Binge eating
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leejoyce31 wrote: »animatorswearbras wrote: »Obviously speak to a BED specialist if you suspect it may be disordered eating because this advice is just for slip ups most people have whilst dieting, however if you think its just over indulgence for easily accessible food because you're dieting and end up "cracking" maybe sit down and have a proper discussion with your partner to see if you can get the trigger foods out of the house, it may be slightly inconvenient for him but he can still get treats whilst hes out and it'll give you more control, for me it's like trying to quit smoking whilst you've still got a pack of cigarettes in the house, sure you might crack and go to the shops but that at least gives you some time to talk yourself out of it and stay on track instead of just opening a draw and lighting up. x
Agreed. This advice is not for someone with a BED.
As someone who has suffered with their mental health (and also found ways to cope) for the best part of 2 decades, cheers for that, but since none of us have the capacity to diagnose the OP (even if we were qualified) over a forum post, we can only give advice with what we feel helps us, I have never been diagnosed with BED but I have suffered through multiple binges to the point of purge and repeat due to anxiety and depression which I've suffered from for 19 years so know from where I speak (but only personal experience). Don't be so quick to shame those who offer advice, especially those who recognise EDs at the beginning of their post.
OP dependant on your area there are CBT services and general counselling you can access through the NHS, luckily my area (Wilmslow) offers this for free with fairly short waiting lists, it's worth enquiring about. There should be better mental health services nationwide on the NHS but unfortunately the tories have gutted most of them and you can only access them privately or through GP referral which may be a long wait unless they consider it life threatening in the short term (Actually mental health waiting lists have always been long regardless of party in power if you're not at immediate threat of suicide, harm to others or death). I hope you do find the help you need. X
Ps Also if you or your husband work for a large company they sometimes have access to private health care services.0 -
fourtherecord wrote: »leejoyce31 wrote: »fourtherecord wrote: »Last week I ate over 2200 in 1h
I ate about 3000 total that day because the bung happened about noon, so restricted myself afterwards.
I suppose what I class as a binge rather than just over eating for a reason is how it happens. I wasn't even hungry, but as soon as the idea had came into my head it is very difficult to not do it. My husband and son had went out and I ate anything I could get my hands on that didn't require preparation, so crisps, chocolate, biscuits etc. I only stopped when I felt physically ill. When I've eaten a similar number of calories because I have been out for a meal and had dessert, wine etc, I don't feel the shame and physical pain that I do after a binge
Like I said before, in a binge last week I ate over 2200 calories in about an hour (I couldn't remember everything when I tried to log it). I don't know enough to know it that is normal or disordered.
I struggled with a severe binge eating disorder for 3 years but have gotten better in the last year so I can relate to the feelings of extreme shame, helplessness and desperation. I never pictured myself as the kind of person to have an eating disorder but having one has made me realize almost anyone can develop one and as I opened up about it I realized so many people who I know and respect struggle with similar things. I had BED for over a year before I finely realized what it was I was dealing with when I looked up eating disorder symptoms and saw that I had every single one. To me what clearly shows you are dealing with BED and not just over eating is the shame associated with a binge and the inability to stop or to remember what you ate afterwards. When I binged I felt high, it was hard to remember it properly afterwards, almost like it was someone else in my body forcing my hand as my head screamed no. The constant obsession with food (not able to think about anything else) is another key sign and I found to be one of the hardest parts because it means you are never free from food even between eating.
Although I agree with Look_its_Kriss that advice can be disheartening because it seems so simple to your reasonable self and yet it is impossible to follow when the urge to binge hits, I do think there are things that can help.
Talking about it
I also found reading advice or deciding new things to try gave me hope which is important. I found something that kickstarted my recovery was learning to talk about it. Even if it is only with one or two close friends or people on MFP this can start to help overcome the shame associated with it and may help you to get to a point where you can seek help or simply feel less ashamed in general and therefor less likely to binge.
Researching
I found it helpful to do research about what is going on medically. It can help you start to understand (if only in principle) that this really is a medical condition helped me feel a bit less helpless because at least I understood what was happening to me.
Drinking water and tea
I try and drink 4lt/day because when I start to get thirsty I would (and still do) crave food instead of water by not letting myself get thirsty I avoid this and also feel better all around. Tea with honey and milk is tasty and fills you up quickly so I found it helpful if I knew I was going to want to binge to drink a full pot because even if this is an uncomfortable amount of liquid it's better than the whole loaf of bread slathered in butter and honey.
