To all binge eaters only, what has worked?
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Ditto with the well done for not purging.I was a binge water for 10 years, recovered for 7. Getting pregnant and then pregnant/breastfeeding for six years ( three kids each 22 months apart) really helped me start to think of my body as a temple. I couldn't stop for myself but I did stop for them. It was so hard to stop binging and like an alcoholic I feel I'll never be fully recovered. Here are some things that helped in the beginning.
The book feeding the hungry heart. Online support. Telling my husband every time. Giving myself permission to eat anything; no restricted eating. No chronic cardio. Keeping a journal. Prayer. Walking after meals. Eating frequently.
So can I ask... how does your husband handle it? Mine just looks at me with such disappointment in his eyes... It makes me feel like I can't tell him. I'm the worlds worst liar, but there have been a few times that he's asked me if I've been "behaving myself" and I just say yes because I can't take his disappointment as another sign of failure. And he's silly enough to think that if I don't mention it that I've been good. Plus he can eat ridiculous quantities of food and not gain an ounce and so to him it's not abnormal to eat a lot at one setting. (He is very active, has a manual labor sort of job, and a fast metabolism!) He brags to me about the quantities of food he eats, even though I've told him it's hard for me to hear it. He doesn't do it to hurt me. He just can't comprehend how it could bother me and he thinks I'll be impressed that he ate 1 1/4 large pizzas...
The thing he doesn't realize is that categorizing things as "good" and "bad", makes our situation even worse. It's even more as a trigger. Because then, when we've been "bad", we just go all out. I think one of the most helpful things for me was to quit labeling foods. Food is food. Nothing is good and nothing is bad. That is hard to work on, but very important, I think.
I just want to say that you should feel SOOO proud that you didn't purge last night. That is a victory in itself!0 -
Track the "binge". If you let it be a big looming "binge" over your head, it will hold you down. If you track it and move on, you don't give power to it. I've found a lot of "life-shattering binges" in my head were still within my calorie allowance for the day.0
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I meant to add the positives of bingeing, at the time it can just be an "ahhhh" feeling. Like a massive hug or massage. It instantly feels like the best thing in the world at that point in time.
A negative, I'm frightened of myself when bingeing. I hate doing it, yet carry on.
I have also noticed bingeing is at it's worst may my time of month and usually starts two weeks prior to my p and stops two days into it. :-(Joanna 82
Reasons to stop bingeing
1. An odd one- I love food but I want to start appreciating it again, I used to love feeling hungry and having a nice thai meal, savouring every bite and enjoying the evening. Now when I get to meal times I already feel sick (apologies for my madness!)
2. I want to be able to function, I feel so lethargic, foggy headed, forgetful, moody, not motivated, thirsty(!), sick, bloated...! I don't get much achieved during the day.
3. I would like to feel motivated. Energetic. Happy with myself.
4. I would like to be more resilient
5. I would like to enjoy something other than food (so guilty saying that as I adore my son/family and love being with them but don't think I give my "all" as my mind is always on food!
6. To not feel tied to food. I am either making it for others or eating
7. I would like to look nice. Not find that my clothes are constantly getting tighter
8. To not feel like an anoxia freak when around food
9. I want to strt living. Most days I have binged prior to 11.am!
I thought I would share xx0 -
I didn't finish reading all the replies, and I don't know if you binge/purge, but the one thing that helped me stop that habit that was causing me severe problems, was a psychologist. He hypnotized me. Never did it again. Just a thought.0
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Bingeing feels all-consuming in the moment. I would definitely recommend downloading an app like Stitcher where you can stream weight loss podcasts like Half Size Me, Stop Binge Eating, etc. or download apps that are created to help you right in that moment like "Before I Eat" or Half Size Me's new app (very similar to "Before I Eat"- same developer) that have audio prompts on-demand when you need them in that weak moment. Sometimes we need a reminder that we have goals bigger than this one moment. Eating is not off-limits. Control the "binge". Eat less than you were in binge-mode, TRACK IT!, and it is still a win because you kept control and didn't let it consume YOU.0
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I meant to add the positives of bingeing, at the time it can just be an "ahhhh" feeling. Like a massive hug or massage. It instantly feels like the best thing in the world at that point in time.
