How is binge mentality treated?

AnnPT77

CarvedTones wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

CarvedTones wrote: »

ahoy_m8 wrote: »

All of this is such good advice. There is one thing not mentioned yet that is make or break for me: avoid undereating. Sure, you don't want to overeat if you are trying to lose weight, but people often don't recognize undereating is just as counterproductive. When my deficit is too steep, I can hang onto it for a few days, but basically I am a binge waiting to happen. The ultra-lo-cal-weekdays-binge-weekends describes the whole decade of my 20's, so I can relate.

Seriously, it is worth taking a moment to reevaluate whether your calorie goal is appropriate (deficit not too aggressive) for your current weight/goal. Then plan meals so that you get enough on average to avert a binge. I'm not saying it is the whole answer and professional consultation on mental aspects would not help, too -- it would! But this is something you can take into your own hands starting tonight. It's amazing how much proper nutrition can impact how we feel mentally. Best to you!

I am actively working on that with some success. I did undereat for over two months this time. I have done it for longer in the past. I have only been tracking for the last couple of months and found out just how low my extreme diet was. I got a thread shut down for discussing it. The last few days I have gotten up to the suggested minimum or within 15% and just today saw the scale move down a pound, which helps overcome the ridiculous paranoia that I won't lose weight if I eat that much. It all sounds so simple when I discuss it rationally, but I am not always a reasonable person.

@CarvedTones , I've read several of your posts and commented on one or two. I'm in here on this one just to say how happy I am to read that you've managed to raise your calories to a healthy level, and are seeing reinforcing weight loss results.

None of us makes perfect progress perfectly, but you are clearly progressing in managing your challenges, and getting your feet on the path to success.

So wonderful - kudos! You can do this, just keep up this beautiful persistence when able, and return to it if there are any few difficulties along the way. Granny is cheering from the sidelines over here!

Over the 10 days prior to today, my average is within 15% of 1500 (the weekly report notes days within 15% since you don't hit the mark exactly each day). I still need to bump it up; only Thanksgiving exceeded 1500, and not by much.

It isn't just the paranoia about whether I will lose that is keeping my counts on the low side; I always ate light outside of bingeing. I am including "mini binges" like getting a couple of extra donuts in the break room or eating a dozen fun size candy bars from a candy dish during the day and "meal binges" where I went way overboard on purpose. A lot of the time I would have just a banana for breakfast and a salad for lunch.

Any protein in there somewhere, I hope? It's OK to eat a little unevenly day to day - I do that, eating lower most days to have an indulgent meal or day once a week or so. I don't think it's necessarily necessary to classify doing so as a mini-binge . . . though you, not I, know how you feel when you do it. Balanced nutrition does help on the biochemical side for most of us, though.

You're doing great, just keep bumping it up as you're able.

CarvedTones

Lately, lots of protein. My salads usually have poultry or fish (I don't eat mammal meat). I have started having either Greek yogurt or a protein shake with my breakfast banana. I limit starches so my sugar is kind of high (fruit mostly, but lately added some snacks back in). What I plan to do at the end of the day is weigh out enough pecans to fill the gap and give me some fat (and I love pecans). Because I eat lean proteins, I usually get whole milk Greek yogurt but still come up short on fat. I have started substituting boneless skinless thighs for chicken breasts sometimes.

An indulgent meal is one thing; the way I used to approach it is different - bread, appetizers, butter and sour cream on potatoes, heavy dishes like shrimp and grits, dessert and I would eat every morsel even if I felt full. I would make choices to get the most food. It's like I was trying to get fat.

AnnPT77

CarvedTones wrote: »

Lately, lots of protein. My salads usually have poultry or fish (I don't eat mammal meat). I have started having either Greek yogurt or a protein shake with my breakfast banana. I limit starches so my sugar is kind of high (fruit mostly, but lately added some snacks back in). What I plan to do at the end of the day is weigh out enough pecans to fill the gap and give me some fat (and I love pecans). Because I eat lean proteins, I usually get whole milk Greek yogurt but still come up short on fat. I have started substituting boneless skinless thighs for chicken breasts sometimes.

An indulgent meal is one thing; the way I used to approach it is different - bread, appetizers, butter and sour cream on potatoes, heavy dishes like shrimp and grits, dessert and I would eat every morsel even if I felt full. I would make choices to get the most food. It's like I was trying to get fat.

