Binge Eating Disorder

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  • UnderwoodPD
    UnderwoodPD Posts: 5
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    I struggle with Binge eating also. I will do well for a few days and then something just sets it off but I am not exactly sure what it is. I eat until I am literally sick. Has anyone seen a professional about it?
  • MaryIM
    MaryIM Posts: 159 Member
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    This is helpful for me, reading the stories from others who struggle with this behavior/compulsion.

    I also have discovered that it helps (at home) to trash all the trigger foods and when grocery shopping not to even look at the aisles where the "bad" foods are located.

    I feel bad for my husband, who sits there in the evenings and watches me eat. I don't know if it's good that I don't go hide and binge in secret (although I've done that plenty in the past) ... now it's the evenings, when we're watching TV that the binge monster strikes.
  • nenshali
    nenshali Posts: 331 Member
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    Hello dear!

    I am in recovery for bulimia nervosa right now. Even though that's not exactly the same, I still do know the craving, the binges etc. that are common for BED as well.

    It's not really controllable. Please keep in mind that you are NOT a bad person if you slip back and that it's NOT your fault.
    And even if you get into the position that you have a binge and you cannot control it; it's okay, it can happen.

    But WHAT you can do is, try to make your daily life as structured (not controlled; structured!) as possible. Eat regularly and eat enough. That's really important. Furthermore, I know it costs time and strength, but if your binges are still a huge problem for you, I recomment writing an eating journal.

    This is not about punishing and surely not about counting calories. What I would write down is (maybe in a chart):
    - when did you eat (I wouldn't just write "in the morning" but preferably 10:10 am for example)
    - what did you eat and which amount (don't just write 'spaghetti' but 1 plate full of spaghetti". you don't need to weight your food, it's just about an approximate portion)
    - did you feel hungry and/or did you feel a craving
    - how did you feel/what did you do/think before you ate?

    I know this looks like a lot of work, but if you prepare such a chart, maybe as a word data, you can easily fill the stuff in. And by time, you will be able to spot certain patterns.
    You can identify certain triggers, you see whether certain food/meals made you full or not etc.
    It would, of course, be easier and better if you had the help of a therapist, but I think it can still help you.

    I know that you feel very stressed under this situation and I want to remind you that you are great the way you are and that this is not about losing weight, but about treating yourself better.
    You need new, more healthier coping skills for your feelings. Unfortunately, I cannot go in more details because I'm myself at a point in therapy where I slowly get my binges under control, but on the other hand absolutely cannot handle any emotional stress because I don't have any coping mechanism and my dysfunctional ones (hurting myself; eating and puking; hating myself) doesn't work anymore.

    Don't let yourself down, I'm sure you can make it! Try to dig somewhat deeper. What do you hide with your bingeing? What is holding you back? Because it's not the your body fat %, even though it might bother you. Eventually, it does not matter that much as you think. (Yes, it matters because it affects the way you see yourself! and even though I won't deny that we live in a fat- shaming society, it's also true that it's not your fat that is causing all your problems, it is just a side problem that OCCURES because of one or several causes that make you unhappy)!

    I don't know if anything I said actually applies to your situation or if you find it helpful, I just hope you'll find a way to help yourself and get happier again. I wish you so much luck! :)
  • GIRL1983
    GIRL1983 Posts: 15 Member
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    I am in the midst of a binging cycle at the moment and I am trying hard to get back on track. I find moderation the hardest thing as I have a very all or nothing personality and so I am either eating the whole fridge or nothing at all.
    Feel free to add me- I would like more friends who understand where I am coming from.
  • HealthyMakeover
    HealthyMakeover Posts: 142 Member
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    I've never suffered from binge eating disorder, but I have days where I want to eat a lot more than I'd normally allow myself. When this happens, I sip on diet pop and go outside to distract myself. Sometimes I'll even go take a hot shower and take a nap. Most of the time, for me, it's an issue with being bored and not hungry. I just have to find something else to occupy my brain!
  • Eleonora91
    Eleonora91 Posts: 688 Member
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    Does anyone suffer from binge eating disorder or has suffered from binge eating? What kind of successes have you had with stopping? Looking for friends who are supportive and can relate/share! what kind of tips do you have?!

