How can someone help a Binge Eater?

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  • shbretired
    shbretired Posts: 320 Member
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    Put some Hemp on top of their breakfast, about a tsp.
    Will keep them full 3+4 hours.
    And it's full of Omega 3's.
  • lessofel
    lessofel Posts: 14 Member
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    I love your question and that you care enough about a special person in your life that you are asking it. My best advice is make sure the person knows he or she has your love and support unconditionally no matter how frustrating their behavior may be to you. If you are not already, become their friend on here (if they are on here) and offer positive comments/reinforcement. If they are on here, trying to lose weight could easily bring on cravings that could lead to a binge. Trying to maintain weight-which this program can help a person do too is a better idea. Tracking their food can raise their awareness and help them be more accountable to themselves. Help them gain confidence. Avoid being critical of the person. Chances are they give themselves more than enough criticism already. A binge eater usually eats due to a feeling of emotional emptiness. Perhaps you could help them understand why they feel empty and what can help fill that void. I wish the binge eater in your life all the best as it is an extremely difficult thing to experience and so few people really have any understanding of why the person can't "just stop." Therapy can be helpful but it can take years. Sometimes the person has to hit a "rock bottom" point. I could go on and on but I hope this helps. lessofellen
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    Yeah I (in my not at all any kind of doctor way) think there are 2 kinds of binge eating:

    1 is where people are trying to diet and starve themselves all day or for days at a time and eventually their body takes over and goes FEED ME! If your friend is undereating when they're not binging, maybe suggesting a more balanced approach to calorie managment could help.

    2 is where it is an emotional disorder and an addiction, like bingeing on drugs or alcohol. There is an emotional problem as well as the physical cravings that have been set up for the salt/sugar/fat. This is a much more delicate situation and could require therapy or even rehab. If your friend eats normally but then sometimes just has a junk food orgy for hours, this is probably their situation.

    Good luck and it's nice that you're looking out...
  • brewerchick
    brewerchick Posts: 72 Member
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    I am a guilty binge eater. I find it's an emotional thing and comfort. I also notice that time will pass so I started replacing exercise with everytime I wanted to binge eat. I worked out for about 15-30 minutes and then didn't feel like binging anymore. This worked for me and I got used to not eating so oftetn or justifying it! Also, keep items in the house that are safe to binge on and no fun food....then binging isn't as fun. You actually have to drive somewhere to get fatty food.
  • eriemer
    eriemer Posts: 197
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    One of my biggest problems is that my partner doesn't have to watch what he eats as he is naturally stick thin. Sometimes he'll decide he wants a pig out session so he'll buy a ridiculous amount of chocolates/sweets/crisps etc and share them with me. It's so hard for me to resist and I end up eating more than he does! It would be a big help to me if he didn't do this around me.

    THIS! I'm a binge eater. My hubbie is no help! and has no idea. I watch him eat 2-4 lbs of meat at dinner with 1-2 unrealistic amouts of side dishes, then drink beer/wine/milk/juice whatever as much as he wants, and an hour or two later he is eating left overs, icecream, or anything he can get his hands on. I can't stand it. He always eats 5-6 meals like this a day. When I say something to him he gets down on me or isn't all that supportive as I weigh out everything for my meals.

    The only true way to change binge eating I've found is behavioral modification. 3 meals a day at around the same time each day. That is the only thing that works for me and I fall off the wagon enough the way it is.
  • nicoletherese14
    nicoletherese14 Posts: 27
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    To be honest I think you need to get to the deeper problem. As a past binger (and someone who still struggles with it at times) it was always at times when I was feeling 'low' or 'empty', and you try to make up for it by filling up with food. I would recommend encouraging them to see a counselor to try and figure out why they feel this way :)
    But also exercise is a good inhibitor and a great way to work out unhealthy feelings
  • shbretired
    shbretired Posts: 320 Member
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    Yeah, I believe it's an emotional eater too.
    I suggest be there for them, tell them you're there if they want to talk.

    Suggest a walk with them.

    Definitely don't point fingers, or put them down.
  • HealthyNFit4Life
    HealthyNFit4Life Posts: 185 Member
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    To be honest I think you need to get to the deeper problem. As a past binger (and someone who still struggles with it at times) it was always at times when I was feeling 'low' or 'empty', and you try to make up for it by filling up with food. I would recommend encouraging them to see a counselor to try and figure out why they feel this way :)
    But also exercise is a good inhibitor and a great way to work out unhealthy feelings

    How'd you stop?? I am a binge eater myself. Have been for years.

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