Binging makes me...happy?

AnnieintheN0rth

I have always had a problem with moderation. I tend to want to binge when I felt sad, anxious, bored, lonely..anything negative. It lead me to being extremely obese. Two years ago I managed to lose 8 stone but since then my circumstances took a turn for the worst. I moved country and ended up very far from friends and family, with no job from months on end and, therefore, no money to take language classes. Isolation and painful loneliness were constant. Enter Nutella.
Long story short: I put back on 3 stone which I'm now trying to lose again. Half way there If I can say so myself, I've been doing pretty well on my new eating plan.

Here's the thing, yesterday I had a absolute turd of a day. I felt like crap. I tried everything I knew to pull myself out of that funk. I spend time outside in the sun gardening, I went for a walk, I met up with a friend for a chat, I cuddled my dog, read a good book. Nothing really worked. At about 7.30pm, I gave in and said 'Feck it' and made a pot of vegan mac and cheese. I proceeded to eat the whole thing. Followed by a chocolate bar, bread and jam and other sweets things. As much as I didn't want it to, it worked! For the few hours after that my mood was up...more than that I was happy! I went to bed content and with a big smile on my face.

What is up with that?!?! Binging made me feel genuinely happy, relaxed and put my mood back on track. I feel like an additive describing a 'fix'. Does this happen to anyone else? What is going on? I wasn't starving myself so that's not why the extra calories but me back on an even keel. I'm back eating healthily today so I'm not too worried about a one-day slip just shocked at how much the binge effected me.

LazSommer

doctor

DebSozo

Serotonin and "feel good" neurotransmitters are released

babypunkprincess

DebSozo wrote: »

Serotonin and "feel good" neurotransmitters are released

Exactly this. Maybe try to have a full binge/cheat day once a week? I had one yesterday and loved it. Giant bowl of cinnamon toast crunch for breakfast, 3/4 box of mac and cheese and an entire store bought thin crust Multigrain pizza (smaller pizzas then say delissio) and as much as I loved it, I feel sick today and don't want to eat crap again. I always have this feeling till my next cheat day lol.

Ricksh1000

I seem to be exactly the same (although i don't consider it a cheat). I have one night per week / per 2 weeks where i just go for it. Its like i can go so far on a deficit but my body suddenly says 'need banquet'!!
Enter chocolate night / beer night / dining out.

Once this occasion is done I'm back in the groove for days on end

kommodevaran

Unpleasant things tend to happen. Food can be soothing and calming. I suggest eating food you like every day so you don't get strong needs for a "fix". Learn to enjoy eating without harming yourself. But you are definitely heading in the right direction. Eating made you feel good, even though you ate more than you had planned that day. And nothing bad happened from it. I'm really really glad to hear that. We get so many stories filled with guilt and shame and bashing of self. Moderation for you can be an occasional feast, just when you need it most.

DebSozo

Eating at maintenance levels feel like a "feast" for me.

Rosefern1

Sounds like you are a lot of carbs. Carbs make you feel good.

ryry_

I've been there. No easy solution. I've found keeping my calorie deficit moderate eases the need to binge. Also working out consistently feels provides the same pleasure without the bad side effects which definitely helps.

DebSozo

ryry62685 wrote: »

I've been there. No easy solution. I've found keeping my calorie deficit moderate eases the need to binge. Also working out consistently feels provides the same pleasure without the bad side effects which definitely helps.

This is helpful advice. I found changing my deficit to be -250 calories a day definitely made me more comfortable and able to adhere without constant hunger. OP try to figure in 0.5 pound weight loss a week. This may seem small but can equal 25 pounds in a year if you can keep it up. Plus the adjustment up to maintenance calories when you reach goal is easier, IMO.

Francl27

Do you log everything? I know that, personally, seeing the big red numbers kinda puts a damper on my short-lived happiness and makes me realize what the long term consequences are.

LiftandSkate

Book: Brain Over Binge. Buy it. I struggled with this for a long time. There is no quick, easy fix. The further away from it you get, and the more you move towards health and fitness, the less you will think that binging makes you happy. You will learn to recognize it for what it is: an unhealthy coping/soothing mechanism that induces misery and just isnt worth it.