What triggers a binge and what makes it stop?

brittk70
brittk70 Posts: 17 Member
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all-
I am new to this site and really liking it.
Just looking for some feed back on a phenomenon that has plagued me....for at least the last 20 of my 40yrs...the seemingly out of nowhere binge.

So I have been doing well on my most recent battle of the bulge and then about 3 days ago I lost all control and from Sat thru Mon I ate just about anything that wasn't nailed down. Okay, admittedly I was tired, bored and overwhelmed by a house project that my husband and I took on (house is a disaster right now and will be for the next 3mo). Trigger, trigger, trigger. So maybe it wasn't as seemingly out of nowhere as I thought whilst in the midst. Hind sight is 20/20, right?

But the part that baffles me more is that this morning I woke up a different person. Back on my game. Motivated and having no trouble saying no. Back to the gym without hesitation. Back to tracking my food. Why is that? And how do I get this feeling, more often or faster once a binge cycle hits?

Thoughts, opinions, comments, helpful hints welcome

Thanks, Britt

Replies

  • janalayn
    janalayn Posts: 510 Member
    Monday was my day and I totally allowed the stress in my life to overtake me. I ate crap food all day ...and then felt like crap. I am not sure what makes a binge stop for other people but my belly ache stopped me in my tracks. I am hoping next time the stress overloads me I can choose to binge on better choices. Whatever stopped you, be grateful for it. I am glad you got back on track.
  • luv2ash
    luv2ash Posts: 1,903 Member
    Personally I do not think anything actually triggers it. I think it is all psychological. I catch myself many times just wanting to grab that bag of chex mix or sleeve of crackers and wanting to just throw in the towel for a day and kill the package. But I recognize it right away and stop it dead in its tracks. I put the item out of site, I get out of the kitchen and go on to something else. Sometimes just a cup of coffee can help. Its mind over matter. I know this does not help you any, but you are in more control than you think you are and you just need to recognize that. GOOD LUCK!
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    Make sure you're eating enough, make sure you're NET calories are at 1200 a day, okay? When I wasn't doing this (didn't yet understand) I was hungry all the time. Being hungry leads to binge eating. Make sure if you're exercising, you're eating those calories back, you shouldn't feel "starving" at the end of the day, unless you quite literally are.

    Also, if you're an emotional eater, try to tap into that. When you're feeling "hungry" sit back and ask yourself WHY you're hungry. Is it because you haven't had a snack for a few hours? is it because you're unfullfilled food wise and need more nutrition? OR is it because you're bored? because you're watching tv? because you're tired/stress/mad/angry etc? Make sure you're eating because you really are hungry and need to fuel your body, not because of emotions you're trying to cover up.

    Also, don't deprive yourself of things you love. If you love pizza, chips, cookies & you start eating only fruits, veggies, salads, etc, you COULD go through a withdrawal, get depressed, feel deprived etc. Find a way to incorporate things you love into your diet. Dieting isn't about cutting yourself off from everything in life that you love, it's changing the way you see & respond to food in a way that you can maintain that for life. Are you never going to eat a cookie again? of course not. Are you going to never eat a piece of cake again in your life? of course not. That's ridiculous. Fit it into your diet. Eat things in moderation. If you love pizza, find a recipe for a pizza on a tortilla, or on a bagel, or on an english muffin. If you love chips, eat the low cal 100 pack of doritos, sun chips etc. You CAN still eat these things, it's just about portion control and moderation, fit it into your daily intake.

    This has made me successful. I do NOT feel deprived of things i love, therefore i don't feel the need to binge on them.
  • vraesgame
    vraesgame Posts: 129 Member
    I don't really have any advice for you because I do the same exact thing!! It does feel kind of nice knowing I'm not the only person who deals with this problem. :)
  • brittk70
    brittk70 Posts: 17 Member
    @missangy - thanks for the "all things in moderation" reminder

    @luv2ash - thanks for the reminder that I have the power of choice!!! and what a power thing the mind is.


    i have been thinking about this further and realized that last night for the first night in almost a week i got a full, uninterupted night of sleep (for the last week all my boys, husband included, have been sick and having trouble sleeping. which means that i don't get good sleep). could it be something as simple as a good nights sleep helped me regain my power?

    i do believe (from personal experience) that if i am feeling vulnerable for whatever reason, certain foods, those high in flour and sugar can set me off on a rampage through the kitchen in which i "forget" and/or 'give in" to all tempation regardless of the outcome.
  • welly5
    welly5 Posts: 293 Member
    Mine are triggered by not eating enough or being really strict and denying myself things that I want.

    If it does happen i sort of stand in front of the fridge just eating stuff like pickles or pieces of cheese or crackers kind of mindlessly.

    If i get enough cal and let myself have treats then they don't happen
  • KayakDeb
    KayakDeb Posts: 19
    While I *try* not to binge - thee ARE days when I want to eat anything that can't outrun me. It's usually:

    PMS - especially if I want something greasy like chips (which I normally am ambivalent about eating) The minute my period starts - I'm fine.

    Sleep-deprivation - I'm just looking for an "energy-fix" to get me through the day

    Sick - right now I'm fighting a cold and have that dragged-out feeling

    Truly hungry - if I don't eat enough, I get the "Brain-Erase Hungries" where I forget about any weight-loss goals....
  • bjmk19047
    bjmk19047 Posts: 123
    Boredom for me. When my kids are away at thier Dad's for the weekend and my boyfriend's busy and not hanging out with me. And of course the kids have kid snacks in the drawer that are always tempting!!! But I try to keep healthy snacks on hand for these moments so that I don't get carried away. Doesn't always work but I try. And the most important thing is, if I DO binge, I'm not too hard on myself about it. I'm not perfect, only human!
  • kiffypooh
    kiffypooh Posts: 1,045 Member
    Bump to read later, great topic!
  • bassetthree
    bassetthree Posts: 143 Member
    Thanks for your comment... it helps me with a post from earlier where I was pondering how a goal of 1430 calories, minus 400 cals in exercise isnt a good thing. Comprehending that having a sufficient intake improves the metabolic rate can be difficult. Seems like you have experienced success keeping the net at 1200. It makes sense...and it doesnt all at the same time.
  • ccgisme
    ccgisme Posts: 239 Member
    I also struggle with the occasional binge and I agree with what others have written about binges happening on multiple levels. I've identified a few triggers - on a physical level, these involve things like doing more than my body can handle and eating less than my body needs; on an emotional level, triggers include stress related to deadlines, anxiety in social situations, and putting the needs/desires of others before my own. (I feel like that last point requires some explanation. I'm not saying I always have to get my way, I'm saying that when something truly matters to me and I stuff it, the denial comes out in overeating.)

    I've seen a number of people suggest keeping a food log that includes some variation of what you eat, when and where you eat it, and what you are thinking and/or feeling at the time. The theory being that you'll review your log after a few weeks and look for patterns - e.g., every time my boss is pushy, I head for the vending machine. Ideally, once you identify the patterns you can interrupt them - my boss is a jerk and I feel upset, I'm going to talk a walk (count to ten, check out LOL Cats, whatever...)

    While I've not kept this kind of log, I have been able to stop myself from eating in response to stress. Sometimes I know I'm eating out of stress and do it anyways. Since this is a journey and a lifestyle and not a vacation, I feel better knowing I am more aware of my triggers and I feel great on the days I can interrupt the process.

    Good luck. You are all wonderful, strong people. You can do it!
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