To all binge eaters only, what has worked?

onmyown70

I have been a binge eater since I was tiny. I have been slim and bigger and always binge ate. I have posted on here before but again seeking support. i had a day today whereby mu husband was at home and brought a bag of raisin loaf, I had "one slice and was in full binge mode (I am not anti carb but for me, one bite leads to a temporary feeling of euphoria and an extreme urge for more!).

It's worse at certain times of the month 9sorry guys) but other times it has no rhyme or reason. I tad to find, foe me keeping trigger foods (i.e. those I binge on, out of sight helpful) but I am ashamed to say when I am in binge mode I am like a crazed woman, seeking anything I can find, I will even frantically drive out to the shops to find bread/cake/cereal to binge on. I am ashamed of it and have posted before.

If you haven't been a binge eater thenI think you will find it hard to understand, I am just seeking advice from those who have suffered. I say suffered as it isn't a happy place to be, well I lie, it can feel euphoric, combined with feeling compelled to just want more even when your stomach is hurting, you feel sik, full, you have other things to do but eat- yet all you want to do is eat and eat a lot.



If anyone else suffers

0somuchbetter0

The only thing that has worked for me is therapy and lots of it. I see a therapist who specializes in eating disorders once a month. I'm patient, mindful, diligent, and I work very hard at it every day. I slip up sometimes, but I'm more in control today than I had been in many years.

jeccawest91

i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

Tilran

I used to be, and in some cases still am a binge eater.

Honestly, it is a mental issue. You have to get past it as there is no physical thing you can do to stop yourself. Take a look at the surroundings and environments that cause you to binge eat and try to remove or avoid them.

For example, if I get bored, my mind drifts to thoughts about food. I then become hungry and begin devouring the fridge and pantry. I try to instead keep myself occupied, either with a fun tv show, the gym, video games, friends...whatever....as long as my mind is occupied.

I also tend to binge if I don't eat for long periods of time. There are times where I either cant eat because I'm so busy, or times where I choose not to eat because I've done poorly calorie wise. In either case, once I eat something at this point of my hunger...nothing can stop me. I try now to eat something at all times to not let my hunger reach that level.

I also avoid walking into the kitchen. I'm bad about grabbing something "small" when I visit the kitchen. It is a mental tick of mine. If I walk into a kitchen, I open the fridge or panty and grab a couple chips, or a small piece of cheese...or something....enough times and I've added up 400-500 calories to my day that I could have used for dinner or elsewhere.

Anyway, like I said...it is a mental issue you have to workout with yourself.

CCSavage88

Getting counseled

onmyown70

Thank you Sabina, is that in the US? I'm so happy to hear you have found something that works for you. Did the therapist have any practical tips that have been helpful?

I think being mindful would be fantastic, but as you probably know, once in binge mode, for me certainly, I'm frantic, anxious.... I obviously have a long journey ahead.

CCSavage88

Get counseled

Tilran

i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

Assuming a regular sized brownie....which is 400 calories on average. You had 2000 calories in brownies....I argue that you could not have exercised all of those calories away without doing 4 hours of straight cardio, but that is a different debate.

The important message to take away from your comment is to not hate yourself when you have a bad day. They come, and they happen...and to learn a way to not have them happen regularly.

Ginmarie09

I love pastries, cake, and breads when I'm in binge mode too! I was in an all out binge mode last month and I realized that when I was in this mode it didn't really matter what I was eating as long as I was eating something so I made a large pot of vegetable soup with lots of cayenne and just let myself eat as much as I wanted. I haven't had a binge mode this month but even with that binge I still managed to lose ten pounds last month.

Pirate_chick

honest logging, seeing what my binging means calorie, macro, and micro wise then moving on and getting back on track.

0somuchbetter0

Thank you Sabina, is that in the US? I'm so happy to hear you have found something that works for you. Did the therapist have any practical tips that have been helpful?

I think being mindful would be fantastic, but as you probably know, once in binge mode, for me certainly, I'm frantic, anxious.... I obviously have a long journey ahead.

Yes in the U.S. Get a list of providers from your insurance company and start calling them. Just by talking to them on the phone you'll be able to tell who can help you.

Yes, I know lots of tips and tools that help. It's stuff I've been working on for over 2 years -- can't really give you a synopsis of everything here, that would take a week. Keeping a journal is helpful. Just like logging your calories and macros, you log your emotions around the food you've just consumed. After you've been logging like this for a few weeks you go back and study it, look for patterns. Gradually you start to figure out why you binge. That doesn't necessarily stop you from doing it, but understanding why you do it is a good first step. Then there are stress management techniques, distractions, people you can call for help (like a sponsor in AA), mindfulness/meditation techniques...the list goes on. It's certainly not just a matter of "willpower," it's gone beyond that for some of us -- it's more like a mental illness that never quite goes away, but you learn to manage it.

First step: find someone to talk to. Best of luck.

kirkor

honest logging, seeing what my binging means calorie, macro, and micro wise then moving on and getting back on track.

