BINGE EATING!!

daisygettinghealthy

I have a seriouse problem with binge eating its always affected my life. If i cheat and have a slice of toast of a biscuit I feel i have failed and then spend the rest of the day/night eating and eating until i feel sick. There are so many places for anorexia, bulimia etc asnd not as much for people struggling with binge eating. just wondered if anyone had stories we should share and tips?

alleshiam

I do the same thing. If I have one little screw up with food in my day, I'll just screw the rest of the day up too. I'll drink pop, take two portions of something instead of just one, and snack all the time. It's really hard and sometimes I don't even know myself why i do it.

daisygettinghealthy

I have read lots of tips like brushing your teeth after dinner so food wont taste nice, but if im gonna eat it doesnt matter if my mouth is minty or not...

Chadomaniac

you need to eat balanced meals , make sure u getting in those calories and u are satisfied all day . Allow for cheat meals "planned cheat meals" and if u slip up just forget about it , we only human.

daisygettinghealthy

Thanks, i find it helps to plan your meals for the day, the night before so i know what im eating and when im eating it.

Graelwyn75

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/743-binge-eating-support-group

roguex_1979

Funny, I have just about an hour ago posted something similar! But my question was to try find out the cause of my binge eating.

Someone sent me this link, although it's for the UK. Not sure where you are in the world, but have a read anyway. Might be relevent to you.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Binge-eating/Pages/Introduction.aspx

EmLikesToWin

I used to (sometimes still) do a lot of emotional and binge eating. So I understand where you're coming from. I was watching one of those extreme makeover weightloss shows and saw that this is now a recognised and treatable addiction. Food addiction is apparently on par with drug addiction. Who knew? I guess the thing is, why do you binge? Why do you eat too much when you have a goal? Why do you eat until you feel sick? What do you get out of it? Ask and answer these question of yourself and you may just have an answer to your problem. Sometimes the most uncomfortable actions yield the greatest rewards. Sit down with a good friend and have an honest chat.

Check out: www.oa.org

daisygettinghealthy

I am an emotional eater, a happy eater a sad eater, I eat with every emotion however I am starting to break cycle of binge eating when happy, because Im mostly happy about weight loss but it is whenever I am upset. I have bad day at work=binge, school=binge, fall out with friends=binge. why is it that as soon as you put some unhealthy into your mouth it triggers such a good comforting feeling. however what i need to rememeber is how i feel ten minutes later, horrible, bloated, more upset, lethargic. its not worth it.

eat to live NOT live to eat

Change_is_Good_

I'm an emotional eater too.
"Ooo well done, that's great. let's treat ourselves"
"Oh no thats awful, lets have a comfort pizza"
"I'm so nervous, where did that pack of bisuits go and why am I holding the wrapper?"

I'm quite lucky it just hit me one day, that it doesn't help. If you always reach for the same things maybe put sticky notes on saying will this fix things? or have an apple. Ok we all know an apple tastes nothing like chocolate but worth a try.

If you slip up just think ok I'm over today, lets see if I can shave them off the other days to have a good week. I start each day a fresh and try not to dwell on my bad days. I actually feel really proud of myself when I'm on or under my goal

lauren3101

Binge eating is a difficult thing to break. I am just like you, I can binge when I'm happy, sad, or bored.

I have improved my binge eating a lot over the last year and now only slip up occasionally, and I firmly believe that there is no magic cure, you just need to want to lose the weight more than you want to eat.

You can help yourself along the way though. Try eating plenty of protein and fats to keep yourself full, and don't cut out everything that you love, just make an allowance for it in your calories.

daisygettinghealthy

i also believe that if i wake up in morning and want a bag of crisps (i am a carb girl) then i should just have them at lunch because what ive found now is that if i deprive myself of those crisps i will crave them so much that i will binge and eat five bags, then toast, then biscuits, sandwhiches,, yuk whatever so in long run one bag of crisps would have been alot better.

mixedlollies

I am overtaken by uncontrollable binges sometimes. I thought I had a handle on them but last night it happened again for the first time this year and I felt (and still do feel) pretty crappy about it. It's really hard trying to explain to someone that binging is not necessarily the same as treating. When I really want a treat, I'll go ahead and have one and won't feel guilty about it but when I binge it's like something takes over, I'm not in control, and I can't stop even if I don't want any more or feel sick.

I need to work on it and I don't know what causes it but I just wanted you to know you're not alone.

cityjaneLondon

Mostly I have things under control, but it's true that if you slip up it makes the whole thing go haywire. My danger point is when my husband goes off to football. The minute he goes out of the house I'm drawn to the fridge and start nibbling. It usually starts with bits of cheese and I am getting better at controlling it, but it is an emotional thing I'm sure. Perhaps I could make sure I have lots of healthy nibbles in the house to see me through the danger time. I always plan a delicious healthy lunch and that helps in the morning, but once I have eaten the lunch something keeps driving me back to the fridge for a top up. Still,it's not the end of the world as I am still losing overall, but it's annoying to see how fragile my willpower is!

