How do you talk yourself out of a binge?

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CaliforniaRower
CaliforniaRower Posts: 187 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I am feeling giddy because I'm making some progress. Each morning for the last 10, I awaken with marvelous resolve. But I know myself. I know eventually some ice cream or cookies will leap into my shopping cart and beg to come home with me, esp if I'm having a bad day. How do you avoid binging when your brain is justifying it? I want to be prepared!
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Replies

  • kellygirl5538
    kellygirl5538 Posts: 597 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I just don't buy that food PERIOD. I had cake last week for my birthday, ate 4 pieces..I haven't had cake in a year. There are some people who cannot start on that type of food!
  • gettissi
    gettissi Posts: 1
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    Buying smaller portions and working out to balance your calories always work for me. You just have to stay determined and do your best not to over do it.
  • jamiefarnsworth952
    jamiefarnsworth952 Posts: 7
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    Try not to shop hungry. Something I do is change what I eat regularly so I don't get bored of the same old " chicken and broccoli" try some ice cream alternatives shaved ice is awesome sweet but still good for you
  • CaliforniaRower
    CaliforniaRower Posts: 187 Member
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    These are GREAT tips! Kelly, I (used to) buy "temptation" foods and swear all the way to the checkout that I will only allot 1-2 pcs per day or something crazy. But by the time I got home, the temptation item had wormed its way from inside the shopping bag in the trunk to sitting right beside me smiling benignly to halfway eaten! And I live just 10 minutes from Trader Joe's!!! (Which is my brain's HQ for "bad things to eat like a glutton.")
  • llaurenmarie
    llaurenmarie Posts: 1,260 Member
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    Eating something you consider junk food is not a binge. Going over by a few hundred calories for a day is not a binge.

    A binge is eating to fill an emotional void. A binge is eating not because you crave something, it's eating until the sadness goes away.

    Have a treat when you're craving it. The only way I can is by having the taste of it and ruining the rest. Then my brain finally puts together that's it's not financially logical.
  • never2bstopped
    never2bstopped Posts: 438 Member
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    If you want ice cream make it yourself. If you want cookies make them yourself. It takes more work and time this way and gives you time to think about what you are doing. Binges are hard to do on raw flour and eggs...
  • jamiefarnsworth952
    jamiefarnsworth952 Posts: 7
    edited March 2015
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    never2bstopped wrote: »
    If you want ice cream make it yourself. If you want cookies make them yourself. It takes more work and time this way and gives you time to think about what you are doing. Binges are hard to do on raw flour and eggs...

    Totally an awesome idea I like this I make homemade wine and cheese so this idea interest me than
  • CaliforniaRower
    CaliforniaRower Posts: 187 Member
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    Unfortunately, @Never2bstopped, I have a certificate in pastry, so making it myself is MUCH worse that buying it. Pastry is a passionate hobby and stress-relief for me, so I try to bake things that must be given to others whole (e.g., cakes and pies) because if I bake that batch of (gourmet) cookies, we'll go from 24 to just 23 to 12 to 8 to give away in a matter of hours! If I buy it, sometimes I can yell at myself and sink it in the dishwater before I eat the whole package...but sometimes, I cannot.
  • tinallen863
    tinallen863 Posts: 50 Member
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    I came to this thread for help but it seems to come down to having a mini-binge and then making up the calories by exercise or cutting back later. Still hoping for the magic answer. The thing that works for me is to get back on track after every excess. You gotta live. Just don't give up.
  • greaseswabber
    greaseswabber Posts: 238 Member
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    One of my favorite sayings from a guy I work with is "you can always stop doing something dumb." He is usually talking about workplace safety and not continuing down a path that might get you hurt. But I think it applies here. If I am past the point of eating what I planned and am half way into that box of Girl Scout cookies, I don't have to eat the whole box. My overeating episodes are usually just mindless eating because I'm distracted. For me, it's a matter of coming back to the moment, realizing what I'm doing, and making a conscious decision to stop. Then I log the damage and move on.

