Binge eating is a PROBLEM!

getting_fit86

I have noticed that many people on myfitnesspal are binge eaters or trying to control their binge eating. I am in the same place!

I never used to be a binge eater. I have gone through major episodes of yo-yo dieting trying to lose weight. After I had finally gotten to my goal weight (back in November) I only stayed there for about 1 month; then lost control through my binge eating. It is amazing how fast you can actually put on all those hard-shed pounds you had once taken off. In about 3 weeks I ballooned up higher than I had ever weighed before.

I think binging (for me) is a mental challenge. It is a challenge that I need to face and overcome. I am not talking about binging and purging here; I am talking about getting so "hungry" (or thinking you are hungry) that you literally eat everything you can possibly stuff in your face. It is like I go into a trance and cannot stop eating until I am satisfied. After I binge, I feel that "okay, tomorrow is a new day - I can hit my diet hard and get on the treadmill and I will do this". Some days I do follow my plan, but other days it just takes one piece of chocolate and I'm off my rocker with food.

I know I am not alone with this problem. And I want everyone else who has this issue to know that they are not alone either. We can all have a fresh start and eliminate this problem.

Write here for support, or any tips to help stop the cycle of binge eating. I would appreciate it greatly!

Good luck everyone!

amanda24242

I think being chained to the bed at night would help me!
Last night was the 1st night I have not binged till I couldn't stuff my face anymore, and I lost 2 lbs!
I really am hoping the support of others and seeing that we can get thru this together can really help us all!
Its a mental thing. I wanted cereal so bad I almost started crying.
Alittle ridiculous I must admit.

lilcassers

I have 2-3 "cheat" meals a month. This is where anything goes. Pizza... burger and fries... you name it. But I make sure to go hardcore perfect 95% of the time. If I never binged, I would go INSANE!

kitka82

I tend to binge when my feelings are backed up and I haven't expressed anything. I decided to start blogging more. And try not to isolate myself from friends. Yesterday I had a pretty big binge, first one in a few weeks.

pvanheys

I know exactly what you mean. Especially when your stuck at home and its just you and the refrigerator staring back at you. HAHA Its torturous, what I have tried doing though is leaving myself "binge snacks" like a bag of carrot sticks (350 cals) or a bag of cherries that I can just go at and not set myself totally off track. Its so hard to do sometimes.

Good luck to every one!!

whiteberry17

After I binge, I feel that "okay, tomorrow is a new day - I can hit my diet hard and get on the treadmill and I will do this". Some days I do follow my plan, but other days it just takes one piece of chocolate and I'm off my rocker with food.

^^ this is exactly m,y problem. I have one little sweet and I then tell myself its okay to eat an entire box of pizza because I "ruined" my diet. when all I did was eat a small treat..

roxo89

Maybe you are not eating enough or made too drastic changes on your diet. I found that upping a little my calories and eating anything I like in moderation does the trick for me.

UhOhItsKylie

I've always been a boredom eater and definitely a night-time snacker. I wouldn't say that I binge, per se, but I definitely eat when I'm not hungry. It's becoming a huge problem.

Drinking a bunch of cold water or chewing gum helps. I've also started taking my dogs on a walk when I feel like the refrigerator is calling my name. I know if I can just stick with it, I can break this bad habit!

eddie8131

A "little treat" is a disaster for me. Everyone is different I get that. I have no self-control once I tell myself that just a little bit is ok. It is like a cascade effect. Staying away from triggers (both trigger foods and trigger situations) is really helpful in my experience.

antxoable

Somedays i feel so hungry that i start with healthy snaks as fruit, carrots....but suddenly i take the packet of chocolate digestives and....ruin it!or cake or anything around the house...usually i do it most weekends tbh...but i try to keep my weekly goal of calories...so somedays i leave 200 or 300 cals so on the weekend i binge!i know is bad but at least i dont put on weight...

rhonderoo

I read a book about dieting that suggested not waiting until "tomorrow" to get back on track and treat every moment like tomorrow. that has helped a lot for me. Also, allowing myself a scheduled binge every once in a while, like everyone other weekend or something so that I have something to look forward to, but make sure I go back to healthier eating. I really do believe the saying that lifestyle changes work instead of diets, but you have to look at diets as a lifestyle change - i.e. your diet IS your lifestyle. We're always on a diet, because a diet is simply nutrition. I also try, sometimes unsuccessfully, to make sure if I binge, to also binge on vegetables, especially before other stuff. It does make it harder to stuff yourself full of bad stuff if you're full of the good stuff. Good luck!

