Binge eating/food obsession

singingflutelady

33bbcc33 wrote: »

Does exercising after a binge negate the calories you ate equally? I had a bad binge the other day (over 1500 calories) and walked a bunch the next morning then went to the gym and did about an hour half hiit on treadmill, weights, plus cut my calories that day by about half. It makes me feel relieved that I am burning off those calories and I calculate it so that it seems the binge never happened. Does all that work really help? I don't do this often, it just would be nice to know you can do something to "fight back" I guess. Plus it seems to put all those extra calories to use.

1500 calories is actually very low for a binge. Overeating by 1500 isn't hard to compensate for but binges that are higher are obviously much harder to work off.

33bbcc33

Gotcha. Is just a lot for me when every calorie counts. Makes me feel like I'm setting myself way back.

Fitgirllife72

singingflutelady wrote: »

33bbcc33 wrote: »

Does exercising after a binge negate the calories you ate equally? I had a bad binge the other day (over 1500 calories) and walked a bunch the next morning then went to the gym and did about an hour half hiit on treadmill, weights, plus cut my calories that day by about half. It makes me feel relieved that I am burning off those calories and I calculate it so that it seems the binge never happened. Does all that work really help? I don't do this often, it just would be nice to know you can do something to "fight back" I guess. Plus it seems to put all those extra calories to use.

1500 calories is actually very low for a binge. Overeating by 1500 isn't hard to compensate for but binges that are higher are obviously much harder to work off.

A binge for me is typically in the 5000 calorie range.

cmriverside

I feel out of control and like it's a binge at about 1500 calories over. It's subjective, no?

singingflutelady

Yes it's subjective but just found it interesting that 1500 is considered a very bad binge. I just come from the eating disorder perspective when binges are easily 10, 000+ calories

cmriverside

Oh, I know your history (sorta, what you share here, SF.) I have a history of compulsive behavior in a lot of different things, not just food.

It's progress not perfection, right? I used to eat a whole pie and a tub of Cool Whip. Now it's a half a pie and home-whipped cream, so...progress! I'll never cut out those foods entirely. It's a pleasure to eat them in a world with not enough pleasure.

So before, when I was not very aware, I would just keep eating. 220 pounds? How'd that happen? Oh. When we know better we do better. 1500 is better than I was, but it still isn't "control."

33bbcc33

Yea, there were days when I was younger and unaware of the importance of calories I'd eat a whole cake or tub of icing. But now that I count I know that each cookie I eat is 130 calories and each slice of pizza is 300 and each spoonful of pb is 100 and that alone is almost a third of my daily allotment but I can't stop so all I can do is count them up as I continue to eat. But seeing those other numbers does bring some perspective.

accepting_freedom

Thanks Bri for starting this thread! I think your honesty and willingness to face the facts is inspiring.

I have also been dealing with food obsession and over/under eating. I have found support in so many ways and am getting healthier and more balanced as I reach out. This app is one of those steps. Going to regular Overeaters Anonymous meetings has also been huge for me and sharing my situation with friends and family, being open amd honest. "You are only as sick as your secrets."

If I can love and support you and everyone else going through this I will. I don't know the extent to which this forum can be a medium for that intention but I hope it can.

T

skinnyfilly

You are never alone with this disorder. I have been binge eating since I was sixteen because I felt like I was never good enough. Low self esteem leads to this problem and OCD thoughts. The "last supper" mentality keeps you in the cycle. AKA...I will eat everything in sight and starve tomorrow to reach an unrealistic goal weight. Talking to yourself and being able to see the things that cause you to binge as a magic maze to get travel through as the hero/heroine. Give yourself "points" if you can get past the things that cause you to overeat. When you "play the game" with yourself and add up your points, go get a massage, CD, manicure, a call to a friend, any reward that helps you. The idea is to replace triggers with treasures and nonfood rewards....try the "Magic Maze" technique and let me know how the approach works. If you make a mistake, you can stop immediately and start over.

rhonnik

sandywaterbaby9 wrote: »

This book changed my life...and I don't state that lightly!

sandywaterbaby9 wrote: »

Oops...the book is called Made to Crave. Please check it out.

I just recently downloaded this book after reading a 21 day devotional based on it. It was so inspirational!

amy_kee

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amy_kee

sadinplaid wrote: »

waynefarrow wrote: »

Please feel free to add me, I was once diagnosed with something that I'd never heard of a "Binge Eating Disorder". In some way it was a relief to actually have a name for my compulsive behaviour I felt I always had. I've since come to terms with this but the battle goes on, I'm back on the straight an d narrow now and try to deal with this the best I can.

I felt the exact same way when I found out that this is an actual diagnosable thing in the DSM that many many people are suffering with. For a long time I just believed I was a loser with no will power. It's been nearly 11 months since I last binged, but I don't look at it as something that is cured but more like something that will most likely always be there that I just have to stay aware of.

Thanks. I already have a psychiatrist (for mental health reasons) and I saw online that he also treats patients with eating disorders. So, I think I will ask him for help with binge eating. It's been something that I've kept private, out of shame.

I appreciate all of you opening up in this topic and sharing. Thanx a thousand times over.
Amy

amy_kee

projectsix wrote: »

Yeah I have a binge eating disorder as well but adding friends on MFP I don't think can contribute to success in combating it much. Only YOU can fix the problem and if you really want to fix the problem long term, your go-to option is through a psychiatrist that specializes in eating disorders.

Do you see a psychiatrist for this? If so, how long have you been getting help for this?

UnicornAmandaPanda

I have been struggling with this for years... I would love a support system.. any of you guys please feel free to add me

LillysMomma09

I'm an emotional binge eater, have been my whole life. That's how I got to where I was, life was sucking for several years then I just got out of control, the eating became a habit and part of everyday.

