Can't stop binge eating! 3700 calories :(

elizaroberta

So it's been almost exactly one week since my last huge binge ( 4000 calories) and today I just had another one...sigh...School starts this week, and i've managed to put on 5 pounds this summer from binge eating, after working so hard to get to my ideal weight. This morning I had:
1.5 cups of porridge made with water, honey, and cinnamon.
3 Slices of cake without icing
3 bowls of muesli and whole milk
4 or 5 big slices of whole wheat bread and butter
1 big bowl of leftover beef stew
2 tablespoons of honey
4 squares of white chocolate.
1 fried egg.
2 slices of mozzarella

I think this adds up to more than 3700 calories, and it's not even 11:00 AM. Before this summer my binges were never over 2500 calories. Any tips on how to stop? this is really getting out of hand, it's the second almost 4000 calories binge this week. And it's so hot here, so i've only worked out twice. I think being stressed about starting school this week and applying to Uni soon may have something to do with it...i feel so sick.

rie_q

Perhaps you should consider speaking to a doctor? If you feel like you can't control your eating, then it may by symptomatic of an eating disorder.

Patttience

Yes stress is definitely a trigger for binging. You must address it when it shows up if you don't want to trigger a binge because once you start to experience that urge to eat its very hard to stop.

Have you got a school councillor? Can you find any other sort of councillor. You need to learn how to talk yourself out of your worries or find solutions to problems that are causing you stress. A councillor or therapist should be able to teach you some skills but it will be something that takes a long time to learn and practice so you might as well start now.

Secondly, when you are ready, and you may not be ready right now, quit sugar as a regular food in your life. EAting sugar makes you want to eat more of it, especially when its mixed with fat.

If you are going to binge, at least if you do it on non sugary or refined carb foods, you will get over it sooner and with less damage having been done. I know you will find all sorts of other high fat and high sugar foods but sugar is the worst and you should try to reduce the situations sugar is part of your life.

6 tsp is now the recommended daily maximum for people. And that includes honey because honey is almost all sugar.

It does not include fruit but fresh fruit can be risky and of course has a high sugar content so you need to be strict with dried fruit.

Cheese and nuts can become a problem. But refined fat foods like potato chips and any of the take away stuff is high salt and fat and has very little nutrition so you don't want to start abusing that type of food.

So as much as you can maximise nutritious food as part of your daily life. And minimise and limit foods you can binge on.

Get plenty of sleep - especially be aware of this when you are art uni. Lack of sleep can lead to binges and if you are stressed, lack of sleep will only add to your stress.

Learn to meditate get involved with a club or group sport as both these activities can help you manage stress. Build up a core of friends and you can do this through club and group activities.

But you've always got a councillor to turn when if you feel alone with your problems.

So i quit sugar this year back in January. in my case that means:
no cake, no sweets, no chocolate, no ice-cream except in special circumstances outside the home when i'm offered it. And then i'im only allowed one piece. I maintain these rules very strictly. And that's how i've remained sugar free all year.

After about 3 months of dieting, i decided to try dried fruit again. I realised i would have to be strict with it.
About 8 months of dieting, i started experimenting with sugar free desserts. But really i don't need them. I enjoy the rest of my food enough.

Become a good cook - learn from recipes if you don't know where to start. And pick things that look healthy. I find i like traditional cooking of the mediteranean countries. And focus on finding recipes that feature vegetables and beans, lentils and chickpeas as these are all healthy foods and you can never have enough of them.

There's a nice book called French women don't get fat. It shows how to eat well and in moderation. I can't do moderation with sugar but I love this book and this style of eating .

elizaroberta

Yes stress is definitely a trigger for binging. You must address it when it shows up if you don't want to trigger a binge because once you start to experience that urge to eat its very hard to stop.

Have you got a school councillor? Can you find any other sort of councillor. You need to learn how to talk yourself out of your worries or find solutions to problems that are causing you stress. A councillor or therapist should be able to teach you some skills but it will be something that takes a long time to learn and practice so you might as well start now.

Secondly, when you are ready, and you may not be ready right now, quit sugar as a regular food in your life. EAting sugar makes you want to eat more of it, especially when its mixed with fat.

