How do you stop overeating/binging?

I usually eat dinner around 7-8 pm but don't usually sleep until after midnight, at which point I generally feel hungry again. I actually kind of like it, though. It's sort of like feeling sore after the gym for me--you know you're working hard!

I am also a big proponent of nothing being off limits. If you want a cookie, eat a cookie! But just one or two. Along those lines, sometimes I'll take an "event" off. For example, if I know I am going out for drinks or to a party, I will eat a little less during the day but then stop logging at the party (still trying to not go crazy with it). This helps me from feeling like I've failed which would initiate even MORE eating.

Referring to what Ana said way up there, that's me, too. I grew up with a mom who obsessed over every bite I ate, and it messed me up emotionally. Many foods were totally off limits to me, so of course, my response was to eat them -- and LOTS of them, a pattern that has continued my entire adult life. I often wonder if well-meaning parents have any idea how they screw up their kids' relationship with food.

I can't explain why a month ago, seeing my weight on that scale flipped a switch in my head that told me it was time to shed the girth again, but the compulsive eating and bingeing stopped cold. I had gained 60 pounds since I last stepped on a scale, and I needed to lose 50 pounds even then!! I'm grateful for the wakeup call.

So now, nothing is off limits. It's the only way I can do it. But the difference now is, if I fall off the wagon one day (which I've only done once), I don't get all defeatest and think I'm back to Square One. I get back on the wagon the very next day. I also make sure to log every single thing I eat on days like that. I must be honest with myself in order to be in control.

Water doesn't do a thing to stop the empty feeling and compulsion to eat the brownies my husband has stashed in the pantry. But for me, a banana with one tablespoon of peanut butter works a miracle. I make sure to have one or two snacks during the day. We have pizza once every couple weeks, my own recipe, and as good a pizza as you will EVER eat -- with my own homemade pork sausage, pepperoni and everything. Two slices and a big dinner salad are totally satisfying, physically and emotionally, and that dinner fits into my daily intake just fine.

tinascar2015 wrote: »

I can't explain why a month ago, seeing my weight on that scale flipped a switch in my head that told me it was time to shed the girth again, but the compulsive eating and bingeing stopped cold..

^^This happened to me like two years ago and I lost around 20 KGs about 10 of them without really "trying". I was super strict from about May until September of last year to lose the last 5-10KGs and then went to a kinda "meh I eat good/whole/real/healthy food it can't be that bad" attitude toward eating. I have been trying to get back on track since January.

However after years of not struggling with binging and overeating, I am back to having crazy binge episodes (I used to over eat like crazy). It's the weirdest thing, and none of the coping mechanisms I used to use seem to be working (drink water, refocus on goals, etc). All that happens is that I work myself up into a panic attack for even having the cravings in the first place. For the most part I am not eating "poorly" per say (no fast food, no "junk" food, just a lot of "healthy whole foods" like an entire thing of hummus and carrots in 5 min or a entire ball of fresh organic mozzarella with a package of spinach, or an entire carten of berries in one mouthful ) I think a change in work schedule and living location (with a LOT more temptation near by) is partly to blame. I am thinking signing up for a meal delivery service just for a month to kick my body into gear. I just need to snap out of it!!!

Bruce_Rickey wrote: »

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.

This is mainly what helped me overcome my BED. Everybody else advises to find a distraction, when what really worked was to stop running away and just facing it. I did really well for about a month, and then when the cravings came back I ''forgot'' what to do. Happily, I took back control and faced those cravings again. The first few days are the hardest. After a while, it just feels so good to be in control that it keeps me from letting myself slip in that dark place again.

But then again, whatever works! Distraction might help some people, but if you tried everything else maybe it's time to just face it to overcome it.

Good luck to anybody facing BED, it is possible to get better!

Plenty of water and sip on black coffee. But mainly its about getting your mind right, everything is about your mind-set. If you can do it for 5 days you can do it for 7 days.

