binge eating and overreating

Leila2289

Hey all,

I really struggle with binge eating and am not about 30 lbs overweight. I don't know if anyone else really struggles with it and has found any coping mechanisms.

Thanks

kommodevaran

I don't know if you can call it coping mechanisms (and I'm not sure if that's something you want to be looking for either), but for me, this has helped me enormously:

• Getting in a better meal structure - I sit down and eat four real, regular meals every day, as a rule don't eat between meals, and never skip any unless I'm positively stuffed. I plan my meals and eat what I planned. I allow myself to get pleasantly hungry before I eat. "The Hunger Scale" has been a helpful tool, and I often look it up to gauge my hunger/satiety.
• I eat enough, enough calories, and all the nutrients I need every day. A varied diet with food from all the food groups takes care of this.
• I don't deny myself anything, nothing is off-limit. I only eat food I like, and enjoy every bite.
• I don't divide foods into good/bad, healthy/unhealthy, clean/unclean, processed/unprocessed. Food have different nutritional profiles, and there are only better or poorer diets.
• I don't buy any foods that aren't for planned meals. This means keeping trigger foods out of the house. I eat cake, ice cream, chips, chocolate, but only on occasion, and never home alone anymore.
• Aiming for 8 hours of undisturbed sleep every night. I try to wind down in due time, and don't eat or drink two hours before bed.
• Getting some fun and exercise every day, preferably at the same time.
• Working to reduce stress and challenging negative thoughts.

Leila2289

thanks for the help. Do you plan what you are going to eat the day before?

kommodevaran

Yes. I live alone and have a pretty predictable schedule, so I can plan a lot a long time in advance. I use a spreadsheet; I find that easier for the planning part, than the food diary (I don't even use that anymore). I plan so that I can both use up persihables in a timely manner, and get tasty combinations. Each meal have their own templates, so I just fill in the details when I know what I am going to eat. When I want something in particular, I find a "slot" for it. Dinners follow a weekly rotation; Fridays are reserved for experiments and whims. The meal plan is filled in more and more completely as "tomorrow" approaches, and I stick to that almost 100%, sometimes switch out or around minor details, but the main idea is always very clear the day before.

I like knowing not just that "I'm going to be fed", but eactly what and when I am going to eat (I don't have fixed meal times, but I will eat four times, so I have to make time for it). Dieting is a form of "food insecurity" even if we have imposed it on ourselves, deliberately and "voluntarily", so it's no wonder many people struggle with food after trying to lose weight. Meal planning has been part of my "treatment" for overeating and food resentment. I love food now, I don't abuse it anymore.

Leila2289

you like draw out your own template? wow I wish I had the discipline. Where do you get a lot of your recipes from? I am not a very good cook

02172009

I'm a binge eater as well please add me

kommodevaran

Leila2289 wrote: »

you like draw out your own template? wow I wish I had the discipline. Where do you get a lot of your recipes from? I am not a very good cook

It doesn't take discipline, in the sense we usually think about discipline. A good plan just aligns your wants and needs. And I think it's fun, kind of a game/puzzle. The meals aren't fancy - breakfast is either two crispbread with some kind of cheese/meat/fish spread and a small glass of whole milk, or porridge with butter, and about 80 grams of raw vegetables, and a piece of fruit. Lunch can be the same as breakfast, and/or noodles, omelet, smoothie, hot cocoa, salad or leftovers. Dinner is either vegetable soup+dessert, or casserole, or a simple protein+starch+vegetable combo. Fridays are open for anything, and Saturdays are pancakes, pizza or cheese on toast+raw vegetables. Evening meal is fruit+nuts+vegetables, maybe smoothie, some delicious cheese, or Greek yogurt+nuts+honey.

I'm not an advanced cook, but I know enough to put together tasty meals for myself (which isn't, and shouldn't be regarded as, difficult). I don't use a lot of recipes, but when I do, I google [ingredients+recipe], and I just use them for hints and inspiration. Mostly I stick to my own, modified and simplified, favorites.