Complicated struggle with binge eating? Help?

Sii323
Sii323 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I want to start losing weight (~60 lbs) but I know exactly what my struggle is going to be. I have an awful habit of binge eating and snacking late at night. The problem with answers like "eat ever two hours" is that I work a sales associate job and I cant be coming off the floor to eat every two hours.

Another thing is that I simultaneously take a 24-hour allergy pill and Adderall XR for ADHD, so my appetite is never stable. I'll feel hungry but then I eat about a fourth a serving and I feel full. But then and hour later I feel hungry again and so on and so forth.

Does anyone have any managing tips? Or even is in a similar situation??

I'm new to myfitnesspal.

Replies

  • demonsorrow
    demonsorrow Posts: 10 Member
    I eat 3 times a day by the serving size meeting my macro needs but barely 1000-1500cals a day . I don't take any meds but if you can manage smaller portions maybe that will help. Before i got to where i am, i ate like large pizzas 100wings or med pizza 8 wings nacho cheese fries and gravy fries. I had to fight urges to eat. It wasn't easy but i knew i wanted to feel better and look better. I agree with the dietician idea but they can't make you eat right. Mind over matter.
  • sndrd49
    sndrd49 Posts: 234 Member
    bellabonbons wrote: »
    A registered dietician cannot help with binge issues. There are are number of emotional and psychological factors involved. It sounds like you have a lot going on and would benefit greatly seeing an expert in eating disorders. Mind over matter will never work. The underlying psychological factors must be identified or you will be unsuccessful at weight loss. Binge eating is a serious disorder and requires a professional diagnosis. If you are a true binge eater, a registered dietician is not what you need. You must first address the underlying psychological reasons for binge eating. Good luck.

    You might be overstating without all the facts? The OP doesn't give a lot of info, not even what she considers a "binge". People use that word a lot when describing everything from eating a handful of crackers one time, to eating the contents of texture fridge reglarly.
  • becalee26
    becalee26 Posts: 185 Member
    edited June 2016
    I tend to eat less through out the day and save some calories for my evenings. I also chew a lot of sugar free gum and that helps with the urge to binge.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    Sii323 wrote: »
    I want to start losing weight (~60 lbs) but I know exactly what my struggle is going to be. I have an awful habit of binge eating and snacking late at night. The problem with answers like "eat ever two hours" is that I work a sales associate job and I cant be coming off the floor to eat every two hours.

    Another thing is that I simultaneously take a 24-hour allergy pill and Adderall XR for ADHD, so my appetite is never stable. I'll feel hungry but then I eat about a fourth a serving and I feel full. But then and hour later I feel hungry again and so on and so forth.

    Does anyone have any managing tips? Or even is in a similar situation??

    I'm new to myfitnesspal.

    Binging is usually caused by trying to restrict one's daily calories at too large of a sustainable deficit. Doing that builds up for a period of days/weeks - and then the response is a huge binge. Best to target a safe weight loss such as .5 pounds or 1 pound per week so that it takes you a little over a year to drop those unwanted and unneeded 60 pounds. At that rate of loss, the deficit will be less severe to drop the weight and your body will respond/adapt to it quite well without a screaming binge.

    Track and log your calories in a brutally honest way. Snacking late at night is no big deal as it seriously does not matter when your body gets the calories.

    Read this honest primer.

    You will note Rule #5 in that primer addresses the late night snacking.

    It's all about the calories. Don't restrict them so much in your deficit that you end up binging. If your really want to lose the weight, you must employ discipline, safe, and realistic goals and as Nike says "Just Do It!"

  • mayoosh_primrose
    mayoosh_primrose Posts: 131 Member
    I had a similar problem, I don't know whether it was binge eating or not, but I used to eat till my stomach hurt and I actually forced myself to vomit twice because I felt so awful.
    What I did was preparing healthy snacks "mainly vegetables, salad", writing this goal down on a paper to make it more real, chewing sugar-free gum, drinking herbal tea with different flavours "mint, jasmine, etc", sleeping early, logging everything, and finally switching to a plant based diet. I don't know which of the above was the most important factor, all I know is that I had to work really hard. So maybe that's the point: just don't give up and you will get where you want, hopefully sooner than later :smiley:
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    bellabonbons wrote: »
    A registered dietician cannot help with binge issues. There are are number of emotional and psychological factors involved. It sounds like you have a lot going on and would benefit greatly seeing an expert in eating disorders. Mind over matter will never work. The underlying psychological factors must be identified or you will be unsuccessful at weight loss. Binge eating is a serious disorder and requires a professional diagnosis. If you are a true binge eater, a registered dietician is not what you need. You must first address the underlying psychological reasons for binge eating. Good luck.

