Binge Eating NEEDS to stop! Please Help!

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Replies

  • LisaEatSleepRun
    LisaEatSleepRun Posts: 159 Member
    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!
  • Lostyourchariot
    Lostyourchariot Posts: 5 Member
    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.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    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
  • Lostyourchariot
    Lostyourchariot Posts: 5 Member
    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!
  • A185945
    A185945 Posts: 16 Member
    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!
  • Savagedistraction
    Savagedistraction Posts: 312 Member
    MnWild74 wrote: »
    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.
  • carriestephens1
    carriestephens1 Posts: 11 Member
    edited January 2017
    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!!
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    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.
  • MNFitnessGal
    MNFitnessGal Posts: 36 Member
    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? :wink:
  • MnWild74
    MnWild74 Posts: 34 Member
    @AllOutof_Bubblegum i am actually cooking up a storm for the week right now. i am meal prepping so its a grab an go thing for work and when i get come from work :) just cooked up onions, peppers Chicken and made a turkey. :)
  • MnWild74
    MnWild74 Posts: 34 Member
    @MNFitnessGal hey neighbor ;) yes i am from MN sugar is an evil thing isn't it? I've been watching my intake and getting in more protein and i actually am starting to feel a little better. Heck, for the first time since i can remember i haven't binged for 3 days... thats HUGE for me :)
  • MnWild74
    MnWild74 Posts: 34 Member
    When i created this post few days ago, i never dreamed i would get replies like this. thank you everyone! i love all the support, ideas, tips and tricks. I admit when i wrote this post i was crying my eyes out because i felt so lost. its been 3 days without a binge now and i am starting to believe in myself again :)
  • colane
    colane Posts: 4 Member
    Hello, I struggle with mild depression (and have for most of my life) and I don't want to take drugs to treat it. So I've relied on food to help cheer me up.....a very unhealthy choice!

    I recently started walking each day and it's amazing at how much it improves my mood and provides a sense of well-being (love those endorphins)! After a slow start of a few blocks, I’m logging in 3 miles daily. I've also realized that I've been fooling myself by buying treats for the family, but I end up eating (inhaling) them instead. I plan to stop bringing sugary/snack foods home, so that the temptation won't be there.

    Good luck to you - hopefully you can incorporate some small changes into your daily lifestyle. I've found that trying to implement drastic changes to my diet seldom works in the long run; instead, I end up feeling deprived.

    And it helps to have support – someone you can share your goals with.
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
    Two practicalities:

    1. If you don't have it, you can't eat it.

    2. Soda and fast food cost a lot of money. Like, a lot. You say you can't get therapy because your budget is extremely limited; limited budgets suck, I know from experience, but if you've got enough money to binge on Big Mac meals, Doritos, and sodas, you've got enough money to find a therapist with a sliding scale. You just don't have enough money left over when you're done buying junk. The money's there, you're just making the decision to allocate it to soda and junk food instead of getting help for your binge-eating. Stop filling up your grocery cart with sodas and junk and you'll go a long way toward solving both issues.
  • msfanglet
    msfanglet Posts: 17 Member
    @MnWild74 Congrats on the first goal. Logging every morsel you chew will help alot. My coach told me that my body is like a car. You don't go on a trip without filling up first , so EAT BREAKFAST. I'm not a big breakfast person so this is huge. Move all your carbs to breakfast and lunch. Then a big carb light dinner. I'm finding an orange or apple for breakfast works for me. I keep frozen fruit handy (pineapple, peaches and grapes ) for the sugary bingy moments. Hope this helps
  • MnWild74
    MnWild74 Posts: 34 Member
    @msfanglet thank you so much for the feedback. I made a promise to myself that no matter how bad my eating is for the day I WILL log it!!! That's something I've never done before, as well as eating breakfast and packing lunch for work. Thank you also for adding me, your support has been great :)
  • lks802
    lks802 Posts: 65 Member
    I'm in counseling and that is helping. But I'm a binge eater with multiple triggers. I definitely binge when I'm angry or sad bc I am "filling the void" with something I enjoy. Binge eating triggers the dopamine in my brain the same way drugs or alcohol do.

