How do you stop yourself from binging?

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  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
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    I actually feel a binge coming on. There's nothing set for dinner. I see I gained a very small amount from yesterday which always puts a damper on my mood. That was why I said I would only weigh once a month. But someone close to me told me I need to do it at least every other week. Which then made me want to weigh after the first week and then 2 days later. Anyway, one time when I felt the binge coming, I put on shoes and took the dog for a walk. I came home and felt that I actually beat a binge. It was a great feeling. Sometimes if you can, just have a portion size or as others have said, don't even start. When I start, I cannot stop. One is never enough. The bag/bowl needs to be empty. Try to figure out what you food plan for the day is. See if you can incorporate some snack food in there or decide not to have the snack foods. It is very tough. Hugs
  • Sara2652
    Sara2652 Posts: 158 Member
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    For those who have seen professionals for BED were the therapist specialist for BED? I really don't think many therapist are well trained for BED.

    I was lucky and ended up in a great program for BED with a doctor who's whole career focus was BED and she was incredibly knowledgable. There were men in the groups, not many but I do think our society is slowly coming around.

    My BED is pretty well under control now, I think I've only binged 3 times in this past year. That doesn't mean I have been eating healthy or within my calorie range. My treatment for BED was helpful but I also had other mental health/health things going on that limited my success.

    Some oversimplified thing to do...

    Don't over restrict
    Keep logging
    Notice your thoughts, feeling, actions
    Set regular eating times 3-4 hours apart (this is important to help regulate hormones.)
    Don't drink your calories.
    Learning self-compassion

    there are a ton of other things too. I'm sorry you and the others here are having to deal with this its such a hassle.
    Best Wishes

    https://www.eatingrecoverycenter.com/blog/2016/03/01/7-myths-of-binge-eating-disorder-dr-julie-friedman
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
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    Just curious, is BED possible in a home without food?

    how about when the person is outside?

    I know it takes a lot of consciousness of many things to order a lot of food in a restaurant. It seems difficult to happen, no?
  • bonnie98de
    bonnie98de Posts: 1 Member
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    Bed is the worse. I exercise so good and often that if it wasn't for bed I'd have an amazing figure. Bed completely undoes my hard work. For me I need to not have even a bite of anything after dinner. And that is really hard because I'm a night binger. I have done very bad and what I'm deciding today is to quit it like a bad habit. Im setting a bad example for my son, I hate binge eating, I work too hard to not have results from my workouts, it makes me feel sad and is a vicious cycle. This has been the story of my life for years! All I want is a normal relationship w food. I think making it simplifies is a good idea. Deciding to binge starts w one simple choice.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    I just don't eat sugar anymore. I simply can't eat just one cookie/donut/cake/tiny scoop if ice cream. Just a taste makes me want more and more. So I eat fruit, yogurt, etc instead. What do you typically binge on? Maybe we can help with some alternatives.
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
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    Geocitiesuser wrote: »
    If you are having a food binge 5 out of 7 days it is no longer a binge disorder and is more of a bad diet pattern. A "binge" for most people with a disorder involves eating to the point of being sick in a mental haze. If you're doing that every day you need professional help. If you're just over eating, eating sweets, and eating to satiation, that is poor diet and you need practice more will power.

    Not really the nicest words but I can't really describe it any different. That's not BED.

    It is important to understand the difference between BED and a sugar binge. Do you just binge on sweets or "junk food"? Do you feel an uncontrollable need to eat and then go seek out food or do you just over eat when food is offered? What happens if you don't eat 5 cupcakes? Can you stop and just want to continue eating because it taste good?

    I have BED and it's an eating disorder and it's horrible. I feel the need to eat and I can tell the difference between a craving and when I'm about to binge. If I try to resist the compulsion to eat it can become a much worse situation.