    There isn't enough information in the post for you to be suggesting a BED diagnosis. Yes, if she has BED, psychological interventions are appropriate. If she just gets really hungry and overeat cals in the evening, then someone trained in nutrition would be more appropriate to help her find balance. Not everyone who uses the word binge has BED.
  • Colt1835
    Colt1835 Posts: 447 Member
    Do you care more about stuffing your face or losing that 60 pounds? That's all it comes down to. You are the only person who can help yourself with this problem. I also have struggled with binge eating, but I finally hit a point where I just wasn't okay with abusing my body anymore.

    I know that seems harsh and mean, but it's the truth. I couldn't live with myself if I lied to you for the sake of kindness. Good luck figuring out how to manage. I know it can be hard, but you can do it.
  • Sii323
    Sii323 Posts: 2 Member
    sndrd49 wrote: »
    bellabonbons wrote: »
    A registered dietician cannot help with binge issues. There are are number of emotional and psychological factors involved. It sounds like you have a lot going on and would benefit greatly seeing an expert in eating disorders. Mind over matter will never work. The underlying psychological factors must be identified or you will be unsuccessful at weight loss. Binge eating is a serious disorder and requires a professional diagnosis. If you are a true binge eater, a registered dietician is not what you need. You must first address the underlying psychological reasons for binge eating. Good luck.

    You might be overstating without all the facts? The OP doesn't give a lot of info, not even what she considers a "binge". People use that word a lot when describing everything from eating a handful of crackers one time, to eating the contents of texture fridge reglarly.

    I consider a "binge" to be eating 3-4 servings worth of a snack food. I can eat an entire roll of Ritz crackers and feel no more or less full than when I started. And on the other hand I consider "binge" to also be ordering fast food (whole combo meals) at odd times like 11p when I know I shouldn't eat and I don't need the calories. The worst eating times for me are at night, after 9p. I just constantly feel hungry.
  • megann120
    megann120 Posts: 47 Member
    I started mfp two weeks ago. I was really enjoying my snacks, especially late at night when I would reward myself after a hard day. Now I know i could easily snack on 1000-1500 kcal!
    When I started i mainly wanted to know how many kcal i actually consume. I have a realistic goal and I take it slowly. I eat the same food as before i just weigh and limit my portions, I am surprised how easy it is to have one oreo instead of 10 when I have to log it.
    Now, last Saturday i had a colonoscopy which invoves fasting the day before. I promised myself that after I will not restrict myself, I had a double calories for the day. Turned out I wasn't hungry. Off course i ate as soon as they gave me food but later i was in a supermarket shopping for my treats and there was nothing i was craving... i bought crisps. I weighted them, logged them and i couldn't eat them.
    What I try to say is you never know untill you try. Weighing, logging and counting may be enough for you to curb your binging. These moments when you look at your diary and put the ice cream down, they are awesome. Try, and don't worry now.
    Good luck x
  • jahillegas_51
    jahillegas_51 Posts: 143 Member
    Some starter tips to overcoming binge eating. Feel free to ask follow up questions:)

    First, admit there was a problem. For three going on four years, I blamed externals, my drive, and my dreams for my actions. Ignoring people in my life hinting at me that I may have a problem, including family, close friends, and girlfriend. I lied to myself, rationalizing it with the mask of a cheat meal. As the punishment for binging increased so did the amount of times I binged. At first once a week, then every couple days, every other, until it consumed my thoughts. At times I would drive to Walmart just to eat it all before coming home. Chances are if you are reading this it is because you are looking for help. Good for you, you are lightyears ahead of where I was!

