Binge eaters only. Loving food, too much, managing stress hormone over earing
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fatvegan88 wrote: »Intermittent fasting helped me to stop thinking about food 24/7.
I fast for 16 hours and I never eat breakfast because it makes me hungrier throughout the day.
I eat my first meal at noon and my second at 6 and I feel a lot less hungry than when I was eating 3 meals a day. I don’t go to bed dreaming of pancakes or something anymore and I just drink water if I am hungry.
i can relate so much, drastically stopped my all-day cravings and morning hunger with alternate-day fasting (ADF). i am not counting caloriea at the moment, just eatinf intuitively but fasting the next day. made it to seven days without a binge (and failed at a dinner hahah) but it's amazing for me. i really really recommend it1 -
diannethegeek wrote: »wibblewobblejellyontheplate wrote: »I love food. In the morning I think about my breakfast, then a snack then my lunch then my tea. It’s frustrating as as my stress levels increase or hormones (monthly time) go out of whack I just want the eat, a lot.
I want to eat when I get in from work and it’s gotten worse recently. I have young children so can’t just go out swimming or to the gym.
Any ideas? Or support? Bingers only please x
I love food and I have a lot of food issues and I'm definitely an emotional eater. But my binge eating episodes are hardly ever because I just love food so much. I don't think of binge eating and the enjoyment of food as being linked. Personally, my binges (true binges, not just episodes of overeating)are almost always triggered by something else. Working with a therapist has helped me find some of those root causes and come up with some strategies.
I'm really sorry you're going through trouble with binge eating right now. I really hated that. Feeling like someone else had taken over my body to shove food down my throat was awful and I hope that you find some relief from it.
This. When I binge eat, it's not about loving or enjoying the food. In fact, there are times during the binge when I think "why am I eating this?" "I don't even like this." "I'm so full." But, I can't stop reaching for more food.0 -
In my experience binge eating is usually related to "fixing feelings". We want to escape/change the way we feel and use food to do that.2
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I'm still struggling with this, but I'll share what has helped reduce my cravings to binge-eat. First of all, I'm very careful to not let myself get hangry. My body seems to overreact if I get too hungry and all I can think about is eating and all I crave is bad food. And then the normal amount of food is never enough - I'll eat dinner but then just keep eating afterwards until I'm miserable. There are also certain foods I absolutely cannot have in my house because I will binge eat them; for me, it's salty snacks like chips or Cheez-Its and I will not buy them anymore. I have to be especially careful when I'm feeling bad - either emotionally or physically - because I get it in my head that food will fix those bad feelings and will just keep eating. I've managed to structure my days I work to keep from most binge triggers, but my days off I still struggle when I'm home alone. When I binged more often, it was always alone, either in my car or my house, and happened almost every time I had a day off. I am still working through that, but I find if I make healthy snacks easy to grab and give myself fun activities to do on my days off that I look forward to instead of lying around being a bum and watching Netflix, that I'm less tempted to binge. I am also trying to understand what I'm thinking and feeling when I'm wanting to binge and find productive ways to handle the stress/boredom/anxiety/hanger/perfectionist thoughts and feelings.
Hope that gives you some ideas! Wishing you the best on your own journey.2 -
jsminer827 wrote: »Even after losing about 50 pounds in the last 6 months, I still go on an occasional binge. It's usually after several days of denying myself something because it doesn't fit in the plan. So I log it. Even when, afterwards, I realize that I blew my entire deficit for the week, I log it. And then I get back on the wagon and try again at the next meal. The commitment to logging is what makes me aware of it, because I'm surely not bingeing because the food is so delicious. I'm bingeing because I had a bad day or my feelings are hurt or whatever other excuse I could find to stuff my face with something unhealthy.
I have found that if I binge and then try to restrict to get myself back on track, it's a recipe for continued failure. Give yourself some grace - we all make mistakes, whatever the reason for the binge, it's done now. So start back with you next meal being balanced and carry-on. Over months and months it will be but a blip in the radar every so often...
It wasn't the blips that made me fat... it was the upward trajectory of calories overall - reversing that trend was the first step. The blips are just signs that we're humans, even when we know food is fuel and not going to make us feel better because we had a crap day, I'm still a human. 50 pounds proves I can do it, even though I still make mistakes.
this is one of the most inspiring and useful things i've ever read on binge eating... simply thank you, i will read next time i doubt
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Wow what brilliant responses thank you for sharing. I want to sit down with pen and paper and take notes.
