Those with severe binge eating issues...

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Woodsmoke
Woodsmoke Posts: 360 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This is a thread for those with severe binge eating issues. Advice on how to stop, things that distract you, general help. I really don't know how to stop. I'm sure others have the same issues.

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  • A_Disney_Dream
    A_Disney_Dream Posts: 7 Member
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    I have the same problem especially when I am stressed out or having a hard day. I lost a lot of weight after my second child was born. I have since gained all of it back and more. My baby had medical issues and then I went back to work. I just felt like I lost all control. I'm now trying to keep track of what I'm eating and trying to have things around that wouldn't be as bad to binge on if I needed to.
  • baligirl2015
    baligirl2015 Posts: 3 Member
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    I have the same problem, I emotional and boredom eat aswell so binges happen often. If I am busy I can go the day eating sensibly but when I stop I crave something like a biscuit with the intention of eating 1, I just can't.. I will eat the entire packet, or 1 peice of toast will turn into 6 pieces until I feel horrible about myself. I have gotten myself under control on numerous occasions in the past though and the key is to push through the temptations and your willpower increases bit by bit until it becomes easy. The only way I seem to drift back is this so called "cheat meal" does not work with me, I have 1 cheat meal then it goes bad from there because the cravings are back in my system and I can't stop until the weight is back and I feel bad again. If you are on a serious weight loss mission then no cheat meals!!! Distracting self, meeting friends, working etc. Avoid going to shops, do online shopping if you have to.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    baligirl2015 wrote: »
    If you are on a serious weight loss mission then no cheat meals!!!

    I just want to caution that this varies a lot from person to person.

    If by "no cheat meals" you mean log everything and stay within your calorie goal on average and in general, I agree with you, but if "no cheat meals" means no treats, no "naughty food", no days when you go over your calorie limit, I disagree.

    Those kinds of rigid rules make me more likely to binge, and my tendency to binge has only eased off since I accepted that all foods are allowed, no foods are "bad" and there is no such thing as "cheating" when it comes to food. If I started cutting foods out of my diet and imposing rigid rules on myself today, I'd be back to binging tomorrow.

    A lot of this is to do with understanding yourself and why you binge. It takes time to gain the self knowledge, and what works for one person may not work for another.
  • caradack1985
    caradack1985 Posts: 254 Member
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    I found that just knowing how many calories were in things helped, so "oh, I'll have a penguin, wait that's over 100 calories so an entire multiple like I used to eat would be getting on for 1000 calories, *kitten*, no wonder I'm so fat!"

    Also I smoke... Probably not something to recommend though.

    Other things I do: eat fruit instead of junk, often just as sweet but lower cal and harder to binge on. Buy really good quality chocolate that's expensive so a real treat but not something I can have in quantity even if I wanted to. Keep other chocolate in the freezer, harder to binge when it's frozen, in fact I keep a a lot of food in the freezer these days to prevent me from grazing. Eating OMAD, although not for everyone I'm finding it works really well. Drink lots of water, black coffee, herbal tea.

    Look at your triggers, I boredom eat and stress eat. Actually this would explain why I'm so angry at the moment, I'm having to actually deal with my emotions instead of eating them! Take up hobbies that keep your hands busy, colouring, crochet, etc.

    Well that was an essay!
  • samchez0
    samchez0 Posts: 364 Member
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    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    baligirl2015 wrote: »
    If you are on a serious weight loss mission then no cheat meals!!!

    I just want to caution that this varies a lot from person to person.

    If by "no cheat meals" you mean log everything and stay within your calorie goal on average and in general, I agree with you, but if "no cheat meals" means no treats, no "naughty food", no days when you go over your calorie limit, I disagree.

    Those kinds of rigid rules make me more likely to binge, and my tendency to binge has only eased off since I accepted that all foods are allowed, no foods are "bad" and there is no such thing as "cheating" when it comes to food. If I started cutting foods out of my diet and imposing rigid rules on myself today, I'd be back to binging tomorrow.

    A lot of this is to do with understanding yourself and why you binge. It takes time to gain the self knowledge, and what works for one person may not work for another.

