Binge eating support/advice

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mbs439
mbs439 Posts: 17
in Motivation and Support
I have a terrible habit of binge eating, which is triggered by anything remotely stressful or discouraging (such as seeing myself in a mirror and being reminded that I am in the worst shape of my life), which of course worsens the situation. What are other people's coping mechanisms? Any suggestions on how to fight/control the urge or how to make a switch to a healthier way of managing stress?

I'd love to use this thread to form a community of support for people like me who have this problem. I know I could really use it during those desperate times.
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  • strongmindstrongbody
    strongmindstrongbody Posts: 315 Member
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    For me, the biggest helper has been not buying my binge foods at the store. So when I go grocery shopping I have to have a list prepared, not be hungry, and be in a good mood). I also keep photos of my thinner self in the kitchen as a reminder that I don't have to be this fat and that bingeing isn't going to get my body where I want it to be. And take time for positive self talk. Talking down to yourself is a habit that needs to be broken. I know when I think good things about myself, I'm more likely to treat my body better.
  • Starting__Over
    Starting__Over Posts: 6
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    I am also a binge eater. Stress/anxiety are huge triggers for me. I don't buy food I want to binge on anymore. I also try to focus on something positive and re-direct my thoughts to do something productive, such as going for a walk or even cleaning house.
  • Shadowcub
    Shadowcub Posts: 154 Member
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    I have 5 suggestions for you.

    1) Join the "Binge-Eating Support Group". http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/726-binge-eating-support-group
    2) As others have said, try to keep your binge foods out of the house in the first place.
    3) Try to redirect that urge into doing something healthy. If you're down because you are "in the worst shape of your life," DO something about it. Go for a walk. Do armchair exercises. Whatever. Get your heart beating and your blood pumping. Respond by burning a few extra calories!
    4) Talk about it. If you feel the urge to binge, set a timer for 15 minutes and get on the message boards. Start with a post asking for help. Then read and reply to as many topics as seem interesting to you. When the timer goes off, go back to your thread and read the replies. (If you have good RL supports, you could call/text/visit them as well.)
    And 5) If all else fails, try to "binge" on something healthier. Since you won't have chocolate bars in the house, maybe eat some apples. No cake, so eat celery. No donuts, so eat a large salad. You get the idea.

    All in all, you CAN do it. You just have to make up your mind that it's worth doing and stick to it.
  • jennkain97
    jennkain97 Posts: 290 Member
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    all of the above, and also EXERCISE! it is great for controlling appetite, and elevates mood, thereby reducing the urge to binge. plus it will, of course, help with the weight loss which will make you feel better about yourself...
  • jinna86
    jinna86 Posts: 93
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    I find that if I feel down about how I look, it helps to focus instead on my positive actions. For example, if I feel bad about my image, instead of fixating on the image, I fixate on how I've been making positive healthy choices, and I have faith that the end results of consistent healthy choices will add up. It can also help to have the "attitude of gratitude" and focus on what you're grateful for, rather than what you don't like. Sounds kind of cheesy, but it helps :smile:
  • Wraiythe
    Wraiythe Posts: 786 Member
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    I have the same problem. In fact last night I fell right off the wagon and binged...luckily enough the good eating habits I'm trying to instill in myself helped my binge be no where near as bad as it used to be, but it was enough to make me feel terrible! The things that usually work for me are:

    1:) Try not to have the unhealthy foods in the house at all, then you HAVE to choose something healthy. I'd rather binge on celery if I HAVE to binge than on Reese's Pieces!!

    2:) If I start feeling like I want to shove massive amounts of food in my gob I'll either get on here and post or read the boards or go on Facebook, or look at funny videos on YouTube. Read a book....Watch a show on tv that you like. Go for a WALK! Call/text a friend.

    3:) Exercise. Either before a binge or when you feel one coming on. If I exercise in the morning I basically feel good about myself all day. Then even when a stressful situation occurs, I don't seem to feel the need to jump in the fridge as badly. If you can do it, once you feel a binge coming on.....exercise! Once you're done you are too tired and sweaty to want to eat anything. Just wanting to get a shower LOL

    4:) Try to think of the things that make you smile. What makes you happy? Kids, cats, dogs, guinea pig. Flowers. Whatever! And then surround yourself with that thing, until the stress eases a little bit.

    5:) Try to only have healthy snacks in the house. Grab a yogurt or something if you crave something sweet. I went and got those Kellogg's chips, because I usually crave salty. You can eat 28 of them and they are only like 150 cals or something. If I eat 28 chips, I'm usually totally done, even on a binge :)

    6:) Dump the negative. Whether it's your image of yourself, or the people you surround yourself with. If they are negative, dump 'em! I used to hate myself, hate the way I look. I still don't like the way I look, but I don't dislike ME. That is why I'm working to fix the way I look, so that I am as awesome on the outside as I am on the inside! And if it's the people around you, let them know you don't need the negativity and they can choose to walk that positive path with you...or walk their own negative path alone. Then they can decide how much you mean to them. And if they decide the negative.....well you don't need that crap anyway!