    However, I will also binge eat for happiness/ joy, meaning I would view eating a good meal as my good time and look forward to it.

    It had been so hard, but now that I've finally admitted I may have an actual food addiction/binge eating disorder it has helped my mindset a bit. But I'm just beginning my recover so still a long road.

    I just binged last night. I dwelled on a painful memory that made me angry. I then broke open some cookies gifted to my family that day. I ate 3 and then threw the entire pack out to stop the binge. But moments later, truly in the heat of the moment, my inner demons said eff it and I gobbled down whatever I could find in a matter of 10 mins. I ate chips, cheese, baked goods, whatever I could find. I even ate 2 containers of black olives!! I felt so bad and guilty and depressed after I realized I fell off the wagon. The worst is I did it in secret and hid the food wrappers do my family wouldn't see the carnage.

    But what was different this time, and new for me, is I decided I that moment I was done and back in track. I didn't let that binge become a food bender. Yes I was mad and disappointed with myself. But I finally had the mental strength to say "ok, you made a mistake. It's over, nobody died and I'm getting right back on the horse". It was weirdly liberating.
  • lks802
    lks802 Posts: 65 Member
    I have the nutritional and workout knowledge. I've seen nutritionists and have had trainers. I've dropped lots of weight, only to regain. So, for me, it's never been about lack of information or even will power. It really is a disorder that stems from emotional trauma and poor coping.

    To realize this battle I have is 100% mental makes it fell different but very scary at same time.
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
    If you cannot see a standard counselor, then I suggest utilizing peer counseling. I provide counseling services at 7cups.com and have helped a number of people with recurring issues.

    I will say that as a ED recovery patient that has now had WLS to mitigate some of the effects... I always thought that I was eating out of boredom or from "emotional triggers" but it actually wasn't the case. As long as I held onto those mentalities, I found myself eating and purging. However, when I decided to be TRULY honest with myself... It changed.

    My "trigger" for binge eating was a sense of hopelessness and inadequacy. I ate excessively out of a self-sabotage and self-harm mentality. I used boredom or emotional triggers to give myself "permission" or a recognizable enemy... Effectively, focusing on outside triggers, rather than the internal ones. You HAVE to be honest with yourself.

    Meaning... You're watching Netflix. You're theoretically entertained, it isn't boredom that brings food to your mouth. But you do have a choice. You have to look at WHY you choose food rather than doing exercises, crafting, even gaming on your computer. You have so many options to mitigate boredom that have nothing to do with food. Figuring out why your habits are leaning towards eating other than the options you do have is going to be the key to stopping.

    Some could say that the leaning towards food is a laziness tendency. Maybe it is. But even being lazy doesn't give permission to the food. That is, why choose food at all? Frankly, it doesn't make any sense to me, to say "I enjoy binge-watching Netflix" but then also say "I eat while watching Netflix because I'm bored." If you're so bored watching Netflix, then you probably aren't really enjoying it.
  • amy4selflove
    amy4selflove Posts: 19 Member
    Hello, I am new to MyFitness Pal and have been a binge eater all of my life. For me it is typically chips or salty snacks, I can polish off an entire family sized bag of chips in one sitting. I try not to keep these items in my house, but I do buy them occasionally for parties and for my husband and son (who are not binge eaters) to have a treat. I have eaten all of their chips (or crackers or pretzels) multiple times and end up so disgusted with myself. I recently started reading this book: https://www.amazon.com/Have-Your-Cake-Skinny-Jeans/dp/0988954419/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483549173&sr=1-1&keywords=thin+side+out

