Binge eating - any ideas why?

I sabatoge my diet from time to time as well. I have noticed one thing about myself is that I have a tendency to do that to myself when I start my day off wrong. I know they say a person should have a good breakfast - but I find if I start my day out in heavy carbs I am hunting for them all day long and have to really fight to get back on track. So, I avoid breads and cereals in the mornings and save them for later in the day - lunch or a snack... I don't know if this is your situation but I know it works that way for me. Just remember not to beat yourself up over it and tomorrow DOES come and it will be a new day to get back into the swing of things.

Me too. I am good if I can keep from eating the bad stuff all together. If I get started eating something bad for me, I will not stop though. Even way after I am full. : (

I too have had an issue with this. Last night at Whataburger. In college, I did an internship with a nutritionist, and when working with clients one of the most common reasons for binge eating, aside from emotional eating, was eating out "boredom," or mindless eating :noway: . Most of our clients would say that, they did not intend to eat the entire bag of chips while watching a movie at home, but oops...they did etc., or they allowed themselves to get uncomfortably hungry and would sit down and eat more than they normally would, and claim to feel miserable afterward :sick: .

I believe everyone has binged at least at one point in there lives. Unfortunately, this way of eating becomes a habit for some, but can be corrected.

Some tips that I try to follow are:
* Try not to let yourself get that famished feeling (you know the one, where your so hungry your arm starts to look tasty)
* Eat several small meals a day
* Before going to the grocery store, have a good snack or small meal (your total bill will be cheaper and less likely to get junk food)
* When going out to eat...order your meal and ask the waiter/waitress to put 1/2 in a to go box before serving you @ the table
* Don't deprive yourself (we want what we can't have), when ordering sweets, order one and split it with a friend.
* Take your time when you eat. Studies show that it takes approx. 20 minutes for the stomach to send the message to the brain letting it know that you are full.
* Use smaller plates (salad plate), it makes it really hard to eat something that does not fit on the plate.
* Stay away from buffets if you know you have a tendency to binge eat (calorie overload)

Hope this helps.
Kat

Hi ERnurse,

Don't beat yourself up. Try to remember that each moment is an opportunity to support yourself. Each time you fall off the wagon, get back up and restate your goals to yourself and start your day over. You can always choose to turn your mind around. Being stressed obviously doesn't helpt the binging, but here is the actual science behind why you binge....

Our bodies are conditioned to want and crave what they are used to getting. Further, our bodies want and crave what is actually healthy and good for us. When you have a slice of pizza, you do not get all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that your body needs. As a result, it will naturally crave more food in an effort to fulfill its dietary needs. The more pizza, ice cream, soda, whatever that you put in your body, the more it will crave because your body is desperately trying to get its nutrients from what you're giving it. This is why having just "one" slice of pizza or just "one" potato chip doesn't work for most people. There are few people who can actually have "just one." So, how do you break the cycle?

It's really easy for someone to say - oh, just don't eat even "one" of whatever it is. But, that doesn't always work and inevitably, we fall back on our comfort food (which we ALL do when we are upset, depressed, etc. My weakness is salts and cheeses). In my opinion, if you truly want to control the binging, you should go on a 30-Day Raw Diet Cleanse. Not only will this control the binging, but you will be shocked at how much weight you lose in 30 days. You can find additional information on the internet, but it basically entails this: you eat nothing but raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains for a period of 30 days. Note - you do NOT eat meat, fish, or dairy or any byproduct of any of these. And all the food you put in your body is raw, not cooked. A 30-Day Raw Cleanse will curb cravings, drop pounds, give you more energy, help you think more clearly, and help jump-start a healthier diet. I guanantee you that it will make a difference. Feel free to email me if you want.

Personally, once I am able to identify the emotion and the issue that caused the emotion, I'm better able to combat my emotional eating.

I was at a loss this past week, emotionally eating, unable to identify my emotions or trigger event. Finally, I realized it two nights ago and my emotional eating has calmed back down, once I took the issue head on.

If you think your job dissatisfaction might be triggering your eating, try to do something positive and constructive to change your position. If you can't change jobs, try researching online what you need to do in order to change to a path you might like. If that is a long term goal, try to plan steps and phases. Read books and articles and research how to make the changes. I find when I am productive and positive, I control my emotions better and am able to overcome the 'bottomless pit stomach' I get when I emotionally eat.

One good tip that I got from here that Im using is chewing gum. When you feel like having that something unhealthy, then chew a piece of gum. Same goes for going for left overs or second helpings. It seems to be helping me (Im chewing some right now!).

I just popped a 5 calorie Certs myself

A couple of people I know on here have read the Beck Diet Solution and her entire premise is about the thoughts and emotions and habits and patterns around our eathing. I finally decided to check it out of the library and I think there are a lot of useful insights and ideas in there. I'd definitely recommend it as a gateway to considering how your thoughts and feelings are contributing to this.

This is also ABSOLUTELY my biggest problem. And it's not *necessarily* the stuff I would know is bad for me. There are times when it has nothing to do with what I want to have but just some psychological or emotional "need" to eat. It could be something sweet or it could be leftovers or just too-big-portions of something very healthy I've made. It's such a difficult and emotionally draining issue to learn to conquer but hopefully you take some comfort in knowing you're not just weak or unusual. Sadly, a LOT of people have these issues. Give that book a try - there are some good tips.

