Struggling with binge eating

BlackPup

The last few months I've been depressed and felt really out of control so I've been binging on chocolate, biscuits and fast food. I've put on 9 kg in that time I'm so angry at my self for making so much more work to do to get to a healthy weight.
I've also lost motivation to exercise and feel like I have no energy. I really need to exercise both for the weight loss and mood benefits.
How do I get back in control of my eating?
How do I find the energy and motivation to exercise?
Please help me.

Ninkyou

Your diary isn't public, so it's hard to say what the cause is.

What is your calorie intake like? Are you restricting any specific foods?

If you're eating too few calories, or restricting foods, this could be a contributing factor. A moderate deficit with the foods you love will decrease your chances of binging. You can still have chocolate and fast food, but you need to make it fit within your (moderate) calorie goal.

If you're eating too few calories, you may be lacking energy, which in turn will make you not want to exercise because you're feeling so lethargic and blah about it. So make sure you're getting enough nutrition to fuel those workouts and then get out and do it. You know the benefits already and how you feel from exercising, so get it done.

Good luck.

unFATuated

I went through a bit of this at the start of the year. I'd lost 7kg of the 20ishkg I needed to lose last year and then lost my way a bit. I'm not sure if I was being too restrictive (I started on 1200cal) or whether I just lost motivation for another reason but either way, I let old habits creep in and suddenly I was back up to my start weight and had the thought that I was getting married next year and I DID NOT want to be overweight for that.

Personally I realised that I did not have to restrict my food too much in order to drop weight, and at the beginning of May this year I started again. Instead of eating 1200cals I went to 1500cal plus I ate back my exercise calories. I dropped the kg as quickly as I had on 1200cal and felt much happier. This felt much more sustainable. I don't exercise that much because I am a bit lazy, but I have my eating under control for the most part. I've lost 20kg since May and have maintained the loss and stopped losing for now. I will cut a bit more in the New Year but for now I'm good.

My advice:
- start slow: choose a modest calorie goal instead of going too aggressive. Being too restrictive can set you up for failure.
- get the food under control first, then worry about the exercise. Weight loss is more about food than it is about exercise and you don't have to exercise at all to lose weight if you don't want to (as long as you're eating at a deficit). Exercise is great for cardiovascular health and maintaining muscle, both of which are very important, and I think everyone needs to exercise, but again, being too aggressive/overzealous with exercise can burn you out.
- don't beat yourself up about the past few months: it happened, learn from it, put it behind you. There's no point wishing you hadn't done it, or hating yourself for it (I've wasted time doing both and it's just pointless).

Good luck xx

BlackPup

Your diary isn't public, so it's hard to say what the cause is.

What is your calorie intake like? Are you restricting any specific foods?

If you're eating too few calories, or restricting foods, this could be a contributing factor. A moderate deficit with the foods you love will decrease your chances of binging. You can still have chocolate and fast food, but you need to make it fit within your (moderate) calorie goal.

If you're eating too few calories, you may be lacking energy, which in turn will make you not want to exercise because you're feeling so lethargic and blah about it. So make sure you're getting enough nutrition to fuel those workouts and then get out and do it. You know the benefits already and how you feel from exercising, so get it done.

Good luck.

Thanks for your reply. I haven't been logging the past few months which is probably why I got so out of control. I'm usually at 1400 cal per day. I was eating dark chocolate and the occaisional grilled chicken burger. But then things spiralled out of control. It's all in my head that's the problem.

BlackPup

I went through a bit of this at the start of the year. I'd lost 7kg of the 20ishkg I needed to lose last year and then lost my way a bit. I'm not sure if I was being too restrictive (I started on 1200cal) or whether I just lost motivation for another reason but either way, I let old habits creep in and suddenly I was back up to my start weight and had the thought that I was getting married next year and I DID NOT want to be overweight for that.

Personally I realised that I did not have to restrict my food too much in order to drop weight, and at the beginning of May this year I started again. Instead of eating 1200cals I went to 1500cal plus I ate back my exercise calories. I dropped the kg as quickly as I had on 1200cal and felt much happier. This felt much more sustainable. I don't exercise that much because I am a bit lazy, but I have my eating under control for the most part. I've lost 20kg since May and have maintained the loss and stopped losing for now. I will cut a bit more in the New Year but for now I'm good.

