Binge Eating

hiyomi

Hi everyone, I recently started dieting again, and time and time again, I occasionally get this urge to eat absolutely everything in sight. Sometimes it not even hunger, sometimes it is. Today I did good and avoided that binge, but I hate the feeling of getting that urge. It doesn't happen often, I'd say maybe two times in maybe 2-3 months of dieting, and in the past there were times where I did not avoid them. I would eat something small to "settle my hunger" but by the time I knew it, I ate a ramen noodle soup, sandwich, popcorn, and something else in one sitting. What triggers this urge, how do I stop those triggers, and what do I do if I feel them coming? Thanks in advance for any help. ^^

vivmom2014

You can interrupt some compulsive behaviors by changing the ritual. Get up and go for a walk. Call someone. Fit in a short 15 minute DVD workout. Do a load of wash.

Make sure you have enough calories to work with, so that you're not restricting unnecessarily and setting yourself up for a massive food intake. Is your calorie goal too aggressive?

If the binging is something that truly makes you feel helpless, consider seeking professional help.

endlessfall16

One thing I don't do is moderation which by my understanding means you include every food in your everyday though in small amounts. Eating this random just triggers your appetite more and often. If I like ice cream I'd eat a good bowl (and fit that into the count (in days)) and feel satisfied and move on.

Skip sugar, salt, starchy, processed food like ramen, acid stuff like oranges, tangerines, apple which triggers appetite too much. I do eat oranges, apples but after the main course as not to trigger binge eating. Eat ahead of your hunger unsalted cashew, nuts, avocado, eggs.

Pay attention to the time when you'd feel too hungry, fill it with other exciting activities, eg sport, movies, seeing friends.

hiyomi

endlessfall16 wrote: »

One thing I don't do is moderation which by my understanding means you include every food in your everyday though in small amounts. Eating this random just triggers your appetite more and often. If I like ice cream I'd eat a good bowl (and fit that into the count (in days)) and feel satisfied and move on.

Skip sugar, salt, starchy, processed food like ramen, acid stuff like oranges, tangerines, apple which triggers appetite too much. I do eat oranges, apples but after the main course as not to trigger binge eating. Eat ahead of your hunger unsalted cashew, nuts, avocado, eggs.

Pay attention to the time when you'd feel too hungry, fill it with other exciting activities, eg sport, movies, seeing friends.

Oh wow, I never new fruits could trigger hunger, lately I've been eating a lot of apples and oranges! I do keep every day foods as you say, I have a habit of eating fast food. Normally I would get large fries, large burger, cookie, soda, everything. Now I get the smallest burger (usually chicken as well), small fries, and water or diet soda. The binges are completely at random, and I only get them when I start dieting. I don't think its enough to seek professional help, as the other comment said, as it only happens when I start eating better/less, and it only happens a few times. I guess its just my body trying to get unused eating such junk all the time and it craves it like crazy! I like the idea of eating before I'm actually hungry/starving like you said. Sometimes I wait until my tummy is already grumbling/making noises to eat. I'll try fitting in an extra snack from lunch to dinner.

hiyomi

vivmom2014 wrote: »

You can interrupt some compulsive behaviors by changing the ritual. Get up and go for a walk. Call someone. Fit in a short 15 minute DVD workout. Do a load of wash.

Make sure you have enough calories to work with, so that you're not restricting unnecessarily and setting yourself up for a massive food intake. Is your calorie goal too aggressive?

If the binging is something that truly makes you feel helpless, consider seeking professional help.

Simple distractions may help do the trick, anything to get my mind off the cravings!

positivepowers

vivmom2014 wrote: »

You can interrupt some compulsive behaviors by changing the ritual. Get up and go for a walk. Call someone. Fit in a short 15 minute DVD workout. Do a load of wash.

Make sure you have enough calories to work with, so that you're not restricting unnecessarily and setting yourself up for a massive food intake. Is your calorie goal too aggressive?

If the binging is something that truly makes you feel helpless, consider seeking professional help.

This. Also, don't allow yourself to get too hungry (and yes, I do understand that much of the time your binging has nothing to do with physical hunger.) Sometimes meditation helps instead of eating.

