What made you stop binge eating FOR GOOD?

furrina

The simple things really do work, such as:
--Don't keep it in the house; buy treats in measured amounts when you're out (like a single pack of chocolates or a small ice cream or cupcake).
--Eat less, just at or below what your calorie level should be; I found that--especially if i ate the right foods--the less i ate the smaller amount of food I'd need overall to be satisfied.
--Fill up on huge amounts of super healthy, low calorie foods like broccoli and apples. It might not seem like it immediately but it helps curb cravings for days. Get in the habit of this and your cravings will fade. I have a need to eat huge amounts of food in general, the "eat half" idea never worked for me. So I found foods I can eat a ton of that fill me up and are really, really nutritionally efficient but have very few calories: broccoli, carrots, apples are the best. Good fats like almonds do the trick to but in smaller amounts. Eating a ton of broccoli may not FEEL immediately like it has curbed your appetite, but I found it really does curb the snack attacks and cravings over the next couple of days as a previous poster said.

A more complicated solution:

The old trick of visualization works for almost everything. Imagine your compulsion to binge at that moment is someone or something you're a slave to. Literally focus your mind on something like being in a cage, and then smash the bars and break free. Or as someone you hate (or something, like a big talking candy bar) ordering you to eat the junk food. Imagine telling them where to stick it and walking away. Binge eating is psychological. You may not have a "choice" because all of our actiosn are the result of our mind's power. But you're not actually STARVING or totally out of control or under a spell. So it's really "in your head," not to diminsh the power of that. So between the change in focus of your visualization and the psychological action of freeing yourself from the need to binge, literally, you're exerting a powerful force over your bad habit.

In the same vein, pick a concrete pleasant thought-object, like a little kitten or something you feel friendly toward, or a place you love to be, like a beach, or any object or thing that makes you happy. whenver the urge to munch strikes, make yourself imagine that thing. Think about your kitten/friend/whatever and focus on it for a few minutes. It's sort of a form of thought-stopping, might work with food. Kind of shifts the focus and takes the wind out of the craving.

Slacker16

P.S. I agree with the posters saying to ignore the comments about using your willpower.

Restriction is a precursor to developing BED. Don't use your willpower. Work on learning to eat normally, with a counselor and/or nutritionist if necessary.

Trying to "use your willpower" is the worst thing you can do.

+1. I didn't start binging (in the clinical sense) until doing "extreme portion control". I was eating enough calories but wasn't genuinely full and happy with what I ate, I just told myself to be happy.

When willpower failed, as it inevitably does sooner or later, it got ugly. Sometimes really ugly. Willpower and self-control have uses but also limitations and I wish people stopped considering them universal panaceas.

As for stopping, it slowly faded out. My life was generally pretty chaotic, featured too much booze/weed/etc, so slowing down helped, getting into a routine of logging what I ate - good, bad and ugly - also helped, as did finding ways to genuinely enjoy and be happy with my food. Haven't binged since January

Meerataila

I became disgusted with foods . Watching programs on how it's made and things like that . And mashing the foods up , weel they became just un-appetising . And watching people eat also turned me off , hearing somebody chew makes me cringe .

It's also alot to do with willpower . You've got to weigh the guilt vs. how nice will that food be

YES. You'll have to pay me a lot of money to get me to eat a hot dog again. learn how your good was made and ask if you really want those particles in your body. Not just going in one end and out the other, but staying there and weighing you down.

This is starting to happen to me because I've been trying to root animal products out of my diet (ethical reasons).

I just want to know, why would food manufacturers deliberately put ground up bugs and their excretions in our foods (carmine and shellac)? Just why? That's disgusting! It's bad enough when it happens by accident (and the FDA if it was worth a crap, would be able to and willing to impose massive fines instead of permitting it in any amount), but on purpose? That's just foul.

I have a new definition of clean eating now: If I bought the ingredients in unprepared form, I can rinse it all off and check it all for bugs, and I'm way more likely to make sure it's clean than some underpaid food factory worker who won't be eating it herself. And I sure as heck won't grind up some bugs and put it in my food to get a pretty red color.

levitateme

I have been a binge eater since I was very young. I remember binging on my aunt's valentine's day candy when I was 4 or 5 years old and then getting yelled at. I've gone up and down in weight my whole life, the highest being 210 when I was 19. Once I get into a mindset to lose weight, I stick to a reduced calorie program, take off X lbs, reach my goal and then immediately go back overeating which leads to binging and gain half to all of it back. I'm in a really good space right now regarding food and what it is and what it isn't.

Food is fuel for my body. My body is strong, stronger than it's ever been. I eat food to fuel my workouts and to fuel my busy life. I eat nearly all day. I space out 800-900 calories for work and that leaves me with an addition 900 for after work. Lately, I've been eating too much, but I don't feel guilty or out of control. I no longer shame myself over food. If you don't treat food like it's a drug, it's easier to let go of the idea that you are "addicted" to it.

