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Has anyone been able to beat the binge for good??

nickyfm
nickyfm Posts: 1,214 Member
in Social Groups
Has anyone ever felt that they have totally overcome that overwhelming urge to give in to the craving and severe need for more food, and just consume everything in sight?

I feel like my life is either me being strong enough to resist it, and hence skinny, confident and happy, or being too exhausted to fight it, and constantly giving in, day after day, and gaining the weight back.

I am currently feeling strong, but am experiencing that severe urge to go downstairs and inhale everything in sight.

Also, does anyone find that their binges are caused by physical cravings and hunger, rather than emotional oneS? I have PCOS, so maybe this is adding to the struggle...

Replies

  • jennco3
    jennco3 Posts: 72 Member
    I had a post about something different and no reply from anyone. Made me feel like CRAP! So I have decided to reply even if I have no good answer. I don't want others to feel as alone as I do.

    I did at one time feel like I had won the battle. For me it comes and goes.

    I am more of the emotional eater.
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
    No.... :C

    I have yet to overcome "the binge" for good.

    I have periods where I am happy and confident, eating well and exercising....not binging.

    But other times I want to inhale everything in site, which makes me gain weight FAST!

    I say, it's easier when you confide and tell someone in real life about it. Maybe someone you live with. Also, keep trigger foods in the cabinets (out of site...out of mind...USUALLY.)

    I had a small binge today. :( After 4 days binge free.

    Stay strong<3
  • metalvegan
    metalvegan Posts: 133 Member
    I thought I beat it this summer. I was exercising every day and staying under my calorie goal so easily. I lost ten pounds (from 132 to 122) in just over two months. I was SO happy and I thought I'd finally beat my ten year battle (BED/EDNOS since I was 17). I never had any cravings and was easily able to make good food choices.

    Then I started work back up (I'm in education) and everything went immediately back to the way it's been forever. Everyday I eat a nutritious breakfast and pack a balanced lunch. Then on my way home I stop at fast food drive-thru's and supermarkets. Or if I know my husband won't be home, I'll head there and raid the kitchen. Each day it's the same. I plan my meals plus an afternoon snack and I decide what workout I'm going to do. But then 4:00pm hits and that all goes down the drain.

    FML. Seriously. ARGH!
  • greekygirl
    greekygirl Posts: 448 Member
    For GOOD? unfortunately, no. I've been dealing with this *kitten* for almost 25 years. Sure, I have reprieves - some last longer than others - but it always catches up with me at some point.

    I have lost and gained weight so many times in my life I lost count. This is the longest I've kept weight off in a long time (about 2 years) and my binges have come back with a vengence lately. October was horrible. I definitely had more days that I binged than those that I did not. I plan to make November much better. One day at a time though, I'm just focusing on today rather than a whole month! If it wasn't for my dedication to working out, I'd have gained more than two pounds, I'm sure.

    I find that mostly my binges are caused by either physical cravings for sugar/processed carbs (from eating too much of those, eating it makes me want MORE MORE MORE!) or emotional - boredom and lonliness are huge triggers for me. I also found that if I am not eating enough (the restricting part of the cycle I get into) I will eventually get so hungry I eat and eat and the cycle starts over.

    I know all the things to do to "beat" the urge but it's just so hard to apply when I get into what I call "binge mode" - I don't think first, I just act. It's much like a zombie-state and nothing else can get into my mind once it's hit. How am I supposed to stop and write about my feelings and all that other stuff when the only thing in my brain is getting the food I'm craving??
  • deniseselah
    deniseselah Posts: 225 Member
    I don't have a good answer either :cry: but I appreciate you being brave enough to ask the question. I'm in the 20-year range too. This is my #1 problem, and for me it is all emotional/stress related. I don't know what it is about processed carbs that makes you just want to eat more carbs. I am the same way. I have a friend who has kicked the carb binge habit for about 90 days and she says it is complete FREEDOM to not be bothered by those foods and the impulse to binge... but when I read the plan she followed it ... I just feel like I couldn't do it. So I guess I don't want it badly enough. It just seems like she's on a different (better!!) planet than me.
  • McShell12
    McShell12 Posts: 161 Member
    I think I started binging when I was thirteen. I say "think" because I believe I have had an unhealthy relationship with food since birth. My Mom was a food/cigarette abuser who passed some of her habits on to me. Luckily I don't smoke. :smile:

    There are often periods of my life when I binge multiple times per day, and I feel like a druggie with no hope in sight. Then I hit rock bottom and I tell myself I will go just THREE days with no binges. If I am successful with those three days in a row, then I feel stronger and last many more days between the binges.

    SO does anyone want to go just THREE days without a binge with me?????? Tomorrow is MONDAY and a new week!! :happy:
  • berumotto
    berumotto Posts: 40
    I think I started binging when I was thirteen. I say "think" because I believe I have had an unhealthy relationship with food since birth. My Mom was a food/cigarette abuser who passed some of her habits on to me. Luckily I don't smoke. :smile:

    There are often periods of my life when I binge multiple times per day, and I feel like a druggie with no hope in sight. Then I hit rock bottom and I tell myself I will go just THREE days with no binges. If I am successful with those three days in a row, then I feel stronger and last many more days between the binges.