Replace binge inducing foods
I know getting rid of foods may not be possible and if like other people have said when someone is determined to binge they can go buy it but not having these foods readily available creates one more step between yourself and the item. Going out to purchase also means going into the public world which can sometimes change how much you want it because binging is a secretive thing. Since your husband likes having foods you struggle with I actually think putting a lock on the door to it is a good idea, not having physical access does help (I still get my boyfriend to hide things sometimes it reduces the number of times I have to decide NOT to eat something). However, these foods need to be replaced with healthy, satisfying, tasty alternatives. This will help you feel less cheated and desperate to binge, I was always planning how much less I would eat the next day which made me more likely to panic and eat all of the things I felt like I could never eat again. Unfortunately, food is not something anyone can just decide to quit so retraining your cravings will take time and eating goals need to be sustainable.
Getting help
If you don't want to see a Dr there are also eating disorder support organizations in almost every major city. I found this more helpful and it also gave me hope because the people running it are all people who are recovering or recovered from an eating disorder so there is less shame because they understand. They organize services such as peer tutoring where you meet once a month or every week (up to you) with someone who has recovered from an eating disorder or larger support groups.
I know some of these tips may seem cliche but I really did find them to be helpful sometimes. Please feel free to friend and message me. The most important thing to realize is that YOU ARE NOT ALONE and that you deserve to be free from this terrible trap. Talking about it and getting support is a super super important step and I would love to help you in any way I can.0 -
fourtherecord wrote: »Thank you. I am reluctant to seek professional help, partly because I am embarrassed, and partly because I have seeked help for some diagnosed MH issues (depression and social phobia) and never found it very useful
It's very important to find the right therapist to help you. You might need to try different ones before you find the one. Don't give up, you're worth your time and effort, look forthw one that you can connect with and who will guide you out of this situation. It's not all in pills, in my opinion, pills should be a last resort because they will mess with your body's chemistry. Try therapy first, but be prepared to put work into it. Best of luck, OP0 -
Find a best friend that can txt you every day and make sure you're sticking to your goal. Also someone who can have lunch with you to make sure you're not going out and cheating, it would be a plus if they normally eat healthy foods so they already know where to go and what to get.0
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animatorswearbras wrote: »leejoyce31 wrote: »animatorswearbras wrote: »Obviously speak to a BED specialist if you suspect it may be disordered eating because this advice is just for slip ups most people have whilst dieting, however if you think its just over indulgence for easily accessible food because you're dieting and end up "cracking" maybe sit down and have a proper discussion with your partner to see if you can get the trigger foods out of the house, it may be slightly inconvenient for him but he can still get treats whilst hes out and it'll give you more control, for me it's like trying to quit smoking whilst you've still got a pack of cigarettes in the house, sure you might crack and go to the shops but that at least gives you some time to talk yourself out of it and stay on track instead of just opening a draw and lighting up. x
Agreed. This advice is not for someone with a BED.
As someone who has suffered with their mental health (and also found ways to cope) for the best part of 2 decades, cheers for that, but since none of us have the capacity to diagnose the OP (even if we were qualified) over a forum post, we can only give advice with what we feel helps us, I have never been diagnosed with BED but I have suffered through multiple binges to the point of purge and repeat due to anxiety and depression which I've suffered from for 19 years so know from where I speak (but only personal experience). Don't be so quick to shame those who offer advice, especially those who recognise EDs at the beginning of their post.
OP dependant on your area there are CBT services and general counselling you can access through the NHS, luckily my area (Wilmslow) offers this for free with fairly short waiting lists, it's worth enquiring about. There should be better mental health services nationwide on the NHS but unfortunately the tories have gutted most of them and you can only access them privately or through GP referral which may be a long wait unless they consider it life threatening in the short term (Actually mental health waiting lists have always been long regardless of party in power if you're not at immediate threat of suicide, harm to others or death). I hope you do find the help you need. X
Ps Also if you or your husband work for a large company they sometimes have access to private health care services.
I was not shaming anyone. I as some others believe that those suggestions are not for people with mental disorders.0 -
I was thinking of you and found this group on MFP community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/726-binge-eating-support-group1
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daniellockridge wrote: »Find a best friend that can txt you every day and make sure you're sticking to your goal. Also someone who can have lunch with you to make sure you're not going out and cheating, it would be a plus if they normally eat healthy foods so they already know where to go and what to get.
