Can't seem to stop binge eating??

SherryPhan2

So I've been binge eating (really heavily...I ate over 3000 calories today and I'm 5' 0") every day for this past week. I'm not stressed or anything...I just don't seem to have any self control. I'll get these random intense sugar cravings and then I'll walk to the nearest convenience store like I'm possessed and buy boxes and bags of candy which I demolish in one sitting. How do I stop this? I have PCOS so this kind of behavior is even more detrimental than it is for most other people.

ogmomma2012

If you feel this is an impulse you can't battle alone, I believe there are professionals that can help determine if you have an eating disorder. Why not try drinking a bunch of water every time you get those sugar cravings?

Liftng4Lis

You should call a doctor.

fit_crow

I have totally been where you are right now. For me at least, it was really stressful and scary when I had those kind of binge cravings for days, so I imagine it's probably similar for you.

Other than talking to a professional, I don't have a lot of advice for making the problem go away permanently (still pushing through that myself to be honest), but I can tell you some of the things that helped me end a particular incident of binging.

To snap myself out of it, I always had to let go of what was happening and firmly decide to forgive myself and start over. For the day, I would calm down and try to be ok with what had happened. Tomorrow would be new, a fresh start, completely uncolored by the past few days of binges. Starting with a healthy, filling, and most importantly non-triggering breakfast was a good way to do that. Avoiding any foods that can trigger your desire to binge is really important.

I would say if you are leaving to buy more food, that probably gives you more time to stop yourself than if it is just food that is already in the house. Maybe you could think of it as a financial issue - what else could you spend that money on?

I want to reiterate that forgiveness and moving on are really, really important (in my experience) to ending a binging streak. My binges get worse with guilt, so if that is also a problem for you, than defeating that guilt cycle is the best step you can take.

ZulyPastor95

I know my idea probably isn't the best way to do it and nobody judge me I'm not proud of it but it did help me ALOT. I simply put like a reminder on my phone for every hour telling me not to eat because I'm fat and it just made me not want to go and eat a bunch of snacks at like 12am.

dashaclaire

Sugar triggers binges for me. The more I eat the more I want. The only thing that works for me is to quit it cold turkey, plan all my meals ahead and I use sugar free candy, like Atkins chocolate peanut butter cups and sugar free gum that tastes sweet to my mouth but don't trigger my brain to dive head first into a bag of donuts. Sugar is my favorite drug.

I agree with everything fit_crow said: Guilt is just gonna make you feel worse and start fresh tomorrow.

northbanu

I know it sounds simplistic, but next time you want to walk to the store just don't. And when you want to do it again 2 minutes later, just don't. And just keep on NOT doing that. I know it sounds really dumb for me to say it this way. Like I have NO idea how hard it is, but it will work. Your willpower is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it will become.

And those times that your willpower fails, just pick yourself up, acknowledge the set back, and start not giving in to the temptation again. Just keep NOT doing it. Over and over again.

It's funny timing, because I just made a post about late night snacks because it takes a bunch of my willpower to not eat all night, and I wondered what other folks did.

ahoy_m8

It's a really good first step that you don't have binge foods at home and you have to walk to the store to get them. I hear you, though, that your resistance to getting them is low.

There are lots of articles about self control being like a muscle in that you can gradually strengthen it through conditioning and you can exhaust it through overuse. You can strengthen it by setting modest goals and sticking to them a couple weeks then gradually increasing the goal. I have no idea what a modest goal for you would be, but maybe no binging on a favorite candy. After a couple weeks, maybe it would be no walking to the store for treats after dinner. As for overworking self control, there really is something to be said for avoiding situations that trigger cravings. It sounds like you do a good job of keeping sweets out of the house, but is there perhaps another trigger you could avoid? If the concept resonates, Google "self control, willpower, muscle" to find lots more good details.

Any simple carb will cause a brief spike then crash and leaving you craving sugar again. Avoiding simple carbs (especially so called "super-palatable" foods that combine salt and sugar) stops the cycle. Eating nuts (unsalted almonds in particular) really helped me overcome sugar cravings. They are so satisfying! They are also easy to overeat. And hugely caloric. But they're low glycemic and blunt sugar cravings. I wish you the best.

Camo_xxx

You should call a doctor.

What kind of doctor dispenses self control ?

yopeeps025

I know my idea probably isn't the best way to do it and nobody judge me I'm not proud of it but it did help me ALOT. I simply put like a reminder on my phone for every hour telling me not to eat because I'm fat and it just made me not want to go and eat a bunch of snacks at like 12am.