A negative, I'm frightened of myself when bingeing. I hate doing it, yet carry on.
I have also noticed bingeing is at it's worst may my time of month and usually starts two weeks prior to my p and stops two days into it. :-(Joanna 82
Reasons to stop bingeing
1. An odd one- I love food but I want to start appreciating it again, I used to love feeling hungry and having a nice thai meal, savouring every bite and enjoying the evening. Now when I get to meal times I already feel sick (apologies for my madness!)
2. I want to be able to function, I feel so lethargic, foggy headed, forgetful, moody, not motivated, thirsty(!), sick, bloated...! I don't get much achieved during the day.
3. I would like to feel motivated. Energetic. Happy with myself.
4. I would like to be more resilient
5. I would like to enjoy something other than food (so guilty saying that as I adore my son/family and love being with them but don't think I give my "all" as my mind is always on food!
6. To not feel tied to food. I am either making it for others or eating
7. I would like to look nice. Not find that my clothes are constantly getting tighter
8. To not feel like an anoxia freak when around food
9. I want to strt living. Most days I have binged prior to 11.am!
I thought I would share xx
I always know when I'm about to start because my cravings will get stronger for a few days about two weeks before, and then stop, and then a few days before I start. The best way I've found to handle is to make sure if I'm hungry, I actually eat more, even if I go over my calorie limit by a bit. And to increase my fat intake around these times. That makes it more manageable.0 -
Binge free since December which is the longest stretch of my life. EDNOS/BED for ~26 years (one of my earliest memories is of binge eating chocolate out of a valentine's heart in the fridge at my grandma's house)
Remembering these things has helped me a lot:
1) Food is fuel for my body.
2) It's not the worst thing in the world if I go over my calories, and I don't restrict the day after a "bad day."
3) I used to see a "bad day" as an excuse to binge because "it's already ruined." I now look at my weekly intake/goals rather than daily.
4) Protein! Fiber! Fat! Carbs! I want my numbers to be RED, meaning I met my minimum. It doesn't always happen, but when I choose foods specifically because they are high in protein or good fats I feel more satiated and better about what I'm eating.
5) I make it a point to focus on eating more slowly, and really paying attention to taste, how the food makes me feel, etc.
6) Log EVERYTHING, even if it's bad, even if it's embarrassingly high.
7) Go to the gym every time I have an appointment with myself(in my head I have a standing appointment every MWF at 5 AM, and I've only missed one day since March. Baaaaad hangover)
There's probably more, but honestly it takes willpower. I used to think I just had it so much harder than everyone else because my brain was messed up. Now I know that I have power over my brain, and I can tell my binge signals to shut up and the urge will go away. You don't have to give in to compulsions.0 -
Joanna-82 I think the banning foods is a tough one. At this stage, I don't want to ban foods but my "trigger" foods I just can't eat unless it's portioned off for me and I don't have access to more. I am the girl who can be making egg sandwiches with flaxseed low GI bread and end up eating all the bread in one go! The bread is healthy, I hadn't banned it, yet I binge on it...
So really stuck with what foods to include or ban. I know what a healthy diet is, I know what a healthy plate if dinner should look like. It's the moderation bit that is a nemesis for me.
I know what you mean about the portions and sometimes I struggle with that too. Can you portion your bread up and freeze it, and just defrost enough for sandwiches etc? I find portioning things up a great way to mentally tell yourself you are eating enough.0 -
I keep a big bag of candy in my closet. I also keep a mirror in there. when I go off on a tear, I sit there, and just "pop and chomp" candy. the mirror makes me more aware of it. I start out angry, chewing the candy to show the mirror that I don't care. but, usually, about *coughtwentycough* or so pieces, I see myself, huddled on the floor with a sea of mars bars wrappers in front of me. and I realize that I don't feel better. the only thing eating all those candies accomplished was to set me up for some future guilt. sometimes I throw the wrappers away immediately, like it never happened, sometimes I leave them there so I'll be reminded of them, later.
realizing WHAT I'm doing has helped me realize that I need to focus on WHY I'm doing it. I used to do it a lot, but I've added about 700 calories to my daily intake. I'm eating more, and binging less. that might not be your reason, but I would definitely try to be more mindful of it. watch it happening. it makes it so much more real. and then try to focus on "is this really making everything better, again? why or why not?"
best of luck!0 -
Joanna 82
Reasons to stop bingeing
1. An odd one- I love food but I want to start appreciating it again, I used to love feeling hungry and having a nice thai meal, savouring every bite and enjoying the evening. Now when I get to meal times I already feel sick (apologies for my madness!)
