Binging...

RonRoff
RonRoff Posts: 175 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok i'll keep it simple, how do you deal with this?

I eat clean, i measure what i eat and eat 2400kcal a day (measured my goals with TDEE from IIFYM).

Every now and then (more often than "its ok to binge now and then"), i get uncontrollable binges. I used to be addicted to sugar in 2014 (so its been a while). I ate cookies, liquorish and looooads of it, Chocolate, m&ms and more.

Now, i manage to eat healthy and am eating in a balanced sporting food schedule for myself, however sometimes, usually later in the evening and especially when i'm traveling or alone at home, i have a problem with binging. I usually buy simple things like mars and/or snickers (yes i know). I've ended up in Mc Donalds more than once.

Its hard for me to eat something small to satisfy the desire for it, i just want to freeload, dont know how to properly deal with it.

I do not have this when i'm 100% motivated, but mind you i'm already dieting since february 2015 and making good progress but this is stopping me from reaching my goals. So every now and then i'm struggling. When motivation drops, discipline seems to fail.

My cryout to you, all tips are welcome! Thanks :)

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Just don't buy it or drive thru it :)
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    Have you ever thought about adding some of your snacks to fit into your calorie goal?
  • RonRoff
    RonRoff Posts: 175 Member
    strong_curves wrote: »
    Have you ever thought about adding some of your snacks to fit into your calorie goal?

    If i want to make progress i think i have to start doing something like this, with one problem, if i buy snacks i have to learn to control myself to dose and not to finish the whole bag at once. But it's worth a try. Problem is that i need to make sure i get enough nutritional food to make sure i get enough proteines and healthy fats. But thats manageable. (i think)
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
    When I have trouble with crazy cravings, it's generally because I've been restricting too much, exercising too much, not eating enough fat, or not getting enough sleep.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    Fortunately, binging has never been a problem for me, so I can't speak directly to the urges that you feel.

    That said, a trend I've noticed is that many people who binge also indicate that they are very (and IMO unnecessarily) restrictive in their 'allowed' daily food choices. Which leads to the 'binge-restrict' cycles you've described.

    My suggestion would be to try a few weeks of incorporating one or two small portions of your 'binge' items into your daily diet. With 2400 daily calories to work with, it shouldn't be difficult to work in a couple fun-size candy bars or an occasional McDonald's meal.

    That might help...or it might not...but I would say it's worth a try.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    RonRoff wrote: »
    strong_curves wrote: »
    Have you ever thought about adding some of your snacks to fit into your calorie goal?

    If i want to make progress i think i have to start doing something like this, with one problem, if i buy snacks i have to learn to control myself to dose and not to finish the whole bag at once. But it's worth a try. Problem is that i need to make sure i get enough nutritional food to make sure i get enough proteines and healthy fats. But thats manageable. (i think)

    It can be done. I don't know if you pre-log/pre-plan but if you do you could just add all your "clean" foods and then add the snacks if you have any calories left over. I'm pretty sure you'll have some room for these snacks. Plenty of people do it, it's called moderation.

  • RonRoff
    RonRoff Posts: 175 Member
    @Raynne413 Yeah i'm always very strict when i follow my own schedule. I know what i prefer to eat and refuse to eat anything else than that (until i start binging). I used to be sleep deprived but thats no longer an issue, i now sleep over 8 hours a day so luckily thats good (and when i started to sleep more, my weight dropped better than before i slept better)

    @juggernaut1974 yeah just like @strong_curves said, i think i should do so and see if that resolves my issues. I am indeed very restrictive and probably should learn to be less restrictive so that i can enjoy those snacks and prevent binges :)

    So far your comments are helping me with simple solutions that i didnt dare to take so far. Thanks!
  • RonRoff
    RonRoff Posts: 175 Member
    @strong_curves Yeah moderation requires a rational view over food, and when i binge i don't think rational. thats what i meant to say, i should really learn to look from rational perspectives during bad moments. But your tip is something i'm going to try right away and hope it helps! :smile:
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    RonRoff wrote: »
    @strong_curves Yeah moderation requires a rational view over food, and when i binge i don't think rational. thats what i meant to say, i should really learn to look from rational perspectives during bad moments. But your tip is something i'm going to try right away and hope it helps! :smile:

    Good luck! *hugs*
  • telecoffeesaur
    telecoffeesaur Posts: 12 Member
    I'm not sure if your binging issue is this severe, but I have Binge Eating Disorder and it has been my downfall for the past fifteen years of trying to lose weight (with varying degrees of actual success). It's more connected to a mental health issue, obviously, but I've found restricting too much will also push me over the edge, as mentioned above.

