I have to respond because I just realized something!!! MFP is so good for me because I log everything and I can see what I have really done. Lately I have had two overeating episodes that would have led to a binge, except I looked at the calories I consumed and realized that I was just overeating and it would all balance out. Taking the guilt out made a huge difference to me. What seems to happen to me is that I overeat and feel stuffed and like a loser, then I keep eating to stuff down those feelings and those feelings , etc., etc., etc. When I feel stuffed, I hunt for the calorie dense foods that are full of sugar and fat. I guess because I can get the carb high faster. It can continue for many days or weeks...

My problem is eating in the middle of the night and I am not "binging" anymore. I am overeating by a lot sometimes and therefore I am doing another challenge to avoid "Late Night Snacking". ........Oh, I am snacking??? That is a whole different situation...:happy: Even labeling it snacking, instead of binging takes some power away from the food. After taking the energy away from the food, I realize it's the sleeping that is the problem, which is another whole conversation.

I searched the internet for 'how many calories constitute a binge' and got a lot of 'it's how you eat, not how much", but really,......for me, it's how much. I overeat like a nut - shoveling food into my mouth, dropping it on the floor, looking around guiltily, but if I stop, it's not a binge. I guess it's guilty snacking. There are many normal holiday foods that can get me over 2000 cal in a few servings, so I'm personally not calling it a binge unless its above 3000 cal. I have done that once this month, and may do it again, but I won't set myself up by calling over "snacking" the beginning of a binge!!

peanut butter is my trigger too! i don't even want to think about how many jars i have consumed in one sitting. anyways, great job not letting yourself lose control!!

Me - 11

"The Binge" - 0

Since the new week started, I have wanted to binge so bad. It started out as fleeting thoughts, but now I am thinking about it everytime I start thinking about food.

This is hard:/ After today, I only have two more days until my 2 week mark. I have NEVER made it to two weeks before. I just keep feeling like I want to give in, and its getting harder and harder to convince myself that it won't be worth it later.

I need help!! I feel like I'm losing my control and motivation, and I hate that.

I often feel like I have a binge-free limit, that I have to binge eventually! But that is not the case. I am not great at controlling amounts of food (obviously..the bingeing) but I do know I can fight off a binge by having a small & CONTROLLED splurge. AKA, I buy a single serving of something (I'd give examples but don't want to mention food..but something you like but isn't a trigger..) and enjoy it..and then make sure there isn't more for me to get. It also helps if I'm at a restaurant and enjoy a favorite meal, then have plans afterward so I CANNOT go home & be alone & binge. A non-food reward sometimes works for me (getting my nails done), might be worth a try! You CAN do this. You WILL do this. Make sure you're not restricting and nourishing your body and realize that food is not there to comfort you, you can find comfort else where!

Thank you for the encouraging words! I just don't like this feeling that I could unravel after so much hard work, in a matter to minutes. I think that would be okay to eat a little bit without binging, but that would mean I go over my calorie limit for the day. I don't really want to do that until my 2 weeks is up of completely normal days.

You gave really good advice. At least with this group I'm not doing it alone, and I have a better shot at making it through my binge eating urges. Thank you for your HELP! I needed some support.

Don't set standards so high, as that is more likely to lead to issues.
It is better to go over goal a bit sometimes than to end up binging, and if your goal is so low that you cannot fit in a treat, then it is probably too low anyway, and that in itself could be resulting in binge urges.

I think you are right. Maybe I am eating too little calories. I am going to set my goals a little easier at first, so I can gradually get into it. Thank you for the advice!

Edit: TODAY I am logging all of my food no matter what I eat.

Edit: TODAY I am logging all of my food no matter what I eat.

I found this to be helpful for me. I'm only hurting myself by being in denial about what I consume, even when I binge. The trick (again, for me) has been to log it all AND to avoid feeling the shame and self-loathing that often come with binge behavior. Since THAT only hurts myself, too, I just try to remember to treat myself as well as I would a friend who binges. I wouldn't shame or guilt-trip a friend, I would encourage her, so I owe at least that much to myself.