If you are going to binge, at least if you do it on non sugary or refined carb foods, you will get over it sooner and with less damage having been done. I know you will find all sorts of other high fat and high sugar foods but sugar is the worst and you should try to reduce the situations sugar is part of your life.

6 tsp is now the recommended daily maximum for people. And that includes honey because honey is almost all sugar.

It does not include fruit but fresh fruit can be risky and of course has a high sugar content so you need to be strict with dried fruit.

Cheese and nuts can become a problem. But refined fat foods like potato chips and any of the take away stuff is high salt and fat and has very little nutrition so you don't want to start abusing that type of food.

So as much as you can maximise nutritious food as part of your daily life. And minimise and limit foods you can binge on.

Get plenty of sleep - especially be aware of this when you are art uni. Lack of sleep can lead to binges and if you are stressed, lack of sleep will only add to your stress.

Learn to meditate get involved with a club or group sport as both these activities can help you manage stress. Build up a core of friends and you can do this through club and group activities.

But you've always got a councillor to turn when if you feel alone with your problems.

So i quit sugar this year back in January. in my case that means:
no cake, no sweets, no chocolate, no ice-cream except in special circumstances outside the home when i'm offered it. And then i'im only allowed one piece. I maintain these rules very strictly. And that's how i've remained sugar free all year.

After about 3 months of dieting, i decided to try dried fruit again. I realised i would have to be strict with it.
About 8 months of dieting, i started experimenting with sugar free desserts. But really i don't need them. I enjoy the rest of my food enough.

Become a good cook - learn from recipes if you don't know where to start. And pick things that look healthy. I find i like traditional cooking of the mediteranean countries. And focus on finding recipes that feature vegetables and beans, lentils and chickpeas as these are all healthy foods and you can never have enough of them.

There's a nice book called French women don't get fat. It shows how to eat well and in moderation. I can't do moderation with sugar but I love this book and this style of eating .

elizaroberta

I don't have a school councillor, but i'm think of being honest with my parents about it. this needs to stop now!

pigslywink

try not to let it get you down.....tomorrow is another day :flowerforyou:

low fat yoghurts are good to have around......lite popcorn.........low fat ice creams (as long as you don't eat the entire packet).

try and keep some low calorie snacks around just in case you feel the need that you need to snack out.

if you've been really good with your diet try not to write yourself off because of the occasional binge :happy:

blacklanterns

Think about what first motivated you when you started losing weight. Don't beat yourself up about it...everybody goes through phases where they binge. A few tips to help you get this under control are firstly allocate yourself times where you can eat. You can even set yourself an alarm on your phone at the set times where you can eat. This will make you more mindful of when and what you are eating.
Next, try and plan your meals in advance. Look up new healthy recipes, and instead of reaching for the nearest snack, start cooking something new and exciting. Cooking your own healthy snacks and meals will make you appreciate food more and should help you to stop mindlessly snacking on the nearest thing.
Next, empty your kitchen! Don't allow yourself to buy or have access to rubbish, unhealthy food. If you live with your parents/other people who do not want to do this then just talk to them about it, tell them you are struggling, and make them hide the unhealthy foods that they want to eat. At least then if you still binge, it will be on healthy nutritious things.
Try and eat slowly and mindfully. I know this can be hard, especially when you just want to go through all the food, i know the feeling! But remember, all the good food isn't going to run out! Take your time to eat and enjoy food!
In terms of exercise I would advise joining the gym because their rooms will be air-conned, making it easier to work out! Also try something like Pilates or yoga in the morning to make you more aware of your body!

