Would this be considered a "binge"?

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Today, I went over my calorie limit. I also went over it yesterday. But I'm not really upset by it, I feel like I deserved it, because I've been sticking to my diet and it's the weekend, so I thought "why not treat myself?" So, today, after my normal sized breakfast and lunch, when it was time for dinner, I kind of went over board. I had a banana, 2 PB&J's (with a spoon full of peanut butter), a few Pringles, a big bowl of ice cream, a turkey and mayonnaise sandwich, and a fruit snack. I don't feel bad about it, and I know I've gained a few pounds, but it'll go back down in a few days with normal eating (1200 calories). But, I'm just afraid I have a binge eating disorder. Because I ate all that in a fairly short amount of time. I pretty much did the same thing yesterday.
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  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Total calories or it didn't happen
  • PennyVonDread
    PennyVonDread Posts: 432 Member
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    Today, I went over my calorie limit. I also went over it yesterday. But I'm not really upset by it, I feel like I deserved it, because I've been sticking to my diet and it's the weekend, so I thought "why not treat myself?" So, today, after my normal sized breakfast and lunch, when it was time for dinner, I kind of went over board. I had a banana, 2 PB&J's (with a spoon full of peanut butter), a few Pringles, a big bowl of ice cream, a turkey and mayonnaise sandwich, and a fruit snack. I don't feel bad about it, and I know I've gained a few pounds, but it'll go back down in a few days with normal eating (1200 calories). But, I'm just afraid I have a binge eating disorder. Because I ate all that in a fairly short amount of time. I pretty much did the same thing yesterday.

    There's a difference between food users and food abusers, savvy? If I get really drunk one night a year, should I be scared I'm an alcoholic? No. The eating disorder aspect has more to do with mentality, habit, and relationship with food than the act of eating too much one day. If YOU think you have an eating disorder, because you have a history leading you to feel that you do or know you have an unhealthy relationship with food, then maybe you should start looking into symptoms or questionaires and talk to someone who knows you more personally.
  • teekaleek05
    teekaleek05 Posts: 5 Member
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    Lol definitely not a binge hun...and ya like the other poster said..total up those cals .... tripling ur daily is more like a binge doesn't SOUND too bad but id count up those cals just to see the damage
  • One_Last_Time
    One_Last_Time Posts: 125
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    Today, I went over my calorie limit. I also went over it yesterday. But I'm not really upset by it, I feel like I deserved it, because I've been sticking to my diet and it's the weekend, so I thought "why not treat myself?" So, today, after my normal sized breakfast and lunch, when it was time for dinner, I kind of went over board. I had a banana, 2 PB&J's (with a spoon full of peanut butter), a few Pringles, a big bowl of ice cream, a turkey and mayonnaise sandwich, and a fruit snack. I don't feel bad about it, and I know I've gained a few pounds, but it'll go back down in a few days with normal eating (1200 calories). But, I'm just afraid I have a binge eating disorder. Because I ate all that in a fairly short amount of time. I pretty much did the same thing yesterday.

    There's a difference between food users and food abusers, savvy? If I get really drunk one night a year, should I be scared I'm an alcoholic? No. The eating disorder aspect has more to do with mentality, habit, and relationship with food than the act of eating too much one day. If YOU think you have an eating disorder, because you have a history leading you to feel that you do or know you have an unhealthy relationship with food, then maybe you should start looking into symptoms or questionaires and talk to someone who knows you more personally.

    THIS!
  • fayefayee5
    fayefayee5 Posts: 87 Member
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    I think we all have periods where we binge a bit more than we should. For me It happens to be about once a month.... normally when my TOM is about to start. It will start with a cheeky bag of chips.... then turn into a candy bar, then a burger.... then suddenly ive eaten 1000 calories.

    As long as the behaviour is not something you do all the time, I wouldnt worry about it.... just try and see if the behaviour with linked with emotions/boredom etc. For me it normally occurs when Im at home, alone, in front of the telly... I just mindlessly get up, head to the kicten and nibble.