I need to try this --- I typically don't log a binge, then get knocked off track and don't log for ages.

farfromthetree

Please "friend request" Brandolin on this site. She is a great source of information on binge eating.If you truly want support, she's your girl! Good luck!

rubyworkout

I have the same problem and haven't totally found a solution. But I find that I binge when I'm alone. I think it has something to do with soothing yourself as it certainly achieves this for me! I guess it makes sense to replace it with something else that soothes you. I just haven't yet found what that it, I mean I have ways, but none as good as binge eating. To be aware of it, and trying little things that work for a little while but then seem to fail because I go back to bingeing actually work! Because over the years the binge has decreased and is less often. So I think there isnt one cure, its just lots of little things for me.

jeccawest91

i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

Assuming a regular sized brownie....which is 400 calories on average. You had 2000 calories in brownies....I argue that you could not have exercised all of those calories away without doing 4 hours of straight cardio, but that is a different debate.

The important message to take away from your comment is to not hate yourself when you have a bad day. They come, and they happen...and to learn a way to not have them happen regularly.

Well, no not at all. Homemade box brownies that are 31g per serving size, that i weighed out myself with my foodscale. So more like 800 in calories to be absolutely exact. And yes, I did work all those out in close to two hours straight cardio, but thanks for the input.

0somuchbetter0

i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

I don't consider that a binge. That's more like overindulgence. A binge is when you don't even taste the food, in some cases you don't even remember eating it -- you're overcome with feelings of anxiety and panic and you just stuff your face until you feel physically ill and your belly hurts and you can't move and you can't think until you go completely numb and then you just want to crawl into a hole and die.

jeccawest91

i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

I don't consider that a binge. That's more like overindulgence. A binge is when you don't even taste the food, in some cases you don't even remember eating it -- you're overcome with feelings of anxiety and panic and you just stuff your face until you feel physically ill and your belly hurts and you can't move and you can't think until you go completely numb and then you just want to crawl into a hole and die.

Then professionally, no i can not relate. You're deff spot on with the overindulgence though.

Swiftlet66

Ex-binge eater here. I've never in my life restricted what I eat and like you, I used to binge eat when the "junk" food is there (on top of eating a normal healthy diet) and it was both a result of emotional (stress) and physical (just the taste of the food!!). After realizing my issue, I actively took charge of the problem and overcame it in a span of 2 years. It wasn't easy.

Physically, what really helped me was going cold turkey completely and eating completely whole foods and cooking from scratch. You also need to watch that you eat on a regular basis throughout the day so your blood sugar doesn't drop and you don't go searching for the high sugary/salty/fatty foods to fulfill your body's needs.

The emotional side of binge-eating is directly related to you personally. Is it stress? Family? Any negative feelings in your life where food might be potentially used as a coping mechanism? If that is the case, you need to figure it out and find solutions and other ways besides eating to relieve the problem. For me, I turned to dancing and fitness (ie. joining a dance group, going for daily walks, running, meditating) to overcome my negative feelings. Now I do eat whatever I like in moderation but I don't binge. Well, except the days before my monthly period.... I blame the my hormones on those days. *ahem* But anyways, you can overcome this too but most importantly, don't be so hard on yourself...

onmyown70

Sabina - spot on, for me it's frantic too - I got to great lengths just to get the "fix"

Happymelz

i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

I don't consider that a binge. That's more like overindulgence. A binge is when you don't even taste the food, in some cases you don't even remember eating it -- you're overcome with feelings of anxiety and panic and you just stuff your face until you feel physically ill and your belly hurts and you can't move and you can't think until you go completely numb and then you just want to crawl into a hole and die.

This.

I'm an ex-binge eater as well. Also ex-ana/mia.
The only thing that helped is prayer and therapy.

AND accountability. I started telling my husband EVERY time I would go on an emotional binge and tell him the triggers. It seemed to help. I'm happy to say I've only had 1 slip up in a year. But it took a LOT of prayer.

techgal128

I allow myself to cheat once or twice a week while eating fairly healthy and exercising for the rest of the week. I've lost 45 pounds so far. This may not work for you though but it worked for me. It keeps me from going crazy and just gorging myself sick and getting depressed.

itsthenewhealthyme

I too struggle with binge eating so this post has been helpful to me.

I posted about my binge eating problems a few days ago and someone recommended keeping a journal - then you can keep track of the emotions that cause you to binge, if your binging is psychological.

What has been helping me stop (other than the 6lbs I gained) is eating in the company of others. I always binge when I'm alone so I find if I eat with family, friends, etc. I'm less likely to go overboard.

Also, drinking a lot of water has made me feel fuller so when I'm tempted to binge I think twice because my stomach isn't empty.

I continue to have problems with controlling my binging but I'll let you know if I find anything else that works for me!

0somuchbetter0

Sabina - spot on, for me it's frantic too - I got to great lengths just to get the "fix"

I'm embarrassed by some of the things I've done to get the fix.