Pocket Hunger Coach (http://www.drrogergould.com/programs-online/hunger-coach) has a tool that helps you understand why you're eating when you're not hungry. It helps me sometimes.

bfanny

Ugh it happens to me, more lately I'm just 5 lbs from my goal, I'm good get so close, then the binge "monster" attacks and bam! up again too bad for me is twice a month, 2-3 days at a time...
I don't know but I blame it on my hormones!!! And I don't deprive so is not even that...

yggdrasila

hiyomi wrote: »

endlessfall16 wrote: »

One thing I don't do is moderation which by my understanding means you include every food in your everyday though in small amounts. Eating this random just triggers your appetite more and often. If I like ice cream I'd eat a good bowl (and fit that into the count (in days)) and feel satisfied and move on.

Skip sugar, salt, starchy, processed food like ramen, acid stuff like oranges, tangerines, apple which triggers appetite too much. I do eat oranges, apples but after the main course as not to trigger binge eating. Eat ahead of your hunger unsalted cashew, nuts, avocado, eggs.

Pay attention to the time when you'd feel too hungry, fill it with other exciting activities, eg sport, movies, seeing friends.

Oh wow, I never new fruits could trigger hunger, lately I've been eating a lot of apples and oranges! I do keep every day foods as you say, I have a habit of eating fast food. Normally I would get large fries, large burger, cookie, soda, everything. Now I get the smallest burger (usually chicken as well), small fries, and water or diet soda. The binges are completely at random, and I only get them when I start dieting. I don't think its enough to seek professional help, as the other comment said, as it only happens when I start eating better/less, and it only happens a few times. I guess its just my body trying to get unused eating such junk all the time and it craves it like crazy! I like the idea of eating before I'm actually hungry/starving like you said. Sometimes I wait until my tummy is already grumbling/making noises to eat. I'll try fitting in an extra snack from lunch to dinner.

Make sure to check thay what you're ordering actually has lower calories. Surprisingly one of Mc Donalds chicken sandwiches has more calories than some of the bigger burgers. I would also try just cutting out soda completely or just drinking those tiny mini cans. Soda and drinks add up to a lot of calories and have like 0 nutritional value. I used to be a binge eat a lot and I agree that eating some higher fat hut health foods helps curb hunger, avocado and nuts stuff like that.

hiyomi

yggdrasila wrote: »

hiyomi wrote: »

endlessfall16 wrote: »

One thing I don't do is moderation which by my understanding means you include every food in your everyday though in small amounts. Eating this random just triggers your appetite more and often. If I like ice cream I'd eat a good bowl (and fit that into the count (in days)) and feel satisfied and move on.

Skip sugar, salt, starchy, processed food like ramen, acid stuff like oranges, tangerines, apple which triggers appetite too much. I do eat oranges, apples but after the main course as not to trigger binge eating. Eat ahead of your hunger unsalted cashew, nuts, avocado, eggs.

Pay attention to the time when you'd feel too hungry, fill it with other exciting activities, eg sport, movies, seeing friends.

Oh wow, I never new fruits could trigger hunger, lately I've been eating a lot of apples and oranges! I do keep every day foods as you say, I have a habit of eating fast food. Normally I would get large fries, large burger, cookie, soda, everything. Now I get the smallest burger (usually chicken as well), small fries, and water or diet soda. The binges are completely at random, and I only get them when I start dieting. I don't think its enough to seek professional help, as the other comment said, as it only happens when I start eating better/less, and it only happens a few times. I guess its just my body trying to get unused eating such junk all the time and it craves it like crazy! I like the idea of eating before I'm actually hungry/starving like you said. Sometimes I wait until my tummy is already grumbling/making noises to eat. I'll try fitting in an extra snack from lunch to dinner.

Make sure to check thay what you're ordering actually has lower calories. Surprisingly one of Mc Donalds chicken sandwiches has more calories than some of the bigger burgers. I would also try just cutting out soda completely or just drinking those tiny mini cans. Soda and drinks add up to a lot of calories and have like 0 nutritional value. I used to be a binge eat a lot and I agree that eating some higher fat hut health foods helps curb hunger, avocado and nuts stuff like that.

I am very good when it comes to calorie counting, as I've been doing it off and on for the last 4 years. I hardly drink normal coke, its always diet cokes/diet dr pepper or water. So I don't have to worry about that adding extra calories. I'll give the healthy high fat foods a try!

gooz71

I have issues with binge eating as well. Mostly in the evenings when no one is around. You mentioned you only get the binge feeling when you are "dieting." If you are like me my guess is it's kind of like you start to think "Well, I can't have this anymore so I better binge on it." If that makes sense? Here is a quote I love:
WEIGHT LOSS IS NOT A PHYSICAL CHALLENGE - IT'S A MENTAL ONE. CONSISTENCY AND PATIENCE ARE KEY TO LONG TERM SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS.