Binge eating is great, or is it?

alasdairgeddes3

Are there ever times when you decide to forget about being healthy for the day and eat as much of whatever you like? If it's your birthday, Christmas, your graduation or even your wedding day then would you see that as a good enough reason to imobalize yourself with food?
I say this because yesterday I graduated from university and I ate a lot. That's actually an incredible understatement- I ate like a starved hamster, I was Oliver Twist at the all you can eat buffet. I had at least 3 heaped plates of cake and sandwiches followed by a bowl of strawberries with whipped cream. Then, after I had just about recovered, it was time to head to the indian for a lamb vindaloo with a plate of mushroom rice and two chicken stuffed naan breads, all washed down with beer. I could not stand up. I would guess it was over 3000 - 4000 cals. Such a great day.
So would you ever do that? What's your thoughts?

diannethegeek

I recognize that people use the word "binge" differently, but for me a binge is by definition a bad thing. It means that not only am I overeating, but I'm not in control and can't stop myself even though I want to. It means eating beyond pain, to the point that I'm begging myself to stop, in tears, in pain, sitting there wondering how much more I'm going to eat and whether or not I can find a way to break the cycle. So for me, a binge is not fun and thank God I haven't had one in years.

Now, a planned splurge where I don't track and let myself eat whatever? Sure. Those can be fun.

JeromeBarry1

You graduated from university. Congratulations. Get a job. Get more congratulations. Then get a tax bill. We're still trying to figure out why we do this to ourselves.

lithezebra

I don't enjoy binge eating at all. It feels like a horrible, degrading way to avoid facing my feelings directly. I haven't had a real binge in years, and I still despise any emotional eating that I do out of stress, boredom or sadness, because it takes away from experiencing my feelings.

I'm okay with eating together to celebrate friendship.

Gisel2015

I don't binge, I never did. I am never that hungry or find a reason for doing it. I eat to live, not the other way around, and I would be very sick if I ate more than "my" normal. For my a celebration doesn''t mean to stuff myself with food.

I hope that you find a balance between enjoyment and eating. Congratulations on your graduation

OlisMummy

Binge eating in my understanding is a biological response to starvation or aggressive calorie restriction. The human body is made for survival, it's like when you hold your breath, the urge to breath is just so strong it's no longer under your control and your body overrides you; similarly binges are the body's way to get you to eat adequate calories.
I don't think your case was bingeing thou because you didn't seem to lose control.

WinoGelato

OP I would call what you did yesterday a big splurge, similar to how people eat at Thanksgiving or Christmas, but not a binge. Binge eating is a clinically diagnosed eating disorder and can have as many psychological triggers than it does actual food related ones.

And while I don't suffer from BED, I know quite a few people who do, and none of them would describe a binge day as a great day.

singingflutelady

That's not a binge really. Binges are generally not enjoyable. I don't have BED but I am mostly recovered anorexic binge/purge and never found them to be great.

Densans

Yea, binges are not enjoyable, you are not in control.
My worst experience is I did 27k in a day, horrible experience and never again.

Now, splurges I've had are a couple of around 10k~, usually around specific dates like christmas etc.

alasdairgeddes3

I didn't know about the use of the word binge, so sorry for upsetting people. I should have said splurge.
I normally eat about 2k a day and I do a fair bit of running and cycling so I think a splurge is OK sometimes. I had to adjust the belt on my 28 inch trousers.

Christine_72

I'm having a IDGAF day today. We're going to a buffet where i eat until I physically can't fit another thing in, I'm so excited lol These events only happen every 3mths or longer, so don't affect my weight loss.

KetoneKaren

alasdairgeddes3 wrote: »

Are there ever times when you decide to forget about being healthy for the day and eat as much of whatever you like? If it's your birthday, Christmas, your graduation or even your wedding day then would you see that as a good enough reason to imobalize yourself with food?
I say this because yesterday I graduated from university and I ate a lot. That's actually an incredible understatement- I ate like a starved hamster, I was Oliver Twist at the all you can eat buffet. I had at least 3 heaped plates of cake and sandwiches followed by a bowl of strawberries with whipped cream. Then, after I had just about recovered, it was time to head to the indian for a lamb vindaloo with a plate of mushroom rice and two chicken stuffed naan breads, all washed down with beer. I could not stand up. I would guess it was over 3000 - 4000 cals. Such a great day.
So would you ever do that? What's your thoughts?

You ate a lot, perhaps with other people present, after graduating from university (congratulations!) and you considered it a great day...a splurge, as others have said, not a binge.

violet_wister

I also think there's a difference between entering into the spirit of an occasion like birthday or graduation or Christmas, and eating to excess alone or in secret. I think there's something less worrying about the occasional splurge when it's in a social context than eating the same volume in secret.

Machka9

alasdairgeddes3 wrote: »

Are there ever times when you decide to forget about being healthy for the day and eat as much of whatever you like? If it's your birthday, Christmas, your graduation or even your wedding day then would you see that as a good enough reason to imobalize yourself with food?

So would you ever do that? What's your thoughts?

I've never done that ... and have never had the desire to do that.

I will eat special meals for my birthday, Christmas, etc. ... but not to the point of immobilising myself.

Diana_GettingFit

I just can't eat like that any more. I have no problem eating something that's high calorie like cake. But to just keep eating until I'm so stuffed I can barely move? I feel so uncomfortable that I hate that feeling.

briscogun

I don't know about "binge" eating, but do I take a meal or a day or a weekend and say: "what the hell" and eat away? Sure!

Last night my wife wanted Buffalo Wild Wings, so I stopped off on the way home: wings, cheesy bacon fries, onion rings, and enough ranch dressing to sink the Titanic, all washed down with a Sam Adams. Mmm mmm good! Logged it, moved on, worked out this AM. Didn't bother weighing myself, I'm sure between the food and the sodium my weight was out of whack so why bother?

It's no big deal once a week to go crazy. Even if you eat an extra 3000-4000 calories that's only 1 pound. No biggie. Maintenance is all about moderation not deprivation. You'll be fine.

And congrats on the graduation!

jrwms714

'

Dave_GettingFit wrote: »

[i[/i]I just can't eat like that any more. I have no problem eating something that's high calorie like cake. But just to just keep eating until I'm so stuffed I can barely move? I feel so uncomfortable that I hate that feeling.

I totally agree with @Dave_GettingFit. It sounds like a celebration rather than a binge, and those are times it's fine to "let yourself go", especially because you sound like you knew what you were doing and were in control. You're right back on your journey the next day or so, so it's nothing more than a happy time complimented by food you like. If it continues on for a week or more, then you need to look at it and catch yourself up short. You may have set up cravings or you may start gaining before you know it. No piece of continual cake feels as good as being healthy and fit does, right? For me, I just can't eat like that any more. Since losing my weight, I have a small appetite and my body tells me immediately that it doesn't like it when I eat, sugar, fried foods, or fat in any other than tiny amounts.

AnnPT77

alasdairgeddes3 wrote: »

Are there ever times when you decide to forget about being healthy for the day and eat as much of whatever you like? If it's your birthday, Christmas, your graduation or even your wedding day then would you see that as a good enough reason to imobalize yourself with food?
I say this because yesterday I graduated from university and I ate a lot. That's actually an incredible understatement- I ate like a starved hamster, I was Oliver Twist at the all you can eat buffet. I had at least 3 heaped plates of cake and sandwiches followed by a bowl of strawberries with whipped cream. Then, after I had just about recovered, it was time to head to the indian for a lamb vindaloo with a plate of mushroom rice and two chicken stuffed naan breads, all washed down with beer. I could not stand up. I would guess it was over 3000 - 4000 cals. Such a great day.
So would you ever do that? What's your thoughts?

Periodically I eat some really silly amount, but I wouldn't call it a binge. Sometimes I have an objectively good reason (birthday, holiday), sometimes I don't. Now that I'm in maintenance, my overall strategy is to eat a little less than my maintenance calories most days, and substantially more once a week or every couple of weeks. So far it's working (4 or 5 months now in my maintenance weight range).

While I was losing, I ate lots on a few occasions, but tried to limit it to actual special occasions. I ate 5000 calories a couple of days ago, when maintenance is probably down around 2100. It'll be fine. Personally, I always log it to the best of my ability (from memory, using the MFP database, not low-balling my choices), because I like having the data.

Frankly, from your description, I'd be surprised if what you ate was as little as 3000-4000 calories. But, regardless, don't fret about it. It was definitely a special occasion - once in a lifetime, for this particular degree, right? Just get right back on your healthy path - you'll be fine.

paradi3s

By my definition, binging is eating with little to no consciousness, if that makes sense. I've had episodes of this while recovering from anorexia, and believe me, stuffing my face with random things around the house as a way to emotionally cope or make up for my restriction was not fun. I've had episodes where all I ate was butter and sugar mixed together and some other things i forget, and the feeling of not being able to stand up and even move or breathe is the worst.

I don't like binge eating, but the splurge every now and then is nice!

tech_kitten

I feel like it's necessary to indulge yourself with a splurge on occasion.

goldthistime

It's funny, I have had a hard time understanding why people found the use of the term addiction (as in sugar addiction) to be so offensive, but the misuse of the term binge (which I consider to be an unhappy out of control self-harming state) actually helps me understand.

Anyway OP, glad you had a great day. I had a splurge weekend too and I'm bound and determined to run a small deficit every day for the next two weeks to compensate.

Francl27

That's not a binge. That's overeating, or yeah, splurging.

And it's what I did yesterday. I was very hungry... probably ate over 4000 calories and I was still hungry after that... then TOM showed up. So I guess that explains it.

I'd venture to say that if you had 3 heaping plates at the buffet plus dessert and another big meal, plus beer... you were probably closer to 8000 calories though... possibly 10000... My food was a small breakfast, 1 full buffet plate, 2 very small ones, then half an Italian dinner entree, a small salad, a bit of bread, and a small dessert... It adds up faster than you think.

RealRelicVa

Not if its habitual. I can control the hell out of my appetite except after 7 pm. That's why I am trying hard to be asleep by nine. As football season draws nearer, this will become more and more difficult.

ARGriffy

I had a day like this yesterday, I had a roast pork lunch (pork belly, roast pots, mixed veg including cauliflower cheese) with icecream (one scoop but a big one!) For dessert, totally stuffed but later on we got hungry again and had a cheese fondue!! Cheese alone had to have been about a full cup of melted cheese and wine, along with bread, chorizo, bacon and other snacks to dip in it, to top it all off I had a massive glass of wine. I'd genuinely say I must have passed 4000 cals which is literally unheard of for me! However I'm maintaining not losing, I had an amazing day with family and damn it all tasted good!! I'l just be super lean today and tomorrow and all will be fine!

zyxst

When you're* saying "I must've eaten 4000 calories", are you logging it or not? I log my IDGAF days the best I can. Then I know later why I gained.

*the royal you, not a specific person