Binge trigger foods not always a problem, why?

onmyown70

I am continuously posting about my struggles with bingeing. I am trying to get to the cause, so I can tackle it! So forgive me, I wanted to ask the group your thoughts/

I have introduced this topic in the food and nutrition topic (I may post in the other forums as I want to gain other people's insight).

I binge despite not (knowingly) restricting. Some days I want to binge, some days I don't.

Introducing binge "trigger" foods o avoid deprivation bingeing - this doesn't work for me

I stupidly listened to some advice to introduce small amounts of my "trigger" foods (during a binge) into my every day diet. This didn't work, I wanted them even more. I introduced some cake into my diet (without knowingly feeling guilty about it) it sent me into a crazed binger- every day!

Why do I binge on foods on a day to day basis I don't care about (again supporting the theory my bingeing isn't caused by feeling deprived).

What I don't understand is, I have boxes of fudge, porridge in my cupboards that I haven't been attracted too. I don't even like fudge. However, when the urge to binge came the other day, that fudge was like the nectar from the gods (lol) I went through the whole box and loved it at the time (afterwards was in a crazed state seeking other carboy foods but I have to be honest I have never liked fudge but at that moment it tasted amazing!). On a day to day level I am not seeking these foods it's only when the urge to binge hits....

Forgive me for posting again. If you are not a binger, then it must be very boring.

I am starting to understand why I binge - it's usually when stressed, or tired, or anxious or bored.

I am trying to work out if it's all psychological or partly physiological (perhaps I am hoping it's the latter, so I am not just battling with my own lack of willpower!).

Brandolin11

Welcome to the mysterious world of bingeing! I know a gal who binges on vegetables. VEGETABLES. lol. It's such a weird little problem and I have it! But I've learned to manage it now.

If you're interested in learning more about trigger foods, how it works in the brain, how it works emotionally, etc. then I highly recommend picking up a little book called "Food Triggers" by Rhona Epstein. It also contains several great journaling exercises to do to help you untangle the mystery of why you do what you do.

There are many other good books out there (Kay Shepard is a great author on this subject) but this one is a great place to start. You can get it cheap on amazon used.

http://www.amazon.com/Food-Triggers-Your-Cravings-Better/dp/1617951587

onmyown70

Welcome to the mysterious world of bingeing! I know a gal who binges on vegetables. VEGETABLES. lol. It's such a weird little problem and I have it! But I've learned to manage it now.

If you're interested in learning more about trigger foods, how it works in the brain, how it works emotionally, etc. then I highly recommend picking up a little book called "Food Triggers" by Rhona Epstein. It also contains several great journaling exercises to do to help you untangle the mystery of why you do what you do.

There are many other good books out there (Kay Shepard is a great author on this subject) but this one is a great place to start. You can get it cheap on amazon used.

http://www.amazon.com/Food-Triggers-Your-Cravings-Better/dp/1617951587

That's fantastic thanks! Ha vegetables.. well I think I would rather stick to veggies! I can binge on apples if I am in the zone...!!! It really is quite complicated isn't it?! I'm definitely going to look into this book thank you

Brandolin11

Welcome to the mysterious world of bingeing! I know a gal who binges on vegetables. VEGETABLES. lol. It's such a weird little problem and I have it! But I've learned to manage it now.

If you're interested in learning more about trigger foods, how it works in the brain, how it works emotionally, etc. then I highly recommend picking up a little book called "Food Triggers" by Rhona Epstein. It also contains several great journaling exercises to do to help you untangle the mystery of why you do what you do.

There are many other good books out there (Kay Shepard is a great author on this subject) but this one is a great place to start. You can get it cheap on amazon used.

http://www.amazon.com/Food-Triggers-Your-Cravings-Better/dp/1617951587

That's fantastic thanks! Ha vegetables.. well I think I would rather stick to veggies! I can binge on apples if I am in the zone...!!! It really is quite complicated isn't it?! I'm definitely going to look into this book thank you

I know, right? lol. You're so very welcome. Please know that there is hope, you can overcome this, and live binge-free. I have for almost three years now, by the grace of God. :flowerforyou:

