Binge Eating at Goal/Healthy Weight

PattyTheUndefeated · April 2011

Okay, here goes.

Since changing my life around, getting in shape, and becoming completely unrecognizable to my former self I've developed some serious food issues.

I've blogged about this struggle for the last few months and I'm at a loss when it comes to resolving it.

I've developed what I believe to be something between Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and Non-purging Bulimia. I'll find myself in fits of uncontrollable binges where I eat anything and everything unable to control myself or stop. I'll eat, and eat to the point where I am physically ill and uncomfortable/have stomach pains/sweating/heart racing.

Sometimes the triggers are emotional, sometimes they are not. I'll crave food, random things that I never ate when I was obese, whole boxes of cereal, peanut butter, high sugar foods like honey, chocolate etc.

I'm currently NOT trying to lose more weight, but put on lean muscle mass/lose fat so my workouts are pretty intense.

I don't know how to stop. I go through cycles of all-out binges and normal/healthy eating. I feel awful every time it happens but I can't seem to stop when they begin.

Has anyone experienced this AFTER reaching their goal weight? I never had any issues binge-eating when I was huge, I was just a habitual over-eater.

Any help or insight would be appreciated.

RaeannePemberton · April 2011

yes mam, i am right there with you. after losing over 100 lbs... it seems inevitable.... but i have found overeaters anonymous to be somewhat helpful... also geneen roth's books are great. and i am also seeking out counseling. food is my addiction... i will never be able to let my guard down fully. but, unlike an alcoholic... we have to eat to live. my best tactic is to NOT HAVE THOSE FOODS AROUND that may trigger me. however, i also could just eat gobs and gobs of healthy stuff... i find getting a few great days under my belt helps a lot. i also recently went on an antidepressant to help with OCD issues... seems i was obsessing about the food. it has helped after only 4 weeks.

funkyspunky871 · April 2011

This is happening to me right now and has been for the past few weeks. I'm not at my goal weight, but I'm very close. I've never had this problem when I was heavier either. I crave the EXACT same things as you. I mean, EXACT. Boxes of cereal, peanut butter, chocolate, honey. Wow, this is weird. I've had a lot of MFP friends suggest that I start therapy, since my binges are triggered by starving myself all day long. Hope we can get this figured out. Hugs to you! You look amazing.

selfdiscipline73 · April 2011

Bump! I will reply later!

whittrusty · April 2011

Honestly, I think you should consider talking to a counselor or a psychologist about this. It sounds like you would benefit a lot from talking to someone and uncovering what might be leading you to binge and what you can do to control it. It's a great thing that you're able to acknowledge that you have an issue. Hope you can figure it out!

Congratulations on reaching your goal weight!

robin52077 · April 2011

Yes! This is so me. It's nice to know I'm not alone. I will go weeks where I am "perfect" in my eating and exercise. Then I will have a time frame, whether it be one day, three, or a whole week, where I eat everything in sight to the point I feel like I am going to throw up, and feel horrible about doing it and wonder why I even ate that if I didn't even want it and wasn't hungry.

During this time I also don't exercise, feel horrible and disgusting, fight with my boyfriend, yell at my son, and don't even care about cleaning the house or anything. Then I will be fine for a few days, weeks, or even months. There is no pattern, no rhyme or reason, it just happens. I hate it.

andipandi · April 2011

i've never been over weight and always been thin and athletic. my eating cycle is just what you're describing...always has. i eat clean, binge, and fast naturally. it's peculiar and looks my diary looks weird but it's just the way my body works. i'm learning to accept it. i don't think you need mental help, i think you just need to look at it positively--you zig zag!!! that's cool! keeping your body guessing... xo

honey999 · April 2011

i also have this problem. I eat normally for a while and then all of a sudden i just can't stop eating. i am almost at my goal weight, have another 6 pounds to go. I have found though, that the 'munchies' seems to happen at a certain time of the month for about a week and then i go back to eating normally. Have you found that it's only certain times of the month that you need to over eat? i have found that over a month everything balances out. Hang in there and keep up the good work!