    Water helps with cravings, and my new personal fave is cucumber. Eating 1/3 a cucmber sliced up fills me up nicely, and is so cool and refreshing.

    Id say I go over my calorie limit about 4 times a month. Im still losing consistently, so in the grand scheme of things its not a huge deal, and that is kinda how life Is..... its ever changing, and sometimes all over the place.
  • red869
    red869 Posts: 59
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    I used to binge eat and for me a binge was never really about how much I ate, but how much I lost control over what I was eating. I used to have this mentality where I'd convince myself I could eat whatever I wanted that day because I had messed up my diet anyway and tomorrow I would do better. I would sometimes eat to the point of sickness but I wanted to eat it all so that the following day there would't be any temptations and so that I would go back on my diet.

    That is what I consider binge eating, not just eating a little over my calorie limit for the day! I find now that I don't restrict my calories so much like I used to, I don't have the urge to binge eat or eat over my calorie limit.
  • albertabeefy
    albertabeefy Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I was involved with a research project that had a former binge-eater (he underwent serious counselling to control it) as one of the participants.

    He shared with me what a "binge" was for him, and it involved fast food on his way to work, and during lunch - and he would binge like this for up to two weeks at a time:

    Breakfast: at-home, usually made by his wife.

    Morning, on the way to work: 3 to 4 breakfast sandwiches, (often with extra cheese or meat) hashbrowns AND a large diet coke.

    Lunch: Double Big Mac with bacon (or similar), 2x Large Fries, 20 piece chicken nuggets and large KFC gravy PLUS whatever his wife made him for lunch and some kind of dessert - either something from the fast food restaurant or a king-sized snickers. AND a large diet coke.

    Supper: whatever was at home - plus an entire large bag of 'baked lays' potato chips. He'd also go through a 2 litre diet coke every night during supper and snack time.

    When we did some calculations this man was eating between 14,000 and 17,000 calories a day, 5 days a week, for two week stretches before he gained some 'control' again.

    That's binge-eating. Yes, he had some serious psychological issues that he dealt with using food instead of getting help. He's much better now.

    OP, from what you've stated, NO, you're not binge-eating. You're simply choosing to sometimes eat over your caloric goal.
  • DataSeven
    DataSeven Posts: 245 Member
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    A binge is literally thousands of calories in one sitting. I don't think you have anything to worry about.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Ok I consider it a binge. It happens though. I'd think twice about a 1200 goal however (are you at least eating your exercise calories back?).
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
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    Today, I went over my calorie limit. I also went over it yesterday. But I'm not really upset by it, I feel like I deserved it, because I've been sticking to my diet and it's the weekend, so I thought "why not treat myself?" So, today, after my normal sized breakfast and lunch, when it was time for dinner, I kind of went over board. I had a banana, 2 PB&J's (with a spoon full of peanut butter), a few Pringles, a big bowl of ice cream, a turkey and mayonnaise sandwich, and a fruit snack. I don't feel bad about it, and I know I've gained a few pounds, but it'll go back down in a few days with normal eating (1200 calories). But, I'm just afraid I have a binge eating disorder. Because I ate all that in a fairly short amount of time. I pretty much did the same thing yesterday.

    Yes it'll go back down in a few days! You'll be fine. We're all over sometimes.
    I used to binge eat and for me a binge was never really about how much I ate, but how much I lost control over what I was eating. I used to have this mentality where I'd convince myself I could eat whatever I wanted that day because I had messed up my diet anyway and tomorrow I would do better. I would sometimes eat to the point of sickness but I wanted to eat it all so that the following day there would't be any temptations and so that I would go back on my diet.

    That is what I consider binge eating, not just eating a little over my calorie limit for the day!

    I agree with this. Binge eating is like losing control and going on autopilot and just stuffing yourself again and again with everything you can get your hands on, not being able to stop and thinking I'm f*cking up today anyway might as well go all out.
    When we did some calculations this man was eating between 14,000 and 17,000 calories a day, 5 days a week, for two week stretches before he gained some 'control' again.