    100% agree. Extreme restriction lead to extreme binging. It was about figuring out moderation for me. I really needed to increase my water intake and find activities to do during times I would normally binge. Boredom and being idle made it more likely for me to binge.
  • LisaKay91
    LisaKay91 Posts: 211 Member
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    When I want to binge I make myself drink at least 50oz of water and if I still want to eat I have a small amount of what I want. And then back to 50 more oz and if I still want more I have a little more. After about 30oz of water the thought of food usually is out of my mind
  • ab6046
    ab6046 Posts: 371 Member
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    There's a binge eating disorder group on here. You should check it out! It's been pretty quiet lately but could be a great way to meet people experiencing similar issues.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    In regards to binging, I feel like I am two people. One person strives to stay within calories, but can get overpowered by the 'screw it, just eat it' person.. That screw it person can be overpowering at times, especially when I am stressed and down. It can get bad enough to the point screw it person shovels food into my mouth. I know, we are the same person and I have to work on not being so weak. No excuses...I do get stressed due to difficult situations at home and guilt over my mothers death, but damn it, I have to stay strong. I appreciate any help and advice and support.
    baligirl2015 wrote: »
    I have the same problem, I emotional and boredom eat aswell so binges happen often. If I am busy I can go the day eating sensibly but when I stop I crave something like a biscuit with the intention of eating 1, I just can't.. I will eat the entire packet, or 1 peice of toast will turn into 6 pieces until I feel horrible about myself. I have gotten myself under control on numerous occasions in the past though and the key is to push through the temptations and your willpower increases bit by bit until it becomes easy. The only way I seem to drift back is this so called "cheat meal" does not work with me, I have 1 cheat meal then it goes bad from there because the cravings are back in my system and I can't stop until the weight is back and I feel bad again. If you are on a serious weight loss mission then no cheat meals!!! Distracting self, meeting friends, working etc. Avoid going to shops, do online shopping if you have to.
    While I am definitely not a cheat meal person, I do incorporate treats into my calories on a daily basis. It's the cheat meals and 'ah, who gives a carp...just one more' that gets me into trouble, but including a little treat every day does help me.



  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    I use tea in the evening to stop my night binging
  • alittlelife14
    alittlelife14 Posts: 339 Member
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    Add me all binge sufferers
  • kimdoanna11
    kimdoanna11 Posts: 1 Member
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    When I'm successful in my diet for a whil..I telrelax... And I start eating.. How to stop relaxing and push ahead?
  • christareid28
    christareid28 Posts: 47 Member
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    I had to get what I would binge on out of the house. I had buttered popcorn nightly because I was bored, besides being addicted to it. I figured with oil and butter it was 1000 calories. Keeping track of every bite I eat has pretty much stopped me from wanting any.
  • dashmoe
    dashmoe Posts: 1 Member
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    My main problems happen at night when i finally get down time after a busy day. These are strategies i have just recently learnt and am gently implimenting - i tell myself after a meal (if im thinking of going back for more) wait 10 minutes and if im still hungry then i can have some more - im finding that i get distracted in that time. Im also packing up and fridging any extras straight after serving dinner before we eat (out of sight out of mind). I do my grocery shopping in the mornings when im less likely to buy less nutritious foods so blow outs can be a little more forgiving. After having my kids i lost the energy to do anything in the evenings however am working up to getting back into the artistic activities i used to do in front of the telly which will keep my hands and mind busy. Which also brings me to sleep ... i overeat when i stay up way later than i should at night and i believe my body is just craving energy to stay awake.
    There is no fast food places in my town and i rarely go out to eat but used to and know how difficult it is to resist the fast food temptation.
    lastly a psychologist told me years ago when i sought help for this issue to question weather my binge eating is a form of entertainement and she was spot on, the tv by itself has never been stimulating enough for me and even as kid was always doing something else while watching tv.
  • reinventingjessica11
    reinventingjessica11 Posts: 33 Member
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    This was so hard to control for me. Honestly, I wasn't able get a handle on it until I sought professional help. I have learned however that I have many triggers...including use of the phrase cheat meal and days, setting my calories too low, and telling myself that I can't have certain food items. Deprivation is a sure way to send me out of control.
    I've also learned that my binging is usually in response to negative emotions. I now know that when I start to feel upset or anxious about something, eating out of control is not ok. Journal, go for a walk, call a friend, anything else is better. Understanding what you are doing when the urge comes on is key.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,973 Member
    edited August 2016
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    I used to be an emotional eater but now I manage stress with exercise.

    The cognitive/behavioral techniques I learned to help me stop abusing alcohol also help me deal with sabotaging thoughts and behaviors around food.

    This book on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for overeating was available in my library system.

    The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person

    Can thinking and eating like a thin person be learned, similar to learning to drive or use a computer? Beck (Cognitive Therapy for Challenging Problems) contends so, based on decades of work with patients who have lost pounds and maintained weight through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Beck's six-week program adapts CBT, a therapeutic system developed by Beck's father, Aaron, in the 1960s, to specific challenges faced by yo-yo dieters, including negative thinking, bargaining, emotional eating, bingeing, and eating out. Beck counsels readers day-by-day, introducing new elements (creating advantage response cards, choosing a diet, enlisting a diet coach, making a weight-loss graph) progressively and offering tools to help readers stay focused (writing exercises, to-do lists, ways to counter negative thoughts). There are no eating plans, calorie counts, recipes or exercises; according to Beck, any healthy diet will work if readers learn to think differently about eating and food. Beck's book is like an extended therapy session with a diet coach. (Apr.)
  • gemmaw987
    gemmaw987 Posts: 34 Member
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    I am a huge sufferer of binge eating also - much of what has already been said I can relate to. When I look back, I can see I have binged for many years but only recently admitting it to myself. I am trying a new strategy whereby I tell my hubby after a binge what I've had, where I usually hide all evidence of a binge! I'm hoping that this will help somehow ..... when I say it out loud to others, it makes me realise how ridiculous it is, eating a slab of chocolate hiding in the car and then hiding the wrappers from people ! Why is it so hard to control!!!!!!!!!!!

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