soon2bmrsc · April 2011

ugh I totally feel you on this one! I reached my goal weight in January and seem to have been struggling since Feb. Two days ago, I ate a whole entire jar of peanut butter in just 2 hours. I just kept coming back to get more and more and more all day. Afterwards, I felt awful about eating so much (just as I always do). I don't know what is wrong with me, but if you get any insight into your problem, share the news with me please!
Good Luck!

dmoses · April 2011

This is me exactly. I've been at my goal weight now since about September 2010, and I used to be really good with just taking one bite of something. That was enough to take care of my craving. Now, I find myself eating entire tubs of frosting, a dozen giant chocolate chip cookies, whatever my binge food-of-the-day is. I can't seem to control it. Thankfully it doesn't happen every day or even every week, but when it does, I feel so ashamed and guilty. I just have no control during those times...and I HATE that I do it. I just don't know how to stop. I don't keep the foods in the house, but if I'm craving them, I will stop at the store to buy them. Then, eat all of whatever it is I'm craving. HELP!!!

Lisone · April 2011

SAME EXACT PROBLEM HERE!!! So frustrating.. especially because the foods drive my blood sugars up, and then when I take the insulin to cover the food.. my blood sugar comes crashing down and I crave the foods to bring it back to normal!!! AHHHH!

I see a therapist, psychiatrist and nutritionist weekly to help me control my anxiety/OCD/depression... It's been helping A LOT, but I still have the urge to binge nearly everyday. I'm finding that talking to other people about my triggers/etc has been helpful too. I try to stay as busy as possible.. even things like knitting, coloring books, legos, puzzles.. WHATEVER. I know it seems lame and kinda werid, but keeping my hands and mind busy with stupid tasks keeps me from putting food in my mouth.

Please - anyone reading this struggling with the same things.. add me as a friend and we can keep each other on track!

sarahliftsUP · April 2011

I'm at my healthy weight after losing only 15 pounds. I've always had a soft spot for chips but for some reason these past several months I've been a sugar fiend. I will go to the store and buy tons of junk and eat them in one sitting. I will hide bags of chocolate covered pretzels and mini reeses pieces in the drawer beside the bed so my boyfriend can't see or find them. I'll go to bed early and "read" only so I can sneak these precious beings. It's a comfort, it's a friend, it's definitely not healthy.. I can't think of it as a positive thing. There's no way eating that much sugar, fat, carbs, in such a short amount of time is healthy.

I don't purge.. I just try to have it not happen so often. However since Easter weekend I've put on 5 pounds and have definitely noticed it. I'm trying to curb the cravings but it's really hard considering my boyfriend is away and I could go to the store right now, buy anything and everything my body is craving, eat it all, and not have to worry about hiding it or feeling judged. I want to so, so badly right now but my exploding tummy is saying please.. no, don't do it!

jescadet · April 2011

This is probably the #1 reason why I started MFP! I am hoping that by tracking my behavior and finding support from others dealing with the same kinds of issues I can become more responsible, accountable, and loving towards my body. Ive been trying to pay attention to right when I'm deciding to binge (usually I plan it in advance some way or another- go buy the food, or when I think I'll be alone in the house, etc) to try and bring a stop to the spiraling out of control. Going a different way home to avoid the store or making plans to meet a friend are things that I've used to try and prevent a binge. You are not alone!

PattyTheUndefeated · April 2011

Thanks everyone for your awesome replies! I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in this. I wish I knew how to stop myself once I get in 'binge mode'. I'll undo a whole months worth of work in one binge. I feel horrible and defeated, like I'm fighting an evil side of myself that doesn't want me to succeed. It sucks to work out so hard, eat so clean, see progress, just to have to start all over again.

I wish I could fix myself.

healthyjen342 · April 2011

interseting post...I'd like to read more...keeping this in my back pocket..thank you for posting...

funkyspunky871 · April 2011

Thanks everyone for your awesome replies! I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in this. I wish I knew how to stop myself once I get in 'binge mode'. I'll undo a whole months worth of work in one binge. I feel horrible and defeated, like I'm fighting an evil side of myself that doesn't want me to succeed. It sucks to work out so hard, eat so clean, see progress, just to have to start all over again.

