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I binged last night

MichelleF115

What's the worst part of bingeing? Not the weight gain - it's how I feel the morning after: miserable, depressed, full of remorse and hating what I do to myself and the way I destroy all my efforts. I was doing so well, eating enough, and then I just go and lose all control. Always seems to happen on the 5th night. I overate by 1500 calories - enough to undo what I've done for the last 5 days.
Does anyone else have the same problem, or can you just give me the courage to go on?

Replies

MeeshyBW

Have you looked into the Whole30 program?

perhaps you need to reprogram your relationship with food? I am almost through with the book and it has really opened my eyes.

I can;t see your diary so can;t give too much input. What did you binge on that was so bad?

My problem is alcohol. When I party I will usually go 1000-2000 calories over. It's frustrating because it cancels out all your hard work.

I get really depressed when I party and go waaaay over. I drink my calories but don't often go over with food. I just have to dust myself off and keep focusing on the goal. Don;t be too disheartened. We all do it from time to time.

neandermagnon

what's your calorie goal? If it's too low, then your body's normal survival responses will kick in and you will get a very strong desire to eat all the food you can lay your hands on. This is because that is what enabled our evolutionary ancestors to survive food shortages. They didn't have enough frontal lobes to think "hmm I'm not getting enough calories, better stockpile for the impending food shortages" so their body and mind responded to insufficient food intake by making them want to eat all the food they could lay their hands on. We have inherited this survival response, whether we like it or not.

Some binge eating is purely emotional and not from any survival response, however you need to rule out normal physiological responses before trying to use psychology to fix a problem. Also, if you typically experience this on day 5 of a diet, rather than in response to some kind of emotional stress, then that really strongly suggests it's your physiological survival responses kicking in.

advice: eat more. Look for the "in place of a road map" thread (do a search for it) so you can work out how many calories you can eat and still lose weight, while feeding your body enough so you don't feel deprived or wind up bingeing.

happyheathen927

Did the same thing last night. I wasn't even that hungry! I've done a Whole30 and cannot TELL you the last time I ate like that. It was tasty, but not the least bit worth what I'm gonna have to do to make up for it.

jennacollette

Even the greatest successes of fitness slip ! The most important thing with dieting is if you do slip and end up cheating, you need to forgive yourself and move on. After all, we're only human and it's bound to happen. If you don't think that binging will never happen to anyone, you are sadly mistaken. Forgive yourself for what you have done and tomorrow is a new day ! A good detox tip from all of that nasty food you ate.. drink LOTS and LOTS of green tea ! You might look bloated for a day, but it will cleanse yourself. Good Luck !

MichelleF115

Thank you everyone for your words of understanding and encouragement. One of the worst parts of being a 'binger' is having no one to talk to about it, who would understand - so it's great that I can tell other people and not feel so isolated.

My plan:
I'm going to check out 'Whole 30'
Eat a bit more on a daily basis, in case I'm just not eating enough
Forgive myself and move on
Drink green tea!

Thanks, and good luck to all of you too, on your journey.

Slowcala68

I'm not saying this right but keep track of when you binge and make a effort to stretch out the days between binges. Add a day every time. Give yourself a cheat day. So you don't drive yourself crazy always on a diet. When your ready you can give up that day.

Cr01502

Establish a healthier relationship with food.

When you do "binge" track it.

MichelleF115

Yes, I do try to make it beyond 5 days - a whole week without a binge would be great. And I have tracked what I ate last night:

3 ice cream sandwiches
15 large crackers
1 banana
1 bowl of kefir with honey
2 Babybel light cheeses

I'm eating 1500 calories a day (with about 1 hour of daily activity), so I don't think it's a lack of food. I always binge when I'm done with dinner and watching a movie, but why the 5 day cycle?

I'm going to eat 1600 a day and see if that helps. Thanks for the feedback - I really appreciate it.

Cr01502

Yes, I do try to make it beyond 5 days - a whole week without a binge would be great. And I have tracked what I ate last night:

3 ice cream sandwiches
15 large crackers
1 banana
1 bowl of kefir with honey
2 Babybel light cheeses

I'm eating 1500 calories a day (with about 1 hour of daily activity), so I don't think it's a lack of food. I always binge when I'm done with dinner and watching a movie, but why the 5 day cycle?

I'm going to eat 1600 a day and see if that helps. Thanks for the feedback - I really appreciate it.

Cr01502

Sorry about the above^^

You can try shifting your meal times to later in the day. I usually get the urge to munch at night also.

