Binge eaters out there needing support

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Replies

  • alphastarz
    alphastarz Posts: 55 Member
    PPS. While I have preselected my binge alternatives, I don't keep most of them in the house. The rule is I walk a mile to the grocery store to get them. Burns a few calories, and limits me to what I can carry.
  • vannyn42
    vannyn42 Posts: 59 Member
    I'm a binge eater too and once I start, it's hard to get back on track. We were on a cruise and vacation for almost 3 weeks starting Dec 24 and I binged almost the whole time. I knew I would do it too so I ate healthy up until then and brought clothes of varying sizes to accommodate the binge eating. It was so bad that the dress I had planned to wear on New Year's Eve ( day 5 of cruise) had to be worn on day 2 because it was already too tight.

    I used to be a poor single mom in my 20s and when I'm somewhere at a buffet or on a cruise where there is an abundance of food, my brain automatically goes into this mode of thinking I have to eat everything or I may not have enough to eat again and I have to get my money's worth.
    Each night on the cruise, I would eat 2-3 desserts 1 hr before dinner, order 2-3 appitizers, 3-4 mains, and 2-3 desserts. And this happens all the time when we cruise that my boyfriend has to tell them to bring the dishes out one at a time so we don't have a million dishes on the table at once.

    At least I have recognized that this happens and try to avoid buffets and situations like that as much as possible.

    It took me 4 weeks to get back to my pre holiday weight and it was really hard to cut out all that sugar/salt again.

    I know I'll always have cravings so I plan for treats with healthier alternatives:

    At work I keep Quest brownie protein bars for my planned afternoon snack. I warm up half in the microwave for 15 seconds and it tastes like a warm brownie. This keeps me away from all the candy/chocolate bowls at work.

    I also have a few bags of Simply Protein chips in my office for when I really have a craving for something salty and crunchy and its a better alternative albeit more expensive.

    The 80 calorie fudgsciles and SkinnyPop popcorn are also staples at home to curb my cravings.
  • simonemsi
    simonemsi Posts: 3 Member
    Just went 2000 calories in the red tonight. I'm trying not to beat myself up about it. That will just make me feel worse and I'll end up eating more. I made the mistakes of keeping too much trigger foods at home and not doing a distracting/self-soothing activity when I first noticed that I was craving foods but not physically hungry. I've been doing well with eating and exercising and sometimes that gives me added stress because I obsess about continuing to eat well and exercise and put way too much pressure on myself. Even with feeling pretty bloated after the binge I'm still thinking about eating more but reading posts and writing this one is definitely decreasing the urge.

    If anyone is working on a healthy recovery from binge eating, feel free to add me as a friend.
  • ziesergirl_66
    ziesergirl_66 Posts: 1,017 Member
    alphastarz & vannyn42, you both give some great, healthy alternatives, suggestions for beating OR satisfying an urge/binge. thanks. I've seriously considered putting yellow caution tape or post-it notes all over my kitchen. Too bad my kitchen does not have it's own door. It'd would be locked when I am home alone.

    Last night after I closed my diary - was about 300 over for the day - went back to get 2 single size serving bags of Fritos, and 2 servings of mixed nuts. I'm guessing that was 500-600 more. Had an almost 11 hr day at work, did perfect. A low water intake day. Then this. I'm thinking I was bored, tired, lonely. I was definitely not hungry. Trying to get back into the rule of no eating past 7pm, when bedtime is 9-10.

    Happy Valentine's Day folks!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Adamsa1969 wrote: »
    Wow! This post has been going for days, and I am so glad that I am not alone.

    I find that when I drink diet soda, I tend to binge. Does anyone else find that diet soda is a trigger?

    Studies have shown diet soda can trigger overeating sugary foods for some people.

    I don't like the taste of artificial sweeteners, so don't drink it myself.
  • fidangul
    fidangul Posts: 673 Member
    This is what I do when there are high calorie and extremely tempting food out eg donuts:

    1- ask to share a piece with others
    2- if nobody wants to share or there isn't anyone there I cut a 1/4 or 1/3 piece and eat my share and leave the rest there.

    This helps me not to feel deprived. Otherwise, I can go on to dream about that one food item which can lead to a binge. Feeling satisfied is key to my eating. Other than that it's sheer willpower- love food!!!
  • ab6046
    ab6046 Posts: 371 Member
    Although it's unfortunate that so many people struggle with this issue, it is also nice to know that we are not alone in this. Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement and the awesome advice.