But it's nice to see this thread and know we're not alone, lots of us struggle with this. With support of others even by a simple "like" on a post is so motivating, to know that someone has noticed your 10 minutes of walking or your 320 days of logging.

I honestly feel I could not have lost the 40 I have lost in the past 11 months if I didn't have my friends on here cheering me along.

Feel free to add me, we can support each other!

MelodieKindreeov

sadiepie05 wrote: »

You can add me. I've had a binge problem myself. The only thing that seemed to help me was upping my calories and eating a balanced diet. Having a plan and pre-logging really helps a lot also.

I agree with the pre logging it really helps me also!

autumn_romance

cuhris

Sometimes you may be dieting too harshly or rushing too quickly into a diet. I used to binge because of that. If you're used to eating a lot, you should slowly drop your calories/carbs instead of going cold-turkey.

annette_15

I've also struggled a lot lately.. I would recommend the book Brain Over Binge, it really shares some good insight into the thought process and brain chemistry that happens when you're in a binge(restrict/purge) cycle, and how to change it.

mysehana

Hey, you're not alone. If you need someone to talk I'm all ears. Sometimes I binge eat as a reaction to boredom. It is almost like an emotional filler when you're scared of some kind of void. I agree with people's advise to try and occupy your mind with other things like reading or drawing.

VeganFaceHole

This thread is so nice to read
I relapsed into binge eating again after 1.5 months clean. That was the beat two months of my life.
But I binged once and now im bimges 3x a week.
I gained 15 pounds in a month and indont know what to do.
I read Brain over Binge but it didnt really do much but make me feel guilty about my binges...

briannadora

I've eaten one of those microwavable oatmeal bowls, two bananas, a couple strawberries, half a jar of peanut butter, a couple snack packs of almond butter, an apple, a protein bar, and most of a protein shake. It's like I loose my mind while I'm eating and become like a ravenous animal. It all started because my family and a bitchy nutritionist told me I lost too much weight, ate at too much of a deficit (which at first I did, but towards the end I was fine) and that I cannot trust my body's hunger and fullness cues. With that being said, I got into the unhealthy habit of stuffing myself and now regulating myself is a constant battle. It's so overwhelming. I am going to see a therapist next week. How did I get so bad?

kristen5059

I also have a problem with binging. I have tried to keep just healthy items in the house. My husband keeps his snacks hidden in his shop. I also keep sugar free popsicles in the freezer in case I am feeling weak & need to snack. They are only 15 calories a piece so if I have 3 or 4 - I'm not killing my diet.

miratps

I'm fairly similar but I make sure my 'binge' essentially becomes IF if that makes sense. I will save all my calories till the evening, log everything before hand and then feast. It will include a big meal, yogurts, chocolate and protein bars.

logiatype

cuhris wrote: »

Sometimes you may be dieting too harshly or rushing too quickly into a diet. I used to binge because of that. If you're used to eating a lot, you should slowly drop your calories/carbs instead of going cold-turkey.

It's usually this for me. My worst binges have come after weeks/months of rigid dieting. Other times, I'll drastically under-eat, spend a lot of energy playing a sport, feel light-headed, then immediately binge.
Consistent eating and setting aside a few weekend calories for snacks helps a lot.

joemac1988

briislovely wrote: »

As the title states I have a binge eating problem which stems from having a food obcession. I would love to keep in contact with people like me with support.
Even if I'm eating healthier, I think about food 24/7. When I am going to eat next is always on my mind. And binge eating has always been a problem. I need friends like me and what helped you if you have these problems!!

Completely. What I'll do is plan a Saturday post-workout meal all friggin week. I'll look up restaurants, etc and spend all week lusting after what food I'm going to indulge in. Saturday, I'll kill a loooong heavy workout and then eat 2 bacon double cheeseburgers and platter of loaded fries or something like that. What I found is after doing this a few weeks my need to do this got less and less.

adzovi2009

please add me to these posts

Rowan09

I would definitely say I'm a binge eater but I've been doing well for about 2 weeks, which is longer than I've been before.
I make all my meals in advance (anywhere from 4-6 days depending on what I make). And I DONT SNACK. Snacking was my downfall and I just have to accept that right now I can't snack at all because I can't stop myself. Knowing that what I am going
To eat all day is ready and set aside helps keep my mind off of food, because I don't have to worrry (or Fantasize) about what I'm going to eat that day. I try to keep my meals around 400-500 each, so that way I'm also not competing with myself to restrict calories (something I've done before too- and then binged when I got too hungry.)
I also make food that I KNOW I will like. I'm never going to plan to eat a salad all week because I hate salad, and I know I'll ditch it for something else and that's when I get in trouble. So I focus on veggies I know I like and try to keep reasonable expectations for myself in what I'm going to make. Healthy choices, but ones I know I'll enjoy.

fruitydelicious

Muchabibi wrote: »

Please add me. I have struggled on and off since the age of 9, & I'm in my mid 40s now. I am 1st-gen American, came from a very passive, almost reclusive immigrant family & was taught that wasting food was immoral. After all these years I have come to find that it is absolutely NOT about the food---I have binged on both healthy & processed food, so I respectfully disagree that focusing on food you like can prevent a binge. I have had success so far in reflecting what event/s in my past triggered this coping mechanism. Still a work in progress

This is so true. I spent a year in counseling on a topic not related to food, but figured out I binged to calm nerves and protect myself. It is 5 years later, still struggling with losing weight, but have a stronger sense of who I am and what works for me. I also can binge on any type of food, healthy and junk.

For orginial poster: You may need to explore WHY you binge in order to figure out how to control it. Just a suggestion. Best wishes on your journey!!

nadinecurry1

Please add me guys I just ate a whole pizza and not feeling to well haha. I need help!