Therofore I tend not to eat much during the day and then have a big dinner and evening snack.

kpstacy

Keep your head up! One of the downfalls to the word "diet" is it automatically makes us feel deprived. Are you depriving yourself of the little things? It is okay to reward yourself. Binge eating is usually emotional eating and the connection we have to food. (Trust me on this one... I used to weigh a little over 230 pounds!) One of the first steps is going to be able to recognize why you binge. In my own 96lb weight loss and being a personal trainer now, is getting my clients to understand that their addiction to food starts with emotions. This journey is not just physical.... you have to get real with yourself. In order to make a "lifestyle" change, not just dieting to get skinny, you have to understand that you will have to look deep inside and start asking yourself why... and then everyday make those little changes. I am still working on my food, and I have been on this journey for 8 years. I have maintained a healthy weight (actually had to put some back on because I became unhealthy skinny at 5'9" I got down to 128lbs.) So, the question is, are you doing this to change your life? Understand you are going to have bad days, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start over! Good luck!

unknown

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_SABOTEUR_

Sorry about the above^^

You can try shifting your meal times to later in the day. I usually get the urge to munch at night also.

Therofore I tend not to eat much during the day and then have a big dinner and evening snack.

^This works for me as well.

DavPul

Yes, I do try to make it beyond 5 days - a whole week without a binge would be great. And I have tracked what I ate last night:

3 ice cream sandwiches
15 large crackers
1 banana
1 bowl of kefir with honey
2 Babybel light cheeses

I'm eating 1500 calories a day (with about 1 hour of daily activity), so I don't think it's a lack of food. I always binge when I'm done with dinner and watching a movie, but why the 5 day cycle?

I'm going to eat 1600 a day and see if that helps. Thanks for the feedback - I really appreciate it.

That's a binge? Now I see why you feel so regretful in the morning. It's because you're doing it wrong. Can I get some pizza on there? A bottle of wine? A bag of oreos? This binge would leave me starving.

Stop getting depressed over food. It's just one day. Okay, it's one day each week. Still not that big of a deal. How about this: instead of being so restrictive your cravings stage a weekly prison break, allow yourself one of the snacks per day. Nobody ever died from eating 1 ice cream sandwich. You can fit that into your daily allowance. After a week or two, back down to 1 treat every other day. Then maybe every third day. I wouldn't bother spacing it further because you deserve to enjoy life, and if these are foods you like you can eat them regularly without going over in cals.

annanderson77985

I didn't exactly binge yesterday, but I did attend a pot-luck lunch with friends, and indulged in things like potato salad, cheesecake and custard.. I figure a 'free day' every once in a while is not going to cause weight loss catastrophe.. as long as I don't make a habit of it..

bupthagrove

I like to go crazy one weekend every 2 weeks. Your body needs to think you aren't starving and trying to store fat anyway. But it is a nice reward and something to look forward to. I wouldn't feel guilty about it, today is a new day, find something you like and save your cals to eat it at the end of the night. Also eat what you want, McDonalds, pizza, just as long as you stay within calories. Remember this is a Calorie diet, not a health food, watch your carb intake, style diet. My friends lovingly tell me to stop eating crap food like an egg Mcmuffin meal in the morning and a happy meal for lunch. I have lost 40 lbs, it works and I don't punish myself with a 500 calorie breakfast of cereal and milk. I don't like granola bars but if I want that many calories I will eat a Hershey bar.

This is the way I look at it and it works for me. I have business events I go to and will go over 1800 calories, if I am back on track the next day in 3 days of a good diet you would never notice. So that is my take for what it is worth.

AngelicxAnnihilation

Knowing is half of the battle.. I ate enough to make myself sick with heartburn last night, now I just have a tummy ache so I think I learned my lesson. make little goals

PosterPens

honestly, 1 cheat day a week tricks the body that youre not in starvation mode. ITS OK, dont focus too much on it to bring you down with all the progress youve already had with your other days. what you ate wasnt a house, so its fine. forgive but dont forget your trigger points, and make today a better day by continuing what youve already been doing so well!!

and ice cream sandwiches... i literally have 1 a day as a snack. the weight watchers ice cream line is seriously to die for, and i look forward to one or two of those a night. dont deprive yourself of anything, cause thats when the binges usually occur. trust me, im a total emotional eater and i didnt get to this weight by not binging....so i get it. keep it at and keep going! youll succeed!

kge0891

To all those bingers out there: join the group! We are all going through the same thing, and support each other through it!

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

CoraGregoryCPA

I like to review my diary the previous days after a binge night. Usually means you are eating too few calories the other days. Something else is wrong. If you notice a pattern, change it. Eat more on the other 5 days, or just understand that this is going to happen on the 5th day. Do you still lose weight?

skparker2

Kinda binged last night as well. And I always feel guilty that I didn't work it off at the gym cuz I didn't go. I am slowly trying to go every other day to about every day during the week to the gym.

bjh110

You are not alone I also do it. You just have to move on and say today is a new day!!! at least you are trying.
I have to eat 1700 calories a day do you know thats hard in its self. so put on a smile and be good today.

bupthagrove

I see what you ate, it is about the calories of what you ate. This is what I do. I go to Publix, an upper scale grocery store and buy a $2.30 loaf of french bread from the bakery. I have them slice it thin and put it in 2 bags. Now this is fresh with no preservatives so I freeze one and eat the other. I will toast and eat 4 slices of the bread which is only like 60 cals. I put some butter, 1/5 serving because this bread isn't big for another 25 cals. When toasted it is sort of like Melba toast, really crunchy. Another thing I like to do is eat a Melon Trio. In the produce department they have cubed melon, it is cantaloupe, honey dew and water melon. A pound of this is only like 120 cals.

