How do you stop overeating/binging?

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I'm stuck in a terrible cycle of eating really well for 4-5 days then BAM - a mindless zombified eating session that sets me back to the start.

I would be grateful for any tips on how to make this stop!
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Replies

  • mandamrtz
    mandamrtz Posts: 13 Member
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    Whenever i feel hungry i drink a glass of water. Or workout to keep my mind off food.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    I did it by not trying to "eat well." I just... you know, eat. Any food I like. So no foods are off limits. Because of this I actually on average eat the lower nutritious foods less frequently, or at least in smaller quantity. I haven't binged the entire 7 months I've logged.
  • waxflower
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    Just posting here to see other's answers. Same problem, would like some solutions as well.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    Are you eating enough when you eat well? How big a calorie deficit? For me, truly mindless/autopilot eating is almost always a sign that I'm working out too hard and not refueling enough.

    If it's emotional, then you would want to work on alternative coping strategies for frustratio and stress.
  • exlibrissilvio
    exlibrissilvio Posts: 69 Member
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    I hate when people say "Drink Water". That's one of my biggest pet peeves. I drink a gallon of water a day, stop tellin me to drink water! You drink water, I need food! Haha

    Anyway.

    I just...don't overeat anymore. AND I'M A COMPULSIVE OVEREATER! I just know that I've been there, done that, got the t-shirt...and it didn't fit. Overeating is joyful in the moment and then...I feel sick. I am sad. I hate myself. So I've done it. I've had my fun. Now it's time to be serious so I can actually ENJOY life instead of just...eating myself into a state of sadness and self-hatred. Enough is enough.
  • juganaut
    juganaut Posts: 79 Member
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    To be honest, I do have some fairly low calorie days and I do workout 6 days a week. I assume there is also an emotional aspect to it as I have been fairly stressed out with irregular hours at work.

    I've already decided to quit my job in the next week or two - this will allow me total unemployed control of my daily routine and eating habits. It will also keep me away from the footlong subs.

    However, quitting my job does not stop me from visiting the fridge a dozen times at night. I might have to start embracing that feeling of hunger at nights and do intermittent fasting again.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Im just focused. If I want to binge or eat over then thats fine, but I work hard in the gym which gives me that insurance. By having the freedom to binge if I want to and having focus, then it means I dont.

    I dont do hunger its a stupid and undermining thing to go through.

    You are probably either too aggressive which is a path to bingeing or you arent focused enough so when that binge time comes you dont have a strategy in place to bypass the bingeing and do soemthing else non food related to get you past it. Ofc if you arent eating enough in the first place then you are going to be going to the fridge etc and by that time you will eat whats there.

    Solution.
    1. Eat enough calories in the first place.
    2. Look at what you eat, so you eat stuff that will satisfy your hunger.
    3. Allocate more calories to late night.
    4. Work on dealing with stress, which might divert you from emotional eating.
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
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    Stop walking to the fridge. If you want, plan for an evening snack, but don't free feed.
  • belimawr
    belimawr Posts: 1,155 Member
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    Are you eating enough when you eat well? How big a calorie deficit? For me, truly mindless/autopilot eating is almost always a sign that I'm working out too hard and not refueling enough.

    I'm going to go along with the "eat more" and properly crowd.

    I realized this myself as I dug into some chocolate chip caramel covered apples a coworker gave me for a holiday. I started eating the outside candy it as I figured it's getting time it would go bad I couldn't eat the apple (in the fridge for 2 months), then realized what I was doing. I realized had I eaten properly all day (I had been up for 24 hours at that point, on around 1500 calories), I wouldn't have wanted that candy.
    Overeating is joyful in the moment and then...I feel sick. I am sad. I hate myself.

    This is exactly what happened in the above scenario. When I realized what I had done, I hated myself. I'd put in so much effort, and while one moment of weakness wasn't bad, it could have been avoided.
  • paradi3s
    paradi3s Posts: 343 Member
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    I drink water and go on MFP forums to pass the time. Or I would just be doing my homework haha
  • oedipa_maas
    oedipa_maas Posts: 577 Member
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    As some have said, you might have to eat more. Too-low calorie days can set you up for a binge later. It's just not worth it if I'm going to eat 1,200 calories (which is too low for me) for days and then go nuts for days because I didn't eat enough. So really look hard at how much you're eating, and also if you're being sure to eat foods that you love. Sometimes I binge when I've insisted on eating only "healthy" foods and haven't let myself eat a hamburger because that's what I really craved. I need to eat more veggies? I eat the ones I love, and don't force myself to eat things because I think I have to to be healthy. Maybe none of this applies to you, but I just wanted to share my experience.