    As far as being in a residential/inpatient setting goes, I do agree that sometimes drastic measures have to be taken in order to break bad habits. Unfortunately, it's so expensive and oftentimes realistic given life, work, etc. I really do wish I had the luxury of doing such a thing, because I do think it's lot harder to break the cycle than to maintain the newly formed habit (of not binging).
  • mmlangloisx
    mmlangloisx Posts: 2 Member
    I am with all of you guys. It seems like the more I concentrate on eating healthy the more I want junk food. I have never been like this or thought about food this much until the last 2 years. Now I binge eat junk food.... today was another bad day and I feel like I gained 10 pounds (probably did since I have been eating like crap the last 3 weeks). I have an event coming up in the beginning of May and I need to lose the 10. So I will definitely need a support group because all the other alternatives are not working :neutral:
  • kitkatkarr
    kitkatkarr Posts: 97 Member
    Honestly I'm still learning how to portion. When I buy a big box of something, I always finish the entire box. For example, I bought a box of Oreos, I ATE IT ALL IN ONE SITTING. It's weird cause after a few cookies, the taste gets repetitive and not as yummy compared to the first few bites but I keep eating it until there's no more and I'm uncomfortably full. Weird how my mind works. I always have an inner debate with myself whether or not I should eat something when I'm not hungry. Most of the time I end of binging and telling myself " oh well, I'll make up my calories tomorrow" but honestly it is extremely hard to make up calories the next day. It makes me want to binge even more when I restrict myself to such extent. So the lesson is, "stop making up bingings and stop the binge itself right then and there"
  • ab6046
    ab6046 Posts: 371 Member
    newmeadow wrote: »
    I like this thread. People are talking about eating huge portions of chips, ice cream, cookies, things like that - which is very understandable to me.

    Sincere question here. Does anyone binge on multiple heads of plain undressed lettuce, or stacks of skinless steamed chicken breasts or a 2 pound bag of MacIntosh apples for instance?

    I'm guessing the answer is no, but if there's anyone out there who does this and wouldn't mind saying so, it might make me reconsider what bingeing is all about.

    I do actually do that. But it doesn't stop there. Generally, I do that when I feel the urge to binge. So I tell myself "I'll eat a HUGE volume of carrots/lettuce/cabbage/insert high volume healthy food here and then I won't feel like binging anymore." That is not how it ends. I then move on to things that are more satisfying, but still not what I want and binge on those (for example, beans). I then eventually just go for what I wanted in the first place, and then I feel like I've done enough damage so I might as well "get it out of my system." So I guess the answer to your question would technically be no...since I NEVER stop after the fruit or vegetable binge.
  • ab6046
    ab6046 Posts: 371 Member
    Everyone: Another member sent me a message with this link, which I had no idea existed! It is an MFP group for people with binge eating disorder. If anyone is interested, here it is:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/members/112095-binge-eating-disorder
  • lukefellows
    lukefellows Posts: 11 Member
    I've had a couple of large meals this weekend due to seeing my gran, some friends and a wedding. I had a healthy tea of chicken, new potatoes and salad and I'm already thinking about food. Trying to stay vigilant but it's hard
  • ab6046
    ab6046 Posts: 371 Member
    newmeadow wrote: »
    ab6046 wrote: »
    So I guess the answer to your question would technically be no...since I NEVER stop after the fruit or vegetable binge.

    So as I understand it, the binge doesn't end until the carby/sugary/high fat stuff gets delved into? Would that be what triggers the ultimate post-binge satiety, these types of foods?

    I think that's what you meant. I did know one girl in high school who would start a binge with sliced tomatoes, pickles, that sort of thing, but it wouldn't end until all the pasta and all the sweets got eaten.

    I'm curious because the long time forum users who scoff at the notion of "addiction" as it pertains to food and eating always say a calorie is a calorie. As they see it, a raw carrot is as fattening as a slice of pizza if someone overeats raw carrots. When that's challenged, they say YES! I'm SURE there's SOMEONE out there that got overweight from eating TOO MANY carrots. Sigh. Chocolate cake calories don't have magical properties as opposed to raw orange slice calories. And the sugar in each is exactly the same, and the body responds to it identically. (and I'm thinking, WHAT?)

    Thing is, I never see folks saying they have a problem moderating green salad or raw apples or plain boiled eggs. Even in a binge thread, the binge isn't over until the cakes and pies and loaves of bread get eaten. 3 pounds of asparagus would never do.

    I agree with that. And ultimately, if a craving is something that triggers the binge (i.e. brownies) then the binge won't end until that thing has been consumed in excessive quantities and in my case a lot more other items in the process.
  • Yisrael1981
    Yisrael1981 Posts: 132 Member
    Adamsa1969 wrote: »
    Wow! This post has been going for days, and I am so glad that I am not alone.

    I find that when I drink diet soda, I tend to binge. Does anyone else find that diet soda is a trigger?