RodaRose

Often we need to make big adjustments to our environment: change our route home, change what is in our kitchen, change how we de-stress, change our emotional responses to triggers, get enough sleep, and so on.
Medication and yoga-type breathing works for some. Youtube has breathing videos.

taraskylit

Have you thought about speaking to a professional about your disorder?

persistentsoul

I have been binging since I was a child,I used to secret away food in to my room until had a good stash and then eat the lot. Sometimes I would even eat sugar by the spoonful right out of pack. The older I got the worse it got. My binges were always a combination of psychological distress and physiological addiction. When my binges were triggered by something in my mind I found I would binge on any food. I can relate to binges of veg, salad and fruit. If there was nothing else in house often the veg and salad was all I had so I would eat the lot but sugary high carb stuff was what I craved. On the physical side eating any sort of high carb food would trigger insatiable cravings in me whatever mood I was in before. I tried moderation many many times and it never worked for me. I have had years of therapy to help with emotional issues, I have been on medication at times to try and help with depression etc. The therapy helped me but did not help with the eating disorder. For me I only get peace from that when I illuminate high carb food from my normal day to day eating. Maybe in time I will be able to eat high carb in moderation but for now at least I am loving the peace not having it brings me. I do not feel deprived at all and have no cravings. I have not had a binge for over 6 weeks and I have not been fighting any desire to binge, the need to binge is just not there. That is huge for me because the longest I ever made it alone without bingeing before was 2 weeks and I was fighting the urge most of those two weeks.

Years ago in a 12 step program called food addicts in recovery anonymous I stayed binge free for 8 months solid with a lot of support from my sponsor in group and going to meetings etc. I did manage to not binge with a lot of help but it was still very hard. I was still having to fight the urges very often and I was an emotional wreck near the end. My sponsor refused to work with me any longer because it was upsetting her to hear me crying and struggling so much so often. The thing is that although i followed the food plan perfectly my cravings were being triggered every day by the breakfast that was on my plan. It was oats, natural plain yogurt and a piece of fruit. Sounds so healthy but for me it was triggering because I am so super sensitive to sugars. Others in group found peace but not me. My plan I was given also had an item of fruit with my lunch which again triggered cravings. I am doing better now on my own than I did in group. I can't say for certain if those foods and others will always be a problem for me if ineat them. I can say for certain I have never had so much peace around food as I do now without those foods in my daily life. Maybe after a cooling off period I might find I am ok with fruits and even other things but for now I feel good without them.

You have to be honest with yourself and find what works for you. What works for me is just what works for me, it might be useless for someone else. I do not think there is necessarily one perfect way of eating for everyone. The best way of eating is the one that meats your health needs and enables you to enjoy food in a healthy way. It has taken me decades of experimenting to find what works for me but a lot of that time was wasted by doing same things over and over again that did not work ( the definition of insanity). Try moderation, try therapy, try support groups, try limiting certain foods, try illuminating certain foods, just keep trying things until you find what works for you.

icrushit

Haven't read much of the previous threads you've referred to, nor even the replies in this one.

What I will say is when it comes to things of this nature, I treat it like it's war, and do everything I can to win. My stubborn attitude not to let something like this get the better of me helps, but I really do think the mindset helps. For example when I lost weight some years ago, yet couldn't stop myself putting food in my mouth sometimes, I wasn't above spitting it back out if I caught myself in time.

Declare war on your bingeing and *do whatever it takes to win*. Take advice onboard where it seems like it might be an effective tool, but remember this is a fight where you need to do anything it takes. Once you've conquered your bingeing problems, then in the future you can focus on making peace with your problem foods/ food behaviours. IF you want to, that is, as I'm not one personally to believe we all have a god-given right to be able to eat cereal/ chocolate bars/ whatever else you can't handle. Just remember - war!

There is nothing that cannot be broken with enough pressure applied in the right ways, including bad habits. Victory is inevitable in anything as long as you don't give up, and are prepared to try new approaches if the one you're trying isn't working.

As a reformed binge eater, I found my binge eating tendencies went away when the points of stress that led to my binges went away. That just left me with foods I found it problematic not to overeat on (read: overeat, not binge). These would be two good places to start I think, as if you don't tackle whats leading to the binges, you'll likely never conquer your bingeing.

