Binge eating. Why?

Most everyone here probably binged at some point or another. Some of us on a regular basis. I know I did. Often daily. That's how I got to 331 pounds. I'm pretty new to this. Been here about 1.5 months. Lost 21 pounds so far. It's a daily struggle to not let myself eat all the foods on some days. I just remind myself why I'm doing this. It usually keeps me on track.

I'm hoping it gets easier with time.

You need to figure out why it happens first, and then find something else that fills the same need to replace it with. I know that I binge (/purge) when I'm extremely anxious and trying to remove myself from the situation, for example. I've found that strong sensations are similarly helpful, so instead I can listen to intense music, or chew on a piece of raw ginger, or walk around outside in the freezing cold. That kind of thing.
It can also partially be due to habit, which is equally difficult to deal with.

For me, a binge has nothing to do with physical hunger. It is about numbing pain, anxiety, stress, depression. I have struggled with this off and on all of my life. Some periods of bingeing, some bingeing and purging. I am doing well right now, but I have to be vigilant. Add me if you care to, talking about it is important. No shame, no secrets.

Graceraeg wrote: »

Who can say how to stop binge eating? Has anyone struggled with this and overcame this horrible vicious thing?

How often do you find yourself binging?

I think if one of us had the answer to that question, we would be extraordinarily rich and you would have heard about it in the media!!

Binging is a really individualized issue - only you can identify the triggers and the way the binge plays out. Somehow, you have to find a way to short circuit that loop, either before it happens (by not keeping trigger food around, by having a Plan for situations that tend to trigger binging) or by stopping the binge once its underway (being able to recognize it for what it is and to find a distraction, or to set a limit)

I believe that anyone who has an inappropriate relationship with food (one that causes them stress or anxiety or eating disorders) has binged at some point(s) in their life, and as someone above mentioned, it really has nothing to do with the food, but with the psychological and emotional factors that trigger the binge. It is critical to understand and identify those factors in order to break the cycle. Good luck!

You have to evaluate yourself and why you do it. I didn't get any control on the situation until I started recognizing the anxiety/emotion/stress that put me in the mindset to binge. Now, if I bring any sweets into the house, they are immediately portioned and put away. If I want a sweet, I log it. (Sweets were my binge choice.) I start listening to my heart and mind. If I am stressed, I try to find a different way of coping. Exercise is great for that. It may be a struggle to start, but you can do this. You can stop the cycle and begin a path to healing.

I've always been a binge eater. It started well before puberty - probably when I was around 10 or so.

It's definitely been a struggle to overcome, but I finally feel like I have it under control. The first thing you should try to do is figure out what causes your binges. For me, it was emotional. Whenever I felt sad or stressed, I would binge. Now, I try to do other activities whenever I notice those feelings manifesting. Some of the things I do are: drink a cup of tea (the hot liquid makes me feel full), coloring, take a hot bath (I buy Lush bath bombs instead of a box of cookies), go for a walk with some upbeat music, and paint my nails (I can't eat if I have wet nails)! Once you start to recognize your triggers, it becomes a lot easier to overcome. I'm still not perfect, but at least I feel like I have it under control now.

Another big thing: if you know a certain food is going to make you binge, don't buy it or buy a smaller package. For example, I love Peanut Butter M&M's and sometimes I would eat an entire large sized bag! Now if I have a craving, I'll buy the smallest package that just has one serving! It keeps me from eating more than I should.

Lastly: protein is your friend. If you feel full, you'll be less likely to binge in between meals. Sometimes I even forget to eat now. I never dreamed that would happen.

Good luck! You can beat it if you work at it. It will take some time, but it can be done.