I wish I could fix myself.

I wish I could fix all of us.

As for stopping the binge before it gets too bad, you have to just throw everything away. I had my 8th reese's peanut butter in my hand the other day, and that's when I realized what I was doing. I had been shoving them in my mouth as fast as possible beforehand. Anyways, as soon as I realized it, I immediately went to the sink and dropped the damn candy down the garbage disposal, turned it on, and walked away. Yeah, not going to reach my hand down there to get the remains, lol.

And, when I sat back down again next to my bag of candy and grabbed ANOTHER, I literally chucked that bag and all it's candy as far away as possible from me, then logged on to MFP, cried, and vented to my friends about what just happened. Anyways, anyways... As soon as you really start feeling the effects of a binge (or before the binge even starts would be better), go ahead and throw all your trigger foods away. Make them inedible. If you think you'll dig something out of the trash can (I've been tempted before, lol), then flush it down the toilet! Spray air freshener all over it! Do whatever it takes until it's no longer appetizing! Then you get your butt online and talk to us! (Because, you know, we're all here for you.

) Or get out of the house and go for a walk.

rore1 · April 2011

wow. same here:'( I am not at my goal weight. I am honestly about 9 to 14 pounds from it. I noticed it was every thursday night. No clue why. No it is about 2-3 days/week. All this after NO cheats from when I started here sept30-about Jan or FEb. it's like self sabotage:( hope we all figure this out....I am making sure to not have the stuff around but like you eating all that PB,or pasta (my kids have to eat!) or my healthy granola bars is putting me over,making me feel horrible about myself and setting me back. What amazes me is that I can eat over half the cals I am allowed in a day in just 1 hour!!! damn........xo

Matchamatcha · May 2011

My advice is keep busy, throw away tempting foods, or if they're healthy foods and you need them STAY OUT of the kitchen, chew gum, drink tea, keep yourself busy! I'm far from my goal weight, but I did/do have a real problem with binge eating. Since joining MFP I've been pretty good. Haven't felt the urge to binge as much although I do slip up occasionally.

One thing I would ask is are you eating and snacking at regular times? I think that half my problem, apart from anxiety and boredom, was that I never ate regularly. I would skip meals all the time because I wasn't hungry, or was too busy/distracted, and then I think perhaps some of my binges were triggered by that - my body going into starvation mode and demanding nutrition. Now that I'm having to write everything down, and eating 3 square meals a day and snacks I feel like my body has learnt when it should feel hungry or full, and that's helped a lot. The other stuff, stress triggers, is harder to fix.

PattyTheUndefeated · May 2011

I totally binged again last night. I'm getting so damn pissed at myself. This is now happening once or twice a week. I decided I would have a piece of my husbands birthday cake (which I had sworn off having any of on his actual birthday) which then led to feelings of failure, which then led to eating about 300 calories or more in mixed nuts, almost a whole bag of rice crispers, and about four or five tablespoons of peanut butter.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

God, I hate myself. I hate this process. I hate failing, everyday it seems.

What the hell happened to discipline?

tsomo · May 2011

Failing is ok, as long as you remember to stand up and keep moving.

Elle408 · May 2011

This thread is me to a T! I'm currently trying to have a bit of a break from MFP because I put myself under so much pressure to do everything right. But yeah, my last binge bender was a 4050cal day followed by a 6000+ day, all of the tips to go for a walk or drink water etc. just don't work. It's like I'm in a trance, rapid heartbeat, the shakes etc. as I shovel food in my mouth. I woke up after my binge and forgot it had happened until I saw the wrappers. And as for not having the foods around, I'll eat anything, I've binged on apples, I've binged on plain rice... The guilt and shame afterwards terrify me because I feel so genuinely low and depressed.