    That's binge-eating. Yes, he had some serious psychological issues that he dealt with using food instead of getting help. He's much better now.

    14,000-17,000 a day!!!!! Oh wow. Gotta say, that is an impressive binge. But good for him that he's much better now! It takes hard work mentally and physically to bounce back from that. Hope he continues to feel better!
  • TaraRichardson913
    TaraRichardson913 Posts: 157 Member
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    I think binge in terms of Binge Eating Disorder means that you feel like it is out of your control, you're in a different place, an emotional place.
  • Ms_Behave
    Ms_Behave Posts: 13
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    I have to admit to a bit of a chuckle reading your question. Those of us who suffer/have suffered with an ED that included binging know that a one or two extra-calorie intake day does not a binge disorder make.

    I'm recovered for the most part but as I've said in other posts on this subject, my dr equates it to alcoholism. You are always and forevermore in recovery mode.

    A couple of weeks ago I went through three days of binging. Took in more than 17,000 calories (and those were the ones I tracked before I gave up and just kept eating). I could not stop. Or maybe I didn't want to stop.....I'm not sure. It's like a bad dream now.

    That said, I had a minor binge episode last week that I managed to control after only eating 4,000 calories over.

    I do not eat junk food - no cakes/pasteries/chips/cookies/fast foods. My binge was on "good" food (fruit, yogurt, hummus, veggies, etc) so take a moment to think about the sheer volume I had to pack in. THAT is a binge in my world.

    Don't be too hard on yourself. You don't need to eat perfectly every single day. :flowerforyou:

    (edited to clarify that the definition of junk food is mine for me - not slamming anyone else's food choices!!)
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
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    I'm grateful for all those who are replying to OP. I was starting to get a bit concerned about what qualifies as a "binge" since I read so many people write about what a binge is. Some are just eating over their targets by several hundred calories, while others are really eating excessive amounts of food, more than I could consume in an entire day. For example, I went out to have Indian food with my daughter last night, and it took me several hundred calories over my target because Indian food has a lot of calories, and I'm a small person with a low target net of 1200 and a TDEE around 1500. I didn't even finish all the food and brought it home, but if it is a certain number of calories over my target, does that qualify as a "binge"? Is there a calorie threshold over which what you have eaten is a binge? When is something a cheat or special occasion meal, and when is it a binge? I think some of the answers here are starting clarify that.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    OH EMM JEE.....relax :huh: . I did the same thing yesterday.

    You can't scream fire just because you smell a little smoke; it could be coming from someones barbeque.

    Problems are only problems if they are repetitive, obsessive and are causing you great personal, physical and economical distress.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    I binged on chocolate chip cookie dough yesterday.

    But I am not a binge eater.

    Those are two totally different things.
    My cookie dough was a lack of self discipline- but I was fully conscious and aware and eventually stopped because I was not feeling well- and well- I wanted actual cookies to eat later. I call it for me a binge- because i just over did it- and it's an accurate word to describe it to anyone in my close circle of friends- but it was not clinically a binge.

    Binge eating is uncontrollable- and has nothing to do with food or hunger- you're eating feelings and emotions- it's far beyond a lack of self discipline.


    You just over ate and splurgerd- but in a bad way (much like my cookie dough was an excessive splurge) but neither was a binge.
  • in4nomz
    in4nomz Posts: 230
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    One "binge" does not make you someone with an eating disorder. And with that...no, I don't consider your meal to be a binge. You overate a little perhaps, but I wouldn't say a binge.

    I compare this to my binges though, in which I completely massacre the entire kitchen eating everything in sight...literally.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    Call THAT a binge? .. Kids today ... If you didn't end up with your trousers undone and and your shirt buttons exploding - you're not even trying.
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,606 Member
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    I did this too over the weekend... then figured I could just do a report and add up my total calories for the week to see how badly I blew it.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    Call THAT a binge? .. Kids today ... If you didn't end up with your trousers undone and and your shirt buttons exploding - you're not even trying.


    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!