BInging problem!

fitfortrack1
fitfortrack1 Posts: 15
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been struggling to lose those last 10 lbs for about a year and a half. I usually lose a pound or two but then just as quickly gain it back. I'm so sick and tired of this. I am going to try planning all my meals and making them ahead of time. It's hard because I still live with my mother and she has a terrible habit of eating an entire pint of ice cream by herself several times a week. I know it shouldn't be a problem for me but when I see her eating all this unhealthy junk it makes me want to as well.

How to I motivate myself to stop binging? For example, today I really wanted something sweet so I made Coconut Macaroons and ate like half the batch...I need to stop. I keep saying I will but then I just do it again and again. I get a few good days but then go right back to overeating even when I'm not hungry.

I want to look good this summer, and I need to get away from this unhealthy habit. I think I'm starting to even gain back some more weight, and my jeans are fitting a bit tighter than before. I've said this a billion times, I just need to stop but don't know how.

Anyone have any tips that worked? Thanks!
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Replies

  • RandiLandCHANGED
    RandiLandCHANGED Posts: 630 Member
    I do the same. I just can't stop sometimes. I get ravenous after lifting (or doing nothing) and eat 3000 calories some days. I wish I had advice. This seems to happen when I am within a few pounds of my goal as well. I am so close, and I just keep screwing up. We are going to Mexico in 57 days so I'd better pull it together.

    Good luck <3
  • DontStopB_Leakin
    DontStopB_Leakin Posts: 3,863 Member
    There's a little thing called willpower.


    Get some.


    And no, I'm not trying to be mean or nasty. I'm serious. If you want it badly enough, find the willpower to make it happen.
  • abcindy
    abcindy Posts: 11 Member
    If you're craving something sweet, have some fruits instead. Identify what you're really craving for - its just for something sweet and need not be coconut macarons. :)
  • sarah3333
    sarah3333 Posts: 222 Member
    I literally had to treat myself like a kid with this problem because it was so hard to get out of the binge mentality. I told myself 30 days without binges and I get to spend $20 on something frivolous. Ridiculous I know, but it worked. The longer you go without binging the easier it is.
  • earlswimsuit
    earlswimsuit Posts: 63
    As a previous binge eater, I know what it's like to feel like you're out of control, and eat until you're way past full.

    Determine your triggers and avoid them. Mine was my Dad offering me his foods on a Sunday afternoon.
    Eat a banana instead of that junk food because you can't take control of those foods.
    Occupy yourself by watching a good movie, going for a walk, sitting at the beach or doing your nails etc.
    Don't keep the trigger foods in your house. If you live with other people separate your foods from their food (or get a mini fridge!).
    Tell your friends/family about your healthy lifestyle so you have the added pressure to keep going.

    And.........GET SOME SELF CONTROL!!! Good luck :laugh:
  • artickb22
    artickb22 Posts: 411 Member
    There's a little thing called willpower.


    Get some.


    And no, I'm not trying to be mean or nasty. I'm serious. If you want it badly enough, find the willpower to make it happen.

    It really does come down to that ^ in the end.
  • Songbird1104
    Songbird1104 Posts: 210 Member
    I've got a crazy sweet tooth, and find that when there is junk food in the house, I eat all of it in one sitting. My solution was just to get rid of all the junk food, so I couldn't eat ANY of it. But honestly, I've lost nigh on 8 lbs cutting WAY back on carbs and sugar.

    Good luck!
  • fitnessfoodtravel
    fitnessfoodtravel Posts: 32 Member
    Try to identify the triggers and avoid them! For me, when I get stressed out from work, I will binge so I try to go for a walk or gargle with Listerine.
  • fitfortrack1
    fitfortrack1 Posts: 15
    Wow thanks to all of you for your quick responses! I definitely need to just crack down on myself and make it happen, but you all have some great ideas.

    Maybe I'll set a reward myself if I go 2 weeks without binging. Then 3 weeks, 4 weeks, etc. And instead of binging I'll paint my nails, go to the gym (even if the only thing I can get myself to do is walk on the treadmill, it's better than eating more food!!)

    It tends to happen way more often on the weekends when I'm bored and that's even worse because I usually don't do much and wake up kinda late around 11 or 12...
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    Make sure you're eating enough good healthy nutritious whole foods and drink lots of water and you will be less likely to binge.
    I eat tons (within my calorie limits) of great healthy foods and it has cut down my bingeing to almost nothing and I was a huge binger-I mean entire cakes and cartons of ice cream and bags of fun size snickers and what about those buckets of Kentucky fried chicken? No more of this for me and I'm very satisfied with the eating I do now.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    There's a little thing called willpower.


    Get some.


    And no, I'm not trying to be mean or nasty. I'm serious. If you want it badly enough, find the willpower to make it happen.