I plan to start counselling, I'm not in a position to at the moment because of work but from September I'll be going to weekly sessions to try and help me understand why I'm doing it. I've tried explaining to my closest friends and family what happens when I go on a binge and they just don't get it, telling me that I should just stop eating, if only it was that easy!

kpnuts23 · May 2011

Bump... just because i have the same prob... busy atm.. will post laters xxxx

sparklesammy · May 2011

...i relate...

myofibril · May 2011

What the hell happened to discipline?

Discipline and willpower are over rated chica. There's a lot to be said for just being happy.

What you have described is ridiculously common in bodybuilding circles. The irony is that often people look to BBs for advice on looking good and by implication healthy when in fact it is one of the unhealthiest subcultures out there, both mentally and physically.I've seen hundreds of examples of the cut / binge cycle in my time on fitness / BB forums.

I can't really help you here as it's not fully within my sphere of knowledge. I've never had to deal with heavy emotional issues attaching to food and feelings of self worth.

What I would say is that if you can try and look at yourself and your eating rationally, objectively and dispassionately it takes some of the emotional venom out of the situation. Expecting absolute perfection in your eating is unrealistic. You WILL slip eventually. Why? Because you are human sweetheart. How you view that "slip" whether you consider it a slip at all and your reaction to it will define your actions. This is why on many levels I find the whole "clean eating" phenomenon a crock of ****. It can create, though not necessarily will create, an unhealthy obsession and relationship with food and doesn't factor in people are fallible.

Everybody needs a little Lyle McDonald in their lives. I have recommended "A Guide To Flexible Dieting" before. However, check out these links for more info on rigid v flexible dieting:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/flexible-versus-rigid-dieting.html

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-dieters-fail-diets.html

ajtom1 · May 2011

When you are being "good" are you not eating any sugars or "bad" food? If your not then that is why you are getting the bad cravings. You can't deprive yourself of sugars and sweets... I know this first hand. When I completely take these foods out of my diet I end up eating anything and everything. Another thing that has happened to me in previous weight lose is once I hit that target weight I feel almost to comfortable and throw out my morals on food eating, that is why I have failed before.

I agree chewing gum, having an apple helps, also don't forget... drink a lot of water! Many times your body is lacking water and people always mistake it as hunger. Everytime I get that craving I force myself to drink at least 2 glasses of water and wait at least 20 minutes. If I still want the sweets I go for it and just make sure I work it off. Maybe even try to remember how you and your body feels after the binge.... Hope my tricks will help

seansquared · May 2011

1) Seek counseling by a psych professional. I won't say "seek help" - you don't need "help", you just need to figure out what's triggering the binges and work with it or around it.

2) Lift weights. HARD. I don't mean more reps, either, I mean higher weight. All those fitness models and cover models out there do light cardio and HEAVY weight lifting. Check out Jamie Eason, the "most fit woman in the world". One major benefit of this is that all those binge cals go straight to muscle development, giving you a strong, lean look that most women would kill for.

beckyinma · May 2011

When you are being "good" are you not eating any sugars or "bad" food? If your not then that is why you are getting the bad cravings. You can't deprive yourself of sugars and sweets... I know this first hand. When I completely take these foods out of my diet I end up eating anything and everything. Another thing that has happened to me in previous weight lose is once I hit that target weight I feel almost to comfortable and throw out my morals on food eating, that is why I have failed before.

I agree chewing gum, having an apple helps, also don't forget... drink a lot of water! Many times your body is lacking water and people always mistake it as hunger. Everytime I get that craving I force myself to drink at least 2 glasses of water and wait at least 20 minutes. If I still want the sweets I go for it and just make sure I work it off. Maybe even try to remember how you and your body feels after the binge.... Hope my tricks will help

I couldn't not have said either points better, and you describe me perfectly!

Do NOT deprive yourself of a little treat during your 'clean phases' becuase it WILL backfire on you.

