To all binge eaters only, what has worked?

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onmyown70
onmyown70 Posts: 233 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been a binge eater since I was tiny. I have been slim and bigger and always binge ate. I have posted on here before but again seeking support. i had a day today whereby mu husband was at home and brought a bag of raisin loaf, I had "one slice and was in full binge mode (I am not anti carb but for me, one bite leads to a temporary feeling of euphoria and an extreme urge for more!).

It's worse at certain times of the month 9sorry guys) but other times it has no rhyme or reason. I tad to find, foe me keeping trigger foods (i.e. those I binge on, out of sight helpful) but I am ashamed to say when I am in binge mode I am like a crazed woman, seeking anything I can find, I will even frantically drive out to the shops to find bread/cake/cereal to binge on. I am ashamed of it and have posted before.

If you haven't been a binge eater thenI think you will find it hard to understand, I am just seeking advice from those who have suffered. I say suffered as it isn't a happy place to be, well I lie, it can feel euphoric, combined with feeling compelled to just want more even when your stomach is hurting, you feel sik, full, you have other things to do but eat- yet all you want to do is eat and eat a lot.



If anyone else suffers
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Replies

  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    The only thing that has worked for me is therapy and lots of it. I see a therapist who specializes in eating disorders once a month. I'm patient, mindful, diligent, and I work very hard at it every day. I slip up sometimes, but I'm more in control today than I had been in many years.
  • jeccawest91
    jeccawest91 Posts: 94 Member
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    i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 626 Member
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    I used to be, and in some cases still am a binge eater.

    Honestly, it is a mental issue. You have to get past it as there is no physical thing you can do to stop yourself. Take a look at the surroundings and environments that cause you to binge eat and try to remove or avoid them.

    For example, if I get bored, my mind drifts to thoughts about food. I then become hungry and begin devouring the fridge and pantry. I try to instead keep myself occupied, either with a fun tv show, the gym, video games, friends...whatever....as long as my mind is occupied.

    I also tend to binge if I don't eat for long periods of time. There are times where I either cant eat because I'm so busy, or times where I choose not to eat because I've done poorly calorie wise. In either case, once I eat something at this point of my hunger...nothing can stop me. I try now to eat something at all times to not let my hunger reach that level.

    I also avoid walking into the kitchen. I'm bad about grabbing something "small" when I visit the kitchen. It is a mental tick of mine. If I walk into a kitchen, I open the fridge or panty and grab a couple chips, or a small piece of cheese...or something....enough times and I've added up 400-500 calories to my day that I could have used for dinner or elsewhere.

    Anyway, like I said...it is a mental issue you have to workout with yourself.
  • CCSavage88
    CCSavage88 Posts: 191
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    Getting counseled
  • onmyown70
    onmyown70 Posts: 233 Member
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    Thank you Sabina, is that in the US? I'm so happy to hear you have found something that works for you. Did the therapist have any practical tips that have been helpful?

    I think being mindful would be fantastic, but as you probably know, once in binge mode, for me certainly, I'm frantic, anxious.... I obviously have a long journey ahead.
  • CCSavage88
    CCSavage88 Posts: 191
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    Get counseled
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 626 Member
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    i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

    Assuming a regular sized brownie....which is 400 calories on average. You had 2000 calories in brownies....I argue that you could not have exercised all of those calories away without doing 4 hours of straight cardio, but that is a different debate.

    The important message to take away from your comment is to not hate yourself when you have a bad day. They come, and they happen...and to learn a way to not have them happen regularly.
  • Ginmarie09
    Ginmarie09 Posts: 9 Member
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    I love pastries, cake, and breads when I'm in binge mode too! I was in an all out binge mode last month and I realized that when I was in this mode it didn't really matter what I was eating as long as I was eating something so I made a large pot of vegetable soup with lots of cayenne and just let myself eat as much as I wanted. I haven't had a binge mode this month but even with that binge I still managed to lose ten pounds last month.
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
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    honest logging, seeing what my binging means calorie, macro, and micro wise then moving on and getting back on track.
  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    Thank you Sabina, is that in the US? I'm so happy to hear you have found something that works for you. Did the therapist have any practical tips that have been helpful?

    I think being mindful would be fantastic, but as you probably know, once in binge mode, for me certainly, I'm frantic, anxious.... I obviously have a long journey ahead.

    Yes in the U.S. Get a list of providers from your insurance company and start calling them. Just by talking to them on the phone you'll be able to tell who can help you.

    Yes, I know lots of tips and tools that help. It's stuff I've been working on for over 2 years -- can't really give you a synopsis of everything here, that would take a week. :) Keeping a journal is helpful. Just like logging your calories and macros, you log your emotions around the food you've just consumed. After you've been logging like this for a few weeks you go back and study it, look for patterns. Gradually you start to figure out why you binge. That doesn't necessarily stop you from doing it, but understanding why you do it is a good first step. Then there are stress management techniques, distractions, people you can call for help (like a sponsor in AA), mindfulness/meditation techniques...the list goes on. It's certainly not just a matter of "willpower," it's gone beyond that for some of us -- it's more like a mental illness that never quite goes away, but you learn to manage it.

