What is a 'binge' to you?
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jaimrlx
Posts: 426 Member
If you go over your calories or 'cheat' a little bit (too many carbs, one extra cookie, etc), do you call that a binge or a 'cheat day'?
What is your limit when categorizing a day as a 'binge'? 500 over, 600? Or is it that depressive non-stop eating mindset that you count?
Just looking for everyone's opinions, we're all a little different but this might be clarifying and hopefully a little therapeutic!
:flowerforyou:
What is your limit when categorizing a day as a 'binge'? 500 over, 600? Or is it that depressive non-stop eating mindset that you count?
Just looking for everyone's opinions, we're all a little different but this might be clarifying and hopefully a little therapeutic!
:flowerforyou:
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For me the mindset and caloric intake go hand in hand. Once i get that "I just want to eat everything in sight" mindset, by the end i'm somewhere 1000+ calories over my daily goal. And that is on a good day when I actually log it all.0
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A binge to me is when I just sit there and eat and insane amount of calories along with the feeling that I have to eat until I feel uncomfortably full. I know a binge is coming on when I have the feeling "oh I had an unhealthy meal so I'm just gonna pig out the rest of the day" or when I feel the need to go to walmart and buy junk food and quickly go to my room and eat all of it.
I don't consider going over my calories for the day a binge, but I do try to stay under because going over usually causes me to want to binge. There are times when you go to a restaurant and have a large, unhealthy meal, but if the feelings that usually come up before, during, or after a binge don't come out during that large, unhealthy meal then I don't count it as a binge.
Basically it's more about the feeling I get than the food/amount of food I'm eating.0 -
A couple days ago Bea posted this in another thread. I'll copy/paste it here...
Pre-binge:
Pre-binge, I often think about bingefoodx for awhile. At this point, if I can divert my thoughts by engaging in another activity like walking, reading, journaling, talking, etc., I can avoid a binge. Or, if I can 1) observe my binge urge and remind myself of my wellness goals, or 2) tell myself I can eat whatever I want, just not in excess but rather in moderation, or 3) tell myself that I can eat whatever I'm craving, in moderation, if I'm still craving it the next day, then I can avoid a binge. Finally, at this stage if I can simply observe my binge urge and try to live with the uncomfortable feeling it causes, then I know I do not need to binge because I know the urge will eventually pass.
Characteristics of my binges:
1. I almost always binge on processed sugar.
2. I eat super fast.
3. I am often not truly physically hungry.
4. I am often emotionally upset about something.
5. I am alone.
6. I feel impelled to eat the whole (container, package, box, etc.) of bingefoodx.
7. In the moment, I do not care about/think about my wellness goals or the consequences of the binge. If a thought about consequences pops up, I quell it. (I consider it a success if I listen to this little thought and not quell it; that means I am able to stop the binge mid-binge.)
Post-binge:
Afterwards, I feel too full, sluggish, tired...physically uncomfortable. Emotionally, I feel guilty, ashamed, or sad. I have to be mindful enough of these feelings so that I do not allow them to lead to another binge. I sometimes try to figure out why I binged so I might learn, and I try to avoid beating myself up so that I can recover quickly and get back on track. (But sometimes it's hard to get back on track.)
I can binge without exceeding my daily calorie goal, or I can exceed my daily calorie goal without binging. A binge is defined more by my mindset rather than the number of calories consumed. (A binge does usually mean high calories, though.)
Too many carbs or one extra cookie is NOT a binge. It might bring me guilt (if I go over carbs I'm not happy, if I eat an extra cookie I'm not fabulous.) but it isn't a binge. It's not even something you should feel guilt over, it's all in our heads.
Binge eating is going beyond normal and mindful eating.