    ^ This. It's about priorities. I too am not trying to be mean, just an honest opinion.
  • IsMollyReallyHungry
    IsMollyReallyHungry Posts: 15,385 Member
    There's a little thing called willpower.


    Get some.


    And no, I'm not trying to be mean or nasty. I'm serious. If you want it badly enough, find the willpower to make it happen.
    Wow! Is that all we need? Can I buy some? Sorry it is not that simple.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    There's a little thing called willpower.


    Get some.


    And no, I'm not trying to be mean or nasty. I'm serious. If you want it badly enough, find the willpower to make it happen.
    Wow! Is that all we need? Can I buy some? Sorry it is not that simple.

    It really is that simple. Strengthen your mental relationship with food.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    Try finding healthier sweets to keep around. I like to keep fruit leather or chili cilantro pistachios around. The former helps curb the sweet tooth and the latter allows me to snack for a long time without eating much (since I suck the chili cilantro off the shell, the deshell the nut and eat it before moving on to the next). Otherwie, it's going to take figuring out a way to shore up your willpower. Good luck.
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
    There's a little thing called willpower.


    Get some.


    And no, I'm not trying to be mean or nasty. I'm serious. If you want it badly enough, find the willpower to make it happen.

    It really does come down to that ^ in the end.

    ~facepalm~

    Binge eating can occur in response to a period of restricted food intake, emotional stress or for other reasons. It is not necessarily due to a lack of willpower.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    There's a little thing called willpower.


    Get some.


    And no, I'm not trying to be mean or nasty. I'm serious. If you want it badly enough, find the willpower to make it happen.

    It really does come down to that ^ in the end.

    ~facepalm~

    Binge eating can occur in response to a period of restricted food intake, emotional stress or for other reasons. It is not necessarily due to a lack of willpower.

    Willpower would conquer anything stated above. By definition alone.
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
    http://www.firstourselves.org/why-willpower-and-dieting-dont-heal-overeating/

    Good luck OP in getting over the binges
  • kaylaawillis
    kaylaawillis Posts: 6 Member
    Agreed. You need to have something that is more important to you than food. It could be being a healthier person, looking better, being able to wear certain clothes, being super toned...there are many reasons to eat healthy. When you feel a craving coming on, think about your goals (sometimes having inspirational pictures help) and what is more important. If you really want to reach your goals, that chocolate macaroon wont stand a chance.

    I live in a house where there's chocolate and chips and other junk food laying around; but I can't think of this as an excuse to waiver off my diet. My goals are too important to me.

    I'm not saying its easy. If it was there'd be no such thing as obesity.
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
    Are you logging everything you put in your mouth? That motivates me quick smart.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    http://www.firstourselves.org/why-willpower-and-dieting-dont-heal-overeating/

    Good luck OP in getting over the binges

    Really? You're going to recommend a random author with no medical, nutritional, or formal education of any kind to the OP? Her goal is to sell her books that do nothing but paint sugar in a bad light. This is no better than promoting Dr. Oz.

    How about some concrete scientific evidence. Here's a peer reviewed, scientific, study on sugar released just last week:

    http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/apnm-2012-0322

    Cliff notes:
    Consumption of sucrose and high fructose corn syrup does not increase liver fat or ectopic fat deposition in muscles. Translation: Don't blame sugar for liver disease, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

    Willpower. If you want it bad enough you'll make it happen. I dropped 140 lbs in 7 months on pure willpower. No gimmicks, no surgery, no fad diet. I crafted a balanced plan, stuck to it without exception, and got blood labs drawn every 4 weeks to make sure I wasn't creating deficiencies with my diet plan. I now have a 4,200 calorie a day maintenance intake. You don't have to stop liking the food you want. You just might have to limit it or avoid it for a short period of time.

    Good luck, try willpower "self-help" stuff if you really want to go the course of relying on non-credential holding individuals. The above referenced author's credentials are in "being nice".

    You can do it if you want it. Go get it!
  • estrange22
    estrange22 Posts: 210 Member
    I have had the exact same experience for about the last year...I do really well all week then the weekend hits and I stuff my face!!! I have been stuck at 10 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight for over a year now! I started a tumblr blog and I'm posting a picture of every single thing I eat/drink except all my water. That way I know if i eat it that all my fitness friends on tumblr will see it. Let's hope it works!
  • fkwilhelm
    fkwilhelm Posts: 42 Member
    Willpower is easier said then done if you actually have a life.

    It is important to observe yourself under what situations you binge. Try to avoid them, which will not work completely. For those that are left, try to find another outlet than eating. Self-observation can be done by carrying a little notebook with you and when it happens, write down how you feel.

    I have read that binges are induced by eating combinations of fat and sugar - that is a combination our body finds confusing as it does not occur in nature. If your body gets it, it easily wants more. So separating these is a good idea - cut out sweet pastries etc.

