Do you binge eat?

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  • bks1
    bks1 Posts: 32 Member
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    After a successful 120 days on MFP, I literally snapped and had an entire binge WEEK. I don't know what happened to make me do it, I don't know why I let that careless attitude get to me- but now I'm struggling to get back in track. I'm amazed at just how much of my good work I undid in just a few days! How easy is it to put on the weight compared to taking it off!

    So I just want you to know you are definitely NOT alone, and if I knew how to stop these crazy binge attacks- I would let everyone know lol!!
  • KellyKAG
    KellyKAG Posts: 418
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    My binging seems to be self-sabotage. I weigh myself in the morning, give myself a pat on the back say I'm doing so good and then that night I'm completely out of control and I recognize what i'm doing but cant stop.
  • nrotr
    nrotr Posts: 12 Member
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    I am in the process of completing a paper on the ways the brain controls what we eat. I have learned that, for some of us, (myself included) when you binge eat your brain gets a rush of feel good chemicals to the brain(Serotonin and dopamine) . This is the same response a drug addict gets when they get high. Brain imaging has shown this to be true as well. When the chemicals go down you are left with feelings of guilt, the "I will do betters", and massive blame and self loathing. Depending on the severity of your response you may be able to restrict your food for "X" amount of time (a few day, a week, etc) until the next binge. The more you restrict (making foods off limits) the stronger the binge will be. This turns into a cycle of eating thus the pattern of binging.
    It was helpful for me to think of my desire to binge in this way, as I do feel that I am addicted to certain foods (Sugary snacks). I can not eat just one I have to eat all in the box in a day or 2). It has been helping me to think of my desire to have my binging foods just like an alcoholic. It is better for me to not even have 1 because all restraint is gone for me. I am finding that if want sugar I will eat a peach or make a protein fruit drink in my blender. This approach has been working for me thus far in addition to MFP and keeping a journal about my eating. Like on days I do not have an urge to binge I see what I ate, if I exercised, how much sleep I got, or what exactly was doing when I had the urge. This has really helped me. I hope it was helpful to you as well.

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