I know it is still early days, but I thought I would share what has been working for me because it might give you some new ideas. I am now 66 days binge-free and pretty much cravings free as well.

A little background: as far back as I can remember, I have struggled with food. I always had a strong sweet tooth, and I used to sneak snacks as a kid, and I remember getting lectures from my grandparents about my food choices. I always knew something was not quite OK with my body shape. I was pretty active in high school in various sports and was about a size 12. Looking back, that was a great size for me, but of course at the time I was very self-conscious of my size. In my senior year, I quit sports and started to binge eat. I gained 30 lbs in a year and became obese. For the past 18 years I have struggled with overeating and binge eating and my weight climbed by another 70 lbs.

I was recently diagnosed with insulin resistance, although the signs were there I think from as far back as my senior year. I’ve been doing some reading and apparently insulin resistance is a muscle problem, so it may be that when I stopped sports I activated a genetic propensity towards this problem. I also didn’t like meat as a child and actually became a vegetarian senior year, and we were a “low-fat” family, so I was always low on protein and fat (i.e., high on carbs). I think the insulin resistance, sedentary lifestyle, and high carb eating probably goes a very long way towards explaining the overeating, binging, and weight gain. Finally, I’ve shortchanged myself on sleep since high school, which probably also contributed to insulin resistance and whacked out hunger and satiety signals.

My binge eating was focused on sweets and refined carbohydrates. As an example, I could eat 5-6 candy bars from the vending machine, or 2 boxes of mac & cheese plus a container of Keebler fudge cookies and a gallon bag of chocolate. During times of stress I would eat like this 3-6 times a week. I’ve never been one to restrict or purge, and I don’t think I was particularly hard on myself about my weight or eating, although of course I was ashamed of my behavior and frustrated with myself.

Here is what I have been doing that I think has been helpful.

• I make sure to eat enough food. I typically eat about 1800 calories per day, sometimes as low as 1500 or as high as 2200. I like being able to vary according to my hunger, but I make sure not to go too low. On this plan, I am generally not particularly hungry although I may be a bit hungry before meals and after dinner.
• I make sure to get enough protein and fat at each meal. I try to follow the food plate so about half my meals are fruits and veggies, 1/4 protein, and 1/4 grains & starchy vegetables + 1 Tb fat. Meals are 300-500 calories. I usually have about 2-3 snacks a day and they are protein or fat focused, e.g., beef jerky, coconut chips, or almonds. I have been eating about 150-200 g of carb and 80-140 g of protein/day. Since my insulin resistance diagnosis a couple of days ago, I’m working at keeping carb below 150 and reduce high glycemic load foods (particularly potato, rice, and pasta).
• I got back into dancing and attend classes and dances 3-4 times per week. I also get some form of exercise be it stretching, cardio, or strength training for at least 20 minutes a day. I struggle with plantar fasciitis so I try to be careful and take days where mainly I stretch and do rehab exercises.
• I generally do not eat sweets, snack foods, or refined carbohydrates. Which is not to say I’ve cut them out entirely. I had a small piece of cheesecake about a week ago. I actually had the leftovers in my fridge for about a week until I threw them out because I hadn’t eaten any. I haven’t forbidden myself any foods, but I’ve focused on getting my balanced meals and healthy snacks every single day, and this has naturally helped me to reduce the refined foods. At the same time, by not forbidding them I’ve been able to focus on them less, feel more confident and free if I’m out with others, and not binge or say “what the heck” if I eat some of these foods.
• I prepare most of my food at home. I do get a bit lazier than I would like about food prep, so I use a fair amount of processed meats for example sausage and pre-cooked meats from Costco. But I usually have fresh produce with my meals that I steam or sauté or just eat raw. I would like to cook more beans and plain cuts of meat. I have been eating out about once a week.
• I log everything. It was a very big step when I started here to log a binge. I did not want to, but it really helped me to accept and face that behavior.
• I weigh daily. I wouldn’t recommend this to people who tend to get obsessive about the number which of course is very common with eating disorders, but for me it is very helpful. I think this is because I am more of the avoidant type where I can put things out of my mind very easily, so weighing every day keeps me focused on these changes. I’m also fairly gentle with myself generally, so I don’t get very down or overly anxious if the number is up. So far it has been pretty motivational since the weight has been coming off somewhat steadily. I’m sure the experience will be different when I hit an extended plateau.
• I don’t freak out when it is my time of the month. I definitely experience a lot more hunger and drive to eat for a few days associated with my cycle. When it first starts I get worried that my plan is no longer working, but then when I realize it is my TOM that helps. I do eat more on those days (generally 2100-2200). So far my cravings and drive to eat has reliably gone back down after about 3 days.
• I try not to eat after 7:30pm and I limit alcohol beverages. I try to eat in a 12 hour window which means not eating after 7:30 pm. I don’t stick to this 100%, but I do find it a helpful guideline. It helps me make sure to get dinner in a timely fashion and I don’t focus as much on eating when bored at night. Of course, critical to this is getting enough food earlier in the day
• I’m kind to myself. I don’t ask for perfection. I log whatever happens. Sometimes I eat out of boredom or overdo it on quest bars. I've had pancakes and cheesecake and it doesn't set me back.