Best of luck!:) I hope i helped x

stevenlcopeland

Stress seems to be the common excuse for over eating. I know a lot of people including myself that encounter stress on a routine basis and yet don't use it as an excuse to pig out. You say you are sick, and yet you go out of your way to continue eating. You are getting ready for school ? Why spend the money on school when it is going to be really tough to find a decent job if you are obese or you tell your potential employer "I stress easily". Time to take a hard long look in the mirror and help yourself. Tough for others to help you if you aren't willing to help yourself. Is this a tough love reply to you ? Yes it is. I know I and many others would love to help you if you would be willing to help yourself. You hold the answers to your over eating so beginning today quit using excuses and just do it.

peanutbutteraddict1

I have just experienced the exact same problem today! .
Oats this morning with peanutbutter banana and cinnamon. Then afew hours later had 2 squares of dark chocolate, 10 chocolate covered almonds, an apple, 5 rice cakes with almond butter, 3 pieces of rye bread with peanut butter, 2 nakd bars and a bowl of high protein health cereal. I hate feeling this full and uncomfortable ,but you know what the beauty of food is? Our body breaks it down naturally and uses it for energy to fuel life. Don't let this get you down-things will get easier when you start school because you'll be busy and distracted as for advice- Ive kept my binges under control for months by falling in love with running and starting my day with a 6km run- I exercise during the time that i usually binged and usually felt too energetic, healthy and happy afterwards to binge:) (missed my running this week because of work pressure which explains the binge) maybe try find a specific hobby that binging interferes with? also sugar-free gum and peppermint tea are life savers! sending hugs. x

RHachicho

Stress seems to be the common excuse for over eating. I know a lot of people including myself that encounter stress on a routine basis and yet don't use it as an excuse to pig out. You say you are sick, and yet you go out of your way to continue eating. You are getting ready for school ? Why spend the money on school when it is going to be really tough to find a decent job if you are obese or you tell your potential employer "I stress easily". Time to take a hard long look in the mirror and help yourself. Tough for others to help you if you aren't willing to help yourself. Is this a tough love reply to you ? Yes it is. I know I and many others would love to help you if you would be willing to help yourself. You hold the answers to your over eating so beginning today quit using excuses and just do it.

People deal with stress differently. Some people run, Others watch uplifting funny or saccharine shows. Some listen to music. Others write poetry of varying caliber. Punch a punching bag. Or *kitten* and *kitten* and *kitten*.

Others throw food down their mouth like it was a god damn garbage chute. it's a terrible coping mechanism to have I should know cos I have it. Every time my life gets hard there's this huge urge to deal with it by eating more calories at once than i should consume in 2-3 days. And honestly from my experience it's not something you can just get through with "tough love" That's a good way to just break someone. You can't just take away someones coping mechanism especially if it could be the only one they have or at least the only really effective one. OP needs to learn a few new coping mechanisms and find one that is less destructive. Either that or take steps to reduce their daily stress levels if at all possible. It really is no use saying just "suck it up".

For me I discovered walking. When i am too stressed and I start to get the urge to binge eat I put on my mp3 player loaded with relaxing music and take a stroll among nature. By the time I get back the urge to binge eat has always all but disappeared. It is however forever there. Food is good and once your body learns it is a coping mechanism well ... that doesn't leave you. But if you have other ways to vent you can resist. But in the end the steam HAS to go somewhere.

Liftng4Lis

If you're that stressed, I would try diverting with exercise.

WhyLime113

Stress seems to be the common excuse for over eating. I know a lot of people including myself that encounter stress on a routine basis and yet don't use it as an excuse to pig out. You say you are sick, and yet you go out of your way to continue eating. You are getting ready for school ? Why spend the money on school when it is going to be really tough to find a decent job if you are obese or you tell your potential employer "I stress easily". Time to take a hard long look in the mirror and help yourself. Tough for others to help you if you aren't willing to help yourself. Is this a tough love reply to you ? Yes it is. I know I and many others would love to help you if you would be willing to help yourself. You hold the answers to your over eating so beginning today quit using excuses and just do it.

Dude, it's not an excuse, it's a reason. An extremely valid reason. It's a coping mechanism, that's not something tough love can help. Coping mechanisms need to be replaced, not removed.
OP, if this is related to stress, your best bet is to start by developing healthier ways to cope with the stress. It's tough, but it's doable. Try journaling or scrapbooking or drawing when you're stressed. Go for a run, or a walk, explore somewhere new. Hell, a good cry doesn't hurt either. Try to use the energy that comes from stress to be productive rather than destructive to yourself. It doesn't hurt to have a repertoire of coping methods. Go for a run, then when you get back, have a nice shower, then sit down and write something for a while (maybe journal about your run even). Call a friend or family member you haven't talked to for a while, then drink some tea while reading a book. Take a nap. Then do something else. Keep yourself busy with things that relax and calm you other than food.
You probably won't get rid of eating when stressed entirely (I still eat sweet things when I'm stressed out myself), and but if you can balance it out with other activities, hopefully you won't binge throughout the day and reduce the level of impact you have.

