BINGE EATING!!!!!

glenner

We need a whole group on binge eating! I have the same problem. Two key times- when I walk in the door- I also will graze while getting supper ready, end up eating tons and still eat full supper. I am also bad an hour or so after supper. Sometimes I will say to myself "I'm just going to eat one thing then I will stop" - I really intend to but once I have one bite or one cookie or one spoonful of icing (please tell me other people have eaten a whole can of icing at some point in their lives!) then WHAM- it's like a dam has broken and my will power rushes away. I try to reason with myself and try to listen to my body and how uncomfortable it feels when I start to get full but I just can't stop when I am in the binge mode. I am also like you- teeth brushing, gum, water- nothing seems to help. Well maybe we can figure it out together!

EllaPaigeNora

I was never a consistent binger, but I've definitley had some bad binge episodes in the past (over christmas, I went CRAZY and gained three pounds, thankfully i was able to lose it again). Anyways, whenever I feel myself reaching for a cookie, or that piece of cheesecake, or a box of cereal (reese's puffs...oh dear lord) I make myself sit for five minutes before I eat it. I just sit, don't move, and think. And almost what always happens is I realize I don't really want it, or I know the guilt afterwards isn't worth it. If you can just make yourself STOP for one moment, and make yourself wait a certain amount of time, you can internalize that you don't really want it. Or, at least, start training yourself to do this, because it really helps.

Another thing, for the people that eat or binge a ton at night, I'm assuming, eat really well during the day, so they feel free reign at night or feel really deprived throughout the day. Dessert used to be my absolute favorite part of the day and I would go crazy with it (eating multiple servings of ice cream, spoonfuls of nutella, etc) until I realized that the seconds of happiness it left me were great, but gone just as quickly as I scarfed that food down my throat. Now, if I feel the desire to eat at night, I remind myself I get coffee and cereal in the morning (my two favorite things!). I shifted my desires of food to more attainable things, more reasonable, and I sort of trained myself to come up with solutions to when I want to pig out. Come up with distractions, give yourself a different a food (hopefully more healthy) that you can look forward to the next day. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't work all the time, but it's definitely helped a ton.

AmberJoy19882

I find that not depriving myself helps! I eat very healthy most of the time but my boyfriend does not, so if he snacks on a bagel, ill ask him for a tiny piece, just enough to taste it, or if he has reeses minis ill have 1 mini or like 5 M&Ms, only do this once every other day or so so the weight is still falling off yet I still get the taste without the binge!

vtmoon

I write everything down so looking at it later makes me feel bad about it. It helped reduce the over the top binges when I was first starting, now I just like the results I got so far, therefore I view binging as separating my farther from those results. So, I almost never binge now.

jennontheroad

I used to binge eat, especially in the evenings. Not to the point of pain, but I'd eat a few pieces of toast with peanut butter, then I'd want chips, then something sweet, then back to the salty.

First off- get the junk out of the house. If it's not there you can't eat it. However, it is still easy and enjoyable to binge on healthy food, or bread and butter. I know I cannot have a baguette in the house, I will eat it all.

What changed for me? I don't even have the desire to do it anymore. I'm a more fulfilled person in my life, I think this has made a difference. I also just made the rule for myself to not eat in the evenings, just to have tea and a small piece of chocolate. And I;ve stuck to it.

Also, realising how physically terrible I felt in the morning.

But- don't deprive yourself during the day. This will lead to binging.
Another thing I tell myself- there will be other times you can enjoy this food. As I mentioned, I often want to eat bread with butter/PB at night- and if I start it will be hard to stop. I tell myself- wait until morning, you can have it for breakfast.
And in the morning, I don't want to binge, and if I overeat a bit, it's ok cause I have the whole day to expend my energy.

So- know your triggers!

lizziep890

I binged this morning! I had three jumbo raisin bran muffins and a small one. I think my problem is that I sometimes get into biking for 100 minutes and longer; sometimes I burn over a 1000 calories and feel super hungry afterwards.

sabolfitwife

We need a whole group on binge eating! I have the same problem. Two key times- when I walk in the door- I also will graze while getting supper ready, end up eating tons and still eat full supper. I am also bad an hour or so after supper. Sometimes I will say to myself "I'm just going to eat one thing then I will stop" - I really intend to but once I have one bite or one cookie or one spoonful of icing (please tell me other people have eaten a whole can of icing at some point in their lives!) then WHAM- it's like a dam has broken and my will power rushes away. I try to reason with myself and try to listen to my body and how uncomfortable it feels when I start to get full but I just can't stop when I am in the binge mode. I am also like you- teeth brushing, gum, water- nothing seems to help. Well maybe we can figure it out together!

Amen sister! Of course ive eaten straight out of the icing jar!!! Although as I type that I am not proud of that at all! I made sugar cookies for my boyfriend the other night and I frosted them. I threw away half a jar of of icing just so I wouldn't eat it!!

Emtabo01

There's a group that's a 50 day binge free challenge.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/12145-50-day-binge-free-challenge

Everyone's on a different day, anyone can join, a question for each day you don't binge, another way to help keep you accountable, learn some new habits in the process hopefully.

mattschwartz01

I understand about binge eating when not hungry because I've done it too. To combat this urge, I'm thinking of doing something to keep my mind occupied like learning a new skill or doing something educational.

scjl132

If I don't get enough protein, eat too much sugar (even if it's within calorie guidelines) and don't work out I can set myself up for a binge. Learning about leptin and how it affects the body was extremely helpful to me.

keem88

the only thing that really works for me is going and cleaning the bathroom. the chemical smell is a total turn off from everything

Log_n_Jog

I'm in the same boat. I have tried everything that's been mentioned with the same results. I haven't binged in nearly two weeks, but I have also changed my goals on MFP. 1200 calories a day was too much pressure for me and one little overage triggered a binge eating session for me. I adjusted my goals, increased my activity level so that it is closer to my real activity level, and increased my protein, fruit, and vegetable intake throughout the day. So far this has worked. Good luck to you and please know that you're not alone!

Sara13CH

I struggle with binge eating as well. Shell1005 hit it dead on and so did the response that was pointed out. Sometimes it isn't about food-the food is used as a maladaptive way to cope with underlying concerns. For some people using food is a way to cope with uncomfortable feelings. There is a component of interpersonal difficulties as well such as comparing, anxiety, and negative self talk. I have been told to be mindful of how I feel and think when I want to reach for my "trigger" binge foods. Remembering HALT-hungry, angry, lonely,tired helps me. I know if I get too hungry, I binge, if I am tired I use food to fight having to go to bed, when I am lonely, I use food to comfort me and keep me safe from having to risk getting close to others, and when I am bored and anxious I use it as well.

Creating structured meal times, working with a nutritionist to create a balanced meal plan, tracking foods, eating at the table with out distractions, eating mindfully, listening to emotions, journaling, finding other ways to soothe and cope with difficult feelings, reading literature, affirmations, and creating healthy relationships are all big parts of recovery. At least they have been for me. And removing my binge foods have helped tremendously. So has finding support.

Binge eating can become very serious and can be a slow, painful death.

One day at a time.