Good luck

FindingAmy77

get rid of all trigger foods. a drug addict wouldn't keep drugs in their house if they were trying to quit. just saying. I cant be trusted with peanut butter. nope not at all. so I don't have it here. you cant eat your thoughts. if its not there, then its just a craving that will pass.

Nadoriel

I've been a bingeing since I was a kid, but since I started myfitnesspal I got it controled, rather easier than I thought. Since I work in shifts I usually plan my days with some advance, and I've got everything I like on the menu. Yes.. If I were to start eating only healthy I would probably go back to bingeing soon, but I've been loosing weight for an year now without bingeing just because I stick with the calories eating what I like.

I've got cookies, muffins, custards, desserts after every meal, all sticking to the calories I need. I tend to binge eat at night, so usually I leave most of the stuff to eat during night time, so I'm like "binge eating" according to the calories. If I feel like doing it on other times, for example after a long day or morning (since I wake up earlier i tend to eat more before night time) I just chew some gum or drink a cup of diet cola.

That's what's been working for me at least, hope it helps.

TavistockToad

I am starting to understand why I binge - it's usually when stressed, or tired, or anxious or bored.

you're eating your feelings... you need to speak to someone about developing better coping mechanisms for when you feel stress, anxiety etc and take up a hobby so you're not bored.

onmyown70

I am starting to understand why I binge - it's usually when stressed, or tired, or anxious or bored.

you're eating your feelings... you need to speak to someone about developing better coping mechanisms for when you feel stress, anxiety etc and take up a hobby so you're not bored.

You're right of course, but sometimes it just seems to come from nowhere. It's working out what activities one can do to alleviate stress/tiredness and anxiety when "in the moment"

onmyown70

get rid of all trigger foods. a drug addict wouldn't keep drugs in their house if they were trying to quit. just saying. I cant be trusted with peanut butter. nope not at all. so I don't have it here. you cant eat your thoughts. if its not there, then its just a craving that will pass.

I think that's the only thing that works of me but it seems so neurotic and crazy to my friends/family :-( s I'm fatal with peanut and almond butter... although walnut butter not so much!!

onmyown70

I've been a bingeing since I was a kid, but since I started myfitnesspal I got it controled, rather easier than I thought. Since I work in shifts I usually plan my days with some advance, and I've got everything I like on the menu. Yes.. If I were to start eating only healthy I would probably go back to bingeing soon, but I've been loosing weight for an year now without bingeing just because I stick with the calories eating what I like.

I've got cookies, muffins, custards, desserts after every meal, all sticking to the calories I need. I tend to binge eat at night, so usually I leave most of the stuff to eat during night time, so I'm like "binge eating" according to the calories. If I feel like doing it on other times, for example after a long day or morning (since I wake up earlier i tend to eat more before night time) I just chew some gum or drink a cup of diet cola.

That's what's been working for me at least, hope it helps.

I'm so glad you have found something that works for you. I have tried this but I still have those moments where by I want to binge (despite having eaten) and also other foods just make me want more. I have to physically remove myself from the food. Interestingly, I rarely binge in the evening, I never start a binge in the evening (I may continue one from a manic day)z.

onmyown70

Haven't read much of the previous threads you've referred to, nor even the replies in this one.

What I will say is when it comes to things of this nature, I treat it like it's war, and do everything I can to win. My stubborn attitude not to let something like this get the better of me helps, but I really do think the mindset helps. For example when I lost weight some years ago, yet couldn't stop myself putting food in my mouth sometimes, I wasn't above spitting it back out if I caught myself in time.

Declare war on your bingeing and *do whatever it takes to win*. Take advice onboard where it seems like it might be an effective tool, but remember this is a fight where you need to do anything it takes. Once you've conquered your bingeing problems, then in the future you can focus on making peace with your problem foods/ food behaviours. IF you want to, that is, as I'm not one personally to believe we all have a god-given right to be able to eat cereal/ chocolate bars/ whatever else you can't handle. Just remember - war!

There is nothing that cannot be broken with enough pressure applied in the right ways, including bad habits. Victory is inevitable in anything as long as you don't give up, and are prepared to try new approaches if the one you're trying isn't working.