My advice:
- start slow: choose a modest calorie goal instead of going too aggressive. Being too restrictive can set you up for failure.
- get the food under control first, then worry about the exercise. Weight loss is more about food than it is about exercise and you don't have to exercise at all to lose weight if you don't want to (as long as you're eating at a deficit). Exercise is great for cardiovascular health and maintaining muscle, both of which are very important, and I think everyone needs to exercise, but again, being too aggressive/overzealous with exercise can burn you out.
- don't beat yourself up about the past few months: it happened, learn from it, put it behind you. There's no point wishing you hadn't done it, or hating yourself for it (I've wasted time doing both and it's just pointless).

Good luck xx

Thanks. What you've said makes a lot of sense. I will be sensible about goals and realistic so I don't get too hungry. The next week is going to be to hard to exercise and difficult to eat well also.

JustMeee333

Thanks. What you've said makes a lot of sense. I will be sensible about goals and realistic so I don't get too hungry. The next week is going to be to hard to exercise and difficult to eat well also.

Alot of people will be in the same situation over the next week or so. Try not to beat yourself up about it, you can start back on track as soon as the Holiday season is over. Good luck. :flowerforyou:

editorgrrl

How do I get back in control of my eating?
How do I find the energy and motivation to exercise?

The fewer sweets I eat, the less I crave them. And then when I do eat sweets, I'm happier with smaller portions. It takes time, but it does get better.

I get motivated to move by my Jawbone UP. It's an activity tracker (like Fitbit) that tracks steps, TDEE, food (it syncs w/ MFP), mood & sleep. It has an idle alert that buzzes if you sit still too long, and it gives you challenges like "here's how many steps you walked last Saturday. Try to beat that by 500 steps today." (If I get home & see that I'm thisclose to making my daily step goal, I'll walk around the block.)

Edited to say that some people get inspired to exercise by making plans with friends, or by signing up for a class. One of my resolutions is to try a new group activity, like tai chi or Zumba, in 2014. Maybe a bootcamp?

melodys_attic

It's hard to do the fitness and weight loss thing when we are prone to depression. It can quickly feel overwhelming and discouraging. Mood issues and how we think about things go hand in hand. So when I get off track I do start logging no matter what. But I focus less on what I am eating and how much and more on exercising -- getting that movement that really does elevate mood. And instead of cutting out foods, I focus on ADDING vegetables... as much fresh produce as possible. I also ADD water, ideally with fresh lemon squeezed in it. Eating regular meals is critical too... every 3 hours. That can be really hard. Low moods often bring late nights and sleeping in. We have to make ourselves get up and eat breakfast by 9 at the latest so that lunch can follow at noon, a snack at 3, supper at 6 then another snack at 9. This can keep us nourished, blood sugar stable, and less binging because we're not thinking "I'll never be allowed to eat again" or something... Then if you're up to midnight, have a last snack before bed. Best of luck to you with this! Send me a friend request if you would like ongoing support

cmdoiy

I am in exactly the same boat. Since Halloween, I have been eating uncontrollably, and I've gained 7 of the 35 pounds I worked so hard to lose. My problem is sweets. I can 't stop eating chocolate, cookies, cake. I need to stop eating all these sweets altogether because it is impossible for me to eat only one portion. It's like I need to eat the entire thing.

I had been really good about exercise until now. I've been blowing off my workouts. It's almost as if the holiday season is giving me an excuse to go back to my old bad habits. It's really getting me down. I keep telling myself that once the holidays are over, I will get right back on track. I just can't go back to where I started. I worked so hard.

Sorry I have no good advice for you. But know that you're not alone. Add me if you like.

Jestinia

I can only say what works for me with binge eating, might or might not work for you:

Eat a low carb, high fat and protein breakfast (eggs and real cheese works) and see if it helps. If it does, eat a low carb, high fat and protein lunch (maybe a steak, or chicken, or a burger, no bun no fries no drink) and see if that helps. If that helps, either stop eating a lot of carbs or at least save them for dinner or late at night.

