Binge Eating NEEDS to stop! Please Help!

MnWild74

Help my binge eating is out of control, i reached out to my Dr. for help and she all but told me there was nothing that can help me. I am 42 years old and have gained almost 40 pounds this year. i feel like i am out of control. All i want is to be in control of my weight and get healthy and energetic again. I start off great in the morning, then the "just start tomorrow" voice kicks in and i ALWAYS throw in the towel. If you are a binge eater, what are some tips that you have to stay motivated and or getting started on getting healthy and away from the binge.

tiptoethruthetulips

I am sorry your doctor wasn't much help, but I do think its about time you found another doctor. Your doctor should have been able to refer you to a counsellor or a psychologist who can help you with the issues behind the binging and strategies to overcoming it. Are there any community resources in your area you can access?

weightwatcher490

For me, there is always something that kicks off the bings- usually sweets or another carb. Do you have something that flips the eating switch?

MnWild74

Tiptoe with the insurance i have from work, it doesn't cover specialists I am not too please with her tone when i reached out to her. I agree its time to change Dr's. I've googled for other resources but so far I've come up with nothing. I am not a quitter & i know i will get the answers. Thank you so much for reaching out

kbmnurse

Get to a mental health professional. You are binging for a reason.

MnWild74

Im really not sure @weightwatcher490 i know soda and fast food for starers, however i am sure its due to all the sugar in both... something i need to pay attention too

MnWild74

Thank you @kbmnurse i will see if its covered under insurance. i am on a TIGHT budget unfourunatly

Starz_in_the_sky

I think the most important thing to discover is why you are binge eating; a specific foods, a specific emotion or feeling, or perhaps boredom.

For myself, my trigger is definitely boredom. When I am lazing about the house I want a "snack" and that snack becomes a meal and that meal merges with another snack that becomes another meal and before I know it I am so full I feel sick.

When I am busy I hardly think about food until I am HUNGRY. So as much as I love binge watching on Netflix I have tried to keep busy as much as possible. This does not mean I work out every day it can be as simple as board games with the family- really anything that will take your mind of food. Because when I am bored or lonely food fills this void.

I am not sure if this could be a similar trigger to yours or not but from one binge eater to another discovering your trigger is the most important thing because now before I eat I try to ask myself "are you actually hungry or do you just want something to do?"

In the mean time, while you are thinking on your trigger try to fill your cabinets and fridge with healthy alternatives. While you can over eat anything when you binge at least it will be less calories. When I first started out-again- last month the first thing I did was make sure I always have my favorite veggies on hand because 3 Tupperware containers full of carrots, green peppers, cucumber, and apples is VERY filling and delicious and still less calories than most candy bars or soda pops.

I hope any of my rambling was helpful.

From my one health newbie to another- good luck!

MnWild74

You hit the nail square on the head!!! It is boredom and Netflix too! You didn't ramble at all! You are inspiring! Thank you so much for your reply:) if you want you can add me so we can keep each other in check thanks again Stars..

rungirl1973

OK, this is something that I have struggled with for years and years. I did see a counselor/dietitian/psychiatrist for a number of years, but you mentioned that may not be possible for you right now.

The things that worked for me (and still work) are pretty simple.

1- Keep foods out of the house that you may use for a binge. For me, this included not having bread or sugar and flour in the house for a number of years. I had a serious problem.

2- Keep easy to eat foods in the house that will not start a binge. For me, this was fruit - easy to grab but not likely to lead to a binge.

3- Stay busy. For me, that included scheduling my time. Instead of, "tonight after work, I need to do laundry and clean the kitchen," I scheduled it out.

5pm-6pm cook and eat dinner
6pm-7pm load dishwasher, clean kitchen floor
7pm-7:30pm sort and start laundry

Etc.

My house has never been cleaner. LOL

Kullerva

Forget starting tomorrow. Start now. Meet yourself where you're at.

I'm a recovering (possibly recovered?) binger; I would eat too much then purge by exercising. (I was never a throw-up bulimic, thank God). The book "Brain over Binge" got me and my mom to stop binging. I haven't been out of control since. If you're data-driven and like control over your own life, it may help you.

I agree with other posters on keeping trigger foods out of the house. However, there is nothing (currently) stopping you from going out and getting whatever it is you want, so when you get triggered, you need a game plan. Maybe it's cleaning. Maybe it's reading, or playing a game, or walking the dog. I recommend having two or three favorite activities to turn to when you feel a binge coming on.