I use I would kind of call this negative self talk all the time too. It works.

NoMoreBlameGame

I know my idea probably isn't the best way to do it and nobody judge me I'm not proud of it but it did help me ALOT. I simply put like a reminder on my phone for every hour telling me not to eat because I'm fat and it just made me not want to go and eat a bunch of snacks at like 12am.

Why shouldn't you be proud of it? In my opinion, setting your phone to go off once an hour to remind you what you're trying to accomplish...is a TOOL, not something to be ashamed of. I'm not a clinical psychologist of any sort, but to me it sounds like a really good tool you implemented for yourself and your goals. Good on you. (my opinion)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________


OP...looks like other people in this thread have given you some good, encouraging, solid advice with regard to self-control. The only thing I have to add is a question. Other than your binge-moments...are you depriving yourself on a regular basis of anything you like to have? I guess what I'm asking is...are you not eating any of your favorite things at all throughout your weekly intake, and then binging on them all at once? IF that's the case, it might help you to simply factor treats into your caloric intake in small amounts. IE: eat 1 chocolate twice a week if you want chocolate...but log it, and stay within your limits.

If you're allowing yourself what you'd like to eat throughout the week and still having binges, I don't have any suggestions.

northbanu

OP...looks like other people in this thread have given you some good, encouraging, solid advice with regard to self-control. The only thing I have to add is a question. Other than your binge-moments...are you depriving yourself on a regular basis of anything you like to have? I guess what I'm asking is...are you not eating any of your favorite things at all throughout your weekly intake, and then binging on them all at once? IF that's the case, it might help you to simply factor treats into your caloric intake in small amounts. IE: eat 1 chocolate twice a week if you want chocolate...but log it, and stay within your limits.
If you're allowing yourself what you'd like to eat throughout the week and still having binges, I don't have any suggestions.

Yes, this is good stuff.

ahoy_m8

OP...looks like other people in this thread have given you some good, encouraging, solid advice with regard to self-control. The only thing I have to add is a question. Other than your binge-moments...are you depriving yourself on a regular basis of anything you like to have? I guess what I'm asking is...are you not eating any of your favorite things at all throughout your weekly intake, and then binging on them all at once? IF that's the case, it might help you to simply factor treats into your caloric intake in small amounts. IE: eat 1 chocolate twice a week if you want chocolate...but log it, and stay within your limits.
If you're allowing yourself what you'd like to eat throughout the week and still having binges, I don't have any suggestions.

Yes, this is good stuff.

Ditto--great comment. Northbanu, I saw your late night snack thread and wanted to ask you which of your responses you thought were most helpful, but I resisted hi-jacking OP's thread. But this comment seems applicable both to OP's and your thread. So I'll ask, do you think more satisfying meals would diminish your snack urge? And what replies did you personally find most helpful?

edited for typo

tuxedord2

I have struggled with exactly the same issue. "Binge Eating Disorder" is very real and very difficult. I attended a week long seminar and learned something very powerful listed below. But first all the above suggestions are good ones.

At the seminar they actually encouraged us to let go of 'good food" and "bad food." Food was to be just food. And we, as people were neither good or bad. We just were.

They encouraged us to allow the next binge but do it a bit differently. Go out and get all your binge food. Plan for it if you want. "Tonight, I'm going to have x, y, z." Write down what it feels like to think about the binge. Write down what it feels like to purchase the binge food.

Then, instead of binging in the car or in front of the tv - put all the binge food on a table. Without any distraction, start your binge. But this time, slow it down. Pick up one food at a time. Look at it and examine the texture, color, smell. Then put one bite in your mouth. What happens? How does it taste? What is your saliva doing? How does it feel? Chew it until completely done. Write down your observations. Then the next bite. Repeat. Continue, slowing consuming but being very mindful.

This activity is so powerful. By allowing yourself the binge and really examining what it is your doing you take back some of your own control.

Root: restriction will lead to binge. So forever more it will be about compassionate and balanced eating.

kawatson61

What are you normally doing while you binge? I ask this because being an emotion/stress-triggered binge eater myself, I find that I am normally doing several other things while binge eating (watching netflix, checking the internet, etc). When I eat regularly throughout the day, I have the same tendencies. I normally eat and work at the same time. When I binge, I'm really not aware of how much I'm eating. I'm not eating because I'm hungry necessarily and since I am occupying my thoughts with other actions while bingeing, it doesn't register that I'm stuffing myself beyond capacity.

