Binge eating

halmej

How do you not beat yourself up? And how do you avoid binge eating? It usually happens when I am tired or my kiddos go down for a nap.... I start and just can't stop

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drayesmith

We've all been there. I try to switch out whatever I'm craving with something healthy. I usually crave salty/crunchy so I'll try popcorn. If I end up binging anyway I go ahead and journal it and make healthy choices the rest of the day.

halmej

Thanks! I used to always give up journaling because I didnt want to record a Binge! But this time I am recording every single thing. Hopefully seeing how many calories I eat in a few minutes of weakness will help me

GemstoneofHeart

I agree with logging. It's important to actually see what you are eating written out. It gives you some sense of control, even if it is just information.
Also, I highly recommend seeing a counselor. I am a recovered binge eater, and through counseling I was able to figure out why I do it and gain control.
Since you mentioned you tend to do it when you put the kids off to bed, are you possibly just wiped out and need sustenance? Or comfort? If you don't already, try to snack on nutritionally dense food throughout the day while the kids are up so the hunger doesn't plague you the moment you have time to yourself. Kids sure are tiring!

descene

For me, it's in realizing the futility of beating myself up. I just don't see the point when all it will make me do is feel worse about myself and become another obstacle between me and what I want. When I am accepting and patient with myself, I find I feel the best about myself and have an easier time accomplishing my goals. So in the moment, I try to realize the only thing that will fix this situation is dusting myself off and getting right back up. It's in making the habit of going there in your head first instead of going to that dark place. The pathways in our brain get more pronounced the more we access certain thoughts, so the more you exercise your "positivity muscle", the easier it is to use it.

Me, I tried that "full permission to eat" thing because it made a fair bit of sense to me. And at least in my case, it seems to have decreased my binging. The problem with that technique though is it's extremely counterproductive at first. You will eat, and you will gain initially, and progress isn't as fast as abstaining. But my attitude about food is way different now. I used to eat like a starving animal in the wild, like somehow if I didn't finish that bag of chips someone would take it from me and I would be deprived. I guess it's made me realize that food isn't going anywhere; I have the choice to enjoy it whenever I want. I don't have to enjoy my favorite foods every day all at once and make myself sick, they're options I always have, so now that I've finally realized that it's much easier to choose them less often.

cmriverside

yeah, keep logging the food.

I've had several days in the past two weeks where I've eaten double my recommended calories. I went to a couple special events, and then there was this ice cream half-gallon I bought. . .

It all works out for me. I tend to eat a bit less on the days after. Not under my calories by more than a couple hundred (if that,) but I haven't put on weight doing it. I have an unbroken food diary streak of nearly three years. There are a lot of high calorie days in there and very few under days. Still maintaining.

halmej

Thanks so much for the feedback and ideas!! I need to remember that the weight didn't accumulate in a week and it definitely won't go away fast either!

Wiggymommy

I used to have my binge moments but recently I doubled my protein and those "need to eat everything now" feelings went away. It's been about two weeks in and I even got past that time of month (when it's the worst). I'm not sure if this is just a coincidence but I will continue to keep the protein high because it seems to work. Maybe you could try it out?

PositiveChange2013

I've had an issue with binge eating and drinking now for the past two months. I was hoping to be down to 180 by Labor Day weekend. Instead, I'm up to 192. I know what the problem is and the reason why I've been binge eating and drinking. I'm in the process of forming a plan to help with those problems. In the meantime, I view yesterday as a reset day. A day to get back on track and continue on toward my goals.

We all binge eat for a reason. We just need to understand what that reason is and work on a solution. In the meantime, don't punish yourself for binge eating. Absolutely don't figure that since you've ruined your diet for the day, that you may as well continue eating badly since "tomorrow is another day". Look at your binge as just that: a binge. Then work on eating right the rest of the day.