As a reformed binge eater, I found my binge eating tendencies went away when the points of stress that led to my binges went away. That just left me with foods I found it problematic not to overeat on (read: overeat, not binge). These would be two good places to start I think, as if you don't tackle whats leading to the binges, you'll likely never conquer your bingeing.

Good luck

onmyown70

Haven't read much of the previous threads you've referred to, nor even the replies in this one.

What I will say is when it comes to things of this nature, I treat it like it's war, and do everything I can to win. My stubborn attitude not to let something like this get the better of me helps, but I really do think the mindset helps. For example when I lost weight some years ago, yet couldn't stop myself putting food in my mouth sometimes, I wasn't above spitting it back out if I caught myself in time.

Declare war on your bingeing and *do whatever it takes to win*. Take advice onboard where it seems like it might be an effective tool, but remember this is a fight where you need to do anything it takes. Once you've conquered your bingeing problems, then in the future you can focus on making peace with your problem foods/ food behaviours. IF you want to, that is, as I'm not one personally to believe we all have a god-given right to be able to eat cereal/ chocolate bars/ whatever else you can't handle. Just remember - war!

There is nothing that cannot be broken with enough pressure applied in the right ways, including bad habits. Victory is inevitable in anything as long as you don't give up, and are prepared to try new approaches if the one you're trying isn't working.

As a reformed binge eater, I found my binge eating tendencies went away when the points of stress that led to my binges went away. That just left me with foods I found it problematic not to overeat on (read: overeat, not binge). These would be two good places to start I think, as if you don't tackle whats leading to the binges, you'll likely never conquer your bingeing.

Good luck

I love your approach, of treating it as a war, do whatever it takes to win. For me, that helpful. I swing from "oh it's ok, it's only food" "I can be like everyone else and have one slice" to mindlessly finding myself in a frenzy seeking more food frantically and having stomach ache, not sleeping and feeling ill an thinking why?


Are you saying you removed foods you wanted to overeat ? for me, this can be so called "healthy stuff" too i.e. cereals, bread....

I can'r remove some of the major stress in my life, but on the whole I have a good life, I do get stressed easily though. I'm privileged and have a good family yet those around me are quite stressed and I often have my husband's children who are great but there is a lot of stress involved looking after kids (and feeding them when they are not your own yet you are looking after them!). I do feel really encouraged by positive posts such as yours. What do you do these days if you just think "just one more`'...? do you ever binge? how do you destress?

onmyown70

Have you thought about speaking to a professional about your disorder?

Hi,
I have huge issues with going to my GP I went once, and was fobbed off and it then feels like a "black mark" next to my name and now, all that came from that visit was a change in my medical note and what I feel, a judgement. I was only offered counselling in a private service.

dedflwrs

Read "The End of Overeating"

JoRocka

it sounds more like your'e diet isn't properly balanced and when you get upset you reach for something that causes you to crave more- if you're carb crashing- or sugar crashing- yeah you're going to wind up in a nasty cycle of needing certain things and over doing it.

I'm not seeing this so much as a binge. Stress eating isn't always binging.

I also found once I stop eating certain foods- and I wind up eating them again- I find I crave them and feed the cycle.

So I either have to keep them regularly in my system for moderation- or just cut them pretty much off and regulate through other foods.

I find once I get on kick- like Oreos- I'm obsessed and I'm fine with them in the cabinet- but once they are out and I need one- I eat the hole package in days.

I'm privileged and have a good family yet those around me are quite stressed

you need to learn to compartmentalize. Having kids isn't a good reason to be stressed all the time. And it's certianly not worth stuffing your face for.

If I get really upset- I often ask myself- is this worth the agitation and if it's worth the agitation is it worth the stress adn then eatin git.

Am I giving the "Stress" to much credit.

I.e. *kitten* I have to deal with from another department- he makes me crazy- but I'm not validating his value in my life by eating more- that just means he's actually influencing my life- I can promise you- he doesn't care or think to care about me. I'm a number on his list.

Not.Worth.Validitating.With.Food.


