binge eating

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fitnessqueen91
fitnessqueen91 Posts: 166 Member
in Motivation and Support
ive always struggled with binge eating. i dont do it as often, i binge once every week or every two weeks. sometimes i do it for no reason, but i think its probably because of pent up emotions like guy trouble, depression. ive lost a stone since march and im now 11st 10lb (as of this morning). im starting to be able to fit into size 10s again (uk size 10). im scared i'll go back to binging and that the weight will creep back up again. in order to control my weight i run a lot (7-9k runs 3x a week) and i walk everywhere and i stick to 1500-2000 cals. today i ended up pigging out and ive had around 3700 cals :( . how do i stop binging? i tell myself i'll stop there, no more, but then i go and get more food. i dont even enjoy binging. ive had therapy. how can i stop? im scared the weight will creep back on. i can still loose weight when i binge by making up for it with exercise and diet but im scared it'll get out of control.

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  • fitnessqueen91
    fitnessqueen91 Posts: 166 Member
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    how do i stop the guilt tomorrow as binge hangovers as i like to call them are the worst. ive been feeling low lately and have been having guy troubles and job troubles.
  • Early_Riser
    Early_Riser Posts: 127 Member
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    Self control.
  • Val8less
    Val8less Posts: 107 Member
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    Sorry to hear you have been having troubles....try taking it just one meal at a time....ok you ate too much...Soooooo next meal you get back on track...No Big deal...beating yourself up will only trigger another binge...We all do it...We are here for you!((HUGS))
  • hillmorgan21
    hillmorgan21 Posts: 3
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    I totally understand. I have this problem too, especially around the week before my period. Its like I cant stop! The guy a few below me is ridiculous. If it was as easy as just saying "self control" you wouldn't be asking, right? Whatever. Anyway, I find that if I keep busy I am less likely to binge. I do it at night when my husband is at work and when I'm bored, lonely, depressed etc. So I will try to clean or do something with my hands to keep me busy. I also try to remember that sometimes thirsty feels like hungry, so I will drink a ton of water to get that sloshy feeling and I really don't want to eat. I agree with Val8less, just take it one step at a time. The past is the past, you cant change that, but you can focus on the NEXT TIME. And I think that having 1 day every week or two where you don't count calories is healthy. That way if you really want to eat some ice cream or a big fat cheeseburger you can be like "nope, I'm saving it for Friday" :) Just keep up the good work!
  • Dr_Gains
    Dr_Gains Posts: 81 Member
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    getting rid of any trigger foods is the first thing to take care of. Only you know what stuff triggers you to binge. Also i have found under eating for any serious length of time leads me to binges and also when i have serious spikes in my blood sugar if i go long periods of time without eating also causes me to wanna eat a house. Binge eating is something i have to be careful of as well and so far those 3 things alone have saved me time and time again.
  • alison2earth
    alison2earth Posts: 18
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    I have issues with binge eating too. I agree with a poster above that beating yourself up is counter productive though. Today, I did not eat well. I started to feel guilty. Instead of wallowing in the shame and guiltiness, I made sure to exercise. Even if it wasn't for very long, just being active helped me get focused again and ready for a better day tomorrow.

    Emotional eating is a pain though! I wish I had decent tips to offer on how to avoid doing it all together. I also like how someone mentioned taking it one meal at a time... That's been my mantra lately too.
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
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    When I was having the most problems with binging was also when I was restricting the most. I got help because the lack of control associated with the binging scared me. I couldn't understand why I was going crazy when I had been "good" for so long.

    Throughout the process of getting help, and working with my nutritionist, I found out several things. The first is that over-restriction and not eating enough for my activity level was one of the major causes of my binges. Even now, if I work out too much, I will get that same urge again. Sometimes I will be fine for a week, and then it will hit me. So now I have to make sure I eat ENOUGH, or I don't work out as much.

    Another thing I learned was to make sure I had a good level of fat in my diet. Even today, I try to keep my fat around 30-40% (G-d I love peanut butter!!). This really seems to help.

    I also have to make sure I get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation is a major culprit with my binges, especially if it is combined with any of the above (too little calories, too little fat, or too much exercise).

    One big thing is not to try to "make up" for a binge. Because then you restrict, and workout too much, all leading up to another binge, and the cycle just goes on and on. The important thing is breaking the cycle.

    Also don't look at foods as good or bad, or your diet as good and bad. The categorization tends to set you up for a break. And don't cut out certain foods completely, because that will be what you will go for when you binge, and that will set you up for a pattern, and you will start associating that food with a binge.

    I hope some of this might help you!
  • spellerin528
    spellerin528 Posts: 3
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    I Know the struggle!!
    Here are a few tips that helped me with binging
    -when you feel like eating but are not hungry, chew gum! Find different flavourful fruity gums that will satisfy your cravings
    -Drink tea/infused water. I love iced tea when I'm craving sweets! lemon iced water also keeps you feeling refreshed and hydrated.
    -Dont keep "bad food" in your house, that way you simply won't eat them
    -scroll through fitness pictures. I follow tons of blogs on Tumblr that keep my motivated
    -When you're feeling like binging, think of all the bad contents of that food. When looking at a donut, think of all the fat and sugar contents and what it will do to your body.
    -When/if the binging does happen, keep low cal nutritious snacks in your house to resort to. I love berries or apples that are sweet and easily accessible. Rice cakes are also great, although they aren't exactly nutritious, they are low in calories and satisfy salt cravings. You can also make ice pops with coconut water/ fruits/ smoothies, etc. that taste just like the sugary types.

    Its all about learning to satisfy your cravings in a different way.
  • funchords
    funchords Posts: 413 Member
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    Some binge ideas (former binger here ... okay, sometimes current binger here...)

    - Plan your day in advance, including snacks, including logging in advance. This planning helps prevent binging.

    - Divide your binge-able food into servings. Use snack size bags. You'll be more mindful that you're overeating if you open several snack-sized bags

    - Instead of binging, brush your teeth. Food tastes awful right after brushing.

    - Go for a walk or take a hot shower. Doing anything for 15 minutes helps cravings pass.

    - Keep sugar-free Jello, sugar-free Popsicles, dill pickles, celery

    - Make a nice vegetable soup. They take time to make and you can't ever eat enough to pull you off your plan.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    Hi OP, I actually remember you from several months ago, and some of the threads you made.
    I really would recommend therapy, and sticking with it. You've made this topic numerous times, and it sounds like you're still struggling. Speaking to a therapist and working with them to get the binging under control will help a lot more than a bunch of strangers who cannot understand the root of your problem, nor help you find what is causing all of this. Professional help is a good avenue to continue with.

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