Binge eating

nina123genesis

Any tips or advice to avoid binge eating ? I do indulge in small treats that fit my calories most days, but there’s always that one day where I go nuts, realize what I did, and get upset with myself . It’s slowing my progress from losing 1lb a week to half a pound or to even no weight loss. It’s been a month of this ongoing nonsense and can’t seem to break it. I don’t really have anyone to talk about this to, hoping to start fresh tomorrow may 1st… I was a year clean, I hate that this is happening right when I’m near my goal.😞

PAPYRUS3

I've heard that this is a very popular book/podcast, etc., https://brainoverbinge.com/

You have to understand the 'why' you are doing this...are you not eating enough? - is it regular? is it emotional/stress eating? etc., etc.,

Good luck and sending you a hug🤗

tomcustombuilder

Don’t keep the foods that you binge eat in the house as it eliminates the will power factor.

ksharrell48

As a binge eater myself, I found the Brain Over Binge book by Kathryn Hansen (as referenced by Papyrus3 in the above comment) to be very helpful; it's by my bed on a nightstand so I can easily reach for it for continued encouragement and support on those many days I need it. I've highlighted the pages and paragraphs that really mean something to me and often those give me just the jolt I need to keep going without deprivation and most importantly, without bingeing. I wish you much success!

Rockmama1111

When I quit smoking, I constantly said to myself, "I am not a smoker." Repeated in my head all day like some kind of weirdo. Try it! "I don't binge eat." Put that sentence on some Post-its around your house.

Also, finding ways to replace the "activity" of eating is a good strategy. There are a lot of books and podcasts and videos on the subject and it might help to do some tough introspective work on why you do it.

But to help while you're working on breaking the habit, some tips that work for me:

• Log everything, even when you binge. At the end of the day, put it to bed and move on. I think for me, removing any kind of guilt for enjoying food and life while still staying in control (my choices/my consequences!) has been key to success on the scale.
• Raise your standards. For example, if you love cookies, don't waste your calories on store-bought packages that make it easy to just keep reaching for another (unsatisfying) cookie. Go to a bakery and get a nice big delicious cookie. Plan for it, log it, move on.
• Incorporate it into your day if you can. Good cheese is one of my danger foods. It feels pretty decadent to put a 1/2 ounce of finely shredded good aged cheddar on my eggs in the morning. I know I can have it, so I don't keep shaving off slices to stuff in my face. I know I want to savor it (it's more expensive) and use it wisely but deliciously, where I truly appreciate it.
• Chips and snack crackers are weird for me. I don't even care for them that much, but if they're in the house, I will grab handfuls without even thinking. And trail mix! Holy cow. I do not know why. I can't buy them.

Sometimes I get a hankering for something and cannot get it out of my brain. This doesn't really fall into the category of bingeing (more obsessing over a specific thing), but my strategy might help: I just do it. I pick a day later in the week, buy the best ingredients to cook it (or pick a restaurant), and then take steps to offset the calories it's going to cost. This might mean an extra walk or two in the days leading up, eating at the lower end of my target calorie range for the rest of the week, etc. I recently made and devoured a perfect 1000 calorie cheeseburger. I'm not one to say "have a cheat day!" because that implies uncontrolled eating. But planning for a day that you know is going to be a big calorie day and logging it keeps you in control.

So, in summary: break the habit, plan to eat the things you really love, log it

Also, for what it's worth, you're losing weight so you're doing something right. Maybe 1/2 pound a week is an OK rate?

Evamutt

The best & most helpful I've heard is from Heather from Half size me on You Tube & from her podcasts