So I would really like advice from others who deal with the same thing I am

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Amanda82691
Amanda82691 Posts: 298 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I have an issue with binge eating and emotional eating. I eat way to much and I eat when I'm not even hungry. It's like I just want it to want it. I feel like I think about food way to much. Like I see other people who seem to only think about food when they are physically hungry and I tend to think of food more often then that. I know if I just could get this under control and add my exercise in I would start see changes. I eat healthy foods but I still eat lots of junk and in excess. I am just struggling to get started and over the hump. I'm sure it will get easier with time. But I would really love to hear from others who dealt with the same issue and how you over came it.
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  • ShashayLee
    ShashayLee Posts: 178 Member
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    one small step at a time. Remove some of the junk food & replace with something healthy. Get rid of anything that is junk food related in your home. If you still want something junky make sure you have to go out to get it & only buy small packs.
    If you want to start eating & aren't hungry, go off and do something else, take a walk, anything to get away from the food.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    I used to eat out of boredom or to boost my mood and energy. Sadly those foods were often too high in sugars and since I was developing insulin resistance it affected my health. I went on a low carb high fat diet to improve my health, and ate at a deficit to lose weight. Within a week or so of changing my diet, my drive to overeat carbs, or eat them too fquently, basically disappeared.... but yes, the first week was tough for me (but not for all).

    Lowering carb content can help some people with binging. Could be something to look into if you are interested.
  • 100df
    100df Posts: 668 Member
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    I am the same. Two things have helped me the most.

    Logging everything - the good, bad and the ugly. Seeing the total amount of calories was eye opening. Yes, I knew it was a ton of calories but didn't know it could be several days of maintenance calories for a teenage boy.

    The second is getting right back at it if I blow it - not the next day necessarily - the next time I eat. Don't use already overeating to eat even more.

    I don't have scientific proof but I think that it is easier for me to control if I walk at least 10k steps a day.

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    I'm an emotional and binge eater. As above, logging has been the biggest thing to change my behaviour. That and not beating myself up if I do binge and let it turn into several more binges.

    Now, exercise has become part of my coping mechanism, replacing food. It also acts as an appetite suppressant for me but this isn't the case for everyone, just a happy bonus in my case.
  • niniundlapin
    niniundlapin Posts: 327 Member
    edited November 2015
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    OP, do you have any hobby that requires clean hands and concentration? I'm not sure how effective this would be on you, but I've seen success from myself and my brother for reducing the urge of grabbing something to eat when we're not hungry. I play musical instrument and make plushie toys. During the busy seasons (performance coming or gifts for holidays) my hands are usually occupied and there are usually deadlines to meet; I can't really afford to "sacrifice" my clean hands for my mouth. It doesn't have to be what I did at all. My brother was busy enough playing video games, and, even though this is not a good thing to promote, he did get rid of the habit of binge eating by simply being too concentrated on the game (even skipped meals... not good though).

    I agree with the above suggestion of getting rid of the junk food/ switch to something healthier, and having a hobby like that (clean hands and concentration) would just limit your ability to start eating and a good way to switch your focus when there's no sign that your body needs food.
  • schwich13
    schwich13 Posts: 31 Member
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    I may be reading too much into your post because of MY history, but if you truly believe you are binge eating, you may want to look for help... Overeaters Anonymous actually has meetings online every hour, I believe, and reading some books that specifically speak to the issue may be a good route to go...
  • PhoenyxRose
    PhoenyxRose Posts: 70 Member
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    niniundlapin wrote: »
    OP, do you have any hobby that requires clean hands and concentration? I'm not sure how effective this would be on you, but I've seen success from myself and my brother for reducing the urge of grabbing something to eat when we're not hungry. I play musical instrument and make plushie toys. During the busy seasons (performance coming or gifts for holidays) my hands are usually occupied and there are usually deadlines to meet; I can't really afford to "sacrifice" my clean hands for my mouth. It doesn't have to be what I did at all. My brother was busy enough playing video games, and, even though this is not a good thing to promote, he did get rid of the habit of binge eating by simply being too concentrated on the game (even skipped meals... not good though).