I second this!! This is a GREAT book for anyone working on changing their lifestyle when it comes to food & (un)healthy habits.

First- start writing . It can be a pain- but make it a habit for some time. Write everything- what's going on- what is happening arround you - how you feeling- and if you were ok with your food that day or if you had to binge. Doesn't matter keep writing.
After few of the " binge- " episodes- go back and read your notes. You could see some things that you wouldn't notice without writing it down. Patterns. Episodes. Certain triggers that make you binge.

Being a bolimic since my 14th year - and until my 23- having binge episodes for up to 6-8 times on a DAILY basis.. and than.. " getting rid of it " .. i think i can tell you a word or two on this topic. I have been binge free- for about 2-3 years now. Which is huge for me.. it wasn't easy- it took a long recovery-trip for me. First cutting it down to about 5 times a day.. than to once a day.. than .. every coupple days.. it wasn't easy- but it's possible.

Recepie :

Educate your self on food - esp. the one that you binge on. I think after you learn many facts about that " garbage " - i can't believe that even after knowing what is in it and what is it doing to you - you still can put that stuff in your system.

Eat regularly- don't skip- that is a huge mistake and that is a recepie for binging. Breakfast is huge- never ever skip it. And try to have p rotein in the am because of the slow digestion- keeps you full longer.

Drink water. Eat natural stuff. What is healthy- what should you avoid ?

I put it in a simple way " if it didn't come from the ground, didn't grow on a tree and doesn't have a mother- stay away from it " .. I think this says it pretty clearly.

The processed food you are eating- is like drugs. I'm not kidding you. The food industries want your money- they don't want you to go to their competition- they don't care about your health. So they are putting " additives, flavor enhancers " to get your brain " addicted to it.. " so you keep craving the " same stuff " over and over again.. How do you get off of drugs ? Hard - yes- but managable.. if you are a recovering alcoholic- you are not going to have alcohol in small amounts , right ? You stay away from it all the way. So - I know what type of food wood triger binging for me- I can't have a portion of shaghetti bolognese- i have to have 3 full plates of it- until i feel like throwing up- since i allready " messed up " why not have the 4. so i CAN throw up ?
Once i realized this- i decided to stay away from it- yes i love'em .. but i love myself more than that.

How can you manage this ?

One big thing that has helped me is : - Understanding that the food is " my boss " and i was a slave to it. As long as i was telling my self " no .. you can't have it.. no'' you shouldn't .. no.. it's not good for me.. no .. i love it but can't.. i was just telling my self over and over- how weak i am.. and how the food has power over me. For some time you can do it- .. day- two .. a week.. but eventually the food will win.
Finally i decided to put an end to it. I changed my mind set. YES , damn it.. i CAN have it.. but i choose not to, i dan't want it because it is so bad for my health.. not my weight.. it's posioning.. it's garbage just packaged nicely. So - if i want it.. i can have it- but i decide not to do so. I'm in charge. I don't want it . Period. You have to say this over and over again, and you have to find out all the bad facts behind that type of food- bad enough to gross you out .. and believe me - at one point in your life you will be grossed out by it ! I am . After having fought all my life with the " food " .. i decided just to stop it. I stoped it. No more fights. " wan't but can't.. oh you so tasty.. need you " .. no .. you are disgusting- and you are just h urting me over and over again.
It' just like love/hate relationship. You love him- take him back.. as soon you back together you are hurting. He never changes.
So you all ready know that this " love " with that type of food will only be short period - and after that you will be down because you " again failed " .. why keep repeating it ? Just get it out of your life.

Which brings you to the next step.

Don't go to MC- and Pizza places. Period . It's possible. I NEVER go. I never go to drive throughs.. never buy food. never order in. Simple as that. It does requeire time and hard work- but - i think i'm a living proof that it can be managable. With all the bolimie for more than 9 years .. and having been at 300 lbs at age of 24.. I think i know what i'm talking about.

Don't go to the " snack " aisles in the food store. Just pass by the bad stuff- go to the healthier options. Yes i have snacks.. but not chips- and i don't have soda.. or pizza.. i choose what ever seems more reasonable in calories, fat, protein.. and other ingridients. Not only because of weight- but keep telling yourself- because you want your body to be clean, and looking good inside and out.. you dan't want to be skinny/fat .. neither do you want to be skinny/sick.. you want to be skinny-healthy. And that requires not only " exercise and exact amount of kcls but it requiers the quality of your kcls.

Remember- you have to make the switch in your had - You can- but you don't want it- you are above it. Stop seeing yourself as a slave to the food.. i know it sounds cheesey - but it does work- maybe not the first time.. but eventually. Practice makes the master. Now i can't imagine having a chips or soda.. i'm just disgusted by it. Once i tried a chips.. can't describe how bad it was.. endless amount of salt and oil.. that's all i have tasted - nothing else.

Good luck .. sorry if i have bugged you for to long, just trying to help you with all i know and tried.