    If you suspect you have BED please get professional help, it's a mental health issue and those need professional assistance to cope with.
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
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    Geocitiesuser wrote: »
    I have binge eating disorder and have gone to many different health proffesionals for it and none of them were able to help me in the slightest. Not saying OP shouldn't seek proffessional help just that sometimes more is required

    Same. I feel especially as a man, I am shrugged off for any sort of eating disorder. I think therapy can be helpful for some, but I've had bad experiences trying to find therapy for binge disorder. I basically have gotten an eye roll and told to eat less.

    It's important to find someone familiar with BED. I found that many people even those who specialize with eating disorders have trouble treating BED.
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
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    Sara2652 wrote: »
    For those who have seen professionals for BED were the therapist specialist for BED? I really don't think many therapist are well trained for BED.

    I was lucky and ended up in a great program for BED with a doctor who's whole career focus was BED and she was incredibly knowledgable. There were men in the groups, not many but I do think our society is slowly coming around.

    My BED is pretty well under control now, I think I've only binged 3 times in this past year. That doesn't mean I have been eating healthy or within my calorie range. My treatment for BED was helpful but I also had other mental health/health things going on that limited my success.

    Some oversimplified thing to do...

    Don't over restrict
    Keep logging
    Notice your thoughts, feeling, actions
    Set regular eating times 3-4 hours apart (this is important to help regulate hormones.)
    Don't drink your calories.
    Learning self-compassion

    there are a ton of other things too. I'm sorry you and the others here are having to deal with this its such a hassle.
    Best Wishes

    https://www.eatingrecoverycenter.com/blog/2016/03/01/7-myths-of-binge-eating-disorder-dr-julie-friedman

    When I received treatment the first month at the clinic I was being treated for bulimia and it wasn't going well. After a month one of the doctors recognized that I didn't have bulimia and he contacted an associate who worked with BED and I had to go to a clinic in another state but it was worth it.

    I do the same things you do to cope with it and I've been doing well.
  • nickiphillips1
    nickiphillips1 Posts: 114 Member
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    I have binge eaten my entire life. In February, I cut out refined sugar. I am not saying this was easy. I also don't eat garbage any more. I am 47 and earlier this year I ate an entire box of girl scout cookies because I was bored or sad or they were just there.

    1- Cutting out refined sugar has made me stop craving sugar.
    2- When I do want to binge eat, I think about binging on broccoli or some other lovely food like that and I decide to pass - I also think more about why I want to binge
    3- I may eat some skinny pop dusted with dark chocolate if I really feel like I need to stick something in my mouth and I get full fast - it doesn't do the same thing for me like it used to

    It has only been three months. I have dreams about cookies with frosting and think about cake every once in a while. I have also lost 28 lbs. I swim almost every day. I made a choice to take control of my body and my eating.

    When I think about eating a cupcake or something like that, I don't really want it.

    I don't buy the junk anymore. I do have some dark chocolate and every once in a while I may have one square and I eat it slowly. But that may happen once a week or less frequently. If it isn't there, I can't eat it. I have healthy alternatives.

    You can train your body to not want it anymore.

    I eat 10 servings of veggies a day and only have a couple of servings of fruit with some veggies and protein in a smoothie after I swim each day. I limit having carbs with protein and that helps me from crashing.

    Meet with a dietitian and talk through your diet. That helped me.

    Good luck!
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
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    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    Just curious, is BED possible in a home without food?

    how about when the person is outside?

    I know it takes a lot of consciousness of many things to order a lot of food in a restaurant. It seems difficult to happen, no?

    If I have a binge compulsion and don't eat my condition worsens, my body itches uncontrollably, I get nauseous, irritable, violent, and even suicidal. The absence or presence of food does not have anything to do with it for me.

  • ashesnposies333
    ashesnposies333 Posts: 59 Member
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    It sounds stupid but I repeat to myself food is fuel, food is fuel. It mostly works, but not when there's pizza.
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
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    Rebecca0224 wrote: »
    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    Just curious, is BED possible in a home without food?

    how about when the person is outside?

    I know it takes a lot of consciousness of many things to order a lot of food in a restaurant. It seems difficult to happen, no?

    If I have a binge compulsion and don't eat my condition worsens, my body itches uncontrollably, I get nauseous, irritable, violent, and even suicidal. The absence or presence of food does not have anything to do with it for me.