Sadly most people who suffer with Binge Eating Disorder can check in with people a million times a day, but that does not mean anything. For myself I lied to so many people then ate things in secret shame. I got busted once leaving a store and wolfing down doughnuts in my car, and was seen by one of my wife's co-workers who told my wife. I was supposed to be on a diet at the time so she sends me a text asking how the doughnut was I told her I only had one, when in reality I ate 4. So it is much harder to diet and lose weight when your own mind is working against you.3 -
daniellockridge wrote: »Find a best friend that can txt you every day and make sure you're sticking to your goal. Also someone who can have lunch with you to make sure you're not going out and cheating, it would be a plus if they normally eat healthy foods so they already know where to go and what to get.
Sadly most people who suffer with Binge Eating Disorder can check in with people a million times a day, but that does not mean anything. For myself I lied to so many people then ate things in secret shame. I got busted once leaving a store and wolfing down doughnuts in my car, and was seen by one of my wife's co-workers who told my wife. I was supposed to be on a diet at the time so she sends me a text asking how the doughnut was I told her I only had one, when in reality I ate 4. So it is much harder to diet and lose weight when your own mind is working against you.
Yep. NOTHING really stopped my compulsion to binge until I was finally given a prescription for a medication to treat it. I did all the little tips in this thread, plus Overeaters Anonymous, therapy, every kind of diet imaginable, installed locks on my fridge and gave the keys to my family, carried no money or credit cards with me so I couldn't buy food - you name it. Didn't work. I might would stop for a short time, but only temporarily.
Unless a person actually has BED, they probably can't really understand how incredibly powerful it is. There is a big difference between having BED and simply having poor eating habits. The shame, frustration, hopelessness, and despair that comes with BED can be absolutely overwhelming. This medication is a miracle to me - now I know how a normal person feels, not continually having to fight my own brain with all my might to not gorge myself into an early grave, which is exactly what was happening, because this disorder took a deadly toll on my health.2 -
@ActionAnnieJXN If I may ask, what medication are you taking? I myself am on Vyvanse.0
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@ActionAnnieJXN If I may ask, what medication are you taking? I myself am on Vyvanse.
Hi! I'm going to send you a PM. :-)0 -
ActionAnnieJXN wrote: »daniellockridge wrote: »Find a best friend that can txt you every day and make sure you're sticking to your goal. Also someone who can have lunch with you to make sure you're not going out and cheating, it would be a plus if they normally eat healthy foods so they already know where to go and what to get.
Sadly most people who suffer with Binge Eating Disorder can check in with people a million times a day, but that does not mean anything. For myself I lied to so many people then ate things in secret shame. I got busted once leaving a store and wolfing down doughnuts in my car, and was seen by one of my wife's co-workers who told my wife. I was supposed to be on a diet at the time so she sends me a text asking how the doughnut was I told her I only had one, when in reality I ate 4. So it is much harder to diet and lose weight when your own mind is working against you.
Yep. NOTHING really stopped my compulsion to binge until I was finally given a prescription for a medication to treat it. I did all the little tips in this thread, plus Overeaters Anonymous, therapy, every kind of diet imaginable, installed locks on my fridge and gave the keys to my family, carried no money or credit cards with me so I couldn't buy food - you name it. Didn't work. I might would stop for a short time, but only temporarily.
Unless a person actually has BED, they probably can't really understand how incredibly powerful it is. There is a big difference between having BED and simply having poor eating habits. The shame, frustration, hopelessness, and despair that comes with BED can be absolutely overwhelming. This medication is a miracle to me - now I know how a normal person feels, not continually having to fight my own brain with all my might to not gorge myself into an early grave, which is exactly what was happening, because this disorder took a deadly toll on my health.
For the first time since I have been on MFP, someone's post has made me tear up. This post really touched my heart. I can sense how much pain you were feeling. I am so glad the medicine is helping you.1 -
Or the feeling over being powerless at not knowing what is going on with your own body, and not knowing how to stop it from happening. It is a scary feeling not being in control of your own actions.1
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IDK if you would consider what I do binge eating, but sometimes I will eat way too much, or eat when I am not hungry. I have a friend that I can text and she will talk me out of eating. Also when I want to eat, I chew gum and try to find something to do to distract myself until the urge passes. Hope that helps. Feel free to add me if you like1
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leejoyce31 wrote: »ActionAnnieJXN wrote: »daniellockridge wrote: »Find a best friend that can txt you every day and make sure you're sticking to your goal. Also someone who can have lunch with you to make sure you're not going out and cheating, it would be a plus if they normally eat healthy foods so they already know where to go and what to get.
