To all binge eaters only, what has worked?

Alternate day fasting is working for me at the moment.

Therapy. I was inpatient at one eating disorder clinic for 2 weeks, then switched to an outpatient clinic and have been there for the past 3 months. Binge free for over 90 days!

Mindfulness practice (and DBT) with my therapist. I did it for another purpose, but what it's done for my binge eating has been amazing.

I'm more of a comfort eater than a binge eater. What's worked for me is trying to fit it into my calories for the week (if not that day). Sometimes you have to treat yourself and not feel guilty about it. So you do it, document it and move on. I try to avoid purchasing certain foods if I know I can't control the over-eating. Or purchase less of the item. My biggest problem is Mexican Tamales. Thankfully they aren't openly available here (only one restaurant sells them and most of the stores don't sell the good one's). So that's helped to curb that craving, but once in a while I indulge just to make myself happy.

And when I'm stressed, or feeling the need to over indulge I will find something low in calories to snack on or will avoid the kitchen till I can better control the emotions. Good luck to you!

I used to suffer from anorexia, which later turned into binge eating. What helped me the most was eating when I was hungry and not restricting, I made sure I was full with a lot of lean proteins and veggies. I don't skip meals and I go to therapy. I think therapy is key to the mental aspect of recovery.

I also try not to shame myself if I do binge. Things happen, no one is perfect and all you can do is learn from your mistakes and try harder tomorrow.

Good luck!

you know what helped me with my binge eating? allowing my diet to obsess me. i log my food, i spend time on MFP, i read more about nutrition, i read reviews about any equipment i might want, like heart rate monitors, fitbits and other activity trackers, weight benches, etc. i plan what foods i can buy that will fit in with my current lower calorie eating plan. i go for walks, keeping track of the time and logging it, i come up with workouts i can do despite some physical issues.

i made a conscious decision to replace my binge eating with fitness and diet stuff. when i find myself wanting to head off the the kitchen, instead i go to amazon and read all the reviews of any HRM that i have more questions about - or i check out the threads here. it's surprisingly engrossing. i find going to reviews or threads here is faster and easier than reading manuals or doing research, so those work best when trying to replace a habit - at least, for me.

Try avoiding gluten. I am amazed at how cutting it out of my life has helped decrease cravings.

Good luck!!

Jeannemarie

I have celiac disease and the only difference to my binge eating is that I now eat too much gluten-free foods. It can be chocolate, yogurt and fruit (like last night) or hummus and vegetables. It doesn't really matter what it is. I'll eat thousands and thousands of calories during a few hour binge session.

My binge eating was triggered many years ago (over 40) by not having a diagnosis of celiac. I would stop eating if I had to be out of my home - work, school, a social function - so I wouldn't suffer the horrendous after-effects of having a meal. The weekends were 'safe' times to eat as I would be able to stay home. In a weekend, I could eat 30 to 40 thousand calories (not exaggerating). I would be sicker than sick, but at least I got to eat something. I never put on too much weight as the food would go straight through me within a few hours. Not a pleasant way to live, believe me. The only diagnosis I was ever given was "IBS" and told that it was my "normal" and I'd have to learn to live with it. So I tried.

There isn't enough room on the entire Internet for me to explain in writing how 40 years of this affected me. Suffice it to say that it's a daily struggle and I never know when the next binge will hit. I will be eating and suddenly I realize I'm in the middle of one. It can last a day, or three. Then it's as if a switch flips and it's over.....until the next time.

OP, this doesn't in any way help you with your issue, and for that I apologize. I hope it IS helpful for you to see that you are far from alone. :flowerforyou:

Several things have helped me....

*I started eating small meals 6 times a day, each with approx. 15 g. protein and 1 serving fresh fruit or 2 servings fresh veggie. Eliminated grains and sweets. Every now and then I will eat a grain and it has triggered overeating (or the occasional binge) every.single.time. I swear I feel like a crack addict because I cannot have any processed carbs or grains without this happening.

* I started and completed couch-to-5k. I had never been a runner even though I had tried on multiple occasions. Completing the C25k program has given me a tremendous sense of pride and I find myself thinking about what I need to eat to improve my running rather than thinking about what I want to eat to make my tastebuds and brain happy.

*I remind myself at the beginning of each and every day that if I put one of the triggers into my mouth, it will end well. It is about 1000x easier for me to eat no candy than it is for me to eat only one piece of candy.

*If DH brings a trigger into the house, I ask him to hide it and not tell me where it is. I want him to be able to enjoy things in moderation but I don't want access.

*I weigh myself once a year at my annual doctor's visit. Beyond that, I go off of clothing size/fit to determine how I'm doing. I know that others have a friendlier relationship with the scale but it has been my experience over the last 20 years of my adult life that I cannot handle it. No matter what it says, it results in my eating too much so I don't weigh in.

*Finally, I practice self-forgiveness. It is easy for me to get wrapped up in a cycle of shame that leads to further binging. I have to forgive myself so I can start fresh and move on.

The result of all of these efforts has been a loss of about 10 lbs. over the last 3 years. Granted, this is not stellar BUT I also haven't gained more than a lb. or two at any given time in this time frame either. I'm 37 now and this is the first time since I was about 12 that I can say that. To me, this is a huge victory and I'll take it.