    Wow that is so serious. Hope you get it under control.
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
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    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    Rebecca0224 wrote: »
    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    Just curious, is BED possible in a home without food?

    how about when the person is outside?

    I know it takes a lot of consciousness of many things to order a lot of food in a restaurant. It seems difficult to happen, no?

    If I have a binge compulsion and don't eat my condition worsens, my body itches uncontrollably, I get nauseous, irritable, violent, and even suicidal. The absence or presence of food does not have anything to do with it for me.

    Wow that is so serious. Hope you get it under control.

    I've done well with it the last few years. I spent time in a clinic, an actual clinic with specialist, and the binges haven't occurred as often and are not as intense. I learned good ways to cope and have developed a better relationship with food.
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
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    Geocitiesuser wrote: »
    I have binge eating disorder and have gone to many different health proffesionals for it and none of them were able to help me in the slightest. Not saying OP shouldn't seek proffessional help just that sometimes more is required

    Same. I feel especially as a man, I am shrugged off for any sort of eating disorder. I think therapy can be helpful for some, but I've had bad experiences trying to find therapy for binge disorder. I basically have gotten an eye roll and told to eat less.

    From a doctor or counselor? Doctors can be douches when it comes to any kind of mental disorder... and frankly so can mental health professionals. It took me YEARS and numerous therapists to find my current guy, and I wouldn't trade him for the world.

    It's disheartening during the search, but if you can keep trying to find someone I encourage you to do so. I never thought I would advocate therapy after the ignorant, drug pushing pieces of *kitten* I have encountered. Good therapists do exist, and they are life changing.
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
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    slaite1 wrote: »
    Geocitiesuser wrote: »
    I have binge eating disorder and have gone to many different health proffesionals for it and none of them were able to help me in the slightest. Not saying OP shouldn't seek proffessional help just that sometimes more is required

    Same. I feel especially as a man, I am shrugged off for any sort of eating disorder. I think therapy can be helpful for some, but I've had bad experiences trying to find therapy for binge disorder. I basically have gotten an eye roll and told to eat less.

    From a doctor or counselor? Doctors can be douches when it comes to any kind of mental disorder... and frankly so can mental health professionals. It took me YEARS and numerous therapists to find my current guy, and I wouldn't trade him for the world.

    It's disheartening during the search, but if you can keep trying to find someone I encourage you to do so. I never thought I would advocate therapy after the ignorant, drug pushing pieces of *kitten* I have encountered. Good therapists do exist, and they are life changing.

    This, a good doctor, therapist, or counselor won't push drugs on you and will take all concerns seriously and if they don't tell them to have a good day and walk out.
  • gmstevens37
    gmstevens37 Posts: 30 Member
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    Have the will to just say no from the get go. I find if I eat a little bit of a sugary treat, I just want more. Since I know what my weaknesses are, cookies and chocolate bars, I have cut them out. I keep a portioned banana bred in the feeezer. It just sweet enough, and I toast it or so takes care of the sweet and crunchy cravings.
  • baharal
    baharal Posts: 45 Member
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    I find that the food does not taste as good as expected so it doesn't make it worth it. I just found out that some of the Danton yogurts can be frozen, that may help the ice cream craving. And when I want a sweet I will have s spoon of peanut butter and jelly, just in the spoon, the jelly is way too sweet and it takes the edge off. But I still eat too much, I need to get better at preparing easy meals.
  • Lenala13
    Lenala13 Posts: 155 Member
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    I go for a run..or walk...I've found exercise to be a good craving suppressant for me, helps with eating due to boredom as well.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    So many people are in a guilt/purge deprivation/binge cycle.

    This whole "eat clean, eat 'healthy', eat the latest superfoods, buy my weight loss program" *kitten* the media throws at us.

    We are stronger than this.

    We are talented, intelligent, discerning, prudent, moderate individuals.

    We are not a clichéd housewife or couch potato.

    Eating a treat you've saved calories for every day is the real sort of 'healthy', dammit!

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