take are huge and I have to take two three times a day. any suggestions on that.
That is the one suppliment that was increased after my sleeve. I have to take 4 a day, but because my multi vitamin has iron and iron binds the calcium and won't let the body absorb it, I have to wait at least 2 hours before taking the calcium and then take them about an hour apart as the body won't absorb that much calcium at once. My solution is to have a bottle of the calcium on my desk at work, place 4 tablets on the dest and start taking them at about 10 AM. As long as they are all gone by the end of the day I'm good. On the weekends I tend to forget them, not sitting at a desk all day, so I take them as I remember, usually about 1/2 of what I'm supposed to. Not perfect but better than nothing.0
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