Get your trigger foods out of the house. I had to toss a quart of ice cream I found lurking in the freezer today because after I saw it last night it started preying on my mind a bit. So into the garbage it went this morning.

sonderr

I also have been struggling with binge eating, especially during the holiday season. I think the best things that I have learned include detaching emotionally from your urges! i know that this is so hard because binge eating is such an emotional thing but
when the urge to binge comes, view it as "junk" that your brain is firing off. Know that you can do nothing to stop it. Hear what your mind is 'saying' but do not act. Allow the thoughts to come- do not reason, rationalize, or distract: LISTEN BUT DO NOT ACT! this is actually surprisingly helpful Finally if you do binge, drink lots of water and most importantly dont beat yourself up over it or restrict after binging. its not worth it, just forgive yourself and start over. its hard but it will eventually get easier

editorgrrl

There's another thread right now about binge eating. You might find something in it that resonates w/ you: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1155277-binge-eating

broox80

Im right there with ya!!! I upped my cals for dec so to allow myself some freedom but then I just took it to an extreme like I always do. Oh I screwed up a little today so why dont I just shove a poop load more down mu gullet until I am physically ill. I did better today at least. I do Crossfit twice a week and am going to start 30 day shred and the 30 day ab challenge jan 1. I think I will set my cals at TDEE less 25% and see what happens. We can and will do it. There are speed bumps along the way but nothing we cant come back from

wildheart21

Great advise from everyone. First off, do not feel guilty. Wipe the slate clean with each mistake and take the next best step towards reaching your goal, whatever that may be. Do not be too restrictive with your diet as far as calories are concerned. If you are in a binge cycle, I would focus on breaking the binges before trying to lose weight. Learn to listen to your body's signals (hunger cues). Experiment with eating more protein, more veggies and some healthy fats with every one of your meals. Look up some great new recipes to make. Prepare your food ahead of time for the week. If possible, remove ALL trigger foods from your house. I am a binger and because of it, I had to remove every food I have ever binged on. I no longer have any foods with refined sugar in it with the exception of very dark chocolate (72% or higher). I also do not keep crackers, chips, salted roasted nuts or even peanut butter in my house. If I did, I would risk the chance that I'd binge on them. Mindful eating is another component of controlling binge eating. With EVERY meal and snack, slow down and enjoy each bite. Do not sit at your computer, in front of the TV or read while eating. Make eating a mindful, slow, enjoyable experience. Look up some books on the subject of mindful eating. Lastly, when the urge strikes to binge, ask yourself what you really need. If you are lonely, reach out on the forums or call a friend. If you are stressed, slow down, sit with your eyes closed for a minute or two and take some deep breaths. If you are tired, take a nap or sit down and relax. And lastly, if you screw up, do not beat yourself up. Use it as a learning experience to gain information on how and why the slip up happened. Pay attention to what happened before, during and after the binge. You can break this cycle. You can do this. Best wishes

BlackPup

Thanks guys for all the advice. Some great suggestions. I'm going to try and get the eating under control and then start with the exercise. Mainly cos I know I can't exercise for the next 3 days. But I will be around people so I'm less likely to binge. I like what someone said about adding in healthy stuff rather than cutting out things. Though I do need to remove all the offending foods like chocolate, cake and cookies from the house. Somethings I can't eat in moderation.

I did really well today and went past the fast food shop without stopping even though I really wanted something to eat... Instead I drove home and ate a cheese and salad sandwich.

Thanks again for all your suggestions.

SLLRunner

The last few months I've been depressed and felt really out of control so I've been binging on chocolate, biscuits and fast food. I've put on 9 kg in that time I'm so angry at my self for making so much more work to do to get to a healthy weight.
I've also lost motivation to exercise and feel like I have no energy. I really need to exercise both for the weight loss and mood benefits.
How do I get back in control of my eating?
How do I find the energy and motivation to exercise?
Please help me.

I'm so sorry you've been having a difficult time.

My first question--have you spoken to your doctor about your depression? If not, please do.

