how do YOU stop yourself from bingeing?

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  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
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  • Mehagon
    Mehagon Posts: 83
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    The best way to stop binging for me is to not start.

    Be aware of your triggers - things that start the binge. Get them out of the house. Don't buy them ever again.

    Things that you can't get rid of (like bread), don't take that first bite. If I ever have that first unplanned bite of something then it gets easier to take the second, third, and hundredth bite.

    Examine what you are feeling - think about it, don't just react. Acknowledge that you feel bad. Say out loud - "Food is not the answer to my problems" (or some similar statement). Think about what is really bothering you and try to do something that will resolve that issue. Find something else to do that will occupy your mind - read a book, take a walk, write in a journal.

    For me, binging is about a loss of control. So create some control. Tell yourself you are strong, you don't have to eat that thing. PLAN a treat or other reward - "If I make good food choices all day, I can have one piece of dark chocolate tonight." It's easier for me to resist if I know there's something good coming later.

    Drink some water, have a piece of fruit - IF you are really hungry.

    When you mess up, don't wait to get back on the wagon. Do it RIGHT NOW.

    It makes a HUGE difference in my control to stay away from sugar. I know there's a lot of debate on carbs, but personally if I stick to low carb foods I feel so much better. It takes 3-4 days to get the cravings out of my system, but it gets easier.

    This is some GREAT advice!!! I agree with the trigger foods. . . I recently discovered mine was peanut butter. . . .love the stuff. I used to mix it in with my oatmeal and occasionally have a spoonful which usually led to wanting 5 spoonfuls. So we tossed out our peanut butter and didn't buy anymore! I have felt great since, and (I'm a teacher so. . . ) during my off period I haven't craved bad food or sweets like I usually did. Once you get the triggers out of your system, it's so much easier to not even take the first bite. I used to say to myself "I'll just have one, or just one bite then throw it away" but that never happened! Sugar is my crack, so having some would just make me want more and more and more. :)

    Here's to you triumphing over your mind and its desire to binge! :)
  • DawnMarieMomofTwo
    DawnMarieMomofTwo Posts: 186 Member
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    im a terrible binge eatter, and ive screwed up quite a few times and and gone from having 10lbs lost all the way back down to zero.... ive been binge free for 3 weeks now lol.. i just keep pushing myself not to eat i notice its when im not doing anything so i tend to just find something to do and drink alot of water to push threw it!! its hard and there are may times i want to just give in, but i have to keep telling myelf i havent worked my but off to lose all this weight for nothing! Good luck i hope you can fight the urge
  • mickipedia
    mickipedia Posts: 889 Member
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    I earn my binge.. I think of it in terms of 1 push up = 1 calorie (not sure if thats right) so if I want something.. I'll work out the calories before and convert it to push ups.. If I can't complete them.. I can't eat it.

    Most of the time the idea of trying to do 94 push ups for 1 caramel digestive seems like too much so I just don't bother lol.
  • Welshcakes
    Welshcakes Posts: 19 Member
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    As an aside, if you suspect that you are suffering from depression I would recommend you go and have a chat with your doctor. Not only will they be able to help you out by giving you a range of treatment/coping options, but they should be able to help you plan a diet to combat it.
  • mersh24
    mersh24 Posts: 14 Member
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    I plan every day in advance, and then before I eat something extra, I log it and "complete" the day. If what I want to eat isn't worth the difference in the "If every day was like today...", I don't eat it. Sometimes it is (homemade chocolate zucchini cake) and sometimes it isn't (crappy quality donut).

    Good idea!

    ^^^ This totally helps me not binge. I have to log faithfully and in advance, so I know what I am going to eat, so it doesn't get out of control. Good tip! YOU CAN OVERCOME THIS!!!! :)
  • RetroGlitzDiva
    RetroGlitzDiva Posts: 109 Member
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    How do you binge and where?

    Either at work or home.

    I work in a fast food restaurant and will bring my own food with me but give in and eat "oh just a bit of that" and that and that.
    I will make myself a massive meal and then regret it afterwards :/
    At home seems the only thing I binge on is bread, after 8pm. Never before!
    I will start by making myself one piece of toast, but then two, then three, and four and five.. I can never stop with bread.. I would love to not have it in the house but I live with my mum so makes it a bit hard...

    Sounds like you are a carb binger like me. Best way to stop is not start. I have been Grain Free (no rice, no wheat, no corn, etc) for about 2 months now and my cravings are gone. I still have fruit and a sweet potato here and there but I don't feel like packing it in the way I used to. Check out marksdailyapple.com

    Good luck in your journey!
  • beccadaniixox
    beccadaniixox Posts: 542 Member
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    I only get the urge to binge at night when I'm sitting in my room watching TV.
    I binge from being bored.. but luckily I'm lazy, so I go and brush my teeth. I don't have the mentality to eat anything after I brush my teeth expect unsweetened hot tea.
  • DameVenus
    DameVenus Posts: 70
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    I know it's silly to say "Just dont binge" but when I feel like I can't take it I just go do something I enjoy to get my mind off of it or at the very least try to eat as much. For example, if I am craving ice cream, I'll measure out exactly one serving and then eat it slowly to savor the flavor lol.

