How do I stop binge eating on the weekends?

dreeminbigg

Every Saturday, I binge horribly. I view it as my "reward" for working so hard during the week, because let me tell you, I'm VERY stressed by the end of the week and I feel like food is the only thing that fixes it.

I think I've only gone 1 weekend without binge eating in the past 2 months or so. I know people will tell me to not buy unhealthy foods and then problem solved, but it's not up to me who buys foods. My parents and sister don't eat as healthy as I do (during the week, atleast) and even though I've tried to get them to start eating healthier, they won't stick to it. So we've come to a decision - they eat what they want to eat, I eat what I want to eat.

But I just can't control my urges to binge!!!! I can't fight it! Help me please!!

dreeminbigg

And when I mean binge, I mean binges of 1000 calories or more.

heather1945

Depends how much you really want to change your eating lifestyle and lose weight...:-}

beccadaniixox

I say invest in 100 calorie bags of popcorn (like the mini Orville Redenbacher).
When I sit in my dorm all weekend doing homework all I think about sometimes is how my fridge and food is RIGHT THERE. So it's like.. it's so easy I can just grab whatever is there and it's easy to just keep garbing stuff.

I've really found that if I snack on the popcorn it keeps me busy.
Also maybe when you think you want to eat instead drink water or go for a walk!

dreeminbigg

I say invest in 100 calorie bags of popcorn (like the mini Orville Redenbacher).
When I sit in my dorm all weekend doing homework all I think about sometimes is how my fridge and food is RIGHT THERE. So it's like.. it's so easy I can just grab whatever is there and it's easy to just keep garbing stuff.

I've really found that if I snack on the popcorn it keeps me busy.
Also maybe when you think you want to eat instead drink water or go for a walk!

I actually have that popcorn in my pantry! But it's not things like that that I crave, it's things like chocolate and pastries and sweets. Popcorn won't satisfy me, and neither will a little tiny piece of chocolate and I would go for a walk (I've done that before whenever I've felt like binging), except that now most of my binges occur late at night, at around 11 or 12, and I can't go on a walk then...

Athena413

WIth that attitude, no, you can't change your habits. Take the word "can't" out of your vocabulary. No one is shoving food down your throat - you are the one making those decisions. Change your mindset to "I can say no" and "I can resist the binges" and "I can do this" and you'll see a much higher success rate. Find a better way to reward yourself. You can't reward your weight loss efforts with food - that's counter productive. Treat yourself to a new shirt, a night out with friends, a mani/pedi, or something material, not a consumed good. Consumed goods only make you feel good at the time - material goods last much longer.

Only you can help you - you just have to decide what's really important to you and then do what you have to do.

Ajaay

It's not a fast fix, but visualize yourself saying no to tempting foods and choosing other foods instead. You should include an emotional response in your visualization--such as taking a walk and feeling less stressed. The more you picture yourself in control and being the person you want to be, the easier it will be.

When I was thin I had np saying no to french fries because I was so used to saying 'no' it was habit not deprivation. After I got out of the habit and kept saying 'yes' I had to really work back into saying 'no' to the foods that used to be easy for me. I figure after I say 'no' so many times again, it will stop being an effort again.

Athena413

I say invest in 100 calorie bags of popcorn (like the mini Orville Redenbacher).
When I sit in my dorm all weekend doing homework all I think about sometimes is how my fridge and food is RIGHT THERE. So it's like.. it's so easy I can just grab whatever is there and it's easy to just keep garbing stuff.

I've really found that if I snack on the popcorn it keeps me busy.
Also maybe when you think you want to eat instead drink water or go for a walk!

I actually have that popcorn in my pantry! But it's not things like that that I crave, it's things like chocolate and pastries and sweets. Popcorn won't satisfy me, and neither will a little tiny piece of chocolate and I would go for a walk (I've done that before whenever I've felt like binging), except that now most of my binges occur late at night, at around 11 or 12, and I can't go on a walk then...