    That being said -- with any addiction the best course of action is complete abstinence. I can't eat Taco Bell. I love Taco Bell more than anything in the Universe (and I'm not ashamed of that), but I just can't eat it. If I let myself have a little, all of a sudden I've eaten it five days in a row. Something I'm doing that might be helpful for you is keeping track of how many days you've gone WITHOUT binging or without eating McDonald's or whatever your vice is. Each day that number goes up, your resolve to stay away grows stronger. And even though it's completely arbitrary, it feels good to say "It's been x days since I've had McDonalds (or my beloved TB)." Good luck!
  • redperphexion
    redperphexion Posts: 193 Member
    RonRoff wrote: »
    if i buy snacks i have to learn to control myself to dose and not to finish the whole bag at once.

    Buy snack sized bags/bars/containers only.

    Or exercise use your willpower splitting larger portions into small ones in baggies. Then when you want it, you can finish a bag - it'll just be the smaller one.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    Raynne413 wrote: »
    When I have trouble with crazy cravings, it's generally because I've been restricting too much, exercising too much, not eating enough fat, or not getting enough sleep.

    +1. Well said.

    For the longest time, I bought 12 oz bags of almonds, and the moment I got home, I portioned them into 1 oz packets. After eating a 1 oz portion, my resistance to grabbing a couple extra nuts out of the bag was low. My resistance to opening another packet was higher. Eventually I stopped proportioning without going overboard.
  • namelesshere
    namelesshere Posts: 334 Member
    Weigh and measure!!! EVERYTHING!!!! I buy the snacks and portion out to 1 serving bags. The snack size baggies are good for this. I allow 1 a day. That way I know I am not restricting and can have a taste of everything I want. I check the fast food menu site ahead of time to find what will fit into my calories for the day. I learned to nibble to make those tastes last longer and enjoy. Today I had cheddar salami and cheese slices for lunch. 1 oz salami and 2 oz of cheese. sliced very thin and I made it last, same with the fruitcake for dessert in addition to the noodle hotdish. I still have close to 500 cals for supper. Learning to eat differently will insure your success.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited January 2016
    Raynne413 wrote: »
    When I have trouble with crazy cravings, it's generally because I've been restricting too much, exercising too much, not eating enough fat, or not getting enough sleep.

    This is me, minus the restricting and plus not eating enough protein.

    Oh, I misread your part about exercise. I haven't hit the "exercise too much" stage yet, although I feel like I am creeping up on it. NOT exercising can lead to food cravings for me.
  • blues882003
    blues882003 Posts: 2 Member
    I find the best way to avoid binging, is to avoid the trigger. When I go to the grocery store, I have a list on hand and buy ONLY what is on the list. I try to stay focused. If I do not, I can easily buy the huge bag of popcorn, and large jar of peanuts, and eat and eat until I feel sick. Then I regret having the binge and feel negative about myself.
  • maddi_r95
    maddi_r95 Posts: 5 Member
    I struggle with binge eating as well. Im a college student and before winter break I was 130. Five weeks into my winter break I've gained 6 pounds from binging and not eating as healthy anymore. I've also havent been exercising much over the break. Staying busy keeps me from binging but any free time I get, I binge. Bad habit.
  • swim777
    swim777 Posts: 599 Member
    If I can eat it by the handful....it's probably not a great snack for me. (Peanuts, candy, chips). I have had cereal for a snack,, not so much a trigger food for me, but crunchy and filling.
  • yoplait311
    yoplait311 Posts: 56 Member
    edited January 2016
    If you want to snack on sugar, or have a treat- try inviting a friend over or meet them out somewhere. Usually, when we eat with others, we slow down and can enjoy our food more. I know you said that you tend to binge when you're alone, but perhaps try to schedule some time with a friend for a treat- share a candy bar and have a conversation. I bet you'll feel much more satisfied.
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
    edited January 2016
    I prelog a treat in the morning and plan my day around that. I find if I restrict too much I will eventually binge, so it's easier to just have a daily treat. I usually budget 400 calories for it. My go-tos are usually a large slice of chocolate cheesecake or homemade chocolate-chip and peanut butter protien bars (sound boring, but these things are amazing!). However, I do not keep food that I binge on in the house, and when I have cheesecake, I only buy it one slice at a time to keep myself in check. I've also found that increasing the amount of fat in my diet has helped eliminate the frequency of my binges. Good luck!
  • KwonJiYong69
    KwonJiYong69 Posts: 66 Member
    I actually still suffer with this, considering my maintenance calories is 1620 and my binges are usually 2700ish I think I can safetly call it binges. Plus it's food I don't even like or want/ am hungry for.

    I think you should look for a trigger maybe? You say its when you're on your own or in the evening. Maybe its a certain thought? Or a bad routine ? Try changing your night routine maybe? Or try and remember what you're thinking before you binge and see if there's a pattern
  • doodleswithpencils
    doodleswithpencils Posts: 74 Member
    As well as what others have said, one thing I do is have foods on hand that are not so tempting that I will binge on them, but that do the trick of satisfying cravings when I have them - for me one of those things for sweet craving is frozen blueberries, which I have with coconut milk and sometimes honey. That conquers the craving but I don't feel like overdoing it as I would with trigger foods. And then I find chromium supplements seem to help, supposed to be by balancing blood sugar I think.

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