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My binge is consuming a stupid amount of calories in a short space of time (to me over 1000 in around 1/2 hr) usually with food of negligible nutritional value and that I can't really remember tasting or enjoying very much. It's just like a food monster takes over and I have to eat even though I'm not hungry!!0
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A binge is when I lose control, and continue eating well past a point of even overfullness, and past a point where the food even still tastes good or is enjoyable. People overuse the word 'binge' and it irks me no end. Going over your calories by a few hundred because you had a slip and enjoyed a few cookies is not what I would class as a binge, and nor is going over your goal. Anyone can go over their goal just having a nice meal out or attending a party. That does not make it a binge. That makes it part of living life, complete with the occasional overindulgence. A binge is where you lose control and cease to even care what you are stuffing down, in my opinion.
Binges can also be planned, in some cases. I have noticed this. Some will literally just stuff anything that happens to be around, including dry pasta, butter and things that would not even be enjoyable when not in binge mode. Others like myself, tend to buy in a load of junk, usually sugar and fat laden, and just keep eating and eating, or lose control but not so badly they will consume less edible things. My worst binges totalled 6-10k calories, and last year, I did this daily for 6-7 weeks solid as a result of emotional upheaval. It was not pretty. Imagine the damage all that sugar can do to the system. I felt like crap and was fortunate to only gain about 12-14Ibs in spite of not exercising either.0 -
A binge to me is mindlessly eating when you are not full due to boredom or emotional reasons.0
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Those seem like very real and likely answers! I've heard binges classified as going 50 calories over before and I have to be honest, it's somewhat offensive. :grumble:
For me, a binge seems to be the times where I give up and say 'Yes, we can go to Olive Garden and eat 1500 calories in pasta because I don't feel like doing anything else." Basically, when I give up all chances of reconciling or am just in a state of uncontrollable urge to eat until I throw up.
On the weekends, I allow myself to stay within calories.. but not carbs/fat/protein/whatever. Those are 'cheat days' for me. It's when I've completely given up or caved to peer pressure (a HUGE trigger for my binging) that I really count as binging.
Oh, and also my drinking benders are counted as binging. :drinker:0 -
Thanks so much for posting this question as I've been wondering if I am actually a binger or not. I've never called what I do bingeing but rather "emotional eating".
My emotional eating manifests itself this way:
1) I am stressed, upset, overwhelmed, etc.;
2) I am alone;
3) I mindlessly eat/drink sweet and salty snack foods, fast food and basically junk food;
4) I must finish the package of whatever it is; and
5) I never log what I have eaten.
For me, a meal that does not fall within my plan would never be considered a binge. I would just log it and try to do better the next day.
Based on what others have written, I am a binge eater. The eating in secret is the part that I struggle with the most because it makes me feel so devious and deceptive. It started when I was very young. I would hide food in my room to eat when I was supposed to be asleep. Now that I am married with kids, I have to plan times when I can be alone. When I start planning, I know a binge is in my future. I try to stop myself at the planning stage. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.0 -
I agree. I don't classify a binge as a little of my calories. A binge to me is going ape crap crazy and eating everything. It's a complete loss of control and an "eff it" attitude. Sometimes I cry during it because I can't stop. I hate it. I'm embarassed. It usually adds up to around 3k over my daily allowance. Sometimes less, sometimes more. The next day I feel like total crap, mentally and physically.0
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I've had days where I go over my calorie goal by 4000-5000. On those days, something sets off the "I don't give a f***" trigger, and I fall back into my old way of eating (fats and carbs topped with fat: think double bacon cheeseburgers, chilli cheese fries, pasta with cream sauce). For myself, I don't consider that a binge. That's a slip, a slip from the new eating habits I'm forming into my old eating habits.
My binges, on the other hand, all have one thing in common. When I binge, I ALWAYS have the same thought (chant?) running through my head: "what can I eat next?" I have a snack and then another and another and another and... You get the idea. Before I'm even through eating the first snack I'm already thinking about what I can eat next. I'm rarely even hungry when I have that first one and I'm never hungry by the second but that doesn't stop me from having the third and fourth and fifth. These "snacks" can be large and unhealthy (whole bag of chips, whole box of cookies, etc) or small and healthy (apple with PB, carrot sticks with ranch, handful of almonds). Its not really what I eat that makes me classify it as a binge, its the mindset and the (what feels like) unstoppable urge to shove things in my mouth. Its not even cravings for certain foods/tastes, just the "need" to be eating something/anything. Its a mindlessness.0 -
For me, bingeing has several key characteristics.