NeverGivesUp

I am strange because I tend to binge on mostly healthy food. It took me a while to shift but I have officially shifted for good. At least I have fixed the foods I crave. Rice is my downfall but I have changed my shift to brown rice instead and I do crave chocolate sometimes but it is only the dark kind. I looove veggies and fruits and now and when hungry, I pick up a banana, orange or apple, or all 3 lol and that usually satisfies my sweet tooth. I have a very large appetite (I eat more than my husband most of the time). It is my biggest problem so I changed the foods I craved and went to. The biggest thing I gave up was gluten. On a bad day I will make gluten free pancakes with gluten free flour, otherwise I stick to my fruits and veggies. I do believe the calories from those are somehow different. So I do allow myself unlimited fruits and veggies, especially when I am ravenously hungry. Juicing helps me a lot too. At least then, I am getting all the great vitamins and minerals from my food. Maybe if you tried changing the foods you craved, it could help you too. Portions is a problem for me but fruits and veggies give me so much energy and satisfy like nothing else does.

daisygettinghealthy

this is so helpful! thankyou everyone. its just little changes that makes big differences. the other thing i struggle at is the concept of going for a run or walk after a binge. i mean, ive ruined it so i may aswell ruin it proper and do nothing. however does anyone know if it helps by doing excersize like if it is beneficial to weight loss?

doublemum

I can identify exactly with what you're saying. What is helping me at the moment is developing an attitude of mindfulness where I really think about my actions and make conscious decisions. I'm trying not to be scared of hunger, and only eating when I'm hungry. When I eat I'm trying not to do anything else, ie. I don't play on the computer, I don't watch TV, I concentrate on the food and I chew it properly. I definitely have a way to go on that aspect but I'm trying. If I want a treat I build it into my calorie intake. I'm trying to look at calories over the week rather than the day. I'm trying to make every calorie count so that I'm eating natural food that will fill me up. All small steps perhaps but it seems to be changing my attitude towards food which can only be good.
I'm also cultivating the attitude that what's done is done, I can't uneat something, but I can get right back on it.

narelleconstable

i am with you too! I have only been on this site for a couple of days, and I am amazed to find so many people who share the same issues - it really is great to feel a little bit "normal" or at the very least that the craziness is shared!!! I find myself going to the fridge or cupboard when I have a moment of peace which then turns into a crazy feast that i cannot stop. One thing that has helped is as I eat, I log stuff onto this site in my food diary - I tell myself I can eat whatever I want, but I have to record it in here....... it did stop me the other day... might be worth a try!

april_mesk

this is so helpful! thankyou everyone. its just little changes that makes big differences. the other thing i struggle at is the concept of going for a run or walk after a binge. i mean, ive ruined it so i may aswell ruin it proper and do nothing. however does anyone know if it helps by doing excersize like if it is beneficial to weight loss?

I feel it helps to exercise. I have always had a problem binging. Now if I do it, I try to wait an hour and get a good burn in. This isn't justified, but, I think it's helping me to turn away from binging because it's so hard to work the cals off. It is important to log all of it. I know how much this can be but, feel it helps to look back and see why. I know emotions...my problem too. Seeing it in writing opens eyes. My doc wanted me to go on anti depressants to calm down a bit. I tend yo want to eat when I am aggrivated/stressed. When I am alone in house...it can be really bad. Try not to bring trigger food in house. I know this is hard too...especially, when you live with kids and husband (lol). You could always talk to a friend. Therapy even from a friend helps. Friend me if you want. This isn't something made up and people need to understand it's similar to being an alcoholic and o swear it's hereditary. Hood luck, Hon.

april_mesk

Sorry about all typos up there!

xxxemaxxx

I have a seriouse problem with binge eating its always affected my life. If i cheat and have a slice of toast of a biscuit I feel i have failed and then spend the rest of the day/night eating and eating until i feel sick. There are so many places for anorexia, bulimia etc asnd not as much for people struggling with binge eating. just wondered if anyone had stories we should share and tips?

I am exactly the same! if i eat anything 'bad', i end up ruining the whole day and sayin il 'eat better tomorrow'

lauren3101

this is so helpful! thankyou everyone. its just little changes that makes big differences. the other thing i struggle at is the concept of going for a run or walk after a binge. i mean, ive ruined it so i may aswell ruin it proper and do nothing. however does anyone know if it helps by doing excersize like if it is beneficial to weight loss?

Exercise is beneficial for your fitness. If you are going to lose it healthily you will need to eat back any exercise calories you burn, so I don't think it's beneficial in the way you mean it. Having said that, a healthy lifestyle involves a good diet AND exercise, so it's always a good idea to do both.