    Things surely get better if you stop, but it's very hard. I find it hard controlling my hunger since it's something I can't completely understand or deal with. Joining MFP helped me to understand what I really needed, how much I actually needed to eat, how many kgs I had to lose and so on. When I was heavier I felt like I didn't care about what I was eating because I was already at my worst. Now I know I can't **** things up and this helps me to avoid binges. When I started dieting 1,5 years ago I got rid of all my trigger foods, and I haven't bought many of them in a very long time. It's hard when you've spent years binging on them and then you just need to see them as food and not as your binge trigger. You also need to work very hard on your motivation. Quest your own goals every single day, until you get closer to them. Food can get so strong over you just because you forget about what's best for you. I mean, eating is wonderful, but if you eat too much will it really make you feel any better? It doesn't, and you've got to do what makes you feel better. Try making little steps at once. Just gaining a bit of control over certain foods or habits is already a great improvement. Try to experiment with food and challenge yourself with things you've never eaten before. Discover new tastes and analyze how it makes you feel. Embrace every little change you can make and reward yourself for it. You also need to try to sort your emotive issues as much as you can. When I was fatter, I was always thinking about it. I had no self esteem and it's still hard; I didn't need much to get pushed over the edge. Now I'm in control, or at least I try to. Gaining control over certain aspects of my life has helped me in other fields either. If I know I can control food, I know I can also control my emotions better. I am no longer clueless about how to react to stressful events and I know that I won't turn to food if something happens. It doesn't happen overnight and I still want to binge at times, but the longer your resist, the stronger you get. Good luck with your journey!
  • Jurow
    Jurow Posts: 20 Member
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    hey i have a habit of binging, around

    reasons tend to be bordem and lazyness for me.
    since ive started logging stuff ive guikted myself away from it.
    though things ive done to help include having quik to prepare healthier foods around just to cover bordom eating. also when i want to buy junk asking myself if its worth it normally it isnt. if ive really got to cave in i buy something small instead of the massive mc donalds or pack of cookies that normally satisfies the erges.
  • suziepoo1984
    suziepoo1984 Posts: 915 Member
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    I would not call mine a disorder, but i love eating and would do that a lot if i do not stop myself. This is where MFP helps me stay in control. I go on these eating spree sometimes and then i have to remind myself how far i have come and do not want to work that much harder to lose the same weight again! Its all in our mind and how we control it!
  • jobegone
    jobegone Posts: 91
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    I used to be an awful binger...ever since I was a child. Used to always try to hide the evidence from my family. As I grew up I got boyfs who'd binge with me so it wasn't an issue but now at 28 and living with my partner there have been a good few times where I hide wrappers or lie about what i'v eaten. I'v even hide food in the car and binger awhile travelling to work.
    I found it abit easier the last while since iv been logging my food and I noticed when I wanted to binge I tried drinking sugar free pop which also helped (although I know this isnt great!)
    Trying to take your mind of it or getting up and doing something is the only way of stopping binges and also instead of buying multipacks of stuff if I really 'need' chocolate il buy one bar which I can log easily without the temptation of knowing there are 3 more in the cupboard.
  • mufamuscles
    mufamuscles Posts: 57
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    Next time you are about to binge (by buying junk), ask yourself why you are disrespecting yourself. You have to really just learn to respect yourself and realize you are worth much much more than it. I think it was last week, but I stopped at a grocery store (to buy binge food) after an exam, but I asked myself those questions and ended up buying my favorite protein bar instead and a chocolate greek yogurt flavor to try. The problems I try to escape by bingeing will still be there whether I binge or not, so I try my hardest to not avoid treating myself like a trash can.


    This was amazingly helpful. Thank you.

    Edit: sorry, accidentally got rid of the quote box. That first paragraph is quoted from liftsforchocolate's post.
  • nomorebingesgirl2014
    nomorebingesgirl2014 Posts: 378 Member
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    I struggle at times x
  • janjanorama
    janjanorama Posts: 19 Member
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    I'm in the middle of a bit of a binge cycle at the moment, I'm working with a counsellor to deal with it and I had been doing really well, but I messed up last weekend and I can't get right.
    One thing I find helps is to do my food shopping online. If i can't see the food, I'm not tempted by it. if I do have to go to the shops to buy food, I go specifically to speciality shops, like the butchers/ green grocer so I'm not faced with any of my trigger foods.
    Some days its easy, today is not one of those days :(
  • Heaven2017
    Heaven2017 Posts: 15 Member
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    http://www.halfsizeme.com/114/

    Some great stuff here that has helped me a lot.. Lot of free content as well. Hope it helps.

    http://www.halfsizeme.com/

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