Colie001

Thank you for posting about this. I myself have struggled with binge eating for years and years. I get to my goal weight and then I go off the deep end and eat everything in sight and before I know I end up weighing more than I did before I started....gaining and losing the same 10-15lbs over and over again. Each time I say I'm not going to do it to myself, but then each time I do. People will say everything is ok in moderation, but for me if I do for example buy a box of crackers or a bag of chips I can't just have a normal serving size. I'll eat the entire bag =( Like I mentioned before I've struggled with this my entire life, recently I decided to do something different to try and connect with myself on the inside, not just focus on how I look on the outside. First I realized I needed to start trying to understand why I sabotage myself every time I do get to my goal weight...I'm still working on this and continue to try and understand why I'm like this but to try a new route I signed myself up for a 90 day Hot Yoga Challenge at Hot Yoga Inc. Today I'm on day 15 of 90 and for the first time ever I feel like I'm starting to actually connect with myself and take care of myself in a way that's healthy and more importantly positive, not self destructive. I've also started focusing on eating clean and follow a great blog http://www.heandsheeatclean.com/ . This is my second week of prepping my food on Sunday for the entire week and I've found that by planning and having each meal scheduled and ready its made it really easy for me to stick to my meal plan for the day and I haven't had any of the normal cravings I would before...I've also been tracking my calories as well and trying to eat 5 times a day. Thank you for listening

brendamorrison2

Wow, really surprised reading this when you said about like going into a trance. that's exactly how I am. My friend was really surprised when she seen how much I could put away when I was in this form. I too always say, ah tomorrows a new day. The weekend is a big problem for me. It always tends to be when i'm feeling down. Total emotional eater!

Would love to get hypnotised!

CajunTexan33

SHout out to myself!! Haha.. my problem was not haveing the foods I needed with me during the day like I normally do to keep me full. the combination of not having lunch (what I got at the restaurant was awful and I didn't eat it..) AND I just started adding muslce..so I needed more calories on top of it. As long as I am prepared and keep what I need with me at all times to keep my blood sugar levelsin check I am ok. Probably going to keep a sweet potato at my desk every week incase I get too low on carbs and need to refuel so it doesn't happen again. (gluten and dairy intolerant which makes it harder) I know this won't happen anytime soon again for me though as my main purpose in joinuing MFP was to FEEL better and manage my food intolerances. Woke up today with migraine, knee swelling and brain fog- further proof that my restricted, clean diet was working for me. **sigh** all I can do is get right back to it..the sooner I cleanse my body with the food I need, the better. No point in beating myself up about it- the way I feel physically is enough motivation! Just keep on Keepin on is the key!!

tia582

Now that I am trying to eat better, I want to binge so badly! I know its ok to have junk in moderation. But man is it hard!

jen_zz

After I binge, I feel that "okay, tomorrow is a new day - I can hit my diet hard and get on the treadmill and I will do this". Some days I do follow my plan, but other days it just takes one piece of chocolate and I'm off my rocker with food.

I tell myself "tomorrow" too many times, I said "tomorrow" like a WHOLE YEAR AGO. The other day after my binge while I was having a thought of "oh well tomorrow I will start fresh" I actually said to myself "Wtf? You have been saying this for the past friggin year!!!"

ltssharon

I binge under many circumstances, but did it last weekend because there was so much socialization I was committed to and I am an introvert. I do love my friends, but not so much group socialization. Next time (this coming weekend for a bridan shower) I am going to have a backpack/car/purse/house full of vegetables to munch on. Undoubtedly I would usually start a binge before an event in the car with fast food, after the event in the car on the way home, and then home til I turn blue. Wish me luck

NikonPal

Appears this acct was deactivated long ago - question dates back to 2013!

elphie754

lilcassers wrote: »

I have 2-3 "cheat" meals a month. This is where anything goes. Pizza... burger and fries... you name it. But I make sure to go hardcore perfect 95% of the time. If I never binged, I would go INSANE!

This is not binging. And there is nothing wrong those foods daily.

LeenaGee

Binge eating is a problem!!
I think I will just leave it there but if anyone does have the problem, please don't try and deal with it alone, seek help.

katinagirl40

I binge eat also. Im like a mad woman, feeling starved. Before when i loss my weight before i kept healthy snacks i could binge on like carrots, celery and a lowfat lowcal dip or dressing. That seemed to help. My struggle now seems is soft drinks. I love love my dr peppers. If anyone would like to add me plz do. Im new here and need support as well as give it. TIA

mymodernbabylon

It's both a physical and mental issue - many people binge because they are eating too low calories for their bodily needs and so their body actually encourages a binge to get the calories. Most people need a lot more than the 1200 calories that they 'make' themselves eat - I'm a normal weight and height and I'm losing at 2100 calories (with good exercise each week).

