Binge Eating NEEDS to stop! Please Help!
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@fiddletime the work good used to be huge for me, a lot of times I look at it thinking if this food is sitting here it's someone's and eating it would be stealing. That's helped me in the past0
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i'm afriad of slipping into bad habits now i'm fired from my job and miserable, with lots of empty hours to fill.0
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How much do you restrict and how low is your calorie intake? Overly restrictive intake usually lead to binging2
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I'm an emotional binge eater, and I LOVE sugar. I just started a 28 day mindful eating program, i purchased online. I just did day one yesterday. Trying to be more mindful will help me slow down and enjoy the food more. It will be very hard not to eat in front of the tv. I have 100+ to lose and i would like to get control over my eating this year. I would love for us all to support each other, please add me.
Sheila1 -
@singingflutelady I originally thought about setting it for a 2 pound loss a week, but after a lot of thought I pushed it back to 1 pound a week. I agree with you too much restriction will lead to a binge0
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@singingflutelady I originally thought about setting it for a 2 pound loss a week, but after a lot of thought I pushed it back to 1 pound a week. I agree with you too much restriction will lead to a binge
Good plan. It's a viscous cycle for me. I am a mostly recovered anorexic binge/purge subtype and I still fall into it sometimes0 -
HI.. I'm a serious binge eater. I bag a Mini Reese's doesn't stand a chance! I even eat in my sleep. I have been working with a health coach through my insurance and the first thing he said is " YOU"RE HUNGRY!" Which totally shocked me. So, I started documenting my eating (ALL of it..every last morsel) and over the course of several months, have started eating 3 meals a day, no skipping, no guilt. It's really cut down on the binging. I eat until I'm full, which can be 1000 calories a meal sometimes (but its decreasing). If it helps, I'll be happy to share what I'm learning with you, or anyone else here. I keep dark chocolate Hershey Kisses in the freezer for my sugar attack. OH, I've found Ritz chips (12 chips/serving)and Wheat Thins Popped (30 chips/serving) for snacking. Potato chips are hands down THE WORST snack food on earth. Out the door they went. I miss potato chips..lol1
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Get a different doctor? Go see a specialist.1
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@AllOutof_Bubblegum believe me that Doctor's seen the LAST of me!1
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@msfanglet any and all ideas are welcome 3 days ago, I thought I blew the days calories by 9am and it was at that very moment I stopped mid binge for the first time ever! That very moment I promised myself to log EVERYTHING even if I go way over my calories, it would be a way for me to track my binges and triggers. Sugar I'm finding out is a big factor. My 2017 goal is to be more mindful of what I am eating and feeling.3
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Fellow binge-eater here! I have found that I have always been addicted to something, from alcohol, drugs, computer games and the wrong men! After quitting all those in my late 20s it became sugar. I went low carb (keto specifically) about 5 months ago and have found it is a winning lifestyle for me. Beating the sugar addiction has changed my life and especially my relationship with food. Maybe give it a go? It is not for everyone, but I have lost lots of weight and got rid of insulin resistance and certainly don't binge anymore. I run now too, 5 to 6 days a week which helps my mental health so much also. Wishing you the best of luck in getting back on track!1
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Not really in a position to offer much advice as have just managed to binge over Christmas and ate 6000 unnecessary calories, mostly chocolate! However, a few suggestions - can you try not to have the things you binge on in the house (may not be possible if other members of your household bring in food)? Can you set yourself little rituals, such as cleaning your teeth before you binge, which will deal with oral gratification and make some foods taste a bit off. I find I just get restless if I'm doing something, and get up and walk about and before I know it I've opened the fridge and put about 300 calories in my mouth without thinking -if you do that can you have something to do instead, such as if you have a nice smelling herb you could rub it in your fingers and get a reward that way. Also perhaps doing something else with your hands if you are watching Netflix or browsing the net, such as sewing, knitting, adult colouring books. This is especially useful if you do something which gets your hands dirty such as clay modelling or sketching with charcoal, as the need to wash your hands before you eat might give you pause.
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I still binge (like 4500 calories tonight) but here are some things that help:
When I binge, I log it. It helps to own it
I Don't let myself get too hungry, I snack every few hours to avoid triggering a binge from legit hunger
I prep my meals and snacks every morning, no worrying about where my next meal is coming from
I keep healthy foods in the house, so when I do binge, it's on fruit, yogurt, protein bars, cottage cheese, lean meat, etc
If there is a specific food that brings it on -- for example, peanut butter-- look for substitutes like PB2 mixed with yogurt that fill the hole
If I'm bored, I go for a 30 minute walk to get my mind off food, or use my foam roller
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Also you can have a "lesser binge". I remember when my last child left home and I was overcome with sadness and really craved a chocolate cake, which I would have had to go to the shops to buy. I managed to overcome the worst by making a brown bread and butter banana sandwich. Yes, still full of calories but considerably more healthy than the intended cake!
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It's so motivating to read other posts from people who battle or have battled with binge eating. I am a binge eater. I have resolved two weeks ago that I will not binge eat anymore. My weakness is late night snacking. I have found what helps me is just getting rid of temptation. I have given my husband everything and anything that is not good for me and he has locked those snacks away. I keep my fridge clear of any unhealthy or fattening snacks. Slowly it's starting to work. It's not an easy process, every day I battle with the prospect of overeating or binge eating. Good luck on your journey!
