Want to binge...need encouragement please

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abtsdiet
abtsdiet Posts: 39 Member
in Motivation and Support
I was doing really well with MFP. I was at my goal weight. Then I fell off the wagon for about 4 weeks.

Yesterday was my first good day back. So far today has been good too. But I really want to binge.
My brain is saying, "What's one more day of overeating? You can always start over tomorrow."

But tomorrow never comes and I end up repeating the same bad habits.

Also...I have gained about 10 pounds...and that is depressing.

So far today I have eaten really well, exercised, and had a lot of water.

How do you deal with the desire to binge?

Thanks

Replies

  • The_Godwin_72
    The_Godwin_72 Posts: 102 Member
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    WOW- thats hard one. It's not easy and you're right - tomorrow nnever gets here. You have to think about what you want and not what you want right now. You will make changes when you are ready and you will not stick to them until you are ready.
  • checkp0int
    checkp0int Posts: 9 Member
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    The way i deal with it is by truly surrendering to the fact that when i give in to overeating its like an alcoholic giving in to drinking, one is too many and a thousand never enough, as long as i keep that in mind i dont give in because then i just wreck everything i worked hard for. take it one day at time and the desire will eventually get smaller and more manageable
  • mwooderson
    mwooderson Posts: 254 Member
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    The way i deal with it is by truly surrendering to the fact that when i give in to overeating its like an alcoholic giving in to drinking, one is too many and a thousand never enough, as long as i keep that in mind i dont give in because then i just wreck everything i worked hard for. take it one day at time and the desire will eventually get smaller and more manageable

    I have been struggling with binging lately. Your advice was relevant and timely. THANKS!!!
  • bf43005
    bf43005 Posts: 287
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    It's never easy, but nothing worth doing ever is. Try to find something to get your mind off food. Go for a walk, talk to a friend, read a book, etc. Today is only one day and nothing is stopping you from falling off the wagon and starting again but think about how good it feels to know you can stick with it. Stay strong!!
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,472 Member
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    everyone has a bad day
    no one is perfect
  • c50blvdbabe
    c50blvdbabe Posts: 213 Member
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    First thing I ask myself is "what is it that I want?" Then I determine if I can actually wait until "tomorrow" to have that treat. If so, then I wait. I "tomorrow" myself until I get to Saturday and then give in. Sometimes I want it, most times I don't.

    The fact that you're stating your mind is saying "what's one more day of cheating" screams to me that it's your emotions beating you up for the previous four days. Don't let it. You have the fire in you to not have another day of "less than desirable" eating.
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
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    Ask yourself this ... Have you ever binged (and I don't care on what or how much) but have you ever binged and then said to yourself afterwards (5 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day later, etc) "Boy, I am glad I did that! It really helped me!"

    If you answer NO, then keep reminding yourself those few minutes, those few bites, those huge portions, or whatever, that it won't make you feel better because it never has and it's not going to know.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    Ask yourself this ... Have you ever binged (and I don't care on what or how much) but have you ever binged and then said to yourself afterwards (5 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day later, etc) "Boy, I am glad I did that! It really helped me!"

    If you answer NO, then keep reminding yourself those few minutes, those few bites, those huge portions, or whatever, that it won't make you feel better because it never has and it's not going to know.

    Great advice! If you binge not because you're hungry but because food distracts you from whatever is really bothering you, ask yourself whether the binge will make you feel better in the long run, or whether you'll still have the same problem but you'll also have the extra calories.

    Another tack, though: there's a lot of research suggesting that the more you *imagine* eating something you love, the less you actually eat when you do so. Imagine chowing down on a bag of corn chips (for example). Think of how tasty it will be, the salt, the satisfying crunch. Do that for a while, then have some chips. You'll probably eat fewer than if you hadn't done the visualization. You might even not feel like eating chips at all.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,619 Member
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    I was doing really well with MFP. I was at my goal weight. Then I fell off the wagon for about 4 weeks.

    Yesterday was my first good day back. So far today has been good too. But I really want to binge.
    My brain is saying, "What's one more day of overeating? You can always start over tomorrow."

    But tomorrow never comes and I end up repeating the same bad habits.

    Also...I have gained about 10 pounds...and that is depressing.

    So far today I have eaten really well, exercised, and had a lot of water.

    How do you deal with the desire to binge?

    Thanks
    By this do you mean eating food that you have abstained from?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
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    Go for a long walk, it will distract you, ease your anxiety and burn calories.
  • lizzynewm
    lizzynewm Posts: 199 Member
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    honestly, the fact that you came here to post about it before just going on that auto-pilot binge mode is a pretty incredible step in itself.

    i used to feel those urges come on a lot when i first started losing weight, but i tended to keep them at bay by working out instead or trying to occupy myself with other things... but i was so strict about my diet that i would sometimes just binge and not be able to stop myself. so, i tried something new that has worked really well for me so far! instead of eating 100 percent consistently healthy all the time, i allow myself a full blown crazy cheat day every week - whatever the hell i want to eat on that day with absolutely no guilt associated. when i allow myself the freedom of being able to eat absolutely whatever i want, i always just get excited to get back on track with healthy eating the next day and don't feel the urge to binge for the rest of the week. and with consistent exercise and healthy eating all the other days, the cheat day never effects my weight anyway. and i'm so obsessed with food that i get ridiculously excited during the week deciding what my cheat meals are going to be on that beloved day!!

    good luck to you!!
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    I'm fighting this every day, and it's no fun. The thing that keeps me on track (most days) is the fact that I've already wasted way too much time overeating, and I'm seriously ready to not be fat anymore. That and reminding myself that whether I binge or not, I'm still going to obsess about food. Binging doesn't take that feeling away for me. If anything, the more I eat, the more I can justify eating.

    I aim for six days at my calorie goal and then plan a higher-calorie day where I eat at maintenance or above.
  • breihana
    breihana Posts: 2 Member
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    I personally think that having one day week having a cheat meal can help curb the appetite for binging. The Body For Life book uses a cheat meal day I think? I was a serial binge eater and still fall off the wagon every now and then.

    The main thing is to get back on the wagon and not to focus on being disheartened by the lapse. If you remain bummed out about eating bad foods, it could possibly lead to eating MORE of the wrong foods to make us feel good temporarily. Then the cycle repeats itself.

    It makes it easier to stay on track when you have someone to support you and give advice on your progress. I wouldn't have been able to do it without my cousin always asking me what I have eaten each day or how is my eating going. Having a support network really helps.

    You can do it!!!

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