I really don't know how but I've developed a healthy relationship with food. I haven't binged since January. I've most certainly overate, but binging is different. I have not been out of control, compulsive or secretive about eating for the longest stretch, and it feels really good.

Recognize the urge to binge for what it is. A compulsion. You have the power to stop yourself. Feed your body, don't eat a ridiculously low calorie goal. Get active! I started heavy lifting in March and can now squat 75% of my bodyweight and deadlift my bodyweight. I've reduced my body fat by 3%, all while eating "too much" (average is 2200 a day, I am 5'4", 150) to lose weight.

You can overcome binging but it is a long process. I recommend therapy if you are struggling to do it alone.

lucylikestorun

Ok my advice may be completely different to what you're expecting but I am living proof it works and I am such a happier, healthier person because of it! I have found the best way to minimise my binging is to stop counting and planning all together. I really try to enjoy food for what it is, and use it to nourish and fuel my body. If I'm studying, rather than letting myself binge to keep myself happy I will instead try to feed my brain with omega-3 foods and good fats - avocado, olive oil, seeds, nuts, tuna etc. If I want to go for a big run, I will have a nice carbohydrate rich meal with lots of quinoa and vegetables; i'll have protein to refuel after body pump or if my skin is bad I'll have lots of flaxseeds and strawberries and minimise my dairy intake. While I try my best to be conscious of portion control, I don't beat myself up if I overeat good quality, nourishing food and I no longer write everything off and go on an all out binge.

I've also stopped shopping at the supermarket (which was a chore often fraught with lollies and chocolate) and try to appreciate everything I buy. I go to local stores and markets and select what looks freshest, in season, most appealing and colourful. I really try to enjoy and respect everything to do with food and now I will always make an effort to prepare something beautiful and nourishing and present it well. I'm also no longer scared of "treats" which I used to avoid on all costs (except mid-binge of course!) whilst I wouldn't have ice-cream or cheap sugar crap, I'll have lots of beautiful fruit, dates, prunes & goji berries, good quality dark chocolate, coconut yoghurt, nuts and occasionally, "clean" deserts. It must always be natural, contain no refined sugar (you need to know where every one of those ingredients has come from!) I also NEVER eat anything without water. Even if its a tiny snack, I would drink an entire glass of water spaced between each bite.

Little conscious substitutions also help. I used to need a study energy kick in the afternoons and would get a latte and a lemon slice. Now, I respect the need for an energy kick but rather than starve myself, I get a green tea and a beautiful Emma and Tom's fig and lemon slice or a homemade lemon coconut protein ball. I also disagree strongly with bland tasteless diet meals, chicken and broccoli anyone? Be excited by food!

I also identified my triggers.... this post is kind of in reverse but I thought if you guys had a short attention span I'd share my action plan first as its genuinely made me a happier person and I really thought it was important to get it across first! I am very aware of what made me binge and so the advice above is the complete opposite of how I spent the 10 years prior to this one! I was also a calorie counter, putting myself on a strict 1,200 calorie budget. I planned my meals to the umpteenth degree and record every morsel that touches my lips. This is what we've all been told to do right?

BUT this was definitely been my undoing. As a perfectionist, I have an all or nothing approach. This means that the minute I have just the tiniest tiniest slip up, be it one nut too many, or an extra snack, I write off not just the day, but the entire week completely. I am always in search of the "perfect week" and generally make it through Monday/Tuesday perfectly. When I slip up, I give up and even though sometimes I don't even feel like binging, I almost make myself. I don't know why but I feel like I may as well get it out of my system and try again for that perfect week next week. This also goes when I'm doing my shopping on a Sunday night, I know that monday I will wake up and need to be perfect, so even if i don't feel remotely like binging, I do.

Commercial meal plans or meal replacements shakes are a disaster, the moment I make a tiny boo boo I can kiss the whole thing goodbye and its a write off.

If things are going well, I'm pretty good at not binging but its totally unsustainable and downright. I don't let myself come home until its bed time for fear that i'll loose control. My portion sizes are absolutely out of control and once I start eating, I can't stop. Sometimes I don't even take my wallet with me so I can't buy food. I am so quick to make excuses like "study is my priority this week, I can binge away and eat crap to get through my revision" but always, "next week will be perfect". If I feel like a binge, I am very quick to find or make an excuse to ruin my week so its all ok. Or sometimes, all the restriction just gets to me and I loose control. But on the whole, I have identified it completely as basically an all (restriction) or nothing (binge) circle.