2. I want to be able to function, I feel so lethargic, foggy headed, forgetful, moody, not motivated, thirsty(!), sick, bloated...! I don't get much achieved during the day.
3. I would like to feel motivated. Energetic. Happy with myself.
4. I would like to be more resilient
5. I would like to enjoy something other than food (so guilty saying that as I adore my son/family and love being with them but don't think I give my "all" as my mind is always on food!
6. To not feel tied to food. I am either making it for others or eating
7. I would like to look nice. Not find that my clothes are constantly getting tighter
8. To not feel like an anoxia freak when around food
9. I want to strt living. Most days I have binged prior to 11.am!
I thought I would share xx
This is a great list. I think you should print it out and stick in on your fridge, on your cupboard door, keep a copy in your purse, wherever.
In some way, you need to convince yourself that not bingeing is better than bingeing. And the only way to do that is not to binge. Which is so hard. Especially when it gives you that 'aaaaah' feeling. Why not just give it a go tomorrow, tell yourself you can do what you want on Sunday, but on Saturday you are going to eat three square meals (even if they are larger portions than you 'should' have) for all of those reasons listed above.
Thinking of you because I know how difficult this is.0 -
I just did an icecream binge Wednesday night... Logged it, saw how much I went over created a more deficit the next day(food wise) and did an extra workout session to make up for it. Hopefull it will not affect my weigh-in Saturday by much.0
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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 +1
You nailed it.0 -
I have had binge eating disorder for as long as I can remember. I have been obese since childhood and morbidly obese most of adult life apart from brief visits to being just fat or obese without the morbid bit. For me a binge is a good 10'000 calories or more. I put what i could remember of one of my last binges in to the log just to see and it was over 10'000 calories just for one evening. It is an awful awful addiction. Food is available, affordable and on offer eveywhere. I have tried numerouse diets and plans. I have been on or falling off some diet or other for the last 23 years solid since being put on my first diet aged 10.
I keep trying for many years to find a way to be clean with food and not turn in to a crazed eating machine every time i take a bite of something. The constant craving is so strong and eventually i always give in to it.
I also have bipolar disorder which I can not take medication for due to other health issues. It was while searching for alternative treatments for bipolar that I came across Ketogenic way of eating. It seemed extreme and very at odds with food pyramid and other plans i have done but out of interest i read up loads about it and decided to give it a go. For last almost 3 weeks i have been doing a dairy and grain free version of ketogenic plan. I get 75% of my calories from clean high quality natural fats (avocado, coconut oil/butter, virgin olive oil) 20% from good quality organic protien (meat eggs) and 5% from carbs (mostly green veg).
Yes it is early days yet and the transition took some research and adjusting to, but I have no cravings at all. I have never been free of cravings before in my living memory. The peace of being free from the constant craving is amazing.
I have tried so so many things and plans in past pills, potions, therapies, meal replacements, 12 step groups, diet groups, vegan, vegetarian, raw food................... and nothing has ever given me this peace around food.
I don't know if this would work for everyone but it is a miracle for me so far.0 -
I have had binge eating disorder for as long as I can remember. I have been obese since childhood and morbidly obese most of adult life apart from brief visits to being just fat or obese without the morbid bit. For me a binge is a good 10'000 calories or more. I put what i could remember of one of my last binges in to the log just to see and it was over 10'000 calories just for one evening. It is an awful awful addiction. Food is available, affordable and on offer eveywhere. I have tried numerouse diets and plans. I have been on or falling off some diet or other for the last 23 years solid since being put on my first diet aged 10.
I keep trying for many years to find a way to be clean with food and not turn in to a crazed eating machine every time i take a bite of something. The constant craving is so strong and eventually i always give in to it.