    Good Luck!!!
  • sam45890
    sam45890 Posts: 43 Member
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    My binge eating has been mainly under control for a while but I've slipped a bit recently so am trying a strategy of no snacks on rest days, just 3 meals per day and if I exercise in the evening after dinner having a healthy snack afterwards. Also don't have binge foods in the house and if I really want chocolate just get one small bar from the local shop. I read something which i found useful about using the 3-0-1 system, 3 meals per day, 0 snacks per day, 1 day at a time.
  • smithed812
    smithed812 Posts: 289
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    I agree with keeping your typical binge foods out of the house and channeling your stress into a physical activity. Those have worked well for me. Good luck, I know it's much easier said than done!
  • Shreshy
    Shreshy Posts: 1,263 Member
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    I am guilty of binge eating. As stated you should refrain from having junk in your house because if its there you will be tempted to eat it. That always happens. Remind yourself that improvement is possible but only if you stay away from unhealthy things. drink lots of water and excercise.
  • mbs439
    mbs439 Posts: 17
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    Thanks for all the responses! All suggestions sound reasonable-- of course, it's much easier said than done, but knowing that other people are going through the same thing makes me try harder! Another step I took recently is keeping less cash on me and giving my credit card to my mom-- now that it's summer and I'm home, I have less of a need for it anyway. That way if I ever want to act on a binge, I have to retrieve the card from my mom, which keeps me from wanting to follow through because most of my binge eating is done shamefully and in secret. It has helped a lot.
  • katythemommy
    katythemommy Posts: 437 Member
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    I have been suffering from binge eating/food addiction for about 8 years now. It use to terrify me when I couldn't stop, year after year. It has now been 4 weeks and I have not binged nor had the urge to binge. The two things I am doing differently are:

    1. Learning to actually LOVE myself. I finally realized the hole I was filling up inside of me was really a lack of self-love.

    2. I completely changed how I eat. I tried "clean eating" four weeks ago and it has completely changed my relationship with food. I'm entirely convinced that the processed junk food I was eating and bingeing on was addictive and made it practically impossible to stop. I swear after two weeks into eating clean, I no longer craved junk food and didn't want to eat it. Even having a bite of my old "normal food" I get horribly sick.

    I know the cycle and I HATE it!! Please feel free to PM or add me. Having a support network can be very beneficial and good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • BobzStuff
    BobzStuff Posts: 121 Member
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    All these are great suggestions.

    I'm a writer, so for me writing it out helps the most.
    When I feel a binge coming or have a binge I sit down and write out answers to some hard questions. I be completely honest with myself and it helps me so much and I often read back my answers and see trends.
    I also write one reason a day of why I'm going this.

    Some questions.

    Am I lonely?

    Am I trying to sabotage myself?

    Am I afraid of my success?

    How would it help me to eat right now?

    How would I feel during?

    How would I feel 5 mins after?

    How would I feel an hour after?

    How would I feel in a year after a year of giving in?

    How would I feel after a year of staying strong?

    Do I love myself today?

    How can I show I love myself today?

    And so on....

    If you need any support add me!
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    I haven't truly binged in almost 30 years, but even now, recently, I made one more step in not eating for emotional reasons. Logging what I eat makes me stop and notice when I'm eating and why. I don't snack as much as I did, and the last time I thought about eating because I was feeling anxious, I just didn't feel like eating would help, so I didn't do it.
  • metacognition
    metacognition Posts: 626 Member
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    My coping mechanism is to keep trigger foods out of sight and not to indulge in negative thinking.
    Sometimes if I'm really craving extra food, I'll allow myself to mini binge and make up for it by cutting back for the next two days.
  • Zombella
    Zombella Posts: 490 Member
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    Like others have said, try not to keep certain foods in the house. I have realized that I am an emotional binge eater and that I cannot keep certain foods in the house, such as ice cream, cheese, or any candy.
  • AdriSaysRelax
    AdriSaysRelax Posts: 110
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    Wow, these are great responses! I am absolutely going to try the AM workout bit!

    I find that like the OP, I start wanting to stuff my face when I catch a glimpse of myself- it's like I get angry with myself for my size and want to take it out on a handy target in the most counter productive way. BUT ever since I actively started trying to get fit, I tell the mean bit of me to shut up, and remind myself that I am making an effort. Usually it's enough to make the difference.

    Best wishes to all struggling in this way. One day at a time!
  • Natalieg201
    Natalieg201 Posts: 1 Member
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    One of the things that really helps me is the understanding that when emotional hunger is different to physical hunger. Food cannot satisfy emotional hunger which is why when you binge, it you just keep eating, because the emotional hunger cannot be fed by food.

    Once I knew that, the frequency of my binges was reduced enormously.
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
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    I am right there with all of you. I am an emotional binge eater and the void CANNOT be filled with food but I try. I can eat and eat until I am sick and then I am depressed, sick and mad at myself. It never helps the void. I continue to work on techniques to stop the binging. I am not sure if it will ever go away completely but... I am trying to reduce the frequency. Staying busy during my typical binge time (6pm-8pm) helps.

    Wow- just realized that I can blow an entire week of healthy eating in just two hours!!!
  • SarahxCheesecake
    SarahxCheesecake Posts: 169 Member
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    Living on my own, its easy to control what goes in my cupboards, but on a more practical level for you I once went cold turkey on take away food and that worked, plus my stomach shrinked from eating less any way.
  • SarahxCheesecake
    SarahxCheesecake Posts: 169 Member
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    ....I also know that removing the negative emotional source is an answer - not saying that's easy though.

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