    The tips might help but at the end of the day we are human. If you binge just get back on the horse the next day or even the next meal. Some people find it easier to stick to a healthy diet by just taking it one meal at a time. My mother does that often and although the weight is coming off slowly it is still coming off. She finds it easier to just incorporate healthy habits in slowly instead of cutting everything off at once.

    Personally, I find my way works better for me lol. You just have to find your own way of doing things and what works best for you but I hope you find some advice or tips that may help you ^_^ Good luck!
  • Siannah
    Siannah Posts: 456 Member
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    Yes, I have trigger foods too (biscuits, chocolate mini bars and fresh bread). The only way not to binge on them is by not taking the first bite. Or in the case of bread, by just bringing a certain amount of slices with me to work.
    Also exercise helps. When I go for a run in the evening, I don't want to eat after that (but I can't run every evening LOL)
  • mrsjennifermaffei
    mrsjennifermaffei Posts: 469
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    What helps are low calorie but very filling foods. Ex: Salads or pasta dishes with maybe a bunch of brocolli.
    Volume is great and foods like brocolli, lettuce, and other veggies bulk stuff up. It will help. Also find low cal in between meal snacks such as 100 calorie packs or maybe make your own trail mix or something. Lots of ideas.
  • Armygirl67
    Armygirl67 Posts: 177 Member
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  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
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    Do you have your meals planned out? Is it giving you your needs?

    My guys never snack when dieting because they never get to the stage where they are hungry enough to binge. Seems to me you're diet is not set up right...

    EDIT
    Just checked. Its your meals you eat. Lots of sugary or simple carbs or refined flour. You are getting blood glucose crashes followed by massive hunger issues due to insulin release.

    ^^ This. Eating sugary and/or simple carbs sets me up perfectly to overeat/binge. Once I have a little, I crave more and more and cannot seem to stop.

    The solution? Don't start.

    Give yourself an alternative. Instead of pudding or jello or ice cream, have greek yogurt with fruit. Instead of white bread, potatoes or white rice, have brown rice or a small salad. Have a whole grain tortilla instead of a slice of bread. Put peanut butter on celery instead of on crackers. Munch on baby carrots instead of pretzels. If anything is bleached, enriched, or otherwise has the fiber processed out of it, I don't eat it. Give yourself lots and lots of healthy snacking foods and tell yourself NO NO NO to the processed ones like chips, white bread, white rice, potatoes, and sugary desserts.

    Log everything, even the binges. When you see the cost of it to your food diary, it may help you be stronger.

    It will take time, but continue to try.
  • jessicae1aine
    jessicae1aine Posts: 885
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    I consider the calories.

    I mean, yeah, I ENJOY going to the gym. But I had Girl Scout cookies this morning - and more than I should have, definitely. I would have kept going, too, but realized the amount of time and effort it would take to get rid of them. Best anti-binge advice I can ever give? Consider the effort to LOSE what you're eating.
  • robE1981
    robE1981 Posts: 3
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    I tend to eat negative calorie foods when I want to binge. Pineapples, strawberries and apples are my fav negative calorie foods.
  • MayberryMama
    MayberryMama Posts: 42
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    I have the same trouble. I used to brush my teeth right after dinner and that worked for a while. And then when that stopped working I started brushing AND flossing. That works pretty good so far.

    Also, I find if I plan my dinners to be a little later in the evening then I don't get the urge to eat right before bed time. Or if I do get the urge, it's not that strong so I can avoid it.

    Plus, be sure you get some protein in your dinner so it fills you up better. Sounds like you are a bread addict like me, so it may be good to avoid carbs at dinner all together if you have trouble limiting.

    Good luck, you can do it!
  • lorenzoinlr
    lorenzoinlr Posts: 338 Member
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    Night binging is my weakness. If I couldn't come up with an effective way of dealing with it I don't know if I could lose weight. Here's my plan:

    1. Avoid simple carbs and processed foods.

    2. Have high protein foods available. I generally keep skinless chicken breast, tuna salad and/or cooked whitefish in fridge.

    3. Reserve calories for post dinner snacking.

    4. When hungry drink water first.

    5. Substitute decaf coffee or green tea for craved foods. I'll use coffee mate to kill cravings even though not best nutritionally.

    6. Have low cal healthy snacks around, i.e. snap peas, celery, carrots, greek yougurt, humus.

    7. Get active. If I'm having a bad grazing night, I'll get out and do something to take my mind off food.

    8. Exercise to get plenty of calories.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    I don't know about you, but for me, binging is more often a response to stress/emotions than an actual irresistible desire for food. The best way to fight it is to focus HARD on your goals and your reasons for wanting to lose weight and get healthy. I think it helps to have a time-sensitive goal like a birthday in mind. It makes it harder to justify wasting your time.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I plan out the rest of my food for the evening (I like to eat at night), and then do other stuff until it's time to eat it.
  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
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    Binge-eating support group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/726-binge-eating-support-group

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