Excellent! You are doing really, really good things. Carry on, and thrive!

Lean59man

Some ways to avoid binging that work for me:

1) Avoid situations that allow binging. Don't go to restaurants with all-you-can-eat buffets, fast-food places, pizza parlors, take-out, etc. Just avoid restaurants and their over the top portions completely if at all possible.
2) Don't buy foods that are binge favorites like chips, cookies, donuts, candy, soda. Don't have this stuff in your home period.
3) Avoid prepared foods. Cook for yourself.
4) Eat food that fills you up for your allowed daily calories. Fats and protein, high fiber carbs. This is a healthy way to eat anyway.
5) Weigh or measure all your food.
6) Make note of when you binge. Become aware. Do you binge while watching TV for example?
7) Realize it is ok to be hungry and not eat. Repeat: IT IS OK TO BE HUNGRY AND NOT EAT.
8) Try to eat every few hours to avoid becoming too hungry. Look into 16/8 intermittent fasting.
9) Eat to live, don't live to eat. Do not center your hobbies or activities around eating or cooking.
10) When you eat, put your allowed food portions on your plate and take your plate to the table to eat. Do not put serving dishes on the table where you eat. This will help you avoid second helpings. You don't get second helpings.

elphie754

I can only speak of my own experiences regarding bipolar disorder and disordered eating, so the advice may or may not work for you.

The number one thing that has helped me is having support at home. I have two live in significant others that are absolutely wonderful and supportive of my not so great days. Granted, there are still down days, but recognizing that it is related to my mood and perceptions, rather than people actually being upset with me, has helped.

Having a great supportive medical team also helps. My primary care doctor, psychiatrist and therapist, all communicate with each other to help find the balances that I need.

These past two years, I have opted for electronic based therapy, over in person therapy. This gives me the freedom to write down what is on my mind when it is actually happening, verses waiting a week or more to discuss something that may no longer be relevant. This is truley helped with my explosive moods as well as binge eating. I know it's not for everyone, but it may be something to consider.

That being said, if you ever need a listening ear, my inbox is always open.

vingogly

kshama2001 wrote: »

Another vote for CBT, preferably with a professional, but meanwhile, this book on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was available in my library system, so perhaps yours as well.

The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person

Can thinking and eating like a thin person be learned, similar to learning to drive or use a computer? Beck (Cognitive Therapy for Challenging Problems) contends so, based on decades of work with patients who have lost pounds and maintained weight through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Beck's six-week program adapts CBT, a therapeutic system developed by Beck's father, Aaron, in the 1960s, to specific challenges faced by yo-yo dieters, including negative thinking, bargaining, emotional eating, bingeing, and eating out. Beck counsels readers day-by-day, introducing new elements (creating advantage response cards, choosing a diet, enlisting a diet coach, making a weight-loss graph) progressively and offering tools to help readers stay focused (writing exercises, to-do lists, ways to counter negative thoughts). There are no eating plans, calorie counts, recipes or exercises; according to Beck, any healthy diet will work if readers learn to think differently about eating and food. Beck's book is like an extended therapy session with a diet coach. (Apr.)

^^ Big plus for the Beck book - she also has a workbook for her program.

vingogly

CarvedTones wrote: »

I do have a psychiatrist and therapist for medication and counseling, respectively. I chose my therapist based on expertise in mood disorders and substance abuse, but I should probably broach this subject as well.

That's great. I would definitely bring it up with your therapist - if your therapist doesn't have sufficient training and experience in that area to help you with the binge eating, he/she can provide you referrals to therapists who do have the expertise. All the best.

LAWoman72

I don't consider it a mental disorder to eat like a starving animal following a day fueled by a piece of salmon.

Come see us on Eat More 2 Lose Weight if you'd like. Have a look around. I'm just starting but dang, my eyes are opened.

Mysteriously, since I've started eating, I haven't binged.

Hmmm.

Just a suggestion. I did fight, for years, my "mental illness" of eating like crazy after having starved myself (which, I feel, is not unlike the emotionally crippled reaction of gasping for air after holding your breath for 90 seconds, or the weak-willed, obviously childhood abuse-prompted jerking of one's hand back after touching a hot stove). Didn't work.

Because really, really hungry is really, really hungry.

Anybody can disagree with me...I'm no expert.