Mentally, binging is part of a variety of issues. As a therapist, I've worked with several people who binge. CBT seems to be a good way to deal with it and there are fabulous self-help books as well:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Binge-Eating-Second-Program-ebook/dp/B00DG1H8V4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421845860&sr=1-1&keywords=overcoming+binge+eating

DeWoSa

I used to binge. 10 years ago I joined a 12-step program, stopped eating my trigger foods, and have been binge free since.

For me, having a daily food plan really helped. I know what I am going to eat every day, I space my meals out every 4-5 hours, and I make sure to have a snack right before bed. That way, I don't start getting food anxiety after dinner.

Some of my binging was due to poor food choices -- high calorie low nutrient foods that overfilled me with calories but left me hungry. A lot of my binging was due to emotional issues. That part has been difficult, learning to deal with life on life's terms. I strongly suggest that anyone who binges should seek support since there's probably a lot more than just a excessive love of food going on.

melimomTARDIS

edited- if the OP removed her account, Im not gonna throw pearls here.

RoxieDawn

old thread back to 2013. The OP user account has been deleted..

SergeantSausage

When I quit smoking it was (and still is) " Not one cigarette ... there is no such thing as one cigarette ... " One leads to two ... two leads to a pack ... a pack leads to a carton ...

It's kinda the same with junk food for me.

There is no "one poptart" - I scarf the whole box.

There is no "one slice of pizza" - I don't stop 'til the box is empty.

You don't want to hear it, but the best thing in the world is to give those things up that you have particular problems with. It's not a popular opinion around here .. but it works.

You don't have to give up All The Things ... just those that you have problems controlling.

Poptart free since early 2011 ...

melimomTARDIS

SergeantSausage wrote: »

When I quit smoking it was (and still is) " Not one cigarette ... there is no such thing as one cigarette ... " One leads to two ... two leads to a pack ... a pack leads to a carton ...

It's kinda the same with junk food for me.

There is no "one poptart" - I scarf the whole box.

There is no "one slice of pizza" - I don't stop 'til the box is empty.

You don't want to hear it, but the best thing in the world is to give those things up that you have particular problems with. It's not a popular opinion around here .. but it works.

You don't have to give up All The Things ... just those that you have problems controlling.

Poptart free since early 2011 ...

You can add them back in as your self control muscle gets stronger though.

SergeantSausage

melimomTARDIS wrote: »

SergeantSausage wrote: »

When I quit smoking it was (and still is) " Not one cigarette ... there is no such thing as one cigarette ... " One leads to two ... two leads to a pack ... a pack leads to a carton ...

It's kinda the same with junk food for me.

There is no "one poptart" - I scarf the whole box.

There is no "one slice of pizza" - I don't stop 'til the box is empty.

You don't want to hear it, but the best thing in the world is to give those things up that you have particular problems with. It's not a popular opinion around here .. but it works.

You don't have to give up All The Things ... just those that you have problems controlling.

Poptart free since early 2011 ...

You can add them back in as your self control muscle gets stronger though.

No.

I cant.

*You* can, but I can't... and I am absolutely AOK with that.

The problems come when some, like me, can't ... but they're NOT OK with it - they fight with it, and that is a struggle that is lost every time. Every. Time.

MorganMoreaux

SergeantSausage wrote: »

No.

I cant.

*You* can, but I can't... and I am absolutely AOK with that.

The problems come when some, like me, can't ... but they're NOT OK with it - they fight with it, and that is a struggle that is lost every time. Every. Time.

I hear you on that. If I give in to whatever vice food I'm craving at the time then it's just off to the races - I will eat the entire container and may very well go out and get more, it doesn't matter how long I've gone without it. I have to totally abstain. I've found that once the initial cravings subside I don't miss it so abstaining doesn't decrease the quality of my life at all; actually it improved it because I'm not binging on junk food and feel better about myself and also feel physically better in general.

JLFIT247

Binge eating is very common and that is why it's important to not eliminate the foods we love. If you find yourself always craving pizza, then have a slice of pizza...not the whole pie. Eating right is all about moderation. If you are counting then eat with a purpose, and know that everything you put into your body has an overall affect on your short and long term goals.