    Second, I learned to love myself for me, as a matter of fact I am still learning how to do this. Today, the emulated physique is seen as happiness. It is published on social media, magazines, and posters as the symbol of happiness. I believed it, I chased it and chased it. I had it for some time and I was still just as miserable. How you look will not make you happy! Now don’t twist those words as an excuse to just let ourselves become overweight. Chances are you will break step 1 which is lying and rationalizing it. We have to learn to accept our imperfections. We all have them and everyone tries to hide them. Here are my flaws (some I can fix, others are what they are):
    Relationships: I am aweful. I wrecked a 15 year friendship with a highschool sweetheart, I was selfish and an *kitten*. I can also be abrasive and brutal with little to no compassion. However ever since I shared this personal story, I have gotten better. Although I am by no means finished working on this.
    Skin Damage: I never wore sunscreen as a kid. Now I have moles, freckles, and scars. Some I wish weren’t there. Some girls won’t talk to me because of them. I am not “sexy” enough. They aren’t “interested”.

    Don’t let your imperfections stop you from loving yourself. You are the only you this world will ever see, embrace yourself. Perhaps the worst thing about this cycle was I hated myself, I hated my life, I did not want to look in the mirror, I thought I was a failure that I would never make it, I contemplated suicide. When I would binge, I would punish myself. Don’t do that we are human, life is meant to be enjoyed. Life is much too short to never treat yourself to what you love to eat whatever that maybe for you. Look yourself in the mirror directly into your eyes saying “I LOVE myself” at least 10 times a day, if not more. P.S. try not to smile when you say this (harder than you think).

    Thirdly, there is no such thing as good food, bad food. Placing labels on food, leads us to ban them from our intake. We say, “No, No, No, No, No…” We push for the perfect diet, once we eat this food that does not fall into this neat diet box; we throw our hands up, saying we failed so now is the time to eat everything we can. This leads to punishment. Which leads to more restrictions. This is the vicious cycle we as binge eaters face. I used to believe it myself, that there was clean food and bad food. It simply is this manifested idea. If you ask a vegan, he/she will say animal based foods are not clean. Someone who is a vegetarian will disagree, and say it is just animal products that are not clean. Then a paleo guy runs in screaming about how meat is clean, but grains aren’t. So someone has to be right? They are all wrong. Instead, adopt my grandmother’s wise old adage of “everything in moderation.”

    Fourth, going along the lines of moderation. You can eat whatever you want just not all at once. I believe I heard Layne Norton say this, I believe this, like the 11th commandment, in fact it should be an amendment to the constitution. When I first began to escape cycle, I would eat one “treat” at every meal. Nothing crazy, but it will allow you still get your “fix” but you won’t binge on it. Any action in the right direction gave me more motivation and encouragement to keep improving. The small wins kept snowballing into large victories later that slammed the door on binging. Disclaimer, it is wiser to eat this food item from a plate not from the container. Don’t test your will to fight binging if you do not have too. As the old saying goes, “work smarter, not harder.”

    Fifth, no more crazy spreadsheets and tracking of nutrients line item by line item like an accountant. I did not worry about counting calories and the works. I would instead eat (3) meals, breakfast, lunch and supper possibly a snack if I was hungry. I would eat slowly, and as I began to feel fuller I would stop eating. You may be like me and scared that you’ll get fat. Well what is our other choice? We can keep binge eating which is not working, because you wouldn’t be reading this. Or we can reach out and try something new. I need to be conscious of my eating, instead of speed eating (still struggle at times).

    Sixth, 180, 190, 160, 225, 200…what number was it going to be today I thought I as I closed my eyes scared to look down at the scale after a night of binging (these were all weights I reached during this cycle). You do not need a scale to help you. It’s about small wins, small wins, they add up trust me; I have been there too. Most people overestimate the damage of a binge. You need to eat in excess of 3500 calories over your normal intake to gain a pound of fat. It is not as bad as we create in our minds. Additionally, when we stand on the scale after a binge our body is bloated, full of food, sodium, and other goodies. This only compounds the guilt feeling.