Back in May, I decided to take control of my eating patterns after gaining back around 30 pounds of 70 pounds I'd lost about twelve years ago. It didn't come on fast but took about three to five years. I went through binge eating periods and then found MFP. When I started logging every single thing I put in my mouth, I began to see how I was way overeating to compensate to deal with my negative feelings.

Once I began to see how much I was eating, I followed MFP;s calorie suggestions to lose 2 pounds per week, made myself exercise even when I felt awful, and just went day by day. The more I saw the weight come off, and saw how I had the tools on MFP and other venues to take control of my eating habits and my life, the more motivated I was to keep going on. I increased my calorie goals each time I lost about ten pounds, and have been set to lose a half a pound a week for the last ten pounds. I now have one pound left to lose.

Again, my first suggestion is to speak with your doctor about depression. Second, I suggest that you make sure you log all food and stick to your calorie limit. If you feel like exercising, great. If not, then so be it. However, once you start getting control of your eating habits, I'll bet you desire to exercise will come back.

Hang in there. You can do it.

SLLRunner

My problem is sweets. I can 't stop eating chocolate, cookies, cake. I need to stop eating all these sweets altogether because it is impossible for me to eat only one portion. It's like I need to eat the entire thing.

I've been there and it's no fun. Finally, after working on this issue, I'm able to have just one cookie, or just a small serving of cake, or some homemade chocolate candy, and not have any more. It's become a conscious decision for me--if I don't think I can just have a serving, I avoid it. If I'm in an okay space and know I won't binge, I have some.

I will say this holiday season has been the most enjoyable for me because I am practicing portion control, having sweets once in awhile, but not overdoing it.

19TaraLynn84

Hi. I have no great advice for you. But I, too, struggle with binge eating. I have found that the only way to help myself is to make sure I'm not hungry when I go shopping. That way, it is so much easier to make it to the check-out stand without all kinds of junk food i would binge on later. (I have a serious sweet tooth - that's why I'm here) Just do not, under any circumstances, beat yourself up about this. You can't changed yesterday or last week or last month, so work on tomorrow

rosej31

My first advice is to speak with your doctor about depression. There a reason, why you are depress. Second, I suggest to speak with a nutrition who can work out a meal plan with you. Once you start getting control of your depression n eating habits maybe you can start working out. Many people suggest exercising help release the stress but start off slow.

Good Luck

editorgrrl

I did really well today and went past the fast food shop without stopping even though I really wanted something to eat... Instead I drove home and ate a cheese and salad sandwich.

Thanks again for all your suggestions.

That's great. Congratulations! (One day at a time.)

dwood1231

Speaking as a nurse, I have to ask if you have spoken to your doctor about the depression, It is possible there is a metabolic reason you are feeling depressed. It is a conversation worth having, your doctor should also have helpful info diet, exercise, etc. Good luck

tracywintn

I used to struggle with this also-and still do to a lesser extent (now my binge day is 1800-2200 cals instead of 5,000 cals. What has helped me is to log every day-every food. I am almost 4 months into this (and I lose weight like a snail so I am only 17lbs down) and I have logged everyday (Weight watchers first, then Biggest Loser club and now on to the free MFP site:). Even when I had the urge to not log what I had just binged on I went and logged it anyway-that was my accountability. Then I started to really pay attention to how I felt before/during and after. I would be just sick after-really miserable and I would feel worse emotionally-because the binge didn't help what was bringing me down and now I felt like a total failure for going off my calorie count. It took me a few weeks in the beginning to binge/feel bad but now I can usually stop myself before too much damage has been done. For me, this is a change in lifestyle and I need to figure out how to do it long term. I gave up thinking I could be really "good" and lose a lot of weight fast. That just is not my reality, I lose weight slow and I struggle with food-so I am working on being happy with every loss each week-even if it's only 1/2 a lb. It really has made a world of difference to not get discouraged by the slow weight loss and realize a year from now or 2 years from now that 1 lb a week is going to really add up. I can say the last 2 weeks has been the hardest for me out of the past 4 months. I have been sick and there is chocolate everywhere. I am ready for the holidays to be OVER food wise!!! Good luck!