binging

Have you tried including regular 'treat' days into your diet? Like set one day aside where you can have some (controlled) amount of things you really like. Have you tried having less carbs? I find that meals with a lot of carbs (especially rice or potatoes) make me feel hungry very fast afterwards, maybe it's your case as well. Are you eating enough fats? They tend to suppress my appetite very well. Are you sure you're getting enough nutrients in general? Sometimes when my body s lacking something it's making me eat everything in sight (I guess in hopes of getting whatever it was lacking). Maybe some of this helps.

Hello Sarah,

I am a former anorexic and bulimic. I have suffered from the two extremes for years, with a 32 kilos (70 pounds) difference in weight ... Well this was of course only one of the consequences apart from depression, stomach pains, insomnia, bad teeth and so on.

Have you considered therapy ?

The lesson i have learned was to like, and even later, to love myself. Treat myself and my body with respect, not as a tool to punish myself.
At the time of my EDs, i was litterally obsessed with control. I too had tried to set reminders here and there ... When the urge to eat was coming, there was no way i could prevent myself from eating everything i found. Then the guilt and general feeling of self depreciating was coming ...
What about trying to talk to yourself / start a diary ? Write down how you feel everyday : what made you happy, what upset you, etc. Just in order to ''establish a link with your inner self '' so that when the urge to eat comes you could possibly analyse what's happening to you and find another way to release the inner pain.
On the days i find myself upset / tired / bored / worked up, i also try to plan something, something to look forward to : it could be anything : a warm bath, a talk with my friends, an outing, ... Anything but binging.

It took me time to get over my EDs, but it eventually happened, and it will for you too

Take care, you deserve it,

Sophie

I was under a significant amount of stress (more so than usual) when I started to binge multiple times a week. Although I knew my husband was going to be very worried, I decided to tell him what I was doing and how I was feeling. I wasn't fooling anyone. you'd be surprised how perceptive others around you can be, especially if they love you!

your parents love you and im sure would offer their support. communicating with them on how you need to be helped is paramount to your recovery.

As other posters have said, perhaps eating a little more fat at night would be helpful. so maybe for dinner, you could have an avocado with your meal? Also, even If you binge, record it. it may be painful, but it would be helpful to establish when you binge, what you eat, and how much you eat.

I cannot begin to tell you how helpful seeking professional help and help from friends and family was. The professional help can teach you coping strategies and evaluate why you're binging. friends and family could help you feel more comfortable. Also, school is probably ending soon, so you'll be able to relax (I hope!)

I feel your pain, I have been a binger for many years. I still struggle with it, I sabotage myself, i believe because of a fear of failure. Fear can keep us frozen and unable to make progress. I'm actually talking with a behavioral health counselor and that is helping! I know when my time is that gives me the most trouble and I"m working on distracting myself during that time period. I have had days where I have eaten more snack calories than I am supposed to eat for a whole day, and I too would feel awful afterwards.

Good luck and keep coming back here, we GOT this.

Sharon :flowerforyou:

I'm a binge eater working with a therapist and what I've learned is that getting over binge eating is not a quick fix. Recovery started with my trying to slowly incorporate healthy substitutes when I binged. Have one bad thing then a healthy thing. This helped to alleviate some of the guilt I associated with binges. Then I slowed down as I binged, savoring each bite. Then I worked on having a 20 minute rule where when I'm bingeing I have to try as hard as I can not to eat the next item for at least 20 mins. I had to work up to 20 minutes. Also, I try to keep my hands busy. A lot of my bingeing is triggered by stress, and keeping my hands busy tricks my brain into thinking that I'm busy. I also have little post-its up in places where I reach for food reminding me of my goals, of waiting. It's all about mindful eating. Also, instead of reaching for food, I'll drink ice water or tea or something very low cal that tricks me into thinking that I'm eating.

Also, if you think its emotional/stress related, you may want to see a therapist yourself or at the very least pick up some workbooks like the Food and Feelings Workbook or End Emotional Eating. Both have helped me gain tremendous insight into my binge eating and given me some tools to cope. I still binge, but its far less frequent and far less destuctive when it happens. I didn't think I'd ever get to a place where I could say that, but I am and one day you will too. It just takes work, patience, and the ability to pick yourself back up each time and say, "nope, I'm definitely worth giving this healthy lifestyle another go and I start immediately."

First thing is to review your dietary intake and your goals to make sure you're getting proper nutrition - that you're not in starvation mode or something.

Next thing is: Never ever tell yourself, "Okay, I'm never EVER having Ice Cream AGAIN FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE."
My body considers that a dare. It's like, "Let the bidding begin....I can bust that rule in 10 seconds....no 5, no 3....ah heck....WHERE IS THAT ICE CREAM ANYWAY?!!"

There are foods that I LOVE that I don't keep in the house. For example: I love queso. I'd swim in it if I could. SO, I'll go to Don Pablo's, order a kid sized queso, pull out 8 chips, and thoroughly enjoy it. I get that craving out of my system, and don't have to keep it at home.

I love the bread they bring to the table at Outback Steakhouse and Longhorn Steakhouse. SO, if I want the bread, I'll order a side of green beans and a sirloin steak. If I want a cheeseburger, order it without the bun. It's a "choose your doom" as to which carbs you'd rather have....would you rather have the bun with the burger or the bread and butter they serve at the table?

If you just have to have that piece of pie at O'Charley's (Free Pie Wednesday after all), then share it with someone. If nobody wants to share, take it home and put it in the fridge. Hold it for a snack, and have 1/2 of it then, then the other half at dinner or the next day.

I feel like my body behaves a bit disjointedly from my head. If I tell it it can't have something, then all it wants is that something. It doesn't want to feel deprived, so I don't. It's all about working it in in a way that will hopefully keep you from binging.

(NOTE: I've been very careful not to use the phrase, "Everything in moderation." I hate that phrase. It's used by people who don't understand what it's like to be a food addict, and I want to punch their lights out! LOL)