I just can't stop eating

SoLiveItUp

Hi I don't know whats happened to me, 8 months ago before my weight loss journey I used to be fine with food, yeah I was 20-30lbs overweight but food wasn't the enemy, now its seems as though it is. For the past few months I binge once every week and the next day have a smaller binge and then eat well for a few days and then back to this. I feel so low, whenever I've binged I just feel like crawling into bed and crying, my whole family can enjoy food and yet I'm constantly fighting it. I really need help. I must need help if my binges are causing me to not sleep and night because I dread to put the weight back on, where my stomach is in so much pain and 10 times as big as it normally is. Anyways I guess thats about it.

rincoglionita

Hi --
I know the feeling--very well--and it sucks. I hope it helps to know that you're not alone.
Is this new to you, the bingeing? Like, just in the last few months, as you said? Or was there a time in your life in the past where you had problems with it? Has anything been going on, additional stress, something bothering you? Have you had problems with depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder? Sometimes any of these can be a factor. I know for me that bingeing is used to soothe emotions that I'm not even aware of, that I use food to keep unpleasant emotions away, before I even let myself feel them, and I've been doing this for over 35 years.
You CAN take control back, one day at a time, one hour at a time, one step at a time. Reaching out like you're doing is a great first step.
I'm sure other people will have great suggestions and more support to offer, too.

SoLiveItUp

The first time I can remember ever binge eating was when I failed a test around august time before that I had summer holidays and was exercising and eating right. I remember one binge where I actually hid the food and brought it to my room. After a while I thought maybe I was restricting myself so I let myself have chocolates, biscuits, but it still didn't work. I stay in my room normally because I know if I go downstairs I will end up eating. I see my family eating as much as they like and I just can't help myself. Thank you so much sometimes I feel like I've lost who I am, like food is who I am now, everything I used to do, reading, drawing no longer exist or matters. I have to study for college and I can't even do that

ObtainingBalance

The first time I can remember ever binge eating was when I failed a test around august time before that I had summer holidays and was exercising and eating right. I remember one binge where I actually hid the food and brought it to my room. After a while I thought maybe I was restricting myself so I let myself have chocolates, biscuits, but it still didn't work. I stay in my room normally because I know if I go downstairs I will end up eating. I see my family eating as much as they like and I just can't help myself. Thank you so much sometimes I feel like I've lost who I am, like food is who I am now, everything I used to do, reading, drawing no longer exist or matters. I have to study for college and I can't even do that

~ First off, is your calorie deficit too high? Binges sometimes develop after restricting or dieting. Most binge eaters I talk to have once dieted... it can start after trying to lose weight.

Calculate your TDEE and BMR, make sure your deficit isn't too high, ok?

I binge easy when I fail a test or get behind in school work... it's stressful and makes me feel so bad..
I know what you mean about bringing food to the bedroom... I've done that before Like, if I just binged in the kitchen I'm sure someone could easily walk in and catch me.

FOOD IS NOT WHO YOU ARE. Try to make an hour of time to do what you want. I used to tell myself I was too busy to do anything I like.. but it's not true.. I mean, you find time to write in the forums. You could find 30-60 minutes in the day... even if it means saying no to something else!

Food is only energy, remember that. Your food habits do not define you as a person. You're lovely and worth so much more than that.

Hang in there. x

IowaJen1979

Maybe you are binging because you feel like you're depriving yourself of your favorite food. I find that if I eat a small helping of something I love, like a 110 cal pack of Pringles, I don't feel as much of an urge to binge. Also, I need to tell myself that I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want, I am CHOOSING to be healthy. It's not a punishment. I read a book by Geneen Roth that helped me get in the right mind set. When you are dieting, that's when things go awry. Just focus on eating healthy.

SoLiveItUp

thanks guys for the replies. I currently eat 1200-1500 calories. I try not to go over 1500 because I never lose any weight then because I have a small frame and am 5 1
I feel much better today but I'm still scared that in a few days it will happen again. It always does. I've heard that sometimes people think about something that makes them stop binge eating. I'm hoping to let my family know that I have eating issues and hopefully when I'm about to binge to talk to them so they can help me stop but its difficult because I don't want them to think that I can't even control what goes into my mouth. Also I'm getting braces soon and I know how careful you have to be so binging isn't going to help.

Graelwyn75

Sometimes people hit this issue if they are aiming for a weight that is lower than is natural for their body. Although you are short, you are not overweight at your current weight. It is probably that just trying to maintain for a while, and upping your calories enough for that, will stop the binge eating before it spirals, as believe me, when it spirals you can really pack on a lot of weight in a short time and I am sure you would rather be the weight you are currently than end up 10Ibs heavier. Give the lower calorie intake a rest for a while and see if the binge eating stops. Or take a break from mfp as sometimes being surrounded by people dieting and talking about food can also trigger more of an obsession with it.

Also try finding something you really love to do and can enjoy doing, that will take your mind from eating. Set aside an hour each evening or whenever, and start doing it. And try and analyse what is really going on next time you binge, how you are feeling, what you were thinking beforehand, what has happened that day and if you are genuinely hungry or not. Make notes maybe so you can try and get to the bottom of why it is happening.

SoLiveItUp

Thank you Graelwyn75, you knocked some sense into me its better to maintain than gain : )