Mid binge posting to group! Help!

surreychic

Hi all,

I have had some great support on here and now Turing to the group. I had a rubbish day at work, one of those demotivated feel like everything is going wrong days. So what did I so as soon as it turned 17:30? Headed to the shops for food, what had been a preplanned healthy snack developed into a "I'll just get this" and "maybe that".

I had been doing so well "going for it" (well for me is a few days! And not dieting but being healthy without bingeing) then sat with all this food infront of me, started with the yogurt cranberries, moved onto kale crisps, then a protein bar. I know my dinner is waiting for me at home (well trained family!) and it feels like a huge stress relief just munching. I'm now thinking I don't want to do this. I don't want to be a person that any cope or needs food to cope. I have lots of food left and the urge to eat and eat for that calm escapism is overwhelming. I know, it's sometimes tough, this is how life is , but at times it's hard not to destress with food.

So I'm hoping, I can seek support, I know I control my own choices but if anyone else ha found a way to cope when feeling miserable and a bit rubbish, how do you stop the binge in that moment? X

mtcloudgreytea

Firstly its great that you've been able to physically stop mid-binge and have the lucidity to converse rationally about your behaviour. Usually for me when I'm binging I turn into a mindless uncontrollable food hoover. I'd say you're already half way there for taking that step to halt/stop your eating and post online. I do have a method for stopping mid binge, perhaps it may be useful for you or maybe not. Note;This isn't my prevention method or post binge method this is just what I use to halt a binge mid-progress.

Step 1; Immediately make all the further potential binge food inaccessible
Step 2; Find yourself a thorough thought consuming activity i.e. sleep/ear drum splitting rock music/break-dancing/warm baths

So personally when I'm in a mid binge frenzy what I will do is tense up all my muscles, get up, walk to the bin and throw all of my binge food into it. Then I'll take a bottle of cleaning fluid and pour it over the bin's contents to ensure I'm not tempted to retrieve food back out. Then I'll run upstairs and go straight to bed with a book or my iphone. It could be as early as 7,00pm but its the only thing for me that stops a binge. All of these actions will take place at top speed and I'll be chanting to myself repeatedly 'No, no, no. I won't do this'. Sounds neurotic but when I'm on a binge frenzy that's exactly what I am.

as for prevention methods i generally just hide upstairs away from food, chew lots of gum, drink lots of tea, look at foodporn on the internet, have a warm bath and eat lots of rocket leaves, Also I found dancing really helps.

GIA4FITNESS

I have never had the willpower to stop mid-binge. The fact that you are recognizing this and able to stop in order to write something about it means you also have the power to either put that food away or throw it in the garbage. The only thing that would keep me from eating something was to throw it away. I have suffered from anxiety and depression for as long as I can remember, and like you, I often turned to food. The only thing keeping me in check is making sure I do not keep trigger foods in my reach...EVER. Exercising has helped boost my mood 10 fold and helps me deal with stress better as well. This could be something that takes time to find what works for you, but in the mean time keep healthy food always in reach. Frozen fruit is my favorite.

surreychic

Thank you ladies you have been a great support. I thought maybe I had made progress jce62108, but I must confess, when I stopped myself mid binge I was on a train... so I was able to be more "mindful" but, when I got home, the flood gates opened... It's so interesting you both say about making the binge foods inaccessible, I've found that is the only real thing that has stopped me and MADE me.

Lots of people have advised me (even my family) to allow myself little bits of sweet food (binge foods) and I was able to do that yesterday - going out for a nice meal, I was relaxed and not stressed and hubby insisted on dessert (tiramisu) and I had one bite and thought I want more but obviously there wasn't any more so I just had half and that was it, but I wasn't in what I call "binge mode".

Today, when having been anxious, down and stressed I got into a kind of frantic zone, I take whatever I can get! The only thing that has worked in the past is to keep binge foods out of the way. Jce I did do some running for a while, in the mornings and that really curbed my bingeing. My knees hated it though, but I wonder if exercise is the way to go, I actually enjoy it, I like the high it gives me (not always but certainly sometimes). It's hard though when in "that mode" food is what I crave to make me get out of "the mode" and it's accessible, quick and easy. Whereas, if I was to go swimming, I would have to get my kit, arrange it, organise things more (not impossible) but sometimes cravings, binge mode will take me unawares. I can avoid sweet stuff and not even think about it, then when stressed, like today, I go into that full on craving and feel like I need to "cram any carbohydrate down" .

Mtcloud, I know I have found I'm often surprised, I'll have a have shower/bath and that can almost "snap me out of it" (I'm laughing at how mad I must sound!) and it's good to be reminded of that tip, and music too- although I have found running to music has helped.

Thank you both for replying. It's so weird how you understand about "that zone", I appreciate I control my own actions but breaking that habit is tough. I can remember being a young child and raiding the chocolate when I was stressed... seems I have never really grown up.