What constitutes a binge/how do I know if I was excessive?

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  • gina_nz_
    gina_nz_ Posts: 74 Member
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    Calling 400 calories a "binge" is laughable.
    I would be more worried about the fact that you take in less than 1000 calories a day, netting around 500 on days you exercise. That IS a problem.

    this ^
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    yes. forgive yourself and move on. you don't have anything to feel guilty about! the fact that you feel so ashamed is more worrying than the fact you had a meal where you overate, especially as you said you feel embarrassed and unworthy of respect. Everyone overeats sometimes, it doesn't mean they did anything bad or are not worthy of respect! But feeling so guilty over one incident of overeating isn't healthy. Maybe work on your relationship with food... it's okay to go over your calorie goal once in a while. everyone does it, even super fit super healthy people. In fact giving yourself a break helps you to stay on track long term. Avoid the kind of all-or-nothing thinking that leads you to feel that you have to be 100% perfect or you're a total failure.... success is long term compliance to a healthy lifestyle and long term maintenance of a healthy body composition. You don't have to be perfect to achieve this... you have the leeway to enjoy parties and treats, it's what you do day in day out that counts, i.e. on the ordinary days. And as long as you're sticking to your calorie goals and getting all the nutrients your body needs on the ordinary days, the odd day here and there where you overeat won't break you.

    So stop trying to "look for something positive to come of this" and instead forgive yourself and stop seeing one incident of overeating as something negative, and give yourself permission to not be 100% perfect, and instead aim for long term compliance.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    Calling 400 calories a "binge" is laughable.
    I would be more worried about the fact that you take in less than 1000 calories a day, netting around 500 on days you exercise. That IS a problem.

    this ^

    if that's the case then this would explain what's causing the overeating....

    eat properly and you won't feel the need to overeat....
  • JilloftheDead
    JilloftheDead Posts: 296 Member
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    Why do I only "binge" on chocolate or dark chocolate do you think no other foods really?

    Try a magnesium supplement, I can almost guarantee you're deficient if chocolate is what your body craves.
  • kellybellyjellyn
    kellybellyjellyn Posts: 83
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    I suffered from BED for years... I would eat so much that I felt physically ill.

    I would binge on anything and everything that I could get my hands on or was in the house.

    Large Pizza, Sandwiches, Big Packets of Crisps, Chocolate, Huge Plates of Pasta, Cheese, anything that was in my fridge.

    I once ate so much I thought I had ruptured my stomach.

    I would feel so terrible after I would hate myself and then that would result in further binging.

    Then to combat this I would seriously restrict calories the following days which leads to your body needing calories drastically and then often another binge a few days later.

    In my opinion anything that is under you RDA of calories per day does not constitute a binge.

    I haven't binged in 3 weeks and I'm really proud of myself I feel I finally have some sort of control over it.

    So yeah I wouldn't say eating something like 1800 - 2400 a day is really a full on binge.

    I have learnt to control my BED so far by eating consistently throughout the day, as in 6 small meals and also not making anything "off limits" trying to eat things in moderation. Not eating below around 1200 a day.

    But for me BED has always been an emotional thing and it is definitely a form of self harm. So if you feel you are seriously over eating take a look at the reasons why it's happening, if its an emotional issue, try work on that. x

    It's ok to have a munchy day every now and again where you eat a little more than normal but not eating until you feel sick.

    x

    Hope that was of some insight !! :)
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Looking at your diary you have arbitrarily overridden the MFP recommended calories and set your own calorie limit to 950 per day. You are not binge eating your body is just craving the nutrition that you are starving it of.

    Eating at that level will almost certainly leave you hungry all the time and however harsh some of the other posts may seem they are correct.

    As there are so many people on here using MFP the way it is designed to be used, sticking to its calorie recommendation, eating back their exercise calories and losing weight why don't you put some trust in it and lose weight in a nice healthy way?

    Unfortunately looking at your diary and reading this post I do wonder if you are one of the growing number of under 18's that are using this site in a fairly inappropriate manner at the moment
  • robinsondel
    robinsondel Posts: 47
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    Calling 400 calories a "binge" is laughable.
    I would be more worried about the fact that you take in less than 1000 calories a day, netting around 500 on days you exercise. That IS a problem.

    I have to agree. Before I became conscious of looking at what my food contained. I'd have single meals that were over 3,000 calories, and THAT wasn't a binge. I kinda kick myself in the *kitten* a bit these days when I go over what I planned to eat for the day, but I can't call it a binge unless I just non-stop eat ,like I used to, until I was literally sick from eating so much. I used to be really bad to binge on lasagna or spaghetti, I'm talking about eating it until I would vomit, I've probably eaten over 5,000 calories in one sitting before of lasagna. I can understand being aware of, and not wanting to have a 400 calorie splurge, but if it's seriously stressing you out, I'd be concerned that you may be developing a disorder on the other end of the spectrum from a binge.
  • Gkfrkv
    Gkfrkv Posts: 120
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    Calling 400 calories a "binge" is laughable.
    I would be more worried about the fact that you take in less than 1000 calories a day, netting around 500 on days you exercise. That IS a problem.