My suggestion is to try out the mindfulness concept. You can find the research literature online, but it basically teaches one to focus on only one task at a time, in this case eating, and to be aware of what you're feeling during that task. Each bite. Do just that and nothing else. Be aware of the food you're putting into your body. You could try practicing this when you're not bingeing even, which is where I started with my lunches.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/dining/mindful-eating-as-food-for-thought.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

I would also suggest that you seek the help of a food counselor or someone similar if you can. Just talking to someone once a week really turned things around for me.

kawatson61

I have struggled with exactly the same issue. "Binge Eating Disorder" is very real and very difficult. I attended a week long seminar and learned something very powerful listed below. But first all the above suggestions are good ones.

At the seminar they actually encouraged us to let go of 'good food" and "bad food." Food was to be just food. And we, as people were neither good or bad. We just were.

They encouraged us to allow the next binge but do it a bit differently. Go out and get all your binge food. Plan for it if you want. "Tonight, I'm going to have x, y, z." Write down what it feels like to think about the binge. Write down what it feels like to purchase the binge food.

Then, instead of binging in the car or in front of the tv - put all the binge food on a table. Without any distraction, start your binge. But this time, slow it down. Pick up one food at a time. Look at it and examine the texture, color, smell. Then put one bite in your mouth. What happens? How does it taste? What is your saliva doing? How does it feel? Chew it until completely done. Write down your observations. Then the next bite. Repeat. Continue, slowing consuming but being very mindful.

This activity is so powerful. By allowing yourself the binge and really examining what it is your doing you take back some of your own control.

Root: restriction will lead to binge. So forever more it will be about compassionate and balanced eating.

You beat me to the punch. I think we're speaking the same language.

northbanu

OP...looks like other people in this thread have given you some good, encouraging, solid advice with regard to self-control. The only thing I have to add is a question. Other than your binge-moments...are you depriving yourself on a regular basis of anything you like to have? I guess what I'm asking is...are you not eating any of your favorite things at all throughout your weekly intake, and then binging on them all at once? IF that's the case, it might help you to simply factor treats into your caloric intake in small amounts. IE: eat 1 chocolate twice a week if you want chocolate...but log it, and stay within your limits.
If you're allowing yourself what you'd like to eat throughout the week and still having binges, I don't have any suggestions.

Yes, this is good stuff.

Ditto--great comment. Northbanu, I saw your late night snack thread and wanted to ask you which of your responses you thought were most helpful, but I resisted hi-jacking OP's thread. But this comment seems applicable both to OP's and your thread. So I'll ask, do you think more satisfying meals would diminish your snack urge? And what replies did you personally find most helpful?

edited for typo

Though I do get the urge to snack at night I don't think it is as pressing, or all consuming as OP's binges. Her binges remind me of what I went through when I quit smoking.
The want and desire is all consuming, you cannot think of anything else, and when someone interrupts your one track train of thought, you snap angrily. The sort of thing that truly is a test of willpower and resolve. And when your willpower fails, you tend to beat yourself up over having bought that pack of cigarettes or big *kitten* bag of fun size Snickers. Then you say "Fuch it, I can't do this, I suck. I'll always suck, what’s the difference. It's not llke I'll ever NOT want to binge/smoke. It's just easier to binge/smoke". So we quit quiting, when we should just be saying "Well that was a step backward, but I'm not a loser, I can do this, I just need to start over from this point, whats done is done." And move forward.

My refrigerator grazing, is not nearly as all consuming, and can usually be handled with some cucumber slices or sugar free dill pickles. :-) And generally my desire to come in under my target is all it takes to stop snacking.

As far as a more satisfying meals helping curb my snacking desire, I don't think that would help. I my case I think it's an issue of habit and boredom, an easy fix comparatively. I think in OP's case it's an issue that goes deeper than bad habits and ultimately will require a real force of willpower. Even if she goes to counselling, or Weight Watchers, or group therapy, it will come down to how she handles the challenges.

Kalikel

You should see your doctor and make sure there isn't some medical issue. If there isn't, get a referral for a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. Even if you end up not having one, the therapist can help you sort through your problem with food.

If you want to stop and can't, get some help!

Good luck.

2013sk

Its the sugar!! I am like that with sugar, Sweets, Chocs, Biscuits etc - once I start I cant stop!!!!

I know its easier said than done, but if you don't buy this stuff ^^^^^ you cant be tempted.

Throw all the binging stuff away in the bin - Get rid of it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stock up on lots of yummy fruit - Snack on that with greek yoghurt - So much better for you.

And maybe go & speak to someone about your binging

Hopefully you overcome this

Good luck