I keep telling myself that whatever it is that I want right now is not worth giving up what I want in the long run. Then I look at the fattest picture of myself that is on my phone and I put down the junk and pick up an apple.

It's kinda hard to help, because your diary is private, so we can't make suggestions as to what and how much you are eating. Some of the things I did to get to goal, and still do in maintenance:
1.) Ate anything I wanted, as long as if fit into my calorie limits.
2.) I didn't buy snacks to keep in the house. This way if I wanted something, I would have to cook and do dishes.
3.) Drink about 16 oz. of water about 20 - 30 minutes before I ate, including my snack time.
4.) Changed my meal times to 9AM/1PM/6PM and a snack in the 8:30 - 9:30 range.
5.) Made my dinner where I got most of my protein. This keeps me feeling full longer.
6.) Set my weigh-in day as a cheat day, but only if I lost weight, and I didn't go over what would be maintenance limits for that day. I think that was a big reason I got there.
If you want more suggestions, just PM me.
Good luck!

Eating 5 to 6 meal/snacks should prevent you from being too hungry to control yourself. However, it might be worth it to start a journal/diary of what triggers you to want to eat. I know it sounds weird, but taking the time to write down helps to allow you to face an emotions that may be forcing you to binge. Then you can work on your high stress issues: working late, no sleep, long commutes and so on all contribute to stress which ruins diets.
I hope this helps!

Renee

Like others have already said in this thread, if you're truly binging, there's an underlying reason. Restrictions will only make it worse. Don't think this is something you can turn off like a faucet - accept it will happen again, and that the goal is to figure out how to decrease how much it happens until it's not anymore. Try not to let the next binge be this terrifying, ominous thing hanging over your head, as it can end up contributing to restriction, which just further increases a chance of binging.

Do not beat yourself up or let yourself feel guilty when it does happen. Binge eating isn't just a case of overeating occasionally, and there's a lot of stuff that goes along with it. There's usually reasons and triggers. If your eating cycles are particularly damaged right now, simply being hungry or having an upset stomach for the day could be triggering in and of itself.

I'd really suggest looking into self-help books (there's a handful of exceptionally wonderful books aimed at binge eating disorder,) and actively trying to figure out what the root of the reason for the behaviours are.

I will say that having other people to feel you can share your struggles with helps A LOT. People who will reassure you that a binge isn't the end of the world, and remind you not to give up and your goals can still be achieved. People who you feel very comfortable with and won't make you feel strange or guilty/shamed by what you eat when you binge.

Eating regularly, satisfying meals imo, is one of the first major steps for curbing any ravenous hunger borne of not eating for the whole day. I know at my worst, I would not eat a thing until well after 5pm, often because my stomach was still sore from a binge the previous night. I kept telling myself I would start eating well the next day, but I was still oddly terrified of food and what I perceived as the power it held over me. Trying to no longer see food as good or bad has helped me immensely.

If your hunger cues are extremely difficult to recognize, that's something that eating 3-4 times a day will help with A LOT. It took me nearly 3 weeks to fully be able to recognize when I was hungry. I'm still learning to recognize when I'm truly full, and that I don't need to finish everything on my plate.

I am always open to new friends on here who are actively dealing with BED, or have dealt with it. If any of what I've said rings remotely with you, please feel free to send me an invite or message me if you want to talk about anything.

The book by Kathryn Hansen, Brain over Binge. This book really helped me get a grip on my bingeing, think it may have even cured it for me.

Great advice ana3067, this is the same way that I've been overcoming my bingeing as well.

Try looking up Josie Mai on youtube or vm fitness. She has some great ideas about intuitive eating, balance, eating what you love in moderatiin and iifym. I also found a new blog called, "can you stay for dinner" that is helpful. Lots of people like the book "brain over binge" by katherine hansen too. Definately eating enough calories, nourishing your body, honoring cravings, and making healthy foods appealing are helpful. For me, managing stress and feelings are the tough part!