By enjoying food and giving it a purpose, rather than demonising it, tracking it and avoiding it at all costs (to have it crashing down around me) I have become a leaner, fitter, healthier and above all happier person.

The process of not bingeing has been the most instrumental thing in my weightloss. I have no idea how much I ate today or yesterday but I know it was enough to fuel me through some kickass workouts, to make me feel happy, satisfied content and to appreciate how luck we are to have beautiful fresh nourishing food available to us.

Hope this helps! xx

eomuno215in541

Binge eating and over eating have nothing to do with will power or control. It has to do with Choice.

I have spoken at length about binge eating and over eating in this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/656765-bingers

Give it a quick read :-)

It's 50-50. U can choose health over satisfaction - to a point. But there are just those nights the satisfaction overpowers responsible choice.

myfitnesspale3

Something I noticed was that when I eat foods with a lot of carbs like pastas or have some junk food even if it is in moderation, that the next day or later in the day I am REALLY hungry and it is hard to resist. So I have started avoiding those foods because I hate feeling like that. I'm not on a low carb diet or anything so I do still eat some of those things sometimes but I try really hard to fill up on veggies and things like that on the days that I add these things to my diet. Because if I feel hungry and I start raiding the cupboards, it's already over...

Same here. I only learned what causes my more intense hunger pangs a few months ago. Now it's in my control.

MSxSummer

OMG, I Have the exact problem!!! I think I'm a food addict! My opinion I feel " Out of site, out of mind" just like an alcoholic. But for me it's extremely hard for this to happen because I don't live alone. IT'S a struggle everyday for me!
Sometimes I feel like I need to go to a food rehab getaway by myself lol. Maybe get a cabin by the beach for about 2 weeks for a jump start. Just Have only the foods that I need. Too bad for me money is a issue lol..
This has been my 2 nd year journey on trying to eat healthy and getting fit.. I started pretty late in life I'm 36. But it's better late then never. Even though I Have this eating binge problem with eating donuts etc I'm proud that I've made a lot of progress through out my new healthy Lifestyle.
This probably doesn't answer ur question cause I'm still dealing with the same issue. But like I said, try to Have all ur bad food cravings out of ur sight or kitchen?!

BrownFatCat

I agree! It's not a choice! I make the decision everyday to eat clean and to get my 10k fitbit steps in. Being a mother and having a stressful job and life can wear you down. It's like something seriously overcomes you and you say "just this time, I deserve it". I live triggers around me everyday. I only have one friend who supports me but none of my other friends understand bc I am smaller than them, same as my family. I actually think they think it's cute bc they always give me my trigger foods! It is not cute or funny that I like to eat and I can eat like a football player!!!! Last year I lost 12lbs and since April I have gained 14!!! Anyone feel free to friend me for support bc I take this seriously and therapy outside of the home is not an option.
Thx!
BrownFatCat

BoxerBrawler

Not taking this site or this journey so seriously has helped me.

Being here and tracking, counting, logging, weighing, thinking about my next meal or snack and tracking, logging, weighing, counting, thinking, thinking, thinking... All I thought about all day long was food, calories and the next time I would eat/log.

Obsessive much?

At some point I started putting more trust and faith into a computer program than my own mind, body, will power and common sense.

Eat clean, drink tons of water, exercise as much as you can. Replace food items with healthy options. If you can't control yourself around a snack or food item, don't buy it. If you get the urge or if you get a craving, change your routine immediately.

Learn (or RE learn) to listen to your body. Is your stomach hungry? or is your mind hungry? Do you crave salt? Why? Are you bored? lonely? frustrated? Why? Even if you don't come up with the answer, take immediate steps to change the routine.

Again... listen to your body and keep your calories in check (deficit) for weight loss. Eat enough... all day long... Night time binges are not out of hunger, they are out of boredom, emotional, habit, etc.

Before you feel a binge coming on... give yourself permission. That may sound crazy I know but it works. Once you give yourself permission, the guilt and stress of trying to fight it is gone. It's easier to exercise your will power like... "Yeah, sure I can have it if I want it, it's ok, but I'll wait and have it in a few minutes or hours..."

I hope some of this helped.

Be well.

ben0407

Hi All! I'm actually a recovered binge eater and interested in helping if your looking for help. I'm a certified health coach now specializing in BED. My website is www.bingefreeme.com. Please stop by and contact me there if your interested!
Thanks,
Stacey

deepdiya

Bump

Baerhold

For me, starting to eat Paleo ended my Binge eating. After the first two weeks of avoiding all grains and sugars, I realised that my obsession with food stemmed directly from my addiction to sugar and starch. I would have rolled my eyes at someone who told me this six months ago, but now I know that my blood sugar responds to processed foods like it was crack. Breaking that addiction did it for me. I will never eat Ice Cream again. (and that thought doesn't make me sad!)