MelodyandBarbells

I can't speak to the actual eating disorder portion of this, as I do not have the qualifications to understand - so please take that caveat into consideration.

So what I see is chocolate cake, white chocolate, whole wheat bread. Those are all things I can't keep in the house because I will indeed eat ridonkulous quantities of them all. Are you able to not have them in the house, and only buy single servings or share a large cake etc with others when a special-ish occasion presents itself? Special could also be an "hey, we're feeling like cake" moment. I know it's silly to say I can't keep bread in the house, but even though it doesn't do that much for me taste wise, I'll still just keep buttering / peanut buttering up the slices until the whole thing is gone. So out of my house it went

Tanie98

Then stop binge eating? its a matter of having self control.Before I found out about mfp , I used to eat a big bag of cheaps in one daywhich would pretty much use up your calorie goal for the day and I would also eat a bag of grapes in one day.That was before I learned about portion control and counting calories.Now a bag of grapes last me days since I now have to weigh them.They are still in my fridge but I have the self control not to pig out on them like before.So its either you choose to binge eat or you don't.

RHachicho

@ JaneiR36 Basically if you are a comfort eater this is your thought process.

Gah I had to wait an hour for the dentist today and he told me i needed a root canal ... hmm better get some food.

Someone cut me off at the traffic light! *kitten*! hmm ... you know what I need a burger.

I feel depressed and lonely. This is a problem only a tub of ice cream will solve!

Grr I stubbed my toe ... hmmm how about some doritos.

Urrgh theres' nuthin on tv ... but ... DONUTS!!

Basically you get the picture anything and everything that goes wrong triggers an immediate desire to eat something tasty that will make it all better. As a coping mechanism it has the unfortunate combination of being very bad for you. And very good at it's job. It's sad to say that scarfing a whole pizza or a tub of ben and jerrys does a lot for the sad panda inside. And thus for comfort eaters it becomes their primary go to if anything goes wrong. As the problem grows older healthier coping mechanisms become abandoned in the face of the new king. Especially as the sufferer's expanding waistline may be affecting their social confidence or romantic prospects. They may even lose friends suffer mockery or lose their relationship with their significant other. The stress of which has them reaching for yup .. you guessed it more food.

You end up trapped in a vicious case of Stockholm syndrome with food. You love it and you hate it. It's your master your jailer your lover and your best friend. It's always there and it always satisfies. But it takes it's price. And leaves it's marks. It's like being stuck in an abusive relationship where your significant other wrecks your self esteem to such an extent that you are convinced that they are the only one who would have you. As comfort eating progresses you see yourself as the "fat person with no self control" more and more. And you keep reaching for food because at least the food still gives you a bit of pleasure.

That's comfort eating in a nutshell. And people with it don't need tough love or your lectures about self discipline. They need acceptance, support and help. Because once you have it it's always there .. waiting for you. Once you know the pleasure of binging no amount of abstinence will make you forget how easily you can make the pain go away. I have fought my condition and am now living healthily but I will never, ever be free of it.

keefmac

Stress is holding down a job, paying the mortgage/ bills and looking after your children. Odly enough I know plenty of people who dothe above and don't massively overeat.

The op sounds bored, get out of the house and do something interesting to take your mind off food. Go for a run or a walk.

Fatandfifty3

I don't have a school councillor, but i'm think of being honest with my parents about it. this needs to stop now!

This. Well done you for recognising how to best help yourself. You have realised you cannot be expected to do this on your own and that you do need to talk to your parents and doctor about this. You don't want this to go any further along the road you are on and you can turn this around... with a little help from your Mum and Dad.
Good luck kiddo.
If you want to friend me feel free to do so.
:-)

RHachicho

Stress is holding down a job, paying the mortgage/ bills and looking after your children. Odly enough I know plenty of people who dothe above and don't massively overeat.