My binge mantra is: "Food won't fix it." Whatever it is, it won't! Food only fixes malnutrition and anorexia--not much else. If you're an emotional or bored eater, distracting yourself will prevent the binge from going on too long.

This is important: forgive yourself for binging. You really weren't in control--not completely--but you are taking control *now*. You are responsible for what you do. Responsibility and blame go together in our culture, but I don't really think that's fair. Blame or fault applies to past choices and decisions that you've made; responsibility is about the choices you make now, today, immediately. You can beat this. Good luck.

jbcisney

Starz and Rungirl are spot on.

1) You mentioned fast food and soda… once I got off those two things the cravings went away, I no longer feel I "have" to eat.... Also, I keep Pumkin Seeds in the office, my truck, and around the house... when I get bored I get a handful of pumkin seeds (with the shells) to chew on. Keep a lot of lettuce and low calorie soups around. When I first stopped eating fast food the cravings killed me, I would end up eating a whole head of lettuce, but it was only 50 calories and I was stuffed... after awhile the cravings died.

2) Bored: Got to find something to do; walk, ride, get out of the house if that is an option. Start a garden or container garden... keeps you busy and provides healthy food to eat later

strawbery542

I am a serious binger. It is normally triggered by emotions. Some things I have no control over (i.e. job), but I told myself that I am tired of people unfluencing my thoughts. I ordered a work book healing for damaged emotions, and went to work. I also enlisted the aid of accountability partners because everything else didn't work. I kept food out of the house, and I kept healthy food in the house; none of it worked because I would walk straight out the door and go over to (insert store/restaurant here). With the accountability partners, I send pics of food before I eat and also added workouts. The workouts release endorphins, and that helps.

MnWild74

@rungirl1973 you had some great ideas with the scheduling idea... yes unfortunately i can't go talk to anyone due to my insurance right now. but Bordom is HUGE for me. thank you again and if you are looking for a friend on here let me know

MnWild74

@Kullerva i DID start yesterday...i am so over feeling out of control... congrats on where you are in your recovery.. thats HUGE! so proud of you..

MnWild74

@jbcisney fast food and regular soda is my MAJOR trigger... it really is. Today is the first day i will NOT have either.. so far so good. i have given up both in the past and i remember now that you mentioned it the cravings went away.

MnWild74

@strawbery542 Thank you so much for friending me and becoming one of my accountability partners. I really appreciate it. And thank you to EVERYONE that has replied to this post, it means so much knowing i am not alone in this. Happy New Year everyone!

lauracups

I'm struggling too and gained almost 9 since October. My triggers are a bit different, emotional, death, loss and still caring for a difficult family member. ...I started therapy a few weeks ago but was awful the last week. Feel free to add. I still try to maintain humor!

fiddletime

My triggers are when I see some really yummy food and decide to "just have one". Especially free food at work, that someone brings in. I'm in a little backslide right now. But what's helped me in the past are 1) if I wouldn't buy it at the store then why eat it 2) free food should be avoided on general principal as it's the trigger for many people and is similar to 1. 3) I can only eat 1200 calories a day- and 700 shouldn't be junk food or alcohol.

The less trigger foods I eat the easier it gets. One day at a time.

cebreisch

I hate binge eating!!!! There are times when I feel like I just cannot control it!!! There are some things you can do to try to make things easier. Try not to keep those things in your house that you can't control yourself with.....mine include oreo's, certain kinds of ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, chili con queso. If you decide that you really want one of your trigger foods, go to lunch somewhere where you can get that. I'll go to Don Pablo's or some Mexican restaurant to get queso dip. I'll order a kids sized queso. That way at least I don't have it in the house and have to make an effort to go get it.

At your house, devise a "snack box". In mine, I have protein bars, snack baggies of pretzels, "Jif to go" peanut butter packets....snacks that are about 100 calories. I have a dorm fridge right next to it with Greek yogurt and string cheese, apples and bottled water in it. That way I have a "safe zone" to go get a snack.

You might consider talking to a counselor. That has helped me a lot deal with my binge issues and other food related stuff.

It's okay to get off track. Just log it as best you can....sometimes when I've thought I've totally blown the binge out of the water, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was. Granted sometimes it was even worse, but not always.

Just remember - it's not a case of if, but when. At least it's that way for me. Realize you're not perfect. People are imperfect beings, so you're going to mess up from time to time. Key is, not letting it get to you. Not to sound to much like a cliche - but it's like Dorie in Nemo - Just keep swimming. You'll get there.

MnWild74

I love the snack box idea! Thank you for sharing some great ideas! Happy New Year