You crave those things because you allow your body to have them. You need to quit eating crap like that cold-turkey and allow your body to "detox". After a few days of no crap food, you won't have near the cravings like you did.

beccadaniixox

If you're craving sweets then maybe get grapes. Sometimes fruits can really help to negate that craving.
But if you really want like pastries, maybe look up some low cal recipes you could make.
When I have a sugar craving that can't be beat I always eat Fluff, which is 20cals a tablespoon.
There's also all the different types of Goldfish crackers they have now, which aren't too bad for you as long as you count out a serving

cantjustcant

100 calorie snack packs! they have all sorts of sweets! Eat them one at a time and drink water between each one savoring each bite

L2M1D52

I'm an emotional eater, so when I wanted to kick start this weight loss, I quit cold turkey on the things I craved the most and really caused a lot of weight gain (e.g., pop, junk food, sweets, fast food). I kept reminding myself why this is important and did I really want to spend any more days looking in the mirror wishing I looked different. When it came time to seeing the food (because everyone around me is NOT watching their food choices or portions) I literally visualize the food "destroying" my bad. For example when I looked at cake which I loved, I thought about all the sugar and how nasty it would make me feel and what it would do to my body. It's about the mindset. I would also definitely agree with the other poster on taking the word can't out of your vocabulary.

Another option is limiting your intake, depending on how much your eating of the sweets, settle for less times during Saturday. So say you eat sweets three times a day... go for two until you can go without or go without more frequently. Hope that helps.

michedarnd

jrdoty does have it right in that quitting them cold turkey fixes the cravings. I used to have a weakness for chips. I simply stopped. They are in my house, because my kids get them (OCCASIONALLY!!!), but I simply stopped. Now, they are no temptation. Even on my deliberate "high-calorie" days (part of a zig-zag diet, and now, I have trouble managing that high a calorie count), I simply don't WANT them. I'm eating very well, and my body has made it clear that it LIKES it that way.

dreeminbigg

Alright, I'll keep all of this in mind! Thanks guys!

ildarabbit

I have the same problem with letting go on the weekends a little becuase I've been "so good during the week". I have three ideas I read about that I'm trying out that I feel are kind of working for me. (1) This kind of goes against the cold turkey idea, but maybe you need to spread out your "reward" type foods during the week. Maybe give yourself a treat two days during the week. And I'm not talking like a 1000 calorie treat, more like a 200 calorie treat on a day when you've earned some exercise calories. Instead of saving up your treats for the weekend you are spreading out the bad the stuff and not binging it all at once and maybe you're making the week less difficult for yourself by rewarding yourself a little during the week.

(2) That said, I'm not trying to condone using food as a primary reward for being good either. Maybe think about rewarding yourself with things aren't food. If you've been so good and you feel really stressed by the end of the week, reward yourself with a nice outing, a manicure... whatever floats your boat and is not food. The idea is to find something, other than food, to reward and relax yourself with. I *love* food and agree that is can bring pleasure but there are plenty of things out there that can ease your stress and that are not food.

(3) Last is something that really works for me if I feel on the edge of giving in: If your tummy is just calling out for something, chug down 2 glasses of water. This will make you feel full really fast and you probably won't feel like chasing that with a binge. And, if 2 glasses doesn't do it, make it 4!

ildarabbit

Hope that helps!

Bluestar083

ok so you say it happens late at night-why dont you try going to bed earlier? I use to do the same when dieting a few times ago but don't do it this time as go to bed so early for a 615am gym class.

But i am the same on the weekend. find it hard, once i start, not to continue with a day of higher calories food. Not binging but yeah eating 3 desserts over the day ;(

Katie3784

Honestly, a 1000 calorie binge could be dinner and desert at a restaurant, which I don't see as too bad. But, if you have a lot of weight to lose and you want to get serious, maybe just allow your self one treat, like pizza or ice cream, on the weekends.

trwilcox

what i do when i feel the need to eat junk foods is brush my teeth. when my mouth feels clean i dont want to eat anything.

isherryb

I also eat differently on the weekends, but I still choose the healthier foods, and try to stay as close to my numbers as possible.