    Yes I do. I used to think it was the sugar causing my cravings , however even sugar free stuff cause me to crave food as it's sweet , so I try to stick to more savory foods , which are much easier for me to recognize that I am full and stop eating
  • ziesergirl_66
    ziesergirl_66 Posts: 1,017 Member
    edited February 2016
    re the question about binging on chicken, lettuce, apples. that's a no for me. But, I will eat too much of say carrots AND dip, apples/celery AND peanut butter. Never the healthy foods (alone) for me. I think my binging is mostly unhealthy, junk food, sugary, carb-y, salty foods. Usually crunchy too. Fast food can take me down quickly. I find that if I start with something sugary, I then crave salt, and go back and forth between the two. I'm not really into chocolate or ice cream on a regular basis, but I have occasionally binged on them. Especially around Halloween for chocolate. The mini candy bars....yup, by the bagfuls.
  • tannadine
    tannadine Posts: 115 Member
    Hi everyone, it's been so emotional reading your responses here - thanks ab6046 for starting the thread! If anyone wants to add me as a friend, please do. I've been binging since I was about fifteen and had disposable income - infuriatingly, it seems to be worse the stricter my diet is, and one thing leads to another.
  • julie13nm
    julie13nm Posts: 4 Member
    Add me pls- i really need good friends!
  • sweetsis34
    sweetsis34 Posts: 1 Member
    Dr Avena found behaviors and attitudes toward some foods closely mirror addiction patterns. The most addictive foods are the ones which are high on the glycemic index (the naughty foods in the snack pantry).

    "Several studies really do suggest that highly-palatable, highly-processed foods can produce behaviors and changes in the brain that one would use to diagnose an addiction, like drugs and alcohol," Avena says.

    It is said that it can take six weeks to kick a sugar addiction, and you can experience strong cravings almost like a drug withdrawal.

    If you want to kick the addiction, you have to eliminate all processed foods high in carbs. Carbs cause a release of serotonin and Dopamine in the brain, which are known as the "happy hormones". They also help to regulate moods, temper, anxiety and relieve depression. When one doesn't eat a healthy diet clear of processed foods for a while they can cause an imbalance of these hormones from the normal range- which will then lead to binging (like self medication). Even if you go on a diet and eat better for a period of time, it can take many weeks of clean eating to rebalance... but the withdrawal can be brutal, as the body has seemingly "adapted" to the high serotonin/dopamine etc. levels.

    If you are dealing with binging, chances are it means your neurotransmitter hormones are off balance (wanting to be higher than normal because of past eating patterns), which then sends an alarm (cravings) to take in foods to raise the levels. Just like drugs.. After time, the body signals the craving to get a fix because the hormones it triggers are off balance (though once again, the balance its requiring is not normal range).

    Having done a low carb WOE since 2012 (most time on but some off), I find this to be very true. I have also found that the most powerful way to defeat it is through fasting. Fasting gave me a reset (for hormone levels etc.) and a restart. It gave me the power to overcome food addiction. No more cravings, a smaller appetite and a bigger appreciation for healthier foods.

    Addiction is like being a prisoner in your own body. It's not easy to overcome and may require more for some than others. I have shared the key that opened the cell door for me (fasting), but I'll tell you, it is the most difficult to follow through with. In the end, it was also the most powerful.

  • irishjeepgirl1969
    irishjeepgirl1969 Posts: 188 Member
    I feel like I have stumbled into a sisterhood. Reading all of your postings is like reading my own story written by all of you. Add me, please. I am 47 years old and some of my earliest memories are of binges. It's got to stop.
  • Bchlvr64
    Bchlvr64 Posts: 89 Member
    Thank you everyone for being open and honest. I feel like so many of you often. I have a great day, stay within my calories, then blow it with a full on binge of whatever I have. Then feel so much guilt and disgust. I was wondering have any of you tried OA? Do any of you practice abstinence of certain foods?
  • ab6046
    ab6046 Posts: 371 Member
    Thank you everyone for being open and honest. I feel like so many of you often. I have a great day, stay within my calories, then blow it with a full on binge of whatever I have. Then feel so much guilt and disgust. I was wondering have any of you tried OA? Do any of you practice abstinence of certain foods?

    I tried OA once maybe seven years ago or so. It was not for me. I do try to abstain from certain trigger foods and I do avoid certain food groups in general, but I always end up on binging on them. I don't really think that abstinence is the key to overcoming this. Although I think it may help short term, I don't think it would work for me long term because then I put those foods on a pedestal and want them more. It's like the whole concept of wanting what you can't have.
  • irishjeepgirl1969
    irishjeepgirl1969 Posts: 188 Member
    Rather than abstain, I try to find alternatives. Instead of ice cream, I take Greek yogurt and put it in the freezer for a bit. FroYo, serving size already measured out so that I can't fudge it. Rather than Dominos pizza, I get Lean Cuisine French bread pizza. Instead of candies, I add a tablespoon ofof sugar free jello mix to a Ziploc bag of grapes and shake it around.

