Binge Eating Disorder

No ideas here but how did you know you had BED? I wonder if more people have that than realize it!

Tell yourself no more. You have to stop, start eating healthier, and start looking at food as fuel, not a reward. See a therapist if you need to.

For me what heleped was doing cold turkey and completely throwing myself into the world of fitness. I basically eat, breathe, and sleep healthy living. Yes i have days where I fight the urge or days where I have a big cheat (usually in n out but now i feel proud instead of ashamed because its my 4th visit that week), but I have yet to have full on binge in over 2 months now. obviously i dont know how severe yours is but thats just the one thing that really helped me stay focused. Now i look at meeting my macronutrients as a challenge for the day to see if i can get enough protein and i feel REALLY good when I have a really good day. I would definitely consider talking to a mental health professional about your disorder though, I have and it really helps to put things into focus.

Therapy!!!!!!!

(I'm a recovering bulimic, and really in the end, it's the same feelings and triggers as BED)

Eating disorders ARE NOT about food; there's more to it, and you have to attack the underlying causes. See a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. They are many out there, and many that will work with your health insurance. They can give you the skills needed to stop binges and then help you face your triggers and control your emotions so that you don't return to eating disorder behaviors. I'm sorry, but don't expect to get over-night cures for this -- especially over MFP. You will find a ton of support here though.

Good luck to you!

I'm sorry to hear of your struggles. There are 12-steps groups out there for BED and other eating disorders. Some times they are called over-eaters groups. You can use the 12 steps for any difficulty, and used in moderation they can really improve your life. If its extreme and creating disfunction you can probably work with any eating disorder clinic and get into a group or individual therapist (if you have the money/insurance to cover it). Whether it is a disfunction or a bad habit, you need to work on the underlying cognitive and emotional issues that are blocking your progress AND work on the behavior of eating at the same time. Good luck!

I wud binge eat alot for a while (not a disorder for me) but even still it took WORK to quit doing it... Set small goals. For me i ate mostly at night....whole MEALS late at night. But i started of by saying, ok, no food once its 11pm, then 10pm, then 9pm and so forth until i had control of the situation. I pray about it and when cravings come to binge eat i wud distract myself, and others times i wud REMIND myself why i want to stop binge eating: IM OVERWEIGHT, i DNT like how i look....and on and on.... if u hve to sit infront of a mirror and eat to help then go ahead and do it. MOST IMPORTANTLY, DOOO NOOOT GIVE UP BECAUSE U GAVE IN ONE DAY. Wake up the next day and try and try until u hve it down...

So, I have BED and no one in my family takes it seriously. I've always been overweight and my addiction to food makes it almost impossible to lose weight. Any tips on how to recover from BED or to get it under control? I wish I could just quit cold turkey but my 'drug' is something you need to survive which makes it really hard

Was the diagnosis made by a medical professional? One would think that he or she would be far better able to help you than a bunch of random strangers on the internet.

So, I have BED and no one in my family takes it seriously. I've always been overweight and my addiction to food makes it almost impossible to lose weight. Any tips on how to recover from BED or to get it under control? I wish I could just quit cold turkey but my 'drug' is something you need to survive which makes it really hard

Was the diagnosis made by a medical professional? One would think that he or she would be far better able to help you than a bunch of random strangers on the internet.

I think she has, and is reaching out to other people to understand their experiences and what worked for them. Maybe that is even part of her therapy, to get in touch with others, or even join a group, with similar problems. And as she stated, her family isn't very supportive, so maybe they are not helping her and she's reaching for another support system, or maybe they are even denying her medical care for it. If she can get support here, there is no reason why she shouldn't take some advice from others recovering from BED. Some of these people are offering up really good advice, even for those who don't have a disorder. I think anyone who is overweight has struggled with not being able to control their urge for certain foods or indulging themselves...even those not overweight.

I struggle with binge eating too. I can eat entire large pizza without even feeling hungry and then start looking for sweets. It is becauase of this I started MFP in the first place.

What has really helped me is logging EVERY SINGLE ITEM OF FOOD and weighing it to make sure I am not under estimating its size. The measuring cups and inexpensive kitchen scale are my comrads in this fight against unhealthy choices. I still make bad choices as this recovery isn't going to happen over night. But, what really helped me is seeing the weight calculator at the bottom of the food screen when you complete your diary for the day. It was eye opening to me that I could gain 15lbs in 5 weeks if I ate that way all the time (which is how I use to eat every day).

Another thing that has really helped me is just being HONEST with myself. On the days that I go to the guym and weigh myself (and don't like the number) it often crosses my mind not to enter the weight but then I think 'who am I trying to fool' put the damn weigh into the computer- you are only cheating yourself. This has really helped me become more aware of all the lies and justifications I have been telling myself for so many years.

Recently I have also started using the Food Notes section on the food page. Anytime I have a thought about food, or do something good or bad, or am thinking about food when I just ate a healthy meal and not hunting for me- I journal it. For me this has given me an outlet to release some of the stress/anxiety brought on by trying to prevent myself from binging.

Hope this helps. Good luck to you!!

also, you're only 16. there are websites for children, and i don't think MFP is one of them.
whether your parents want to accept it or not, you need to see a doctor.

Stock up on a fat burner (i.e african mango), drink plenty of water and atleast 3 cups of green tea a day. This should help supress the appetite.

Eat whole foods with plenty of fiber to keep cravings at bay.

Hit the gym. Once you start seeing results from your nutrition and training then your mind will adjust.

great tips, even for those who just enjoy food too much and want more than a serving! thanks

I think there are various levels of BED. For some people increased fiber, diet, excercise and reductions in carbs help. For others it's not not just something you can diet and excercise away -- or at least it hasn't been for me. It's something you have to deal with one day at a time. I plan my meals. I do not to eat in my car. I track my food, good days and bad. I try not to eat without deciding what and how much I'm going to eat beforehand. It's about taking control and limiting the compulsion's hold on you. I'm still a work in progress. I've been considering going to an overeaters group or going to therapy for it. It's a little daunting to make moves like that because you're putting your issue out there for real.