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Help my binge eating is out of control, i reached out to my Dr. for help and she all but told me there was nothing that can help me. I am 42 years old and have gained almost 40 pounds this year. i feel like i am out of control. All i want is to be in control of my weight and get healthy and energetic again. I start off great in the morning, then the "just start tomorrow" voice kicks in and i ALWAYS throw in the towel. If you are a binge eater, what are some tips that you have to stay motivated and or getting started on getting healthy and away from the binge.
https://youtu.be/xgZcJD-KfHI
Click the video.1 -
For me upping lean protein plus getting rid of diet soda, reducing sugar and processed foods (not eliminating) really curbed my desire to binge. It was one thing at a time, a slow and gradual process. Drastic measures always sent me into binge mode. I also agree with @singingflutelady restrictive diet usually leads to binging! Make sure you are not restricting your calories too much by calculating your TRUE caloric intake (use google, you will find many sources for info on how to do this) and only reducing that by 300-500 calories per day... once you find that sweet spot you will have fewer binges and just feel better!! Goodluck!!2
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Have you tried pre-planning and prepping your meals a full day in advance? Make breakfast, AM snack, lunch, PM snack, and dinner and store in individual containers ready to eat in the fridge. Take what you need with you to school/work. I have significant binge habits as well, and having a plan is the best way I know how to keep myself on track. It's also a lot easier to have what you're planning on eating right there with you, so you don't let yourself get too hungry and make bad choices while you're trying to cook something healthy.1
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Hang in there. I noticed once I dropped most sugar from diet, I didn't crave it at all. Binging is tough, I had to stop letting sugary snacks in the house. It's so true that eating more sugar causes more cravings, it's a vicious cycle. I've had my share of insensitive docs too, try a new one if you can. My suggestion would be to focus on eating more filling foods like proteins, greek yogurt, fiber bars, oatmeal, and water all can curb sugar cravings. Diet pop is one way to get off sugar pop. When I switched from sugar pop to diet, I lost 25 lbs. Exercise too also helped curb cravings. I found that when I worked out, I didn't want to ruin all that effort by eating poorly. Good motivation. Again, hang in there, I know how hard it is. Are you in MN?1
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Here are some successful strategies that I have used to combat my binge/purge cycles:
-Know what your triggers are and try to avoid them (for me it's a combination of fatigue, boredom, and anger/stress)
-Do not keep binge food in the house or easily accessible at work
-Keep your calorie goal reasonable - you are more likely to binge if you restrict your diet heavily and feel deprived
-Prioritize eating "real" foods - whole vegetables, fruits, nuts, lean meats, fish, eggs, minimally-processed grains and dairy - I find that the more I eat processed/fried foods like chips, cookies, fast food, etc, the more I crave them
-Likewise, allow yourself to have a treat or a healthier version of junk food every now and then - my go-to snacks are Larabars (only ~200 calories, taste great, and don't have a ton of preservatives), pistachios, Chobani simply flip yogurt (lemon meringue and blueberry cookie crunch!), sugar free jello, or spiced teas (there are even chocolate flavors!) with a splash of unsweetened almond milk
-If you tend to impulsively buy food outside of the house, keep your credit cards at home
-Keep your meals relatively standardized so that you don't have to think too much about what you're going to eat every day - it's both easy and fast to get into a routine of throwing some apples, protein bars, greek yogurt, pre-measured nuts or popcorn, and bagged salad into my purse in the AM, then rotate 2-3 meals for dinner that require minimal prep
-Eat slowly and mindfully, take the time to taste your food so that you can tell when you're full - put down your utensils and/or take sips of water in between bites if it helps (I've even used chopsticks to force myself to go slow!)
-If you feel a binge coming, pre-log it to see if the damage is worth it
-If you feel a binge coming, change up your environment or distract yourself - go for a walk or to the gym, call a friend, use an adult coloring book, do yoga, meditate, take up knitting or any other hobby
-If you think you might be eating out of boredom, use the apple/carrot test: am I hungry enough to eat a carrot or apple right now? If not, I'm not really hungry and should drink water/tea/coffee, and if yes, I eat the fruit/veg and reassess
-If you don't mind a quick read, I'd recommend taking a look at "Brain Over Binge" by Kathryn Hansen - I have seen some free pdfs floating around the intertubes
-You may find it helpful to talk to your doctor about medications, especially if you have comorbid anxiety/depression issues (prozac helped me a ton and is FDA approved for eating disorders...trust me, I'm a doctor ^_^)
-And lastly, don't beat yourself up when you go off track a little - it's easy to get pulled into the "just screw it" mentality and let food take over, but you're better than that. Remember that these are changes you are making for life so that you can stay healthy and active for yourself and your family for a long time!
Sorry for the wall of text or if it sounds like I'm proselytizing too much - I have a lot of experience in this area and I understand how difficult it is to break the cycle. At one point binge eating completely took over my life, strained all of my personal relationships, and sent me spiraling deeper into debt, so it is important for you to address this now. It is definitely a daily battle and I maintain constant vigilance over my thoughts surrounding food. Best of luck!5
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