Binge eaters out there needing support

ab6046

To all of you binge eaters out there who might be interested in communicating with others, please feel free to add me! Do not waste your time reading past that first sentence, unless you want to know a little more about me.

This is the first time that I have started a thread, and I didn't come to MFP with the intention of using it as a form of social media or ever making my diary public (still not sure that I want to do that), but I could really use the support right now. I have been having major issues with binge eating since mid-December, and am unable to stop. Binge eating is something I have lived with for a long time (I used to even have issues with sleep eating!), but I feel that social support, especially from those who can relate, might really help me. I have joined an in-person support group I'm going to start going to soon as well, but it would be great to have something virtual since binges happen randomly and not just one week out of the month.

I'm a 28 year old female grad school student at a healthy weight. I'd be glad to provide you with more information about myself in a personal message. Thanks, and sorry for rambling!

shannonmaria

Glad you posted this! I binged on junk this evening and am feeling guilty. I came on here to look for tips or support from others who have the same issue. I'm feeling bummed because I did great all day up until now. I'm trying to figure out what made me do it. IDK if it's because there was a Danish and some doughnuts someone brought in at work today that I respectfully declined, or if it's because things got a stressful towards the end of my work day and I'm still feeling it even though I'm home now. Hard to snap out of.........

ab6046

That's exactly how I feel, too. It is so frustrating, to feel like you've done such a great job and suddenly you snap. I don't know what it is for me, but I think I do it to relieve stress. Today, I waited until my husband took a nap and then I went in the kitchen and made four pounds of pudding and ate it all standing up. For me, that is on the low end of the binge spectrum, but I knew it would quickly escalate so I thought maybe I would see if anyone else felt similarly. Thanks for replying, it's nice to not feel so alone in this!

shannonmaria

My husband made a healthy dinner of turkey kielbasa, sweet potatoes, and a spinach salad. He left for work shortly after dinner. Then I proceeded to eat 3 Oreos, a small bag of Doritos, a packet of trailmix, a Fiber One bar, and had a handful of salad croutons. I ate like 900 extra calories You are definitely not alone!!!
I've been on and off MFP for the past few years. I started back up exercising and logging my food faithfully for the past 9 days. It's been going pretty well up until this evening. I'm just gonna get back on track starting now

ab6046

That sounds like the best thing to do! I'm going to do the same. If ever you need to chat, don't hesitate to message me!

shannonmaria

Thank you! Same to you!!!

ab6046

Bump

kshama2001

I don't think I ever had full blown BED, but I definitely used to over-eat to self-soothe.

For me:

1. More protein in relationship to carbs stops the physical urge to overeat: http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
2. Yoga stops the emotional urge to overeat: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-willpower/201007/how-yoga-can-help-end-binge-eating
3. Ramping up activity level in general does something positive as well

ab6046

Thank you, I think I will have to try yoga!

kelieghjane

I've been binge eating for years but it's really out of control at the min. I have good intentions and get towards the eve and I just binge and sabatage myself. I'm now at my biggest, feeling really low can't see a way out

luntyp

Has anyone tried a medication?

juliahurt05

I too am a binge eater. I will go for months without binging then out of the blue I start. I started back to binge eating a few weeks ago when my daughter started selling Girl Scout cookies. I have eaten 3 boxes of them without even realizing I've done it till it's too late.

Hopefully having this group will help.

lauravilchis

I know exactly how that goes

dotti1121

I think my trigger is deprivation. If I have a craving, I have a small portion of whatever it is. I find the longer I resist my cravings, the worse it gets, and then I go overboard BIG TIME.

