Binge eaters only. Loving food, too much, managing stress hormone over earing
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I am also a binge eater I noticed I was a binge eater when I started on my weight loss journey and I started logging all my foods. I also do really well during the week when I have my routine with work & my kids but as soon as the weekend hits all hell breaks lose and I just eat and eat and eat with the family. I have also noticed how because I am so vocal with my goals to my husband and family I will hide and eat food when I am feeling emotional.0
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ha .. yes the hiding food .. its taken me two weeks of logging to stop hiding stuff from the MFP diary .. still hide eating from my wife though0
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For me...
First, I have to recognize the temptation/desire to eat/binge before it's too late.
Second, I know I only have so much will-power. If I sit around tempting food, it will eventually win. So I have to distract myself, or take myself out of that environment.2 -
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.4 -
Find a gym that has babysitting. It was a LIFESAVER for me.3
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I'm a binge eater. It's an emotional thing with me. When upset/bored then either I don't want to eat or I can't stop. One trick is to keep busy but that's not always possible. Another is to tell yourself that if you're still desperate for that that slice of bread/cream cake/packet of crisps/anything edible in half an hour then you can have it. Sometimes nothing works and the binge happens. If that's the case don't beat yourself up about it. Get back onto the healthy eating when the binge is over. Weight loss is a long term process. An occasional slip up won't stop it as long as you eat healthily more often than you binge.0
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I'm a binge eater myself. Something that has helped me was learning that research indicates that our peak enjoyment of our food happens within the first few bites.
Practicing more mindful eating can be helpful. If I'm going to eat a cookie, I sit down and I savor the cookie because it's a treat. When it turns into just gulping down as many cookies as I can before I get sick to my stomach, I know I'm not doing it because it tastes good or because I want food.
Also the earlier in the day that I eat, the harder it is to stick to my meal plan so I try to postpone breakfast as long as possible. I time my meals and snacks to try to head off my "weakest moments." So for me, the late afternoon is prime binge time. If I schedule a satisfying snack for around 3 or 4, I tend to do better than if I try to make it from lunch to dinner without eating anything.
What works for me might not work for you but I think if you're mindful of your eating habits and log honestly every day, you'll see where you're struggling and you can work through it.2 -
To be honest, I felt the exact same way until I cut back gluten and highly refined foods. (I have celiac for the gluten). My body reacts very strongly to sugar so for me if I go down the rabbit hole of trying to lose weight but sticking to a high carb lifestyle it won't happen. I will obsess over food, and be HANGRY. When I focus on protein first and carbs from whole unrefined sources a lot of those obsessions and desires pass. I don't focus on "low carb" I simply prioritize protein.1
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I'm a binge eater. I would rather not eat throughout the day so I could have an enormous and satisfying meal. 1 sandwich is never as good as 2 or 3. Being strict with my calories initially has helped my stomach shrink and I feel better now eating less than I do more. I am still an emotional eater, but I have to say as much as I didn't believe it, exercise seems to help keep me on a more even keel. I didn't cut any specific foods out, I just learned to budget in what I really want, and forgive myself the occasional day I go over...in fact, I plan for them. (I am totally eating half a key lime pie on my birthday in 5 months.)bethannien wrote: »I'm a binge eater myself. Something that has helped me was learning that research indicates that our peak enjoyment of our food happens within the first few bites.
Practicing more mindful eating can be helpful. If I'm going to eat a cookie, I sit down and I savor the cookie because it's a treat. When it turns into just gulping down as many cookies as I can before I get sick to my stomach, I know I'm not doing it because it tastes good or because I want food.
Also the earlier in the day that I eat, the harder it is to stick to my meal plan so I try to postpone breakfast as long as possible. I time my meals and snacks to try to head off my "weakest moments." So for me, the late afternoon is prime binge time. If I schedule a satisfying snack for around 3 or 4, I tend to do better than if I try to make it from lunch to dinner without eating anything.
What works for me might not work for you but I think if you're mindful of your eating habits and log honestly every day, you'll see where you're struggling and you can work through it.
That is the truth. If I am having something that pushes my calories over, then I make sure it is something I am going to enjoy enough to make it worth it. I am doing this to be happier, and feeling deprived isn't happy.1 -
Hi, Binge eater/dieter (yo-yoing) for 45 years! I never once ate a "normal" meal; either binging or dieting. Since October I started eating a "normal" meal for lunch or dinner. I do write my food in a notebook the night before so I can see what I will have the next day. If I need to make changes the day of, I do. How about with your kids putting on music and dancing around the house? I started going to Overeaters Anonymous (OA). They have some meetings with babysitters. I have been binge free for 90 days. One thing when I was binging is not to keep your trigger foods in the house. If I do want potato chips, you can get an individual portion. Because when I said I would start my diet the next day, usually a Monday, I would go out and get all my favorite binge foods (and that's a lot). But guess what, there would still be some in the house on Monday so I wouldn't start the diet. Clear out your house of whatever you binge on. The kids and you can eat healthy snacks. It is really, really hard but you can do this. So wish I was able to succeed at a much earlier age. Hugs1
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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
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