    This
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    Calling 400 calories a "binge" is laughable.
    I would be more worried about the fact that you take in less than 1000 calories a day, netting around 500 on days you exercise. That IS a problem.

    this ^

    if that's the case then this would explain what's causing the overeating....

    eat properly and you won't feel the need to overeat....

    Yup.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Calling 400 calories a "binge" is laughable.
    I would be more worried about the fact that you take in less than 1000 calories a day, netting around 500 on days you exercise. That IS a problem.

    this ^

    if that's the case then this would explain what's causing the overeating....

    eat properly and you won't feel the need to overeat....

    Yup.

    I concur.
  • pauljsaunders
    pauljsaunders Posts: 79
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    What you are doing is not a binge eating disorder. It becomes a disorder when the bingeing occurs regularly, and the binger is shrouded in shame and secrecy. The binger is deeply embarrassed about overeating and vows never to do it again. However, the compulsion is so strong that subsequent urges to gorge themselves cannot be resisted.
    It’s just a strong urge to eat, we all have days where we want seconds, or thirds or just eat for the sake of it being there… if it stops after a while (hours or days) it shouldn’t be a problem….
    If your defidit cal intake is too low then your body will crave for foods to balance your body needs, if your not careful your body organs may start to suffer and fail... take care...
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Diagnostic Criteria: DSM-IV

    I can hit all those criteria from two slices of pizza.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    Looking at your diary you have arbitrarily overridden the MFP recommended calories and set your own calorie limit to 950 per day. You are not binge eating your body is just craving the nutrition that you are starving it of.

    Eating at that level will almost certainly leave you hungry all the time and however harsh some of the other posts may seem they are correct.

    As there are so many people on here using MFP the way it is designed to be used, sticking to its calorie recommendation, eating back their exercise calories and losing weight why don't you put some trust in it and lose weight in a nice healthy way?

    Unfortunately looking at your diary and reading this post I do wonder if you are one of the growing number of under 18's that are using this site in a fairly inappropriate manner at the moment

    I was also wondering about the age thing too. Doesn't read like any 34 year old that I know.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    Either wy. OP I think you need some professional help. You have ignored all questions regarding your calorie intake in both threads. You seem to be more interested in adding friends than actually being healthy. I know this sounds harsh, but people do worry when they see red flags such as these. Please go get help. Talk to someone you trust, parents, minister, school counselor, and see a doctor!
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member
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    Last night I had a handful of almonds that put me over my calories for the day. That was not a binge.

    I got fat by binging. I would eat an entire pound of oreos, half a gallon of milk, half a bag of doritos, etc., all at one time without really tasting a thing. You don't binge from hunger, you binge for psychological reasons and you feel disgusted and sick afterwards.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I'm getting really sick of everyone throwing around "binge" casually. Binge Eating Disorder is not the same as compulsive eating. It is an expressive illness, meaning it is an expression of other issues. People with BED often eat to medicate or harm themselves, which often ends in passing out, too. To binge would be to eat thousands of calories in a discrete window of time (say 2-4 hours) and to have a disorder, you would have to do it several times per week for at least 6 months. Binging is like cutting. It is a way to get your mind off your thoughts and more focused on pain in your physical body.
    I see binged used in place of "had the munchies". Yes definitely not the same.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    bump
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    see someone already posted the DSMV which is good

    There is a way I usually can tell between a binge and just I splurged.

    First, they are always done in secret.
    I usually have this excitement, anticipation when I eat almost a desperation. The only way I can describe it, and sorry to say this, it feels like someone about to shoot up or right before an orgasm. Opening packages and cooking, or waiting to open it from the store/restaraunt is painful. I want my fix NOW!
    I eat alot of food and I eat it very quickly. I have spent $150 worth of food before. The food varies, but for example the last major binge I remember eating a box of taquitos, a carton of guacamole, 2x2L sodas, quart half and half creamer,carton frosted cookies, cheese dip, guacamole flavored chips, smarties, and I think hot pockets It's usually not the food that matters its the quantity although I usually go for very high calorie/high flavor foods.
    I almost always do it within time frame it's almost compelling I'll eat this much food but after midnight no more, and I almost always tell myself that.
    I do it until I physically hurt rarely do I vomit, but there have been occasions
    After the binge I almost always feel numb and relief
    Once I "come off of" it is when the guilt hits, I feel horribly ill, and promise myself to never do it again.

    Which of course is unrealistic.

    I really think if one has this disorder you need some sort of professional help and accountability to fight the vicious cycle.
  • hddeuce1966
    hddeuce1966 Posts: 104
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    400 calories is called a snack, not a binge. If you eat 10 or 12 full size candy bars at one time, that may be a binge.
  • fur_lucks_sake
    fur_lucks_sake Posts: 12
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    I suggest contacting someone who is qualified to discuss this with you.

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