    First step: find someone to talk to. Best of luck. :)
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
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    honest logging, seeing what my binging means calorie, macro, and micro wise then moving on and getting back on track.

    I need to try this --- I typically don't log a binge, then get knocked off track and don't log for ages.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
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    Please "friend request" Brandolin on this site. She is a great source of information on binge eating.If you truly want support, she's your girl! Good luck!
  • rubyworkout
    rubyworkout Posts: 4 Member
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    I have the same problem and haven't totally found a solution. But I find that I binge when I'm alone. I think it has something to do with soothing yourself as it certainly achieves this for me! I guess it makes sense to replace it with something else that soothes you. I just haven't yet found what that it, I mean I have ways, but none as good as binge eating. To be aware of it, and trying little things that work for a little while but then seem to fail because I go back to bingeing actually work! Because over the years the binge has decreased and is less often. So I think there isnt one cure, its just lots of little things for me.
  • jeccawest91
    jeccawest91 Posts: 94 Member
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    i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

    Assuming a regular sized brownie....which is 400 calories on average. You had 2000 calories in brownies....I argue that you could not have exercised all of those calories away without doing 4 hours of straight cardio, but that is a different debate.

    The important message to take away from your comment is to not hate yourself when you have a bad day. They come, and they happen...and to learn a way to not have them happen regularly.

    Well, no not at all. Homemade box brownies that are 31g per serving size, that i weighed out myself with my foodscale. So more like 800 in calories to be absolutely exact. And yes, I did work all those out in close to two hours straight cardio, but thanks for the input.
  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

    I don't consider that a binge. That's more like overindulgence. A binge is when you don't even taste the food, in some cases you don't even remember eating it -- you're overcome with feelings of anxiety and panic and you just stuff your face until you feel physically ill and your belly hurts and you can't move and you can't think until you go completely numb and then you just want to crawl into a hole and die.
  • jeccawest91
    jeccawest91 Posts: 94 Member
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    i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

    I don't consider that a binge. That's more like overindulgence. A binge is when you don't even taste the food, in some cases you don't even remember eating it -- you're overcome with feelings of anxiety and panic and you just stuff your face until you feel physically ill and your belly hurts and you can't move and you can't think until you go completely numb and then you just want to crawl into a hole and die.

    Then professionally, no i can not relate. You're deff spot on with the overindulgence though.
  • Swiftlet66
    Swiftlet66 Posts: 729 Member
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    Ex-binge eater here. I've never in my life restricted what I eat and like you, I used to binge eat when the "junk" food is there (on top of eating a normal healthy diet) and it was both a result of emotional (stress) and physical (just the taste of the food!!). After realizing my issue, I actively took charge of the problem and overcame it in a span of 2 years. It wasn't easy.

    Physically, what really helped me was going cold turkey completely and eating completely whole foods and cooking from scratch. You also need to watch that you eat on a regular basis throughout the day so your blood sugar doesn't drop and you don't go searching for the high sugary/salty/fatty foods to fulfill your body's needs.

    The emotional side of binge-eating is directly related to you personally. Is it stress? Family? Any negative feelings in your life where food might be potentially used as a coping mechanism? If that is the case, you need to figure it out and find solutions and other ways besides eating to relieve the problem. For me, I turned to dancing and fitness (ie. joining a dance group, going for daily walks, running, meditating) to overcome my negative feelings. Now I do eat whatever I like in moderation but I don't binge. Well, except the days before my monthly period.... I blame the my hormones on those days. *ahem* But anyways, you can overcome this too but most importantly, don't be so hard on yourself...
  • onmyown70
    onmyown70 Posts: 233 Member
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    Sabina - spot on, for me it's frantic too - I got to great lengths just to get the "fix"
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
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    i binged yesterday and ate 5 brownies (every one of them was delicious) i just made sure i worked off all of those extra calories to still have a good day! But for professional help, I am not sure.

    I don't consider that a binge. That's more like overindulgence. A binge is when you don't even taste the food, in some cases you don't even remember eating it -- you're overcome with feelings of anxiety and panic and you just stuff your face until you feel physically ill and your belly hurts and you can't move and you can't think until you go completely numb and then you just want to crawl into a hole and die.

    This.

    I'm an ex-binge eater as well. Also ex-ana/mia.
    The only thing that helped is prayer and therapy.

    AND accountability. I started telling my husband EVERY time I would go on an emotional binge and tell him the triggers. It seemed to help. I'm happy to say I've only had 1 slip up in a year. But it took a LOT of prayer.
  • techgal128
    techgal128 Posts: 719 Member
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    I allow myself to cheat once or twice a week while eating fairly healthy and exercising for the rest of the week. I've lost 45 pounds so far. This may not work for you though but it worked for me. It keeps me from going crazy and just gorging myself sick and getting depressed.

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