    Also, getting on a slower weight-loss plan may help as you are easing your appetite down rather than fighting with yourself.

    My own problem with binging occurs when I travel and am otherwise stressed or confused (travel usually means: across the atlantic) and I have made some plans to avoid it on the next trip.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    I think removing temptation as far as you can and asking your family to eat their treats when you're not around may help.

    10lbs isn't a lot, you could have that gone in 3 months if you really put your mind to it. Why not set yourself a date to have lost it by and set a reward if you do - that might give you the focus to say no when the sugar calls!
  • shutupandlift13
    shutupandlift13 Posts: 727 Member
    OP, what's your average daily calorie intake like? If you're highly restrictive on most days of the week it can bite you in the *kitten* with a binge. Don't deprive yourself of anything unless there is something you truly just can't eat without binging.

    My recommendation, since you only have 10lbs left to lose, small deficit from TDEE, like 0.5lb/week deficit. Set up some macros that will help you achieve your goal, most likely about 0.8g protein/lb of bodyweight is a good start and 0.3g fat/lb of fat, fill the rest in however you want with carbs. As long as you're hitting your macros and staying within your calorie goal you should see that weight come off. If you're not depriving or restricting yourself on a daily basis, it might help alleviate some of the binging tendencies.
  • daniellemm1
    daniellemm1 Posts: 465 Member
    I love dark chocolate so I keep a stash of hersheys bliss dark chocolate pieces and will eat 1-3 pieces and that satisfies my desire without sabataging my diet.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    I think it is great to have feast days that celebrate food and fun and friends and family. But a binge under unhappy or unhealthy, unsatisfying circumstances is no way to enjoy food.

    So I am saying, plan for feast days under joyful circumstances, and enjoy plentiful, healthy treats! But use your other days to eat at a deficit, and increase in fitness through exercise.
  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    I've recently started to journal and write down why I want/don't want to overeat/binge and how it makes me feel when I do. It sounds really lame, but it's helping me keep in control of my feelings around eating. I also stopped buying the things I kept making and eating too much of, which actually sounds easier than it is.

    There are a lot of people who overeat because they were bored or were never educated on nutrition or calories in calories out. But for those of us who know better but suffer every day because of trama in our lives, need a little more than just waking up tomorrow with a more positive attitude.

    I hope you can ignore the people who have been fortunate enough to never know what we're going through. Their ignorance must be bliss.
  • janatarnhem
    janatarnhem Posts: 669 Member
    Binge eating can be a serious problem, aggravated by dieting. You need to understand your relationship with food, and your emotions. Dieting and logging every single mouthful of food can aggravate the problem as logging the food can be come as compulsive as your binging. Get some help. There are some good self help books... one is "overcome your binge eating" Sorry I can't remember the author. You can fid it on amazon. Hope you come out the right side of this...wishing you well
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Willpower is easier said then done if you actually have a life.

    You associate food with having a life?
    It is important to observe yourself under what situations you binge. Try to avoid them, which will not work completely. For those that are left, try to find another outlet than eating. Self-observation can be done by carrying a little notebook with you and when it happens, write down how you feel.

    Again, willpower and priorities. When I was losing I did not avoid a single social or professional situation. Family meal gathering? I packed my own food. Parties? Ate prior. Travel? A little research and you can identify where and what to eat ahead of time with minimal effort. Priorities.
    I have read that binges are induced by eating combinations of fat and sugar - that is a combination our body finds confusing as it does not occur in nature. If your body gets it, it easily wants more. So separating these is a good idea - cut out sweet pastries etc.
    I would love to see the source of this information. I'm going out on a limb here and am going to assuming it's not from any sort of peer reviewed study or studies, but from a "Self-help" book.
    Also, getting on a slower weight-loss plan may help as you are easing your appetite down rather than fighting with yourself.
    This is legit, but again it's about priorities.
    My own problem with binging occurs when I travel and am otherwise stressed or confused (travel usually means: across the atlantic) and I have made some plans to avoid it on the next trip.

    Willpower and priorities.
  • IsMollyReallyHungry
    IsMollyReallyHungry Posts: 15,385 Member
    Binge eating can be a serious problem, aggravated by dieting. You need to understand your relationship with food, and your emotions. Dieting and logging every single mouthful of food can aggravate the problem as logging the food can be come as compulsive as your binging. Get some help. There are some good self help books... one is "overcome your binge eating" Sorry I can't remember the author. You can fid it on amazon. Hope you come out the right side of this...wishing you well
    Overcoming Binge Eating by Dr. Christopher Fairburn (very technical, not easy to read but so worth a read)

    I have read this book myself and need to read again. Most libraries have this book so you don't have to buy it.

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