So IGNORE healthy foods, Wheat bread is more cals then white bread . . .Unlearn all the stuff that was taught to us. THIS IS A CALORIE DIET. I just discovered Walmart has an answer to the snack well cookies. It was like $1.88 for 12 cookies that are big and 50 calories. A great little snack and better tasting then those crackers.

hazelovesfood

This does strike and note with me, this is exactly what I was doing until and 3 weeks ago. In few days i will have reached 3 weeks without falling off the wagon and going food crazy. I think its because I am allowing myself the odd piece of chocolate or a cookie, some icecream, and eating good stuff each day as well. I almost went off the rails yesterday . coz i went out for lunch, but i chose chicken and veg and it was a small portion so controlled myself.Worst part for me so far, is in 3 weeks there is very little weight change, but im not giving up. Ive been in the mind set before and usually other people knock me out of it, and im stupid for allowing them to do it. But as far as ive got this time, im feeling that I dont want to binge. Hope maybe that is some help.

sPaRkLiNgLYFE

today is a new day forget about last night, beating yourself up about it will only discourage you.

bupthagrove

This does strike and note with me, this is exactly what I was doing until and 3 weeks ago. In few days i will have reached 3 weeks without falling off the wagon and going food crazy. I think its because I am allowing myself the odd piece of chocolate or a cookie, some icecream, and eating good stuff each day as well. I almost went off the rails yesterday . coz i went out for lunch, but i chose chicken and veg and it was a small portion so controlled myself.Worst part for me so far, is in 3 weeks there is very little weight change, but im not giving up. Ive been in the mind set before and usually other people knock me out of it, and im stupid for allowing them to do it. But as far as ive got this time, im feeling that I dont want to binge. Hope maybe that is some help.

It is about rewards, save calories and look forward to Orange sherbet which is half the cals of ice cream at the end of the night. Or save cals and so at the end of the night you can go to McDonalds and get a sundae with nuts. If you are looking forward to the reward it works. On Fridays I try to stay under 600 cals for breakfast and lunch, but at 5:30 I go out to eat to treat myself. A night at Sonny's BBQ or even Carrabbas.

MayaSPapaya

We all do it at some point, no one is perfect.
The most important thing to remember is, if you fall off the wagon, jump right back on the next day.
If you feel depressed, it only will lead to more bingeing.

MichelleF115

Hey everyone, I feel much better. I went for a long 80-minute walk.

Just want to add that I do believe in treats and splurges, but don't count bingeing as being in that category - it goes beyond all feelings of pleasure or satisfaction. I'm also worried that the long-term effects of bingeing could be diabetes - the pancreas has to work very hard to cope with a sudden influx of sugar. I've seen the effects of diabetes first-hand, so I don't want to ever develop it.

Anyway, I'm back on the wagon and my goal is to "go and binge no more'!

tacguy

Me too. Beer, chips and a Blizzard. Nothing but Shakeology for me today.

MeeshyBW

Yes, I do try to make it beyond 5 days - a whole week without a binge would be great. And I have tracked what I ate last night:

3 ice cream sandwiches
15 large crackers
1 banana
1 bowl of kefir with honey
2 Babybel light cheeses

I'm eating 1500 calories a day (with about 1 hour of daily activity), so I don't think it's a lack of food. I always binge when I'm done with dinner and watching a movie, but why the 5 day cycle?

I'm going to eat 1600 a day and see if that helps. Thanks for the feedback - I really appreciate it.

That's a binge? Now I see why you feel so regretful in the morning. It's because you're doing it wrong. Can I get some pizza on there? A bottle of wine? A bag of oreos? This binge would leave me starving.

Stop getting depressed over food. It's just one day. Okay, it's one day each week. Still not that big of a deal. How about this: instead of being so restrictive your cravings stage a weekly prison break, allow yourself one of the snacks per day. Nobody ever died from eating 1 ice cream sandwich. You can fit that into your daily allowance. After a week or two, back down to 1 treat every other day. Then maybe every third day. I wouldn't bother spacing it further because you deserve to enjoy life, and if these are foods you like you can eat them regularly without going over in cals.

What this guy said.

People used the work binge too freely. A proper binge would be circa 4000 calories. What we have here is simply a case of over indulgence. No biggie - Seriously.

It's just the ice cream sammiches that are naughty and one too many crackers. Honestly hun don't worry. I have drank 2500 calories before on a night out. It's just one of those things that you have to laugh at.

We are only human! *hugs*