AllTehBeers

I love pastries too and since I work in a convenience store they are constantly a temptation. One thing that I've incorporated to curb my cravings is different types of powerbars. They are a bit higher in calories but they keep me feeling fuller longer and curb my sweet cravings. I have a strawberry oatmeal one for breakfast and I have a chocolate caramel one right before my workouts. The chocolate and the workout kind of cancel each other out but it really helps me keep my chocolate cravings in check. I also eat fruit and drink real fruit juice to curb my sweet cravings.

ETC80

I have the same issue. My husband, who has the metabolism of a field mouse, can eat anything and not gain weight, so we have a few empty calorie items in our pantry.

Here's my trick to over-coming the urge to binge...

acknowledge my feelings. It's ok to feel this way. What is it exactly that you feel?

It's up to you to decide what happens next. It'll be tough to resist the first few times, but the feeling of accomplishment you'll have for resisting the binge will outweigh all other feelings.

cathy6566

I try to pre add my meals before I eat them. that way I know if I can afford what I'm craving or not. Like today I would like Chinese take out, so I added what I would like, then added in what I'm going to have for my supper and my evening snack. That way I know I'm good to go. Then when I hit my total, I really have to think, am I hungry or just bored. hope this helped. I tend to eat more (unhealthy) when I'm bored

dreeminbigg

This weekend will be the ultimate test! I'll do what everyone suggested. Thanks guys

sitstaygimmeeakiss

I was doing great until recently - now I'm trying to get back on track.

A few thoughts here, in addition to what everyone else has said: I find that I tend to binge while watching tv at night. For some reason, if I watch stuff on my computer it's not the same - there's something psychologically connected to relaxing in front of a tv.

I would def get healthy snacks, and try baking some low calorie/low fat goodies - I was making a pumpkin bread with Splenda and fruit mush instead of oil/butter. Amazing - I just found a good rated recipe on All Recipes and subbed some of the stuff (tasted for amt of splenda before I baked it). Only thing is, even if it's low cal/low fat, eating the whole thing is not a good thing! (been there in the past, done that... haha).

Also - make sure you eat plenty of healthy foods starting first thing each wknd morning. Have lots of raw veggies and anything else that has filling fiber. It really, really helps if you are feeling full & just good by the time the evening rolls around.

Hey - I'm giving myself some good suggestions, too! Good luck - you can do it! (I'm having a tough time right now and I don't even have to deal with junk foods brought in by others - my heart goes out to you!!)

dreeminbigg

I was doing great until recently - now I'm trying to get back on track.

A few thoughts here, in addition to what everyone else has said: I find that I tend to binge while watching tv at night. For some reason, if I watch stuff on my computer it's not the same - there's something psychologically connected to relaxing in front of a tv.

I would def get healthy snacks, and try baking some low calorie/low fat goodies - I was making a pumpkin bread with Splenda and fruit mush instead of oil/butter. Amazing - I just found a good rated recipe on All Recipes and subbed some of the stuff (tasted for amt of splenda before I baked it). Only thing is, even if it's low cal/low fat, eating the whole thing is not a good thing! (been there in the past, done that... haha).

Also - make sure you eat plenty of healthy foods starting first thing each wknd morning. Have lots of raw veggies and anything else that has filling fiber. It really, really helps if you are feeling full & just good by the time the evening rolls around.

Hey - I'm giving myself some good suggestions, too! Good luck - you can do it! (I'm having a tough time right now and I don't even have to deal with junk foods brought in by others - my heart goes out to you!!)

I wish you the best of luck!!! It's definitely not easy, but with time we can do it!

Randynorthridge

Why do we binge eat?
Posted on May 27, 2009 by Kimberly Russell

There are only 2 possibilities for eating past hunger:
1) you’re not getting enough nutrients from the foods you eat.

If this is true, your cravings will be for very particular food groups and will often come with other health problems like light headedness, cranky moodswings, headaches, muscle cramps, etc.

For example, someone that does not get enough protein or is getting too much protein will crave sugary foods because both proteins and sugars will show up in your blood sugar insulin levels, keeping the right amount of proteins in your diet will keep sugar cravings at bay. If this is you, you may feel fatigued in your workouts, have irregular periods or feel sluggish.

