Binge Eating!

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ruby72288
ruby72288 Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey! So for the past two years, I have tried to get down to my goal weight, and my weight CONstantly goes up and down. Nowadays, it's more so going up because I have a binging problem. I literally feel out of control with it. I exercise 5-6 times a week, but the binges are so severe that that is not doing anything to bring my weight down. IT'S SO FRUSTRATING! I have no idea on how to control it. Help!

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  • _Peacebone_
    _Peacebone_ Posts: 229 Member
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    How much are you eating? I've found that when I restrict too much it leads to binging. Maybe try eating more during meals to stop the binges? Also, keep healthy food around so that when you feel the urge to binge you have healthier options. If it is really bad, you may want to try some counseling. There may be deeper rooted issues.
  • swangwcb
    swangwcb Posts: 12 Member
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    Here comes my social worker response--I would recommend that you look into what's behind the binging and maybe see a counselor who specializes in eating issues. If you have insurance, you can usually find a decent counselor on your insurance website or call the customer service center for information. If you don't have insurance, look into what's available in your community, often there are therapists and counselors willing to work on a sliding fee scale, based on your income. Also if you live near a university they have services that can be helpful. And there's always Overeaters Anonymous. You can work through this, you just need to be willing to work. Good luck :)
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    How much are you eating? I've found that when I restrict too much it leads to binging. Maybe try eating more during meals to stop the binges? Also, keep healthy food around so that when you feel the urge to binge you have healthier options. If it is really bad, you may want to try some counseling. There may be deeper rooted issues.

    This....If you are starving yourself you will binge....If you are eating at a small deficit and not denying yourself a cup of ice cream now and then, you probably won't feel like you have to eat the whole pint.....
  • ruby72288
    ruby72288 Posts: 23 Member
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    Thanks for your responses! Well, I have noticed that it is very much stress driven. So I suppose it's good that I at least know that. I just don't like that I am sabotaging my work at the gym by eating crappy.
  • ruby72288
    ruby72288 Posts: 23 Member
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    and another thing I tend to do is cut out all "unhealthy" foods completely, which could also be contributing to the binges maybe? Right now, I am trying to stay under 1200-1500 cals a day
  • lwoods34
    lwoods34 Posts: 302 Member
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    Working out 5-6 days per week (how long are your workout sessions??) and eating between 1200-1500 or less calories would definitely drive anyone to start binge eating because you are hungry. And when you are not fueling your body properly what is happening is when you DO eat your brain cannot seem to shut off the fact that you dont need anymore and you keep eating it anyway. I know this first hand because Ive dealt with this for years. Also like you said if you have cut out ALL "unhealthy" foods, you are also setting yourself up to binge because you are completely depriving yourself. Then it becomes a vicious cycle because now that you have binged it makes you want to workout more to try and catch up to the extra calories that you ate but then you end up feeling even HUNGRIER because you are doing extra workout sessions (I dont know if you are doing this but I have also dealt with this issue).

    What Ive learned is you have to find the right balance between your workouts and eating. You dont have to deprive yourself of the foods that you like to eat because if you do that will lead to binge eating. Also if you are doing it because of stress related issues, figure out exactly what is stressing you out and maybe instead of eating, sit down with pen and paper and start writing it all down...or go to your computer and just start typing out everything that is going on in your life that is stressing you out and then try to figure out ways of decreasing your stress levels.

    Hope that helps. Feel free to add me for support!
  • allinoelle007
    allinoelle007 Posts: 163 Member
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    Hi! This had been me for the past 6 years! No amount of exercise can overcome binge eating. I was binging once or twice a week. Now I have 90+ days binge free since starting to apply Over-eaters Anonymous principals to my life. I like listening to the podcasts when I am stressed out and feel like binging. Feel free to add me for support if you are looking for mfp friends! :)

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