    Many people have success with planned treats, in smaller amounts. I haven't found the right combination of frequency and amount yet.
  • tlhead245
    tlhead245 Posts: 9 Member
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    I have this problem as well. I always binge once or twice a week. I start with something simple like chips and i dont stop until everything is gone. I live alone so noone can see this. These urges to just EAT are sooooo powerful. Iv lost aboit 50lbs and worry i wont get any lower because the binges wont stop :'(
  • mcamer
    mcamer Posts: 10 Member
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    Don't shop hungry! I went to the store hungry and I wanted to buy the bad stuff. I didn't though. People at work eat out a lot! Bad food. I told them do not ask me if I want anything! And I tell my friends and family if I say I want it, tell me no.
  • kay2087
    kay2087 Posts: 1 Member
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    My sister told me that you can celebalrate little goals. Today I had a bagel with cream cheese and I usually eat like 6 tablespoons (I freaking love cream cheese) but I only had 1 serving today and my bagel was great! It's little wins that make you successful! So, eat a piece of cake...don't eat 3 pieces and you won!!
  • jamiefarnsworth952
    jamiefarnsworth952 Posts: 7
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    tlhead245 wrote: »
    I have this problem as well. I always binge once or twice a week. I start with something simple like chips and i dont stop until everything is gone. I live alone so noone can see this. These urges to just EAT are sooooo powerful. Iv lost aboit 50lbs and worry i wont get any lower because the binges wont stop :'(

    Something I found that works to help this is forcing your self to eat 6 times a day once every 2 hours if possible typically I have trouble eating enough nutrition when I do this though
  • stephanie1x2
    stephanie1x2 Posts: 55 Member
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    I have that problem alot i try to buy less of the foods but dont deny myself to them completely but just eat them in moderation :)
  • vixtris
    vixtris Posts: 688 Member
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    I feel like if you punish yourself by not buying treats at all could really push you to binge even harder. I do not have a problem with this, but I have learned to control myself. If I want a cookie, I will have 1 cookie for that day. Some days in a row I will be having 1 cookie each day. That's fine, as long as it fits in my calorie limit and macros.
  • Genette38
    Genette38 Posts: 51 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I'm the same as Kellygirl5538, once I start I don't stop so I try not to buy it. Something that's really helping me is to have a financial goal to work towards, I want to move to East Asia so when I buy food, I ask myself, do I need this and if I buy this, will it help me reach my goals? If the answers are no and no, then I don't buy it. Junk food doesn't make it into my basket anymore because ever £1 I spend on junk, is a £1 away from reaching my ultimate goal.
  • LosingOnPasta
    LosingOnPasta Posts: 3 Member
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    jamiefarnsworth952 wrote: »
    Something I found that works to help this is forcing your self to eat 6 times a day once every 2 hours if possible typically I have trouble eating enough nutrition when I do this though

    THIS. I'm 19 days binge-free which is a huge deal for me since I used to binge atleast 1-2 times a week.


  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I try telling myself that losing weight and getting healthy is more important to me than whatever food is tempting me. As above, I don't deprive myself of sweets all together but I keep one item around like dark chocolate bar or dark chocolate truffles and have one or two pieces at night. However, if you can't have one or two without eating everything, take a break for awhile until you feel you have yourself under control.

    I know you were being humorous when you said, "eventually some ice cream or cookies will leap into my shopping cart", but I would avoid thinking like that, even in jest. The food isn't doing it to you, you're doing it to yourself.
  • hyIianprincess
    hyIianprincess Posts: 302 Member
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    I've struggled with binging for quite awhile now. Whenever I get the urge I'll go for a walk (or exercise if it's too late), take a bath, anything to distract myself. I also try and remind myself that urges pass and the food will only be in your mouth for a few seconds. It wouldn't be worth the guilt I'd feel afterwards. I think the main thing though is just don't buy the food if you're in a situation where you can control that. I personally am not since I live with my parents.

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