0somuchbetter0

i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

I don't consider that a binge. That's more like overindulgence. A binge is when you don't even taste the food, in some cases you don't even remember eating it -- you're overcome with feelings of anxiety and panic and you just stuff your face until you feel physically ill and your belly hurts and you can't move and you can't think until you go completely numb and then you just want to crawl into a hole and die.

This.

I'm an ex-binge eater as well. Also ex-ana/mia.
The only thing that helped is prayer and therapy.

AND accountability. I started telling my husband EVERY time I would go on an emotional binge and tell him the triggers. It seemed to help. I'm happy to say I've only had 1 slip up in a year. But it took a LOT of prayer.

Just a couple of weeks ago I got some bad news and all I could think about was FOOD...all day long at work....couldn't even concentrate because I just wanted to stuff myself! Instead of binging I wrote my husband a ridiculously long email about everything I wanted to eat and all the damn feelings...so many feelings. I'm sure he thought I was insane (and I was), but I really needed to unload all that crap. He's Mr. Even Keel and my "issues" befuddle him, but he loves me and is there for me even when I make no sense at all. When I got home from work that night I went for a two-hour run/walk and successfully did not binge!! So important to have a trusted person by your side, even if they don't get it.

RoseLavAllen

I always try and do something else whenever I have an urge to binge.
Try exercise or just simply going out for a walk. Or you could take a shower or paint your nails. Anything that makes you do something else that makes you unable to binge.

DecemberPsalm

This is the reason I'm back here trying to lose weight for the millionth time. The "binge monster" creeps up and seemingly takes control of my brain and body. I've had this issue since I was a little kid. I once lost 65lbs after a year of hard work, but then started bingeing again every day and gained it all back, plus more. It's been like this my whole life.

What helps tremendously is putting as much mental focus as I can on my love of healthful food, "clean" eating, the wonderful feeling of seeing the numbers on the scale decline, how amazing I will look as I keep eating in a "loving" way. I truly do enjoy nutritious food and watching documentaries and healthy cooking shows/blogs helps give me a big spark of motivation and reminds me that my trigger foods are not healthful nor nourishing.

I log everything, even if I did binge. I don't try to exercise it all off because that would be madness to me, so I just take it very slow and easy and tell myself I will be more mindful next time.

jdb117308

I have been a binge eater since I was tiny. I have been slim and bigger and always binge ate. I have posted on here before but again seeking support. i had a day today whereby mu husband was at home and brought a bag of raisin loaf, I had "one slice and was in full binge mode (I am not anti carb but for me, one bite leads to a temporary feeling of euphoria and an extreme urge for more!).

It's worse at certain times of the month 9sorry guys) but other times it has no rhyme or reason. I tad to find, foe me keeping trigger foods (i.e. those I binge on, out of sight helpful) but I am ashamed to say when I am in binge mode I am like a crazed woman, seeking anything I can find, I will even frantically drive out to the shops to find bread/cake/cereal to binge on. I am ashamed of it and have posted before. I have a long way to go, but I am proud for having lost what I have. For the past year I have managed to not put on weight just by getting rid of binge foods.



If you haven't been a binge eater thenI think you will find it hard to understand, I am just seeking advice from those who have suffered. I say suffered as it isn't a happy place to be, well I lie, it can feel euphoric, combined with feeling compelled to just want more even when your stomach is hurting, you feel sik, full, you have other things to do but eat- yet all you want to do is eat and eat a lot.



If anyone else suffers

For me it is getting rid of trigger foods and eating whole foods. I cannot have my binge foods in the house, like cheese, cookies, cake, pizza, peanut butter. That is the only way to maintain my weight. To lose I need support and motivation through meetings and going deeper spiritually. I am doing Weight Watchers meetings and an online bible study on overeating with a mentor ( kind of like free counseling) and growing in my faith and both are helping quite a bit. I have lost 7 lbs in a few weeks.

It sounds extreme and like something with an eating disorder would do but it really helps me to maintain my weight. I decided when I reached over 300 lbs and started having trouble walking that I could no longer have the trigger foods and had to give it up completely. I am not giving up my mobility for food not matter how good it tastes. I am still having some issues with fears of giving into a binge but I have lost 30 lbs since I gave up my trigger foods adding in the past few weeks of losing weight.

Akimajuktuq

The only thing that finally worked for me was changing WHAT I eat. Food quality matters.

george7527

Hi I can totally relate to you it sounds just like me as if I wrote it about myself I don't know if there is an answer for me time of month can trigger it but I find if I exercise it helps also I don't have anything else more to eat that day but I do laxatives which is not advicable only being honest feel free to add me

annieest21

i started to not punish myslef and look for WHY i was doing it.... i started dealing with my route problems which was confidence issues and realised i was just going in a downwards spiral.

Sobus76

I make myself follow a pre-planned schedule. breakfast, lunch, and dinner with snacks every 2 hours in between at set times.