It's out of control.
I feel compelled to do it, almost (and sometimes completely) powerless to resist it.
I am barely aware of doing it, once I'm in the midst if the binge.
I feel soothed by the consumption of excess food, almost like an itch is finally being scratched.
However, I only really enjoy the flavor of the first few minutes of what I consume.
I eat way past the point of comfort.
I would be mortified if anyone saw me consume food this way, so it's always done in private, also making sure that any evidence is hidden.
Horrendous shame always, always follows. That's actually the worst part.0 -
I would largely agree with what many others have said.
For me a binge generally has all of the following characteristics:
- I'm alone, including times where I leave, or refrain from going to in social events, to binge
- I eat rapidly, even if I am struggling not to
- I consume 1000 to 4000 calories over my daily NET allotment (which is A LOT, since I'm a runner and I burn about 400 extra calories per day through exercise)
- I go to multiple stores to buy items, as the amount of junk I consume would be embarrassing to purchase at one location. I've also pretended that I am selecting items (various pastries for example) for a large group of people.
- I cannot stop until I am uncomfortably stuffed
Often times, binges have these additional characteristics:
- They use up more than my daily monetary budget
- They are triggered by what begins as a reasonable amount of some sugary and highly preferred food.
- They occur if I make one 'bad' choice, such as deciding to skip my run for the day.
- They happen when I feel lonely or stressed out about work.0 -
I can relate to each and every one of you. Thanks OP for starting this discussion and for all the responses. It's comforting to know that I'm not alone in this struggle against binging.0
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A lot of these sound so familiar. For me, it has nothing to do with how far over the calorie count I am, although when I binge I am ALWAYS way way way over my calorie count. (read 5000+) Its more about the feeling I have when I binge.
*like I can't stop
* like if I don't every single oreo, I won't be satisfied
*like a coma type feeling, where I'm almost watching myself but feel powerless to stop eating
*When I binge, I'm always alone. ALWAYS
*In general, I binge when I'm exhausted, worried, overwhelmed or feeling deprived. That's in general though, I really don't NEED a reason, something happens in my brain and sometimes I will even plan it.
* I honestly feel, if I start, I can't stop until it's all gone (whatever my food of choice is)
I have found that I have little control over it, if I actually start to eat the thing I'm thinking about. The only time that I have the opportunity, mentally, to avoid a binge is RIGHT.WHEN.I.START.THINKING about it. If I can distract my thinking to something else, go run, plan my day, tell myself if I still want it - I can have it "xyz". I stand a chance. If I start planning how I'm going to eat it or when or where or whatever OR if I actually start eating...I'm done.
This is such a problem for me and I've struggled with various ED all of my life. I wish I knew an answer. I'm currently up 12 pounds in 3 weeks because of how out of control I have been.0 -
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My binges, on the other hand, all have one thing in common. When I binge, I ALWAYS have the same thought (chant?) running through my head: "what can I eat next?" I have a snack and then another and another and another and... You get the idea. Before I'm even through eating the first snack I'm already thinking about what I can eat next. I'm rarely even hungry when I have that first one and I'm never hungry by the second but that doesn't stop me from having the third and fourth and fifth. These "snacks" can be large and unhealthy (whole bag of chips, whole box of cookies, etc) or small and healthy (apple with PB, carrot sticks with ranch, handful of almonds). Its not really what I eat that makes me classify it as a binge, its the mindset and the (what feels like) unstoppable urge to shove things in my mouth. Its not even cravings for certain foods/tastes, just the "need" to be eating something/anything. Its a mindlessness.
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^^^^ sounds just like me!! I probable only even taste the 1st few mouthfuls!! And afterwards when I see the wrappers I could cry!!0