I think carbs give me a bit of a rush when I’m down, today was pancakes../. 4, 1 wasn’t enough!
It’s hard with children, cold weather and being around lovely food feeling a little miserable.
Oddly I did notice a few weeks ago that when I binged on one day, intake approx 4000 kcal (!) when I kept the rest of the week around 1800 kcal I actually lost not gained weight!
I’m worse before my monthly time, but feel I have to be slightly obsessive about planning meals etc. Years ago I would be working and muss lunch or breakfast and would semi binge in my evening meal but was slim, made healthier choices.
When I was ill recently I felt what it was like to have limited appetite and it was bizarrely liberating I could eat a slice of cake and didn’t want another- I was full.
I notice when my husband and I have pizza I ask that I only have a small plate half filled with salad, if you filled my plate with just pizza I would eat it all, whereas my husband stops and can’t eat any more because he is full.
I can be perfectionist, am a bit of a people pleaser, I work with very ill people and which can be sad and am prone to very mild depression and I know that food often gives me a “lift” in mood- whereas I have friends who find a drink helps them.
Give me a pack of biscuits and I will never want one I’ll want the lot or none. I’ve tried the whole normal person apparoach it take one, savour it don’t feel guilty but nope I still want the lot.
As I said my one way of managing my weight appears to be moderating portions during the week- but the math doesn’t add up as my binge says I can consume quite a few calories but as long as I don’t keep bingeing then I appear to not gain.
I just wish something else in life gave me a boost like food does.0 -
It’s not just sweets cakes and biscuit. Today before the pancake incident I was happily making myself a salmon wrap, I had one it was divine, the wanted another had one then moved to pancakes! So I can overeat on seeded salmon avocado wraps! 90 percent of the time carbs are involved. It’s definitely related to emotions- boredom, stress and just feeling flat. There is also just part of me that’s a greedy piggy unless I’m in a great mood put food in front of me and I find it hard to resist.0
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singularlysarah wrote: »
I'm still struggling with this, but I'll share what has helped reduce my cravings to binge-eat. First of all, I'm very careful to not let myself get hangry. My body seems to overreact if I get too hungry and all I can think about is eating and all I crave is bad food. And then the normal amount of food is never enough - I'll eat dinner but then just keep eating afterwards until I'm miserable. There are also certain foods I absolutely cannot have in my house because I will binge eat them; for me, it's salty snacks like chips or Cheez-Its and I will not buy them anymore. I have to be especially careful when I'm feeling bad - either emotionally or physically - because I get it in my head that food will fix those bad feelings and will just keep eating. I've managed to structure my days I work to keep from most binge triggers, but my days off I still struggle when I'm home alone. When I binged more often, it was always alone, either in my car or my house, and happened almost every time I had a day off. I am still working through that, but I find if I make healthy snacks easy to grab and give myself fun activities to do on my days off that I look forward to instead of lying around being a bum and watching Netflix, that I'm less tempted to binge. I am also trying to understand what I'm thinking and feeling when I'm wanting to binge and find productive ways to handle the stress/boredom/anxiety/hanger/perfectionist thoughts and feelings.
Hope that gives you some ideas! Wishing you the best on your own journey.
Really interesting thank you! I can overeat in any setting but my bingeing yo overcome emotion is almost always alone. Like you at work if I’m busy then o don’t but if I’m stressed and working hard I reach for sugar in any form and when I get home from work... well!singularlysarah wrote: »
I'm still struggling with this, but I'll share what has helped reduce my cravings to binge-eat. First of all, I'm very careful to not let myself get hangry. My body seems to overreact if I get too hungry and all I can think about is eating and all I crave is bad food. And then the normal amount of food is never enough - I'll eat dinner but then just keep eating afterwards until I'm miserable. There are also certain foods I absolutely cannot have in my house because I will binge eat them; for me, it's salty snacks like chips or Cheez-Its and I will not buy them anymore. I have to be especially careful when I'm feeling bad - either emotionally or physically - because I get it in my head that food will fix those bad feelings and will just keep eating. I've managed to structure my days I work to keep from most binge triggers, but my days off I still struggle when I'm home alone. When I binged more often, it was always alone, either in my car or my house, and happened almost every time I had a day off. I am still working through that, but I find if I make healthy snacks easy to grab and give myself fun activities to do on my days off that I look forward to instead of lying around being a bum and watching Netflix, that I'm less tempted to binge. I am also trying to understand what I'm thinking and feeling when I'm wanting to binge and find productive ways to handle the stress/boredom/anxiety/hanger/perfectionist thoughts and feelings.