I'm not saying stress eating isn't' a thing- I do it- but I try to do it with stuff that's actually important and valued in my life- prioritize and compartmentalize.

onmyown70

I have been binging since I was a child,I used to secret away food in to my room until had a good stash and then eat the lot. Sometimes I would even eat sugar by the spoonful right out of pack. The older I got the worse it got. My binges were always a combination of psychological distress and physiological addiction. When my binges were triggered by something in my mind I found I would binge on any food. I can relate to binges of veg, salad and fruit. If there was nothing else in house often the veg and salad was all I had so I would eat the lot but sugary high carb stuff was what I craved. On the physical side eating any sort of high carb food would trigger insatiable cravings in me whatever mood I was in before. I tried moderation many many times and it never worked for me. I have had years of therapy to help with emotional issues, I have been on medication at times to try and help with depression etc. The therapy helped me but did not help with the eating disorder. For me I only get peace from that when I illuminate high carb food from my normal day to day eating. Maybe in time I will be able to eat high carb in moderation but for now at least I am loving the peace not having it brings me. I do not feel deprived at all and have no cravings. I have not had a binge for over 6 weeks and I have not been fighting any desire to binge, the need to binge is just not there. That is huge for me because the longest I ever made it alone without bingeing before was 2 weeks and I was fighting the urge most of those two weeks.

Years ago in a 12 step program called food addicts in recovery anonymous I stayed binge free for 8 months solid with a lot of support from my sponsor in group and going to meetings etc. I did manage to not binge with a lot of help but it was still very hard. I was still having to fight the urges very often and I was an emotional wreck near the end. My sponsor refused to work with me any longer because it was upsetting her to hear me crying and struggling so much so often. The thing is that although i followed the food plan perfectly my cravings were being triggered every day by the breakfast that was on my plan. It was oats, natural plain yogurt and a piece of fruit. Sounds so healthy but for me it was triggering because I am so super sensitive to sugars. am doing better now on my own than I did in group. I can't say for certain if those foods and others will always be a problem for me ifOthers in group found peace but not me. My plan I was given also had an item of fruit with my lunch which again triggered cravings. I ineat them. I can say for certain I have never had so much peace around food as I do now without those foods in my daily life. Maybe after a cooling off period I might find I am ok with fruits and even other things but for now I feel good without them.

You have to be honest with yourself and find what works for you. What works for me is just what works for me, it might be useless for someone else. I do not think there is necessarily one perfect way of eating for everyone. The best way of eating is the one that meats your health needs and enables you to enjoy food in a healthy way. It has taken me decades of experimenting to find what works for me but a lot of that time was wasted by doing same things over and over again that did not work ( the definition of insanity). Try moderation, try therapy, try support groups, try limiting certain foods, try illuminating certain foods, just keep trying things until you find what works for you.

Thank you so much for your post. I am really glad you are finding a solution to this, how shall I term it... "addiction/habit/unhealthy feelings/practise!

I am like you. porridge causes me to feel really sleepy and want more, in fact even steel cut oats. Then again we went on holiday and had french omelettes for breakfast and afterwards I just felt like going to sleep, I felt sick yet wanted more food for energy! So this notion that breakfast give you energy and frequent meals snacks isn't working.

I do know I can overeat but not binge on things like dark coic, so I keep some for every day an most days that keeps me sane as I think I can eat as much as I like in the afternoons, this isn't healthy I know, and I get through a lot (I love it) but only a binger will understand, I overeat on it, some days having 650 kcal's, but I don't binge (that's not what I call a binge), so I still eat stuff like that but my trigger foods don't make sense. Brown pasta triggers more for me than fresh egg pasta! I just wish I knew when I was going to do it... it ruins my day, my mood, my efficiency, I'm a worse mum (as I spend all day thinking abut getting more food) so like someone else said it really is worth approaching this like a war- head on... My husband says I take it too seriously, he thinks it's funny my "only vice" is eating a packet of cereal and a loaf of bread three times a week...

stealthq

I am starting to understand why I binge - it's usually when stressed, or tired, or anxious or bored.

you're eating your feelings... you need to speak to someone about developing better coping mechanisms for when you feel stress, anxiety etc and take up a hobby so you're not bored.