I sometimes use it as a way to 'earn' my treats - so if I want an extra chocolate bar, I'll go for a walk, etc.

daisygettinghealthy

cant believe the great support and motivation everyone. thankyou so much for all your help! thanks for all your tips and tricks.

jenniferlcrumb

I used to be such a horrible binge/emotional eater and it was always failure when it came to diets. But you need to add more protein and fibre to your diet. Now that I eat lots of fibre at breakfast ( and before all my meals cause im on pgx!!) I really feel full and dont have that longing for more food. Another key is Sugar!!!! Try to do your best to cut out as much sugar as possible (not fruit though, that good sugar and good for you) like packaged granola bars, chocolate, donuts, etc because once u have a sugar filled snack your body after a little while craves more sugar and its a constant battle. I make my own protein bars now, and muffins because I control the sugar goin in and I also make them somewhat high in protein and fibre but low cals to help me control it!!! Its all about finding what right for you but if you like fish ( even canned tuna and salmon) eat, eat, eat!!! its so good for you and fills you up. A quick breakfast which I eat 90% of the time is a probiotic yogurt with All Bran Fibre buds ( they have 11g fibre in 1/3 cup!!

doubleduofa

As a problem eater, this is my advice. It is based on what worked for me. I am a person with lots of food issues. It used to be my comfort and I needed to change that way of thinking:

1) Read Brain over Binge - available on kindle too. Great book. Highly recommend as a starting point.

2) Read and work through books on emotional eating: The Beck Diet Solution is good. There are others I can recommend. You don't have to listen to EVERY bit of the advice in the book, but read a rew and pick what works for you. Do the journaling, note cards, etc - see what works and what doesn't. Lots of books in your public library!

3) Change your diet to include more filling foods: fiber - i.e. veggies, fruits, whole grains - and good fats - i.e. nuts, seeds, olive oil (and I"m not afraid of saturated fat like butter, but that's me, you might think differently).

Accept that you will never be perfect - you can only try your best! This is so important. One piece of bread is not a failure! It doesn't have to ruin all your hard work. Keep making steps forward in your journey.

jclimey

Had the same problem this weekend. Was ready to call it quits until I read all the posts. Going to start fresh today and try again.

Reza151

Ive also had a problem with binging, to the point where I would wake up at 3 am and help myself to 900 calories! I stopped knowing what it felt like to be hungry, because i never let myself get hungry. Because I always ate and was never hungry, I was never satisfied either. I didn't even have a stomachache after my binges. and then I read a book last week called "Thinside out: How to have your cake and your skinny jeans too"

It taught me alot about the dieting mentality, and included studies about how we set ourselves up for failure and then we "eat because we ate" (i.e. "Well i already ruined my diet today. I might as well go all out and just be good tomorrow" ). Which leads to restricting and deprivation and ultimately more binging. Then the cycle repeats. Anyways, the book also tells you how to decipher your true hunger signals and it's helped me immensely.

I've only binged 2 or 3 times since last thursday, whereas i used to eat ALL day and binge in the middle of the night. WIth the help of that book, I even managed to not turn to food for comfort when my bf broke up with me on thursday. Best of luck!

Serena_Kitty

I've had binge eating disorder since childhood, so I can relate to this somewhat.

If you think eating a slice of toast is cheating, I suggest doing some serious reading and perhaps going to a therapist with eating disorder experience.

Your diary is closed, so I don't know what a typical day looks like for you. I will say that restricting your calories and overexercising leads to binge eating when you're already prone to that type of eating.

daisygettinghealthy

I meant toast as a starting point. say i binge after dinner. my typical binge is on average. 4 slices toast with butter and cheese. 1 bag of popcorn(butter) , 3 tbsp peanut butter. 6 bags of crisps. 1/2 packet of digestives. 4 yoghurts. 3 apples. 4 sandwhiches with mayonaisee cheese. 1 cheese toastie. 4 cereal bars, 1 bowl pasta cheese and olie oil. 1 cup chocolate milk. 1/4 block of cheedar cheese eaten straight. 2 bowl cereal with lots of sugar. that was my last binge but thats fairly regular. i also tracked that i ate that in 45 mins. its awful to actually write down. and that was between 7-7.45pm. if i binge all day it will be that X10. not sure if this is an average size binge for everyone b ut thats how much i eat.

mwooderson

I had a major binge last night consuming 2000 calories in nuts and wine. AHHHHH!!!! So I actually measured and weighed the nuts and put them in individual snack bags. That helps because I realize a tiny bag is 160 calories. Lots of other food I can eat for 160 calories. I'm hoping this helps me. Yes, once I screw up I'm down for the count.

mwooderson

I meant toast as a starting point. say i binge after dinner. my typical binge is on average. 4 slices toast with butter and cheese. 1 bag of popcorn(butter) , 3 tbsp peanut butter. 6 bags of crisps. 1/2 packet of digestives. 4 yoghurts. 3 apples. 4 sandwhiches with mayonaisee cheese. 1 cheese toastie. 4 cereal bars, 1 bowl pasta cheese and olie oil. 1 cup chocolate milk. 1/4 block of cheedar cheese eaten straight. 2 bowl cereal with lots of sugar. that was my last binge but thats fairly regular. i also tracked that i ate that in 45 mins. its awful to actually write down. and that was between 7-7.45pm. if i binge all day it will be that X10. not sure if this is an average size binge for everyone b ut thats how much i eat.

Yepper, I'm with ya. Tons of nuts, toast with peanut butter, plus peanut butter by the spoonful, cereal, popcorn...and this is all after dinner.