    I agree with the above suggestion of getting rid of the junk food/ switch to something healthier, and having a hobby like that (clean hands and concentration) would just limit your ability to start eating and a good way to switch your focus when there's no sign that your body needs food.

    This, I've realized that part of the reason I've overwater in the past is due to boredom. So find a hobby or two and stick with it :) I use things like archery or writing or drawing and those keep my hands busy for a while and if I get in a mood where I'm just like "I want to snack on something and don't feel like doing anything else" I force myself to sit down for 10 min and work on something (because anyone can do something for 10 minutes right?) and usually I end up getting in to it and going for far longer :)
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    That drive to eat and keep eating was a physical thing for me. A fairly strict low carb, high fat whole food based diet switched it off like a light switch. Over the years I've found exercise and periodic fasting to be helpful as well -- especially around the holidays when I indulge in foods that cause cravings and an insatiable appetite. But mainly I need to eat LCHF diet in order to have a normal appetite.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
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    Eating low carb did nothing to help me quell boredom eating. I was so hungry on low carb; so many foods were forbidden that I found it depressing.

    OP - it's the behavior surrounding food that drives you to over eat and feel out of control. It's not the food itself.

    Perhaps you could slow down and explore why you're fixating on food. Is your calorie goal too aggressive? Are you bored? Could you change habits and do something completely different when you feel like over eating - go for a walk or run?
  • bethclabburn
    bethclabburn Posts: 52 Member
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    It's all about your mind set. You have to think 'do I want that cookie or do I want to see results' you need to stop seeing food as a pleasure and to see it as fueling your body. You aren't eating this diet food for it to taste good, you're eating it see results.

    There's times I could just sit and so much cheese and cake but I don't because I want results, the reason I'm unhappy and turn to food is because of the way I look so just to break that is a huge step

    I find exercising really helps and drinking plenty of water, I mean litres of it.

    Besides after working so hard why would you want to ruin it just for a biscuit or some chocolate.

    Trust me it's not worth it, the human body is capable of incredible things just push yourself

    :smile:
  • WendyLaubach
    WendyLaubach Posts: 518 Member
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    As someone put it in a book I read last week, "So you love food. Well, food is fuel. It's great that it's fuel, and it's great that it tastes good. It's natural that we love it. But look at your car: it needs gas. You love the fact that you put gas in it and it takes you where you need to go. That's fine. But do you love your gas so much that you fill the tank and then keep pouring gas onto the passenger seat?" Even good things have to have their place; then it's time for other things.
  • allenpriest
    allenpriest Posts: 1,102 Member
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    You may need counseling to deal with the underlying emotional issues. I needed help to deal with those then I was free to focus on changing my eating pattern.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Logging everything helped me. Denial is impossible when the numbers stare at you in the face... but then you have to want it hard enough to stick to it...

    Personally, I still love food, and I still think about food all the time, but instead of just going to the kitchen and getting it (ok, I still do that occasionally), I plan my next meals instead to make them as satisfying as possible so I'm less likely to find satisfaction in snacks or junk food.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    Amanda82691 wrote: »
    So I have an issue with binge eating and emotional eating. I eat way to much and I eat when I'm not even hungry. It's like I just want it to want it. I feel like I think about food way to much. Like I see other people who seem to only think about food when they are physically hungry and I tend to think of food more often then that. I know if I just could get this under control and add my exercise in I would start see changes. I eat healthy foods but I still eat lots of junk and in excess. I am just struggling to get started and over the hump. I'm sure it will get easier with time. But I would really love to hear from others who dealt with the same issue and how you over came it.

    For me:

    1. More protein in relationship to carbs stops the physical urge to overeat: http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
    2. Yoga stops the emotional urge to overeat: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-willpower/201007/how-yoga-can-help-end-binge-eating
    3. Ramping up activity level in general does something positive as well
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    Binge Eating Disorder is a serious thing that should be treated by a professional.

    I have a feeling that's not what's going on in this thread.

    Also? Yoga and stopping the emotional urge to overeat? You post that link on every thread and I'm sorry, but dig deeper into it and the studies it cites.