Lilredcat

Binge eater here. I cannot just open a box of crackers and eat one or two... it is like they (the crackers) call to me and suddenly there I am holding this empty box and my lips and fingers are stinging from the salt. Annndddd I want more. So I get a drink then go to the cupboard for phase 2. And so it goes. I hate it. I flip flop from eating nothing and only drinking tea all day to eating sensibly then chowing down like it is the end of the world at the end of the day. Three years ago I lost nearly 30 pounds and was at my goal weight. But then pizza here and summer bbq there plus binging at night and now I weigh more than ever. I am a comfort eater and carbs are like cuddly blankets that help me feel better. I am afraid of going in antidepressants because people gain weight on those ---- so no, I do not think any medications will help with this. Too bad I cannot just wrap myself in carbs instead of stuffing them into myself. My husband and oldest son are binge eaters too. I have to hide the Goldfish crackers from my 8 year old or else he will literally chow down on the whole bag. So even if one of us (me usually) is trying to stick to the diet or healthier eating the other brings out cookies to the couch at night and how oh how to ignore the cookies sitting right next to you.....

ab6046

It's so reassuring to hear that other people are dealing with this (not that I would wish it one anyone!) I think it's great that we can support each other.

I think identifying triggers is very important as well. Also, interesting question about the medication. Ironically, I did try something over ten years ago. I believe it was called Campral. The crazy thing is...it worked. I no longer felt the urge to binge. Strangely, that really disturbed me because I didn't know what to do with myself so I stopped taking it almost immediately. I think so much of my identity and coping is wrapped up in this and has been forever, that I just didn't know what to do with myself if I wasn't constantly thinking about or eating food. I've thought about it rectory though, and think maybe it's time to give it another go. I spend so much time obsessing over binging and would really like to stop.

I'm going to add you all, although obviously you don't need to accept! Feel free to message me anytime. Thanks again for the support.

ab6046

*recently, not rectory!

kshama2001

kelieghjane wrote: »

I've been binge eating for years but it's really out of control at the min. I have good intentions and get towards the eve and I just binge and sabatage myself. I'm now at my biggest, feeling really low can't see a way out

How many calories have you eaten before you start to binge? If people severely undereat during the day they may be setting themself up for a binge at night.

kshama2001

Lilredcat wrote: »

Binge eater here. I cannot just open a box of crackers and eat one or two... it is like they (the crackers) call to me and suddenly there I am holding this empty box and my lips and fingers are stinging from the salt. Annndddd I want more. So I get a drink then go to the cupboard for phase 2. And so it goes. I hate it. I flip flop from eating nothing and only drinking tea all day to eating sensibly then chowing down like it is the end of the world at the end of the day. Three years ago I lost nearly 30 pounds and was at my goal weight. But then pizza here and summer bbq there plus binging at night and now I weigh more than ever. I am a comfort eater and carbs are like cuddly blankets that help me feel better. I am afraid of going in antidepressants because people gain weight on those ---- so no, I do not think any medications will help with this. Too bad I cannot just wrap myself in carbs instead of stuffing them into myself. My husband and oldest son are binge eaters too. I have to hide the Goldfish crackers from my 8 year old or else he will literally chow down on the whole bag. So even if one of us (me usually) is trying to stick to the diet or healthier eating the other brings out cookies to the couch at night and how oh how to ignore the cookies sitting right next to you.....

I never eat out of boxes or bags anymore. I weigh out a portion, put the container away (which means out of sight,) log it, and eat it.

Could you ask the cookie eaters to just bring their portion to the couch and not the whole container?

Merrysix

Here's what helps me stay on my food plan/avoid binges: eat 5 smaller meals per day with plenty of protein and fats so I don't get too hungry and eat sufficient calories so I don't feel too hungry (for me this is 1500 or so depending on level of exercise and leads to 1 to .5 pound loss per week), don't eat the foods that for me that trigger binging (for me this is sugary, white flour type foods); exercise (I feel better physically and mentally), take care of my emotional/spiritual health (like yoga or whatever else works for you). While some people can eat a little of this or that, never has worked for me. After about 30 days off my trigger foods I no longer crave them which is a blessing. I have a lot of will power just not with certain foods. I think this is a personal choice, some people do great with the little tastes, but for me just sets me off.