    So far it is great (I am about 25% done with it) and one of the main suggestions that stuck with me is that binge eating fills the same void that meditation does, it is mindless. Try meditating and good luck. :)
  • jason3105
    jason3105 Posts: 30 Member
    I've struggled with binge eating for as long as I can remember. Identifying my triggers has never been a problem...stress, depression, boredom. I just haven't found the ability to deal with the binging. I visited with a specialist today and discussed how to handle my situation. I plan to continue treatment and am hoping for a great start to 2017!
  • MnWild74
    MnWild74 Posts: 34 Member
    Update... thank you everyone for all your comments and great information. Along with your help and reading a couple great books on the subject I'm off to a great start and feeling MUCH better.
  • scrapbooklady
    scrapbooklady Posts: 77 Member
    Look up Geneen Roth. Read some of her books.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
    edited January 2017
    I don't want to throw out accusations, but to get in control of my binge eating I had to do two things. One was to take care of my mental health. This has been a multi step process but the key for me has been to make exercise my medicine. I suffer from clinical depression and of course seasonal as well. Proper vitamins and exercise everyday. I read somewhere that even 120bpm for 20 minutes can improve mood and that's proven true for me throughout the day.
    The second is to practice self control. It's a mindful effort and yes it is an effort. I've mentally made it my job to take care of myself and I always take my work seriously.

    I have a routine that's the same every day including my exercise, meals on time (with and good balance of nutrients at each meal/snack), and I never skip meals because it contributes to a deprived mindset later in the day. I don't have any advice other than this, because honestly it took a deep understanding of my own faults and traumas to figure out that I can't be the girl who can go to the fridge every time she's hungry. I can't be allowed on be impulsive with food. Almost had to grieve that a bit, if that makes sense. I'm done crying over food though- because so many people manage to have a healthy relationship with it and I just dont.
  • Emmalovestorun
    Emmalovestorun Posts: 168 Member
    For me it was a mindset a habit and a routine once I broke that I managed to stop
    For me it was biscuits (cookies for the US peeps)
    Literally couldn't get through the day without eating them
    1 would become 2, then 5 then 10 and so on
    I never felt sick or full so it was so easy to do.
    People used to say don't buy them but that wasn't an option as there's more than just me in the house, and at the time I'd just go out and buy a packet and sit and eat the lot.
    I have been unwell on and off for a couple of months and as horrendous as that's been it's helped me be able to stop and to break the terrible cycle I'd gotten into
    My binges happened at night, so now when I go to bed I don't go in the kitchen any more just straight upstairs avoiding temptation.
    I also wrote signs on cupboard doors things like
    Really Emma what are you doing
    Emma do you really need to eat that.
    Makes it feel like someone else is telling you
    Having an open diary on here has helped massively keeps you accountable for what goes in as you know everyone's going to see it
    Take care
    You can and you will do this add me
    That goes for anyone, always easier with support.
    Believe to achieve
  • bluecrush84
    bluecrush84 Posts: 77 Member
    I think the only way to stop binge eating is to address what really is causing it. Before, after, and during a binge take into account your emotions and feelings. What is the binge doing for you?

    For me binges fill that empty tight anxious feeling in my stomach I don't want to deal with. Over the years I have learnt or formed the habit of treating this stress or anxiety with with food.

    I find that after the first 5 bites...I stop really tasting or enjoying the food...I just want to feel full...so I stuff my self all the while feeling regret and disappointment.

    You have to figure out what is causing you to binge and start a habit of sitting with the emotions rather than feeding them with binges.

    I still struggle with this but I am getting stronger and building more control

    Here are some tools I have used to help me stay on track

    Daily yoga
    Breathing exercise
    Weight loss hypnosis tapes
    Meditation with visualization
    Mindfulness practice
    Journaling


    These help but you must actively address the root causes of the binges and work on healing yourself from with in.

    It is hard but worth it to feel in control
  • kwonsmommy643
    kwonsmommy643 Posts: 5 Member
    MnWild74 wrote: »
    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.

    There is help. Your dr was mistaken or uneducated.
    I myself suffer from severe binge eating. My dr has started me on Vyvase and it has worked wonders.
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