    It's not yoga, per se. It's self compassion and a whole ball of wax with restrictive and guilty eating.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    edited November 2015
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    schwich13 wrote: »
    I may be reading too much into your post because of MY history, but if you truly believe you are binge eating, you may want to look for help... Overeaters Anonymous actually has meetings online every hour, I believe, and reading some books that specifically speak to the issue may be a good route to go...

    This. It's important to deal with the reasons why you 're bingeing.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    PeachyCarol wrote: »
    Binge Eating Disorder is a serious thing that should be treated by a professional.

    I have a feeling that's not what's going on in this thread.

    Also? Yoga and stopping the emotional urge to overeat? You post that link on every thread and I'm sorry, but dig deeper into it and the studies it cites.

    It's not yoga, per se. It's self compassion and a whole ball of wax with restrictive and guilty eating.

    This too.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
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    Not sure what you mean by binge eating. When I hear "binge eating" I am thinking someone compulsively eating extraordinary amounts of food in a sitting (like an entire box of donuts, and then all the ice cream, and then more stuff) usually followed by purging.

    I have occasionally eaten way too much food - such as an entire box of Froot Loops in one sitting, or an entire bag of candy in one sitting...or I put too much food on my plate at a buffet...but I don't know that I'd consider that clinical binge eating. For me - with the froot loops and candy - it was just mindless eating while literally binging on netflix all day long...

    I concur with the above poster who commented that paying attention to protein helps curb the cravings for other stuff. When I did Weight Watchers, I was focused strictly on low points foods (which were mostly carbs, low to no fat and no protein). I was hungry a lot and when I was hungry, what did I crave but carbs and sugary foods esp...like Froot Loops and candy (yummy Swedish Fish...or Mike & Ike...)

    Now that I use MFP and strive every day to try and come close to the recommended protein AND fat intake, I do find that my cravings for sugary things has gone down. I do occasionally "go overboard" - but for me "going overboard" may be eating 2 low cal jello pudding cups instead of one, lol...maybe 1 tiny lollipop - NOT half a container of ice cream or an entire bag of salt water taffy or Swedish Fish like before.

    Logging everything and keeping the numbers in front of me all the time - and keeping in mind that I want to be down to at least a size 14, maybe 12, by summer - that helps me immensely. Oh and making sure I drink a lot of water or unsweetened decaf tea or zero calorie flavored sparkling water helps a LOT.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    bethclabburn wrote: »
    It's all about your mind set. You have to think 'do I want that cookie or do I want to see results' you need to stop seeing food as a pleasure and to see it as fueling your body. You aren't eating this diet food for it to taste good, you're eating it see results.

    There's times I could just sit and so much cheese and cake but I don't because I want results, the reason I'm unhappy and turn to food is because of the way I look so just to break that is a huge step

    I find exercising really helps and drinking plenty of water, I mean litres of it.

    Besides after working so hard why would you want to ruin it just for a biscuit or some chocolate.

    Trust me it's not worth it, the human body is capable of incredible things just push yourself

    :smile:

    I disagree with this. Binge eating is a disorder that need professional attention. Food shaming does no good.

    This is not about seeing weight loss results either.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    bethclabburn wrote: »
    It's all about your mind set. You have to think 'do I want that cookie or do I want to see results' you need to stop seeing food as a pleasure and to see it as fueling your body. You aren't eating this diet food for it to taste good, you're eating it see results.

    There's times I could just sit and so much cheese and cake but I don't because I want results, the reason I'm unhappy and turn to food is because of the way I look so just to break that is a huge step

    I find exercising really helps and drinking plenty of water, I mean litres of it.

    Besides after working so hard why would you want to ruin it just for a biscuit or some chocolate.

    Trust me it's not worth it, the human body is capable of incredible things just push yourself

    :smile:

    Actually, the type of restriction you are talking about is detrimental to binge eaters. I say this as a binge eater who finally has it under control because I stopped restricting like you are suggesting. Another diet or rigid rules compounds binge eating and keeps the person in a binge and restriction cycle.

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