I feel a binge coming on. HELP!

I have been diligent with my tracking and activity for the past week or so, but now I'm feeling the inevitable backlash starting to creep up on me.
On the upside I'm actually noticing and acknowledging that this is what's happening instead of fooling myself into giving up for today starting again tomorrow. I also recognize that binges will still occasionally happen as I'm recovering my binge eating habits.

What I'm after is tips and tricks on how to minimize the damage, and maybe some success stories or strategies to help you dust yourself off and keep moving forward instead of stewing in regrets and self-reproach.

Replies

  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    Are you trying to cut your calories to low? It is quite often a binge trigger.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    What have you done in the last week that's making you want to binge?
  • MessyApron
    MessyApron Posts: 206 Member
    Are you trying to cut your calories to low? It is quite often a binge trigger.
    @RuNaRoUnDaFiEld I've been maintaining a 30 lb weight loss for the past 2 1/2 years (holding at 190 to 195 lbs.) and this is the first time I'm really knuckling down to lose weight again. So, yes, I have reduced my calories, but they aren't that low; just to 1660 and I'm eating my exercise calories half the time as well.
    What have you done in the last week that's making you want to binge?
    @TavistockToad As far as I can guess this is coming up because I'm moving from maintenance to active weight loss, and probably also due to my monthly hormonal hell. I've also struggled with binge eating since I was about 9 or 10, but I'm only now working towards fixing the counterproductive, self-sabotaging behavior.
  • rosey0104
    rosey0104 Posts: 20 Member
    If I keep my hands busy or just leave an environment with food it has personally helped to cut down on binges. My current "go-to" is taking a protein bar and water and driving out somewhere to hike. I know in the woods there won't be any trigger foods for me yet I have one healthy food if I am actually hungry. I've also been known to go to art galleries, bookstores, anywhere entertaining yet where I can only eat what I already have on me. A former therapist suggested sitting down and writing a hundred words about how I am feeling and how the binge would make me feel and then using what I wrote to decide if it is worth it.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    I find eating at maintenance on hormonal crave days stops me from tipping over the edge into all out chaos, better to have a possible minor effect on long term progress than binge over maintenance, slip into old habits and quit. It tends to even out across the month and doesn't seem to be affecting my weight loss.
  • MessyApron
    MessyApron Posts: 206 Member
    31shines wrote: »
    It's hard because if I cheat a little I'm like oh the whole day is ruined.

    @31shines I identify with this so much it hurts. I know it's throwing the baby out with the bathwater, but I still do it. How does one get away from this kind of all-or-nothing mindset? Focusing on the progress I've made so far helps some of the time, but my inner perfectionist still seems to want to wave that white flag anytime I make when the smallest misstep.
  • dwntwn5
    dwntwn5 Posts: 69 Member
    I don't binge, but when I feel myself wanting to eat something when I'm not hungry, I do something that it would be insanely hard to eat during. So, my current favorites are a bath, a face mask (the sheet kind), a hand and foot mask (again, sheet-masks) and manicure. You can't eat if you literally can't go to the kitchen to get food. :) Hang in there!
  • MessyApron
    MessyApron Posts: 206 Member
    @Mini_Medic It's funny you should mention carrots celery and crunchy foods, because I have had some success in the past with choosing to spend my binge urges on carrot sticks, since almost all of my binge trigger foods are crunchy foods.
  • MessyApron
    MessyApron Posts: 206 Member
    I find eating at maintenance on hormonal crave days stops me from tipping over the edge into all out chaos, better to have a possible minor effect on long term progress than binge over maintenance, slip into old habits and quit. It tends to even out across the month and doesn't seem to be affecting my weight loss.

    Great tip! Thanks!
  • CoolBoyMom6
    CoolBoyMom6 Posts: 10 Member
    I chew gum. But what really helped my afternoon binges was eating Cheese, turkey and crackers. Usually 1 to 2 oz of cheese, 2 oz of deli meat turkey, and half serving of crackers. Very good snack, and seems to hit all areas.
  • I don't keep food in the house that's easy to binge on, last night I felt the urge to binge, but the only things that didn't require cooking (I was also in a lazy mood) was a few squares of 90% dark chocolate and a handful of olives, it was within my calorie budget so it really didn't matter that I binged on it.

    Maybe you should keep some slightly healthier choices of snacks to binge on, for whenever you get the urge to binge..
    Hope that helps :)
  • Leah_62803
    Leah_62803 Posts: 292 Member
    I do too. I think my problem today is that I haven't eaten enough protein (something I struggle with) so now I'm hungry, dizzy, and have a slight headache. Every time I feel like this I just want to eat and eat until it goes away.
  • PrincessMel72
    PrincessMel72 Posts: 1,094 Member
    I like to get on the phone with someone and talk things through if I'm feeling the urge to do something I know I will regret later. I'll call my daughter, my mom, a friend and just talk about how I'm doing, ask how they are, get conversations going. It distracts me long enough (especially if I call mom!) and by the time I'm done with my phone call (kinda hard to stuff your face as you're talking), the craving is usually over. If it's not, I'll walk down to the bay and watch the pelicans dive for fish or the people in bikinis play volleyball in the sand...anything distracting!
  • beginforthelasttime16
    beginforthelasttime16 Posts: 533 Member
    Is it a binge because you miss a certain food item or because you are hungry?

    If you're hungry, I totally agree with @31shines

    If you really miss a favorite food, let yourself have it in moderation from tiem to time so that the "need" for it isn't so desperate. If you love cookies, have a cookie on a good day just fit it in to your calories.

    It has to be a lifestyle change and who wants to sign up for a lifestyle where they never have their favorite things?

    You got this!
  • coloute
    coloute Posts: 1 Member
    My go-to is drinking a bunch of water. Not an insane amount, but say 20-30 ounces. Then I do something to keep myself busy for about 5-10 minutes and the craving is usually gone...or at least greatly diminished.

    Good luck, and thanks to everyone else for the helpful tips!
  • MessyApron
    MessyApron Posts: 206 Member
    Thank you to everyone for your input and support; I no longer feel the urge to binge bearing down on me.
    I had a glass of iced coffee sweetened with stevia and added 2 scoops of collagen to improve my protein macro. Then I took a 20 minute walk in the sunshine. That have me the oomph to go to the grocery store for some good healthy food and snacks, and put together a satisfying dinner when I got home.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Go for a walk until the feeling goes away or you burn enough calories it doesn't matter.