Hope that gives you some ideas! Wishing you the best on your own journey.
In the U.K. weather is miserable and weekends when feeling worn out and looking after little people it can be a real challenge.
Interesting with regards to that hit from food. When I’m on holiday I’m the only person that comes home slimmer, I relax, get enough sleep and enjoy the beautiful salads etc.
It sounds like you have been your own car therapist and have done some brilliant self reflection. Well done! Thank you for posting. The hangry tip is interesting I’m like that too, although if I snack a lot I can snack too much and think of food too much if that makes sense?
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diannethegeek wrote: »wibblewobblejellyontheplate wrote: »I love food. In the morning I think about my breakfast, then a snack then my lunch then my tea. It’s frustrating as as my stress levels increase or hormones (monthly time) go out of whack I just want the eat, a lot.
I want to eat when I get in from work and it’s gotten worse recently. I have young children so can’t just go out swimming or to the gym.
Any ideas? Or support? Bingers only please x
I love food and I have a lot of food issues and I'm definitely an emotional eater. But my binge eating episodes are hardly ever because I just love food so much. I don't think of binge eating and the enjoyment of food as being linked. Personally, my binges (true binges, not just episodes of overeating)are almost always triggered by something else. Working with a therapist has helped me find some of those root causes and come up with some strategies.
I'm really sorry you're going through trouble with binge eating right now. I really hated that. Feeling like someone else had taken over my body to shove food down my throat was awful and I hope that you find some relief from it.
Thank you for your empathy. That’s how is feels just grabbing carbs and consuming like there is no tomorrow. It’s not a. It’s not a nice place to be but it sounds like you have done brilliantly at combating it! Where did you find your therapist?
I once spoke to a therapist who made me think about food more she kept saying why not have a really big breakfast that you love... I hadn’t been skipping breakfast previously but the have everyone you love to eat approach didn’t work... perhaps running before I could walk....
Thank you again for sharing and replying, it’s so helpful and means a lot.0 -
ilovejasonlantz wrote: »Intermittent fasting helped me to stop thinking about food 24/7.
I fast for 16 hours and I never eat breakfast because it makes me hungrier throughout the day.
I eat my first meal at noon and my second at 6 and I feel a lot less hungry than when I was eating 3 meals a day. I don’t go to bed dreaming of pancakes or something anymore and I just drink water if I am hungry.
this! i have been researching this for myself and believe i need to learn to do this. I tend to binge during the week before TOM ( ugh ) but the other 3 weeks i do great. I think i can relearn this behavior with fasting to retrain my brain. thanks!
This is really interesting thank you. I don’t want to obsess about food more but I found the eat regularly and things you love approach to be a nightmare. What I’m slightly scared of is challenging my low moods without food. Thank you for sharing x0 -
I am 51 and I have binged all my life , I don't eat 2 pieces of chocolate , I eat the whole box , I don't eat 1 doughnut I eat the whole box , I never ate breakfast , I maybe wouldn't eat til after 4pm , but then I would eat all night , into 2 or 3 am , bag of chips half a pizza , whatever i had . I am in so much pain , I have arthritis , and lymph edema so one of my legs is huge . my birthday was jan 16 and I am done , overeating and binge eating , I can not just do it once a week or give myself a cheat day , I have to stop it all . So I am doing low carb/ keto diet . This diet works for me , I can binge on pepperoni , or cheese or pork rinds , stuff I am aloud to have . But I am not even doing that , I am following the diet right . I am losing weight , and my legs feel better, but I will never be rid of the binge , it will always be there waiting like a demon in the dark .1
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tammyfranks2 wrote: »I am 51 and I have binged all my life , I don't eat 2 pieces of chocolate , I eat the whole box , I don't eat 1 doughnut I eat the whole box , I never ate breakfast , I maybe wouldn't eat til after 4pm , but then I would eat all night , into 2 or 3 am , bag of chips half a pizza , whatever i had . I am in so much pain , I have arthritis , and lymph edema so one of my legs is huge . my birthday was jan 16 and I am done , overeating and binge eating , I can not just do it once a week or give myself a cheat day , I have to stop it all . So I am doing low carb/ keto diet . This diet works for me , I can binge on pepperoni , or cheese or pork rinds , stuff I am aloud to have . But I am not even doing that , I am following the diet right . I am losing weight , and my legs feel better, but I will never be rid of the binge , it will always be there waiting like a demon in the dark .