People on over restrictive diets low on calories will crave carbohydrates and sugars because these are the sources more quickly turned into energy in the body.
If you know that you’re not eating well or are on a ___diet (fill the blank in with any one food item and you KNOW it’s a bad idea), this could be your reason. Do you feel hungry constantly, do you have trouble sleeping? These could be signs of imbalanced carbohydrates in your diet.

2)you’re not getting enough emotional outlets in your life.

Look, we’re emotional beings. We eat for hunger, yes, but we also eat because we’re stressed, tired, lonely, bored, celebrating. And we’re not the only ones. I’ve watched my cat eat until she puked (and then eat the puke, and then puke the puked food and eat it again) because she was lonely, so why should we expect more from ourselves? Okay, fine, don’t eat what you’ve puked.

If you know this is why you over eat, I ask you to think of one question: What feeling am I seeking when I eat too much?

This one question will get you a lot more than you may think. If you eat until you feel happy, what happened today or earlier that made you UNhappy? If you eat until you feel calm, what made you irritated? Generally, emotional eating form their own kind of food groups:

Crunchy salty foods = aggravation, irritation.

Sweet, soft doughy,creamy foods = sadness, need for consolation.

Soft, salty foods = boredom, loneliness.

Fatty, fried foods = feeling spacy, ungrounded, unsure.

Now of course there’s no science book that’s going to break down these parallels in what you eat, when and why. You could be ready to punch your boss in the face and reach for ice cream, not chips, but hey, don’t you want someone to console you after you punch him?

In the end, if you can start with knowing why YOU eat too much, that’s more than half the battle.

So I’m not saying the next time you go shopping to distract yourself from the Dorito aisle because it’s “bad”, but just think, what do I want to feel after I eat this? and see if that changes anything.

bethdris

I don't understand why people don't treat the weekend the same as during the week. Your "reward" will be a healthier body, nice fitting clothes, etc. I have a husband and 3 ilittle kids who don't eat exactly as I do. This is a lifestyle change, so if you have alotted calories to have a treat, then great, if not..put it down and go for a walk...plain and simple!!!

dreeminbigg

I don't understand why people don't treat the weekend the same as during the week. Your "reward" will be a healthier body, nice fitting clothes, etc. I have a husband and 3 ilittle kids who don't eat exactly as I do. This is a lifestyle change, so if you have alotted calories to have a treat, then great, if not..put it down and go for a walk...plain and simple!!!

It's not as plain and simple as you think. If you haven't dealt with it I don't think you'd understand!

Meggles63

I don't understand why people don't treat the weekend the same as during the week. Your "reward" will be a healthier body, nice fitting clothes, etc. I have a husband and 3 ilittle kids who don't eat exactly as I do. This is a lifestyle change, so if you have alotted calories to have a treat, then great, if not..put it down and go for a walk...plain and simple!!!

My problem with treating the weekend same as week is that I am home all day during the weekend! Much more opportunity for overeating at home than when I'm at work. It's also prolly psychological, it's the weekend, let's relax, etc. I agree 100% tho that it IS a lifestyle change and, like you, I have hubby and 4 boys who do not at all eat like I do (much as I encouraging it), and it does take willpower and strength. It gets easier over time (and some of my kids are asking for better foods, as they see me eating better )

sloath

I had this thing too but I got rid of it by keeping myself busy and not thinking of food like studying or painting or playing music whatever you're good at if you feel like you have to reward yourself then try something other than food, like shopping, don't stay home the whole weekend, go out and have fun ! If you feel like you really have to eat then work out, that should take care of it

christine24t

Maybe try to keep busy on the weekends.
I know it might be hard, but sleep in, get up, eat a good breakfast, go to the gym and get a good workout in, and then plan some kind of activity to do, whether it is taking a long walk outside, going to the library and picking out new books to read, go to the coffee shop and doing homework. Maybe think about getting a weekend job. Go online to a site like Skinnytaste and pick out a recipe to make for your family (trust me, they won't complain!!). Then make plans with friends or watch a movie with your parents, and go to bed at 10.
Just because it is the weekend you do not have to stay up late! Go to bed at the same time as the weekdays. You will sleep better because of it in general.