    I tried OA, too, but found that I rebel against abstinence. I think it's a wonderful way to get real life support, but it's not for me. But don't take our word for it! Try it and see! Everybody is different! I wish it worked for me :-(
  • MysticMeg_17
    MysticMeg_17 Posts: 4 Member
    This is me all over, but i don't get the guilt always 99% Of the time i do but every now and then I'm like stuff it.

    i don't have a single thing that i can say is a trigger as its completely random most of the time i don't even realise what I've done till after I've done it but most of my binges are 1000 calorie+ binges.

    feel free to add me if you want. :smile:

    Meg x
  • lexylondon
    lexylondon Posts: 89 Member
    I ate 1800 calories over my 1500.limit on valentines day. It was crisps, brie cheese, lots of pastry breast things, pate.. I felt so sick and lethargic and just off but my brain was telling me I was still hungry and to eat more!!.ice been eating a lot less sugar and crap than I used to so my brain went crazy for it!!.it's turned me off doing it again as I not I my felt so physically unwell but also guilty!!.I still struggle with wanting sweets though... I had a real.biscuit (cookie) habit and I spend a lot I'd time thinking about them. I try to limit to 2 a day, but really want a pack per sitting lol.
  • ziesergirl_66
    ziesergirl_66 Posts: 1,017 Member
    I have eliminated some foods, just because I thought they were so unhealthy (hot dogs, mac n cheese, sugary cold cereals). but I have plenty of other foods I restrict, and then I cave and binge. Currently, I am 'avoiding' potato chips - all of them. There are very little in the house right now. I am watching my sodium intake, and I think sometimes I restrict that too much. I have been eating less sugar since Feb 1st, and I can definitely tell. Less bloat, clearer mind, and more energy. Being fully aware that eating healthy is worth it VS. eating unhealthy/too much and feeling bad is my daily struggle.

    I think it's really about moderation, and "planning" to eat them -- one serving. Creating that habit I'm afraid will be a lifelong goal for me.
  • ab6046
    ab6046 Posts: 371 Member
    How did you manage to eat less sugar? And did you have issues with sugar before you cut down? Although I consider myself to be a "salty tooth," it is usually my very intense cravings for sugar that trigger my binges. If you have any words of wisdom, please share!
  • Lapetitechat
    Lapetitechat Posts: 4 Member
    Please add me too. I'm a cracker monster. Or Sunchips - just open the bag or box of carby "goodness" and into my yap it goes. I've gone low carb before and lost lots of weight but once the carbs cross my lips again I go into a pig fest and binge like mad. Bagels, crackers, chips, pizza... even just toast with butter or bowl after bowl of cereal after dinner.... it's like a tap that keeps running. My husband is this way too - he never was until we did Atkins together before our wedding in 2003. Once we fell off the wagon (thanks to my Dad for bringing over a cake!!! when he knew we were dieting) we fell hard. It took a decade and 2 kids being born before we tried low carb again and lost weight - until we fell off the wagon and binged like mad. Over and over. I keep trying to lose weight, but then I end up binging. Usually at night. So annoying. I can be so on track during the day then it all hits the fan after dinner. The trigger foods (crackers and cereal) are in the house for the kids and my husband.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    fidangul wrote: »
    This is what I do when there are high calorie and extremely tempting food out eg donuts:

    1- ask to share a piece with others
    2- if nobody wants to share or there isn't anyone there I cut a 1/4 or 1/3 piece and eat my share and leave the rest there.

    This helps me not to feel deprived. Otherwise, I can go on to dream about that one food item which can lead to a binge. Feeling satisfied is key to my eating. Other than that it's sheer willpower- love food!!!

    Ya, when my mom, sister, and I have lunch we split one dessert three ways and that's plenty to scratch the post-meal sweet itch.

    I can also polish off 1200 calories of Ben & Jerry's in a sitting, but that would be under entirely different circumstances. And I think I've only did that once in the past year.

  • JeffFit70
    JeffFit70 Posts: 41 Member
    I feel ya. I have been able to drop most of my fat (from 230 to 185 lbs) and have kept it off for 3 years. However, I still struggle with binges. It is better but still a thing. Feel ffree to add me.
  • ebolus101
    ebolus101 Posts: 3 Member
    edited February 2016
    Have any of you guys talked to a medical professional about this? I'll tend to be great during the day then blow it at night and it's either I'll just have extremely large portions or just want as many flavors as possible in one sitting.
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