Urges to Binge

Mistywolf3000

Day 3 and I'm not really overwhelmingly hungry but I want to just binge on junk. On my calorie restriction I've never felt "full", but I really miss the "full" feeling, hence the urges to binge. Anyone else suffer from the same thing?

fattothinmum

Always, unless I eat plenty bulk volume foods, instead of calorie dense ones.

seska422

For me, that's two different issues.

To get a full feeling, I eat several "servings" of veggies with my evening meal.

To satisfy my craving for junk food, I eat some of whatever it is that I'm wanting. I aim for about 80% of my calories from nutrient-dense foods and 20% from treats.

chulipa

I just drink diet soda when i feel like that and it helps

endlessfall16

You cannot feel full if you split your measly allowance into several meals.

This is why fasting, eating light and keeping busy with other fun things to save up the calories for a big, serious meal is easier for many. You won't miss out on that full feeling. I don't have that binge urge either since my big meals are binge-like already, size-wise.

daniel_parrett

couple things: check your weight loss goals. if you don't have much to lose, but you're trying to lose 2 lbs per week, you are going to have a hard time.

after that, it takes a little getting used to- not feeling stuffed after every meal. when I started I was 366 and I ate until I was stuffed every time. after a bit, you get used to it, and breaking down my calories into 5-6 meals helps me keep that in check. I can tell if I'm hungry because im hungry or if im craving something like a binge situation.

for junk food cravings, try to be satisfied with a single serving or a snack-pack version of something so you get the taste.

im sure tons more will chip in with more substantial advice, but it is a head game for the first couple weeks.

Out_of_Bubblegum

Like Daniel, I used to confuse "Full" with "Stuffed" - I would eat to the point of being uncomfortably full... and that was my normal.

I had to learn that "Hungry" is not the same thing as "Not stuffed"

Making sure I get enough protein helps quite a bit. When I start feeling anxious because I don't feel stuffed (which is the main reason that leads me to binge), I eat a reasonable snack - (usually with some decent protein or a high-bulking, low calorie food) - drink some water... and wait about 20 minutes, and the feeling disappears.

For me... Snacks and junk food are NOT off limits - just my portion sizes have changed. I measure out what snack will fit my budget for the day ( I usually leave about 15% for snacks), and I sit and deliberately eat it, enjoying the taste and texture, the quality of the snack, rather than just eating it mindlessly until the "stuffed" feeling returned as I used to.

If I try to ignore that feeling, the anxiety grows, and when I finally do eat... it becomes harder and harder to prevent the binge.

BrutalMeHonest

Drink water while you eat your meal, that helps a bit to achieve that "full" feeling. Bite, bite, sip. Ehh, I don't know. I struggle really bad with binge eating too so I'm following this thread. I will say though after 25 days of being on a restricted diet and using MFP, I went to binge on pizza and ended up putting most of it away because it just seemed unappetizing.

MoeAlotaibi

This is my first post, the title was little attractive. One thing you can do is whenever you have these thoughts, First, Acknowledge them, then try to separate them as if a different person is telling you to binge. I am sure you want to stick to your plan. To make the pervious statement powerful you have to say it back to the binging thought. It is hard at first because you are fighting a thought that have been powerful for long time, but once you keep beating down those thoughts, they will despair.

I used to eat when not hungry, plus binging hardcore. My binge thoughts have been getting weaker and weaker. Remember the binge thought, it only serves to make you eat but not happy. however when you stick to your plan, you will feel much happier.

Good luck

lifestylechange888

I totally get this, I love the full feeling! But I have lost almost 160 pounds and do not want to gain it back!! I have about 7 more pounds to make it to a weight I would like to maintain and I am thinking that when I reach it, I will let myself have one day of eating what I want and no tracking that day. But only one day a week. That way I will be able to behave the other 6 days knowing that I have the one day to eat it. I did this once before when I hit a weight I maintained for awhile and found that when I did this, knowing I was 'allowed" to eat this food and how much I wanted- I didn't really care. It's all a mind game and we need to stay busy and keep our mind and body away from the kitchen!