Merrysix

I never could understand the point of goldfish crackers -- why bother having them in the house?

kelieghjane

kshama2001 wrote: »

kelieghjane wrote: »

I've been binge eating for years but it's really out of control at the min. I have good intentions and get towards the eve and I just binge and sabatage myself. I'm now at my biggest, feeling really low can't see a way out

I usually would have bout 800, I start binging when I get home from work about 4pm I start snacking on healthy food but then reach for the sugar. This happens in the period before I eat my tea. I am going to try eating 4 healthy small meals to see if I curb it a little. I'm also going to commit to logging all binges and staying away from trigger foods

ab6046 wrote: »

It's so reassuring to hear that other people are dealing with this (not that I would wish it one anyone!) I think it's great that we can support each other.

I think identifying triggers is very important as well. Also, interesting question about the medication. Ironically, I did try something over ten years ago. I believe it was called Campral. The crazy thing is...it worked. I no longer felt the urge to binge. Strangely, that really disturbed me because I didn't know what to do with myself so I stopped taking it almost immediately. I think so much of my identity and coping is wrapped up in this and has been forever, that I just didn't know what to do with myself if I wasn't constantly thinking about or eating food. I've thought about it rectory though, and think maybe it's time to give it another go. I spend so much time obsessing over binging and would really like to stop.

I'm going to add you all, although obviously you don't need to accept! Feel free to message me anytime. Thanks again for the support

Thank you for the add, can I ask what is the medication you was taking? Is it an anti depressant?

Karihappy

Just ate 870 calories worth of buttered popcorn popped in coconut oil. Delish, but now feeling the inevitable guilt trip of, "Why did you do this again to yourself?" Not giving up, by any means. Will just start fresh again. Just hoping I don't do the usual, "Well, I've already messed up today, I'll just eat/drink anything and everything I want to for the rest of the day and start again tomorrow," spiel.

gothchiq

Oh yes. I either binge or starve it seems, I can never be normal for long. X(

ab6046

I ALWAYS do that, and then my relatively minor episode turns into a full blown 10,000+ calorie binge and I feel horrible, and binge again as a result. It's truly awful, and illogical to say "well I already screwed up, might as well get this out of my system then start over tomorrow" because that's not how it is. So frustrating!

dotti1121

ab6046 wrote: »

I ALWAYS do that, and then my relatively minor episode turns into a full blown 10,000+ calorie binge and I feel horrible, and binge again as a result. It's truly awful, and illogical to say "well I already screwed up, might as well get this out of my system then start over tomorrow" because that's not how it is. So frustrating!

Very curious....what does a 10,000 calorie binge look like?

alittlelife14

Add me all binge eaters

Isaiahw40

I had like one chip one little gram and boom bagis all gone. I had a thousand extra calories. WWorked off half but I think it's because I was dehydrated and didn't start my day exercising like I usually do.

bbell1424

I'm exactly the same! Trying really hard not to eat a huge bag of crisps/popcorn or whole big bar of chocolate. Best thing for me so far is not buying them at all and not having them in the house. Dark chocolate has helped the normal chocolate addiction loads as its much harder to eat a whole bar of that because of how rich it is but still stuck on the crisps! Feel free to add too!

ab6046

Very curious....what does a 10,000 calorie binge look like?[/quote]

I wish I could direct you to look at my diary, but usually when I have really bad binges I stop logging them on MFP and only log them in my food journal. However, you could look at Christmas for example. Although, I can't say that was really a typical binge, since it was holiday food.

Usually, it starts with a really strong craving for something (usually sugar). So I stuff myself with fruits and vegetables to try to satiate it, but inevitably I end up eating what I wanted in the first place plus more. I am also triggered by eating out. If I have dinner plans for example, I will binge in anticipation (because I don't trust that I'll control myself), and then continue binging afterwards. I tend to start binging on sweets, then I get sick of sweets and alternate to salty, until I am sick of salty and alternate to sweets again. It often starts with trail mix, and involves other stuff that I don't keep around. One of my big things recently is tapioca pudding; I'll make four or five batches of tapioca (each batch around 1,700 calories) and that's how it begins. I will usually binge on anything that I have (which isn't usually anything that triggers me since I keep that stuff away), and then will eventually go out and buy things like trail mix that I usually deprive myself of. It's actually surprisingly easy to consume 10,000+ calories (think macadamia nuts, for example)!

buckleten

I can totally identify with all of you, please add me anyone who would like to :-)