Sadly most people who suffer with Binge Eating Disorder can check in with people a million times a day, but that does not mean anything. For myself I lied to so many people then ate things in secret shame. I got busted once leaving a store and wolfing down doughnuts in my car, and was seen by one of my wife's co-workers who told my wife. I was supposed to be on a diet at the time so she sends me a text asking how the doughnut was I told her I only had one, when in reality I ate 4. So it is much harder to diet and lose weight when your own mind is working against you.
Yep. NOTHING really stopped my compulsion to binge until I was finally given a prescription for a medication to treat it. I did all the little tips in this thread, plus Overeaters Anonymous, therapy, every kind of diet imaginable, installed locks on my fridge and gave the keys to my family, carried no money or credit cards with me so I couldn't buy food - you name it. Didn't work. I might would stop for a short time, but only temporarily.
Unless a person actually has BED, they probably can't really understand how incredibly powerful it is. There is a big difference between having BED and simply having poor eating habits. The shame, frustration, hopelessness, and despair that comes with BED can be absolutely overwhelming. This medication is a miracle to me - now I know how a normal person feels, not continually having to fight my own brain with all my might to not gorge myself into an early grave, which is exactly what was happening, because this disorder took a deadly toll on my health.
For the first time since I have been on MFP, someone's post has made me tear up. This post really touched my heart. I can sense how much pain you were feeling. I am so glad the medicine is helping you.
Thank you! I'm so glad it's helping me too and I hope others who are struggling will seek medical help, because it is out there! I finally saw a bariatric doctor and he is the first one who ever even told me that this could be treated pharmaceutically. I had very little faith that it would work - I was pretty much astonished when all of a sudden, that old powerful compulsion to binge just faded away. The life-destroying monster defeated, at long last, through the miracle of modern medicine. Who woulda thought? :-)
Of course, there is still a lot of work to be done to correct the damage to my body, but there's finally hope now that the compulsion has been lifted - and I'm not having any trouble staying consistently within my calorie limit now. Nothing short of miraculous, to me!0 -
Look_Its_Kriss wrote: »I feel the same way Annie, Since i started taking Vyvanse, I finally feel like waking up every day is worth it
So happy to hear that you are getting relief too. Yay! :-)1 -
ActionAnnieJXN wrote: »leejoyce31 wrote: »ActionAnnieJXN wrote: »daniellockridge wrote: »Find a best friend that can txt you every day and make sure you're sticking to your goal. Also someone who can have lunch with you to make sure you're not going out and cheating, it would be a plus if they normally eat healthy foods so they already know where to go and what to get.
Sadly most people who suffer with Binge Eating Disorder can check in with people a million times a day, but that does not mean anything. For myself I lied to so many people then ate things in secret shame. I got busted once leaving a store and wolfing down doughnuts in my car, and was seen by one of my wife's co-workers who told my wife. I was supposed to be on a diet at the time so she sends me a text asking how the doughnut was I told her I only had one, when in reality I ate 4. So it is much harder to diet and lose weight when your own mind is working against you.
Yep. NOTHING really stopped my compulsion to binge until I was finally given a prescription for a medication to treat it. I did all the little tips in this thread, plus Overeaters Anonymous, therapy, every kind of diet imaginable, installed locks on my fridge and gave the keys to my family, carried no money or credit cards with me so I couldn't buy food - you name it. Didn't work. I might would stop for a short time, but only temporarily.
Unless a person actually has BED, they probably can't really understand how incredibly powerful it is. There is a big difference between having BED and simply having poor eating habits. The shame, frustration, hopelessness, and despair that comes with BED can be absolutely overwhelming. This medication is a miracle to me - now I know how a normal person feels, not continually having to fight my own brain with all my might to not gorge myself into an early grave, which is exactly what was happening, because this disorder took a deadly toll on my health.
For the first time since I have been on MFP, someone's post has made me tear up. This post really touched my heart. I can sense how much pain you were feeling. I am so glad the medicine is helping you.
Thank you! I'm so glad it's helping me too and I hope others who are struggling will seek medical help, because it is out there! I finally saw a bariatric doctor and he is the first one who ever even told me that this could be treated pharmaceutically. I had very little faith that it would work - I was pretty much astonished when all of a sudden, that old powerful compulsion to binge just faded away. The life-destroying monster defeated, at long last, through the miracle of modern medicine. Who woulda thought? :-)
Of course, there is still a lot of work to be done to correct the damage to my body, but there's finally hope now that the compulsion has been lifted - and I'm not having any trouble staying consistently within my calorie limit now. Nothing short of miraculous, to me!
How long have you taken the medication? How long after taking it did you get better ? I'm happy for you.1
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