You're right of course, but sometimes it just seems to come from nowhere. It's working out what activities one can do to alleviate stress/tiredness and anxiety when "in the moment"

But that's the point of seeing a therapist or other professional with experience helping people with similar issues. They help teach you various coping mechanisms so when you are "in the moment", you have those mechanisms ready to fall back on. It's no good waiting until you're "in the moment" to try to figure out what to do. If it were, you wouldn't be having a problem - it'd be under control.

onmyown70

Read "The End of Overeating"

Ah I have heard about this. I also feel it would be easier for others and myself to understand if Ikept things low sugar, salt and fat free but the stuff I binge on can be bread (once rye bread), porridge, cereals, as well as all the high sugar, fat salt stuff. I could honestly eat a whole packet of sugared cereal or a loaf of bread and want to keep going, it would only be a few hours later when I felt very sick that I would want to stop.

I suppose it's stopping it before it happens, and one of the repeated things that keeps happening is, if it's there, in the house, at some point I eat it. Stressed, anxious, tired, bored, not thinking or even sharing some with friends (I'll be thinking how can I get more, ).

Any way, it's reassuring others have felt like me and tackled this. I keep convincing myself this can't be an addiction (it makes me feel better to think it is) yet am still struggling to understand my contradictory brain/actions. Interestingly, when I eat well, non binge foods salads, vegetables, sweet potatoes, small amounts of carbs in the evening, I feel wonderful, but I don't do this, these are foods that satisfy my hunger but not my cravings.

I'm a foodie, in that sense I'm lucky I like vegetables and healthy "stuff" it's just my worrying thing that I do when I don't stop eating... I'm frightened of that part of myself

onmyown70

I am starting to understand why I binge - it's usually when stressed, or tired, or anxious or bored.

you're eating your feelings... you need to speak to someone about developing better coping mechanisms for when you feel stress, anxiety etc and take up a hobby so you're not bored.
[/quote

You're right of course, but sometimes it just seems to come from nowhere. It's working out what activities one can do to alleviate stress/tiredness and anxiety when "in the moment"

But that's the point of seeing a therapist or other professional with experience helping people with similar issues. They help teach you various coping mechanisms so when you are "in the moment", you have those mechanisms ready to fall back on. It's no good waiting until you're "in the moment" to try to figure out what to do. If it were, you wouldn't be having a problem - it'd be under control.

Hmm good point, I can't imagine anything would stop me in the moment unless it was helping someone in trouble!

Raynne413

With your example of the fudge, it could be that you are tired, or that you aren't getting enough fat or calories in your daily diet. When I was in that time period, I was eating VERY little fat, and I was sleep deprived. So whenever I went on a binge, I wanted things like pastries with the fat I wasn't getting like I needed, and a ton of carbs for the energy my body was craving.

JoRocka

With your example of the fudge, it could be that you are tired, or that you aren't getting enough fat or calories in your daily diet. When I was in that time period, I was eating VERY little fat, and I was sleep deprived. So whenever I went on a binge, I wanted things like pastries with the fat I wasn't getting like I needed, and a ton of carbs for the energy my body was craving.

exactly.

have you looked at your macro's OP- it really sounds a lot like cycled unbalanced eating.

icrushit

Are you saying you removed foods you wanted to overeat ? for me, this can be so called "healthy stuff" too i.e. cereals, bread....

Yep, whatever works - the enemy comes in many forms

What do you do these days if you just think "just one more`'...? do you ever binge? how do you destress?

Thankfully there's not much stress in my life right now, but have been there in the past, and it made me terribly unhealthy as I turned to food just like you. All I can say is you need to tackle the stress issue, and everything else will fall into place I think. Re: the one more, just remember the quote - discipline is the difference between what you want most, and what you want right now Discipline and willpower are only finite though, so focus on having a good plan first, so you can save those mental reserves for the times you need them most

lemurcat12

How are you defining binging? Actual binging or just overeating? I've never been a binger, but I used to overeat foods for reasons similar to those you mention.

I am starting to understand why I binge - it's usually when stressed, or tired, or anxious or bored.

I am trying to work out if it's all psychological or partly physiological (perhaps I am hoping it's the latter, so I am not just battling with my own lack of willpower!).