I also have bipolar disorder which I can not take medication for due to other health issues. It was while searching for alternative treatments for bipolar that I came across Ketogenic way of eating. It seemed extreme and very at odds with food pyramid and other plans i have done but out of interest i read up loads about it and decided to give it a go. For last almost 3 weeks i have been doing a dairy and grain free version of ketogenic plan. I get 75% of my calories from clean high quality natural fats (avocado, coconut oil/butter, virgin olive oil) 20% from good quality organic protien (meat eggs) and 5% from carbs (mostly green veg).
Yes it is early days yet and the transition took some research and adjusting to, but I have no cravings at all. I have never been free of cravings before in my living memory. The peace of being free from the constant craving is amazing.
I have tried so so many things and plans in past pills, potions, therapies, meal replacements, 12 step groups, diet groups, vegan, vegetarian, raw food................... and nothing has ever given me this peace around food.
I don't know if this would work for everyone but it is a miracle for me so far.
Fat is definitely a big thing for me. When I eat a higher fat diet, I don't have nearly as many urges. I don't really do a Keto diet because I still eat carbs, but I find the "fat bombs" that are promoted for the keto diet are a way for me to have a sweet AND enough fat to keep my cravings down.0 -
One really interesting thing that I have notched all experts say binge eaters should eat regularly, but for me, this gets me thinking about food even more. I also fascinated that some bingers on here are doing well with the 5:2... this really provides me with hope and well done all those of you that are finding a way to help themselves.
This is how I cope as well
gives you the sorta "fix" to eat a lot at once - and NOT feel guilty about it! Works like a charm for me! 0 -
I was a binge water for 10 years, recovered for 7. Getting pregnant and then pregnant/breastfeeding for six years ( three kids each 22 months apart) really helped me start to think of my body as a temple. I couldn't stop for myself but I did stop for them. It was so hard to stop binging and like an alcoholic I feel I'll never be fully recovered. Here are some things that helped in the beginning.
The book feeding the hungry heart. Online support. Telling my husband every time. Giving myself permission to eat anything; no restricted eating. No chronic cardio. Keeping a journal. Prayer. Walking after meals. Eating frequently.
So can I ask... how does your husband handle it? Mine just looks at me with such disappointment in his eyes... It makes me feel like I can't tell him. I'm the worlds worst liar, but there have been a few times that he's asked me if I've been "behaving myself" and I just say yes because I can't take his disappointment as another sign of failure. And he's silly enough to think that if I don't mention it that I've been good. Plus he can eat ridiculous quantities of food and not gain an ounce and so to him it's not abnormal to eat a lot at one setting. (He is very active, has a manual labor sort of job, and a fast metabolism!) He brags to me about the quantities of food he eats, even though I've told him it's hard for me to hear it. He doesn't do it to hurt me. He just can't comprehend how it could bother me and he thinks I'll be impressed that he ate 1 1/4 large pizzas...
DecBlessings: Oh my dear! I'm so sorry you have to deal with this!!! I'm lucky that my significant other is very supportive of my eating habits! I can't imagine not being able to be honest about it with him!!! Maybe if you explained it to him as a sort of addiction???? That's what it feels like to me - overwhelming, out of control, all-consuming, shameful. Perhaps you could try asking him to be supportive and loving and that would help get you BOTH where you want to be?
Or maybe, do you have any friends that you can do this with? I know having my bestie on this journey with me is PRICELESS!!!!
I'm lucky to have a supportive man, but having someone who TRULY relates is a relief as well. Even if not maybe have some MFP friends!!! I'd be happy to help you in your UPS and your DOWNS!
I know you can do this!!!0 -
Or maybe, do you have any friends that you can do this with? I know having my bestie on this journey with me is PRICELESS!!!!
I'm lucky to have a supportive man, but having someone who TRULY relates is a relief as well. Even if not maybe have some MFP friends!!! I'd be happy to help you in your UPS and your DOWNS!
This is very kind and my truth as well. Having a strong support system is absolutely critical. Unfortunately, your immediate family may not be the best choice for that.
Anyone can build their own support system right here on MFP and it costs nothing but the time to read profiles and send friend requests.