    The other huge thing is dealing with my stress/intense emotions in ways that don't involve overeating. It's really, really hard. It's my life long go-to. But I feel so bad afterwards, it compounds my difficult feelings, and so I've added to my distress, which is the last thing I need. I have a book called "50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food" and it's really helpful.
  • MustLoveCats21
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    I don't think about food outside of eating times. At all. If I do, I immediately do something else to distract myself, like cleaning or drawing. I treat that first thought of food like a cue for doing something else. But basically, stop yourself from even thinking about it.
  • s_saint88
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    I definitely do the same! I'm real healthy during the week then go freaking nuts on the weekend. I'm yet to fully deal with it but the top reasons why I do so on the weekends are:
    - lack of routine
    - Bored
    - Not thinking
    - Hangovers
    i know I have to recognize the warning signs of an impending binge session and try stop. Strategies in going to try are not skipping a healthy brekkie, brushing my teeth after a treat when I feel I'm going to keep going, do something that'll get me away from the fridge eg clean the bathroom/bedroom, wash hair, do nails.
    If I have a job that in trying to avoid (then I reach for the snacks) then embrace that the job shouldn't be dealt with and do something more fun.
    Step away from Netflix!!! That turns me into a couch potato with snacks....
  • baciami2
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    I struggle with the same thing. I will go 5 it 6 days then BAM! Binge! It always sets me back
  • Marxytron
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    Grab protein bars or a handful of almonds... If u want fries, fry some sweet potatoes instead of the regular fries... Sweet potatoes=complex carbs
  • SwankyTomato
    SwankyTomato Posts: 442 Member
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    juganaut wrote: »
    To be honest, I do have some fairly low calorie days and I do workout 6 days a week. I assume there is also an emotional aspect to it as I have been fairly stressed out with irregular hours at work.

    I've already decided to quit my job in the next week or two - this will allow me total unemployed control of my daily routine and eating habits. It will also keep me away from the footlong subs.

    However, quitting my job does not stop me from visiting the fridge a dozen times at night. I might have to start embracing that feeling of hunger at nights and do intermittent fasting again.

    Try adjusting your caloric intake and eat back some of those calories. Working out 6 days a week needs fuel. You may have your calories/day set too low.

    Other than that, just log your binge and move on with life.

    I "binged" last night with 2 extra slices of pizza, a candy bar, and a soda! Logged it and now I am going to take the doggies for a long walk in the park this morning... :p

  • moonbutt9155
    moonbutt9155 Posts: 2 Member
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    i am a binge/over eater who has hashimotos thyroditis. which adds to the starchy/sugar cravings. and once i start i can't stop. i had to recognize my trigger foods and emotions. and accept that i can never eat gluten if i want my thyroid to heal. it's a hard journey but you just have to keep getting back on the horse and down on your knees talking to a higher power (if you believe in one). i've been gluten free almost a month. it is my major trigger and the cravings have subsided. good luck. don't give up
  • sophzhr
    sophzhr Posts: 96 Member
    edited February 2015
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    I spend my entire day working at home next to my kitchen, so the possibility of a binge is very high, 24/7 for me. Stress, loneliness and sadness are all triggers for me, so the usual 'distracting before it happens' is what I try first. Then I've started doing this: usually before a binge, I'll walk to the kitchen, reach for the loaf of bread and literally force myself to freeze. I'll stand frozen in my kitchen for a good minute, making a conscious effort to remind myself that my mind CANNOT make me move. Forcing myself to become aware of how I am responsible for everything I do, and of how I am the one in control, takes away a lot of the binge's power for me.
  • DeWoSa
    DeWoSa Posts: 496 Member
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    A binge or compulsive eater is someone who consumes thousands of calories in minutes, seemingly against his or her will. It's not about pleasure or hunger but about emotional issues.

    Are you doing that? If so, you need help. There's plenty of help out there for people with eating disorders, including Overeaters Anonymous, rehab centers, mental health therapists specializing in eating disorders, etc.

    If you are overeating because you aren't planning your meals, then plan your meals and stick to the plan. Find out which foods make you feel full the longest. You might do better with many small meals rather than several large meals. You might do better with a lot of fat in the morning, or a lot of fat in the evening. Those are personal preferences that you'll have to discover for yourself.

    And don't forget to weigh, measure, and log everything so you have a clear idea of the number of calories you are consuming.

    Best of luck to you!

  • Bruce_Rickey
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    This is my first post here at MFP. I battle binge eating cravings every night. I also have dealt with anxiety attacks as a result of PTSD. Both are very similar. Once I start to eat, it is all over. I have talked with a lot of people and over the years I have realized that the mechanics of binge eating is much like problems alcoholics face. The only thing that works is to deal with the urges without eating. Much like learning how to work thru panic attacks you must become aware that these urges are a result of a temporary chemical surge in your body. You must accept that you will never be able to stop the urges. Therefore you must learn how to "Weather the Storm". There are multiple coping mechanisms. For some people working out helps, others drink water, but for the most part, (and most successful for me) is to take a moment and consciously recognize these cravings for what they are. Chemical surges in your body that will pass and that you have to consciously control. Like panic attacks, most of these urges will last about 20 minutes. Hang in there for that time. Most importantly, You must not start eating. Like panic attacks, once you give in to the attack or in the case of urges you start to eat, you have lost the battle. Body chemistry takes over and the chemicals that started the urges increase. If your urges come late at night, the best thing you can do is just go to bed. Another tactic if your serious about beating them is to log your cravings. Note when and why they occur. You will be able to develop a pattern and learn what your triggers really are. One of the cruelest and probably best bits of advise that my doctor told me is to, "Make hunger your friend".
    takes over.