    SO does anyone want to go just THREE days without a binge with me?????? Tomorrow is MONDAY and a new week!! :happy:

    With the onset of school two months ago, my binge eating started. So responding to your three day challenge... HECK YES!!!!
  • FollowThatUnicorn
    FollowThatUnicorn Posts: 200 Member
    I have not beaten it for good, but I can happily say that I go weeks now without even thinking of it :)
  • thinjustfabulous
    thinjustfabulous Posts: 30 Member
    when i binge it's like a marathon of eating. I was sad, and even more sad after the binge. then i promised my self that tomorrow I gonna stop and eat right again... but that tomorrow never comes.

    so I decide to do it "now"
    and that break the circle

    i realized that food restriction lead to binge. so i try not to restrict so much.
    and self hate also lead to binge, so i try to love myself more. do stuff that's good for my self being.



    I'm still fighting
  • yesmikan
    yesmikan Posts: 98 Member
    I would assume that most of the people who joined this group did so because it's something they actively struggle with. You may have to ask elsewhere to find "former bingers."
  • IsMollyReallyHungry
    IsMollyReallyHungry Posts: 15,385 Member
    I have not beaten it for good, but I can happily say that I go weeks now without even thinking of it :)
    That is success!! Keep up the good work!
  • IsMollyReallyHungry
    IsMollyReallyHungry Posts: 15,385 Member
    I would assume that most of the people who joined this group did so because it's something they actively struggle with. You may have to ask elsewhere to find "former bingers."
    There are some who do beat the binge for good. Just like with other addictions they may have flare ups or urges but they do overcome it. I know before we had groups some would post to the thread we used to have but some were not too encouraging because they were pushy with thier opinions and negative in some respects too so they stopped posting for whatever reasons.
  • nikkid949
    nikkid949 Posts: 1
    If I could only stay strong on my fitness pal.... I notice when I use myfitness pal religiously, I control my binge eating like no other. What I do is I input all the food I plan on eating for breakfast and lunch. I will only input dinner if I know for sure what I will be cooking. After that you see how many calories you have consumed and you realize oh boy I do not have much wiggle room and it subconsciously helps you to avoid the pantry. I also just read a great idea on a different posting on a group (I think it was on emotional eating?) They say to wait 15 minutes before you eat. So, if you are driving home from work or school and you are starving (this is where the binging gets me the worse) don't run to the kitchen. Try and stay away for a few minutes before diving in.

    Staying strong with myfitnesspal truly makes a huge difference! And also keep a snack with you, but if you are like me you will just be thinking about how you have those almonds in your purse and want to eat them when you aren't even hungry.


    One last idea I've noticed helped me too is message a friend about the food you WANT to eat and then they will talk you out of it. My friend does that to me and it works amazingly. I will tell her how badly I want potato chips and she will comment back all that artery clogging grease? Bad mouthing the food will definitely make you change your mind!
  • notenoughspeed
    notenoughspeed Posts: 290 Member
    For good, Nope. Has this site changed me forever, yup. Since day one on this site, something in my mind clicked. I realized I had been living my life all wrong. I've had some recent slips, but I have been able to correct the weight gain in about 3 to 7 days. It's worse than an alcohol addiction. Unlike alcohol, we can't stop eating. I don't think anyone truly recovers. Maybe. It's all about the now. If you mistake, look at the bigger weekly average.
  • kevinkalis
    kevinkalis Posts: 18
    I don't think it's ever possible to overcome it completely, I've made peace that it'll probably be a lifelong struggle for me.

    In a way, I think it's worse than a drug or alcohol addiction, at least those you can go cold turkey with.
  • mimiwin
    mimiwin Posts: 42 Member
    god this is exactly me !!! a bloody nightmare... fingers crossed !! One day at a time !!
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    I am now on day 5 of no binging. I decided to make a binge escape plan. It help immensely. Binging for me is not in anyway related to hunger. I have always thought it was but I finally had to admit it wasn't, and only then was I able to get to where I am now. No amount of protien was helping, no amount of sleep, water, fiber, vegetables etc.... all that advice was not working at all. In my binge escape plan I have things like:
    post for help if I feel like I am teetering on the edge of failing.
    go do house work
    take a nap
    get out of the house
    GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN (this is especially important)
    write it out (why do you want to binge? how do you fel while binging? etc...)
    Do some form of exercise
    Be positive. Say empowering things to yourself I can do this! I don't binge! I am going to make it today! etc...
    Make a little box with things like gum, hard candy, a nail file, word games, etc... anything you can grab and use to distract yourself. In fact make two or three. Put them in various places throughout your house. One in the bedroom, near the couch in the living room, and of course one in the kitchen. They will be nearby anytime you need to grab one quick.
    Hope this helps.
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    I think I started binging when I was thirteen. I say "think" because I believe I have had an unhealthy relationship with food since birth. My Mom was a food/cigarette abuser who passed some of her habits on to me. Luckily I don't smoke. :smile:

    There are often periods of my life when I binge multiple times per day, and I feel like a druggie with no hope in sight. Then I hit rock bottom and I tell myself I will go just THREE days with no binges. If I am successful with those three days in a row, then I feel stronger and last many more days between the binges.

    SO does anyone want to go just THREE days without a binge with me?????? Tomorrow is MONDAY and a new week!! :happy:

    This is great... BUT I think putting a time frame on it can back fire. Take it only one day at a time. It can seem very daunting in the middle of fighting off a binge and thinking that you have to go that long without doing it. Just one day at a time. :smile:

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