The op sounds bored, get out of the house and do something interesting to take your mind off food. Go for a run or a walk.

Yeah different people are different. Don't be such a jerk about it. Going for a run or a walk is good advice. But advice like that is like telling anorexic people to just eat some effing food. It's arrogant and ignorant.

saanaismom

I can't speak to the actual eating disorder portion of this, as I do not have the qualifications to understand - so please take that caveat into consideration.

So what I see is chocolate cake, white chocolate, whole wheat bread. Those are all things I can't keep in the house because I will indeed eat ridonkulous quantities of them all. Are you able to not have them in the house, and only buy single servings or share a large cake etc with others when a special-ish occasion presents itself? Special could also be an "hey, we're feeling like cake" moment. I know it's silly to say I can't keep bread in the house, but even though it doesn't do that much for me taste wise, I'll still just keep buttering / peanut buttering up the slices until the whole thing is gone. So out of my house it went

^^^This. From what you listed, it seems like you eat a lot of simple carbs and sugar (bread, cake, chocolate, etc). From what I understand, when you eat those they spike your blood sugar because they quickly break down into sugar. After the spike, you start crashing and your body wants more, so you eat again...cycle continues. I would try to seriously increase my protein intake and reduce the amount of simple carbs and sugar I'm having. Change the simple carbs to more complex carbs and most obviously, seek help if you sense you have an eating disorder.

Fatandfifty3

Stress is holding down a job, paying the mortgage/ bills and looking after your children. Odly enough I know plenty of people who dothe above and don't massively overeat.

The op sounds bored, get out of the house and do something interesting to take your mind off food. Go for a run or a walk.

Yeah different people are different. Don't be such a jerk about it.

hear hear!!

MelodyandBarbells

@ JaneiR36 Basically if you are a comfort eater this is your thought process.

Gah I had to wait an hour for the dentist today and he told me i needed a root canal ... hmm better get some food.

Someone cut me off at the traffic light! *kitten*! hmm ... you know what I need a burger.

I feel depressed and lonely. This is a problem only a tub of ice cream will solve!

Grr I stubbed my toe ... hmmm how about some doritos.

Urrgh theres' nuthin on tv ... but ... DONUTS!!

Basically you get the picture anything and everything that goes wrong triggers an immediate desire to eat something tasty that will make it all better. As a coping mechanism it has the unfortunate combination of being very bad for you. And very good at it's job. It's sad to say that scarfing a whole pizza or a tub of ben and jerrys does a lot for the sad panda inside. And thus for comfort eaters it becomes their primary go to if anything goes wrong. As the problem grows older healthier coping mechanisms become abandoned in the face of the new king. Especially as the sufferer's expanding waistline may be affecting their social confidence or romantic prospects. They may even lose friends suffer mockery or lose their relationship with their significant other. The stress of which has them reaching for yup .. you guessed it more food.

You end up trapped in a vicious case of Stockholm syndrome with food. You love it and you hate it. It's your master your jailer your lover and your best friend. It's always there and it always satisfies. But it takes it's price. And leaves it's marks. It's like being stuck in an abusive relationship where your significant other wrecks your self esteem to such an extent that you are convinced that they are the only one who would have you. As comfort eating progresses you see yourself as the "fat person with no self control" more and more. And you keep reaching for food because at least the food still gives you a bit of pleasure.

That's comfort eating in a nutshell. And people with it don't need tough love or your lectures about self discipline. They need acceptance, support and help.

Heh. Thank you for the quick background/perspective. I'm just saying instead of a tub of icecream sitting in the house waiting to comfort you, how about a single serving, or buy the smaller pack of Doritos or wait to eat a single donut at work when someone brings it in. Another option is to actually feel the negative feelings. Not every single pain has to be eased immediately. Sometimes you just feel so ****ty and can't imagine things changing. But more often than not , if you're a bit patient, they do

Again, this is assuming just a normal healthy person that doesn't have a true eating disorder or diagnosed depression, etc