I would not have been so successful so quickly without such a great group of online pals. Seeing their diaries and successes is a constant source of positive feedback. I don't have to hide from them. Even if I had a bad day, they would cheer me on and tell me to try again tomorrow. There's no punishment from them, which means no punishment from myself. It was the last piece of the puzzle to end my binges for good.0 -
Intermittent Fasting.
#problemsolved
Can you explain how this helps with an eating disorder? It seems to me that this is a form of disordered eating that would not help someone with an ED move towards recovery. I could be wrong but it goes against everything I learned when I was in treatment.
So intermittant fasting is my favorite thing ever!!! i find it's the only thing that keeps the BED at bay! Essentially, for me it gives me the notion that I can eat a LOT at once and it won't affect my overall calories deficit. Everyone is different, but it's easy for me to not eat during the day so that I can eat a bunch in the evening, which I know is my "binge time". AND NOT FEEL GUILTY!!!
There are many different ways to do IF. Some people only eat during a small window (4-8 hours) each day - ie 5-9pm - an abstain from eating for the rest of the time. Others eat relatively normally 5 days a week (for me, 1800-2000 cals) and either fast or eat 25% or less of their normal intake the other 2 days (say 0-500 cals for me). This is called 5/2 IF.
I do a combination of both!!! I fast Mondays and Thursdays, and I aim for 1800-2000 cals on the other days. I also tend to only eat between about 2pm-10pm. This combo allows me to eat a LOTTTTT in my normal binge craving hours, feel satisfied, get my macros in along with some treats, and pushes the "real" binge feeling away. This gives me a rough weekly totally of 10500 cals, with a TDEE of 14700. This averages out for about a 1.5 loss a week give or take and I never get the urge to binge cause I get to eat a lot all at once.
So can you completely go on a TRUE binge 5 days a week? NO - you still have to be conscious of your calories BUT for me it takes away the deprived feeling and allows me to eat a lot at once which kills the brains urge to binge.0 -
Intermittent Fasting.
#problemsolved
Can you explain how this helps with an eating disorder? It seems to me that this is a form of disordered eating that would not help someone with an ED move towards recovery. I could be wrong but it goes against everything I learned when I was in treatment.
So intermittant fasting is my favorite thing ever!!! i find it's the only thing that keeps the BED at bay! Essentially, for me it gives me the notion that I can eat a LOT at once and it won't affect my overall calories deficit. Everyone is different, but it's easy for me to not eat during the day so that I can eat a bunch in the evening, which I know is my "binge time". AND NOT FEEL GUILTY!!!
There are many different ways to do IF. Some people only eat during a small window (4-8 hours) each day - ie 5-9pm - an abstain from eating for the rest of the time. Others eat relatively normally 5 days a week (for me, 1800-2000 cals) and either fast or eat 25% or less of their normal intake the other 2 days (say 0-500 cals for me). This is called 5/2 IF.
I do a combination of both!!! I fast Mondays and Thursdays, and I aim for 1800-2000 cals on the other days. I also tend to only eat between about 2pm-10pm. This combo allows me to eat a LOTTTTT in my normal binge craving hours, feel satisfied, get my macros in along with some treats, and pushes the "real" binge feeling away. This gives me a rough weekly totally of 10500 cals, with a TDEE of 14700. This averages out for about a 1.5 loss a week give or take and I never get the urge to binge cause I get to eat a lot all at once.
So can you completely go on a TRUE binge 5 days a week? NO - you still have to be conscious of your calories BUT for me it takes away the deprived feeling and allows me to eat a lot at once which kills the brains urge to binge.
NOT HELPFUL FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS AN EATING DISORDER!!!
Oh..sorry for the all caps.
I was actually yelling it out loud WHILE I was typing it.
You OBVIOUSLY either don't know anyone who suffers from an eating disorder OR you are currently IN an ED relationship and are happy with it.
Sorry...but this is not helpful to OP0 -
I don't think intermittent fasting is good for most people with ED's. It doesn't teach you how to have a healthy relationship with food, when that relationship is already screwed up. It just kind of reinforces the binging tendency, you are just giving yourself permission to do it in a limited window. Because then you run into ignoring your hunger cues, which can cause further problems.0
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