    It is your lucky day! I said six, but here is a seventh tip. So, what about eating at restaurants and parties? Parties were my kryptonite, the amount of food that I saw and I thought I had to eat three people’s worth of everything. What helped me to win at parties was I made this a game in my head (who cares no one else knows..plus now you know I did it). I am very competitive; I hate losing even if it’s go fish with a girlfriend (I will be a terrible father I will never let my kids win). Since eating slower and not getting seconds was a struggle at first. The game I created was to be the last one done eating, and the last one to get seconds. This helped me in many ways, first to help me eat slower I talked with people, this helped to repair the relationships I had damaged in the past, plus I was not over eating (win/win). Which is why I was last to get seconds, so often I would eat so quick that my stomach didn’t even know it was fed until I was already 4-5 plates of heaping food deep.

    Make that eight, workout for fun! For so long in this process I trained for results no I do not mean goals; I simply worked out to look good that’s it! It was the complete wrong direction, it made training no fun, I dreaded every gym session, and was having a miserable time. It doesn’t matter if you are into bodybuilding, figure, physique, cross fit, powerlifting, strongman, marathons, etc. just train for fun, train to get better and challenge yourself. For me this was powerlifting.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Sii323 wrote: »
    sndrd49 wrote: »
    bellabonbons wrote: »
    A registered dietician cannot help with binge issues. There are are number of emotional and psychological factors involved. It sounds like you have a lot going on and would benefit greatly seeing an expert in eating disorders. Mind over matter will never work. The underlying psychological factors must be identified or you will be unsuccessful at weight loss. Binge eating is a serious disorder and requires a professional diagnosis. If you are a true binge eater, a registered dietician is not what you need. You must first address the underlying psychological reasons for binge eating. Good luck.

    You might be overstating without all the facts? The OP doesn't give a lot of info, not even what she considers a "binge". People use that word a lot when describing everything from eating a handful of crackers one time, to eating the contents of texture fridge reglarly.

    I consider a "binge" to be eating 3-4 servings worth of a snack food. I can eat an entire roll of Ritz crackers and feel no more or less full than when I started. And on the other hand I consider "binge" to also be ordering fast food (whole combo meals) at odd times like 11p when I know I shouldn't eat and I don't need the calories. The worst eating times for me are at night, after 9p. I just constantly feel hungry.

    I suggest finding what foods satiate you best and focusing on them. For many, it's protein, followed by fat or fiber. I too can eat a whole roll of Ritz without feeling satisfied. But if I have 5 crackers with an ounce or so each of cheese and sausage, and some apples or carrots, then I have a good bed time snack (for me).

    I don't find bread made from flour especially satisfying, so I eat it rarely, and use brands like Ezekial or Alvarado St Bakery, which use sprouted wheat rather than flour, for sandwiches. Yes, they are more expensive, but it's more filling and I eat less of it.

    Understanding satiety: feeling full after a meal

    ...Tips on how to feel fuller

    So how can we best try to enhance these feelings of fullness to help us control how much we eat? Here are some top tips for helping you feel fuller:
    1. Foods high in protein seem to make us feel fuller than foods high in fat or carbohydrate, so including some protein at every meal should help keep you satisfied. Foods high in protein include meats such as chicken, ham or beef, fish, eggs, beans and pulses.
    2. If you are watching your weight, opt for lower fat versions, using leaner cuts of meat, cutting off visible fat and avoiding the skin on poultry as this will help reduce the energy density of the diet, which can help to enhance satiety (see below).
    3. Foods that are high in fibre may also enhance feelings of fullness so try to include plenty of high-fibre foods in the diet such as wholegrain bread and cereals, beans and pulses and fruit and vegetables.
    4. Alcohol seems to stimulate appetite in the short-term and therefore drinking alcohol is likely to encourage us to eat more. Alcoholic beverages can make you forget about your intentions to eat healthily by making you lose your inhibitions. Alcoholic drinks are also calorific, so you should cut down on alcohol consumption if you are trying to control your weight.
    5. The ‘energy density’ of food has a strong influence on feelings of fullness or satiety. Energy density is the amount of energy (or calories) per gram of food. Lower energy density foods provide less energy per gram of food so you can eat more of them without consuming too many calories. Low energy density foods include fruit and vegetables, foods with lots of water added when cooking such as soups and stews, and lower fat foods. Click here for more information on energy density.

    Read more: http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html


  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    Consider looking into the boom "Brain Over Binge" for a neurobiological approach to managing binges.

    The podcast "HalfSize Me" has really changed my approach to managing binges. I highly recommend it.

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