I am sorry to hear of your struggles. However you are tackling something you have struggled your whole life! That’s amazing and any success is success surely. I am exactly the same with one bite I want the lot. I am not excusing but think it’s just one of those things we will always have to manage . Just like I have a friend who has to watch what she drinks... because one is never enough.
I think if we work hard we can achieve this. Thank you for sharing and well done for making changes...!!1 -
singularlysarah wrote: »
I'm still struggling with this, but I'll share what has helped reduce my cravings to binge-eat. First of all, I'm very careful to not let myself get hangry. My body seems to overreact if I get too hungry and all I can think about is eating and all I crave is bad food. And then the normal amount of food is never enough - I'll eat dinner but then just keep eating afterwards until I'm miserable. There are also certain foods I absolutely cannot have in my house because I will binge eat them; for me, it's salty snacks like chips or Cheez-Its and I will not buy them anymore. I have to be especially careful when I'm feeling bad - either emotionally or physically - because I get it in my head that food will fix those bad feelings and will just keep eating. I've managed to structure my days I work to keep from most binge triggers, but my days off I still struggle when I'm home alone. When I binged more often, it was always alone, either in my car or my house, and happened almost every time I had a day off. I am still working through that, but I find if I make healthy snacks easy to grab and give myself fun activities to do on my days off that I look forward to instead of lying around being a bum and watching Netflix, that I'm less tempted to binge. I am also trying to understand what I'm thinking and feeling when I'm wanting to binge and find productive ways to handle the stress/boredom/anxiety/hanger/perfectionist thoughts and feelings.
Hope that gives you some ideas! Wishing you the best on your own journey.
That’s really great thank you! What fun things do you do on your off days? Your feelings of boredom/ stress/ anxiety and associated bingeing all resonate with me too.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »I used to think a lot more about food until I changed what I ate - increasing protein and fruit, decreasing baked goods and foods made from flour helped quite a bit. Regular exercise and good sleep helps as well.
I agree completely with this. MY personal opinion is that sweets and fats are addictive. I am not sure there is any science to support this, but now that I have been dieting for 100 days, I find I crave them far less than before.
Last Sunday I took my 10 year old to Dairy Queen and didn't get anything for myself. A few weeks ago I got pizza for my wife and son, and I had a left over chicken breast. That would have NEVER happened 6 months ago. In fact, I gained 30 lbs in just over a year with poor eating habits.
My experience has been that the longer you diet, the easier it gets. YMMV.1 -
Talk to your doctor about Binge Eating Disorder. I did with mine, and I was prescribed 30mg of Vyvanse back in May. I've gone from 241 to 173 since I've been on it. It really has turned my life around.0
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Kazgorat may I ask what your diet consists of today?
I do believe eating can be addictive I’m not excusing it, but my dad was the same as was my grandma. My mum has always been a “love food but I’m full now” as have my siblings and man the maternal side. It’s too much of a coincidence to not have a genetic component. As are the low moods ...0 -
Eating, especially with family or good friends, can be a wonderful experience. I have habits that I had to reevaluate when I started my journey. Example, every time I watched a movie I must have popcorn and a soda. Then there are the times when I am bored or tired. I'd find myself in front of the fridge even though I wasn't hungry.
Make food an experience or an event. Don't treat it as a filler for the times you don't have anything better to do. Use that time to go for a walk or pick up a book.
Food is life. If you look at other cultures dinner can take 2-3 hours. They eat slower and with intention.
Try to eat with the intention of eating to the point of being satiated, but not over, with healthy delicious foods. Listen to your whole body not just your brain. Your brain is a creature of habit.0 -
Talk to your doctor about Binge Eating Disorder. I did with mine, and I was prescribed 30mg of Vyvanse back in May. I've gone from 241 to 173 since I've been on it. It really has turned my life around.
Lisdexamfetamine/Vyvanse isn't licensed for use in BED in the UK. The only medication licensed for weight loss in the UK is orlistat (Alli), which obviously works by a very different mechanism and isn't useful for BED unfortunately.0
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