IME, this was a habit of psychological and learned habit. Once it becomes your go-to under certain circumstances, your body/mind expects that and wants it. I found it helpful to force myself to be extremely mindful of what was going on--to journal when I was wanting something and the surrounding circumstances--and then to try and address the desire to eat by eating something else (just to munch, something low calorie) or by focusing on the underlying cause, like the stress. Not giving in was the key, but that doesn't mean it was a matter of just willpower or even primarily that.

I also did find it helpful to just not eat my usual suspects for a couple of weeks, until I learned I didn't need them. Whether this works for you will depend on you, but the rest of it was important to do along with this for me.

onmyown70

Are you saying you removed foods you wanted to overeat ? for me, this can be so called "healthy stuff" too i.e. cereals, bread....

Yep, whatever works - the enemy comes in many forms

What do you do these days if you just think "just one more`'...? do you ever binge? how do you destress?

Thankfully there's not much stress in my life right now, but have been there in the past, and it made me terribly unhealthy as I turned to food just like you. All I can say is you need to tackle the stress issue, and everything else will fall into place I think. Re: the one more, just remember the quote - discipline is the difference between what you want most, and what you want right now Discipline and willpower are only finite though, so focus on having a good plan first, so you can save those mental reserves for the times you need them most
[/quote

This is useful! I have had a week if no bingeing. I probably haven't had the ideal diet for some...

Morning milky coffee x2
Walk play with son out of the house
Afternoon dark choc (my peak binge time so eaten quite a lot of choc)
Eve meal: protein, veg carbs meeting 2000kcAl and all my macro nutrients or pizza pasta ( I can't eat these foods in large doses in the day or I feel too sleepy and bingey)

It doesn't sound the healthiest but it worked!

Today, Sunday I failed. I had to make lunches for guests and there were cakes, bread and I had four hours sleep. We decided to stay in all afternoon, so it was me in the kitchen and I think I had gotten cocky from the week. Let's put it this way... One slice of pizza at 12 pm led to more and one millionaire shortbread and I caved I to a huge binge, as soon as I started on the food and was given too much time around food and thinkng about it.

I need a palm for future Sundays! My weekly plan, I know doesn't sound great to some but it has, for the first time put a stop to me bingeing and I'm avoiding going low kcal as I am trying to Avoid any triggers for bingeing.

So that's what has worked despite today being a major downfall. Oh and a binge is 4000kcl in one sitting is the whole pack bread, cakes, cereal bars!

persistentsoul

Well done on having a better week and finding things that work for you. Get back on track now, today may not have gone to plan but you can learn from it as you said. Maybe look at how often you have guests and what food you serve them. Maybe someone else could be in charge of the food preparations or organize things so that one person brings the pizza and someone else brings cakes etc, have someone in kitchen with you, anything to avoid you being alone with things you do not feel safe with in your kitchen, then at end of event insist people take left overs home with them.

onmyown70

Hi,

Thank you so much for your reply to my not very articulate post. Really encouraging to just have someone say, get back on it!

I suppose I get to disappointed with myself, I should have seen it coming (these foods were in the house for a few days and I had avoided them- by not being in the house during binge times and lining myself up with very dark choc (ok I ate 100gramd each day which is overeating but not binge eating (to me, bingeing being thousands of kcal and non stop want for food) at binge time (3pm) and then it's been my son's bedtime and time to prep evening meal). The guests we had were adults and my husband's children and they are major fussy eaters which is a nightmare. To be fair my husband does loads with them but food all comes down to me, I have tried to make them eat healthy stuff, but they are carb and particularly cereal fiends! So weekends when they are here will always include sugary cereal, pizza, pasta, cakes and bread! So I need to work out how to handle this because I tire quickly when around lots of young children!!


Lack of sleep is def a huge trigger too btw folks, just thought I would share and sorry to off load as it were.

persistentsoul

Maybe drink two big glasses of water and eat a plate of fruit and veg. Just keep feeding in the cucumber while you dish up the pizza. If you can fill yourself up with very low calorie stuff you might lose your appetite enough not to eat things you do not have enough calories set aside for. Have a big meal with a lot of low calorie stuff before you have to deal with the other food. It is easier to stay calm around if already full up.