Success story: I had my daughter's girl scout meeting yesterday... what do you know, instead of my usual cucumbers/carrots/light ranch that I bring (For the whole group, and they usually enjoy it), one girl had a birthday and brought cupcakes... mmm delicious cupcakes...To a 7 year old girl who made them herself with help from mom, which is a big accomplishment, for me to say no, sorry, I'm on a diet, would've broken her heart, considering she brought just enough for the troop girls, plus one for each leader. So I ate it, and OMFG it was good....and I logged it, and I went to the gym in the evening and worked it off. This morning, making my kids' pb&j that peanut butter smelled so good I just wanted to stick my hand in and grab a slab and lick it like an ice cream cone... OK BECKY, REEL it in a little and get yourself under control....so I ate pb this morning... 1 tb, on wheat toast and even had jelly, grape jelly, loaded with sugar. and I logged it in my diary, and I will do an extra workout today, even though it's an off day...

DO NOT DEPRIVE YOURSELF of a treat during your 'clean' days...it WILL backfire on you, guaranteed!!!

Aside from stress about eating, are you stressed at work? Are you getting adequate sleep at night? That is a big trigger for overeating. Are you getting enough sunlight? Vitamin D deficiency, and general lack of exposure to light will cause depression like symptoms... even sometimes in non-winter months... worth thinking about.

Best wishes to overcoming this, I know how hard it is once you are triggered....

PJilly · May 2011

What I would say is that if you can try and look at yourself and your eating rationally, objectively and dispassionately it takes some of the emotional venom out of the situation. Expecting absolute perfection in your eating is unrealistic. You WILL slip eventually. Why? Because you are human sweetheart. How you view that "slip" whether you consider it a slip at all and your reaction to it will define your actions. This is why on many levels I find the whole "clean eating" phenomenon a crock of ****. It can create, though not necessarily will create, an unhealthy obsession and relationship with food and doesn't factor in people are fallible.

Everybody needs a little Lyle McDonald in their lives. I have recommended "A Guide To Flexible Dieting" before. However, check out these links for more info on rigid v flexible dieting:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/flexible-versus-rigid-dieting.html

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-dieters-fail-diets.html

This is incredibly helpful. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

undkaro · May 2011

I can't believe how many of you reached their goal weight and are now on the verge of being bulimic! Because that's what it is. For most it starts out with a diet and couting calories, so keep yourself aware of what you're doing and take these warning signs seriously. The deeper you get into these behaviours, the harder it gets to stop. I promise you, if you let your desire for self-control control you, you will eventually lose control over yourself completely. If that makes any sense...

kylielouttit · May 2011

Bump! I want to read this entire thread later.

I am absoloutely a binge eater, and for me it's self-sabatoge! I will eat great for a day or two, lose a little weight and eat uncontrollably for the next few days and gain back what I lost...and then some. It's shaming because I feel like binge eaters should be overweight and because I'm not, I feel like I should be in better control of what I eat...

I'm working on it.

PattyTheUndefeated · May 2011

I'm finding it interesting and eye opening that amongst us met-goal-ers or almost met-goalers that we've all developed a form of non-purging-bulimia or BED (binge eating disorder) that was never, ever there to begin with. When I was obese, as with most of you, I overate alot. I ate alot of the bad foods, too much of the good foods, and just never exercised. I used food as comfort, boredom, and just because I loved food, cooking and eating it. But I never obsessed or craved food like I do now. I never, ever went past my normal human food capacity to the point where I was curled up in a ball in pain. If I wanted pizza I'd eat until I was stuffed, normal fattie-stuffed, and then stop. Now, I'll eat the whole pizza. No freagin' joke.

All the 'normal' tactics in avoiding cravings has not in anyway helped me. I've tried. I've tried reminding myself mid-binge or crave that I'll be up all night, sweating, shaking, and probably hunched over a toilet bowl with stuff coming out both ends (seriously). I'll try reminding myself that the next day I'll feel like I went on a booze bender and that work will be intolerable. I'll remind myself that there is NO WAY that my body will just not absorb the calories. But I do it anyway. The food obsession overshadows the logical, intelligent, and hard-working me. The only tactic that has helped is steady progress and a well established exercise/eating routine. If I see progress, I'm more likely to stick to my healthy diet.

Binge Eating at Goal/Healthy Weight

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