Severe binge eaters .. How did you do it?

LisaTcan wrote: »

I can empathize, I was bulimic for 10 years. Now I am heathy and happy and reasonably fit (had a baby this year). What worked for me was -

• Prozac
• Therapy (I saw both a dietician and a licensed social worker)
• Giving up dieting for several years
• Finding an physical activities I really loved so exercise felt fun and not like punishment. For me road cycling.
• Letting go of the all or nothing / good food bad good mentality

I agree with this. I hate to give credit to a medication but since I started Prozac almost two months ago I have not binged or even wanted to binge, once. I also started an exercise program (Insanity) and the endorphins released during it seem to really help. I haven't deprived myself of any food. I eat what I want as long as it fits in my calorie goal and I don't freak out if I go a little over. Having a different type of control (sticking to a workout and keeping track of my food) has significantly helped.

Will power, determination. Etc. I'm not cured. I've had a few recent episodes I'm not proud of, but I find... just sticking with a calorie plan, logging all my calories and most of all, keeping busy in a structured routine, help significantly.

I had to see counseling before I saw any type of improvement. I still binge occasionally but much less than I used to. I actually did it today and hadn't in about 2 months ☹️

I did this for 20 years. I'd start over dieting every Monday. I'd last a day, a week, a month. Low fat calorie restricted diet but could never deal with the feeling of deprivation, of being just off the edge of hunger, but never full or satisfied. In between these spates of dieting I would eat huge bought lunch at work (pasta or indian or even a gourmet roll) easily 1000 to 1500 calories. Often on the way home (4:30pm) I'd call through the Maccas drivethrough and buy 2 burgers (yes 2) and eat them in the car - hiding the evidence under the seat to get rid of later, and then go home and cook dinner, eat that, and another big "snack" at about 8-9pm. I'd go down to the petrol station after dinner telling my husband I needed to get petrol, and stuff a chocolate bar in on the way home. Absolutely disgusting behaviour, and something I thought I'd never be able to stop. My spates of dieting in between were probably the only reason I didn't balloon past 120kg (at 5'10"). Still, I hated myself.

What saved me was a pre-diabetes diagnosis, and the death of my dad from diabetes. That, and low carb. And before you all yell at me that you don't need to eat low carb to lose weight, I know that. BUT ... low carb allowed me to finally be free of that gnawing hunger. After 20 years of yoyo dieting I have been "clean and sober" (binge free) for over 4 years. Most of that time was at Keto levels, but the last 3 months I've increased my carbs to 50 - 70g a day, but nothing bread, pasta, potato, rice or sugary. I've reversed my pre-diabetes diagnosis and lost 90lbs. I THINK my binging days are over. And they are, unless I go back to eating the kind of high carb diet I ate before.

I am also a binge eater, so I understand all so well what you mean.
I just recently started reading the book by Judith Beck, called the Beck Diet Solution. I am only on day 5, but it has helped me so much. It is more about Cognitive Behavior therapy - to help me to think like a thin person.

I have a thread that I started called (Just for Today - daily commitment thread), and I have been posting each days tasks on that thread, if you want to follow it also.

The first day, I had to write all the reasons I want to lose weight, and read these reasons four times a day - every day. Yesterdays task was to sit everytime I eat, and tomorrows task is to put my fork down with each meal.
I am hoping that this will change how I eat.

But just a week ago, I was where I was buying a box of cookies at the grocery store, only to have them gone by the time I got home. I knew I was back losing control, and I am hoping this will help.

I am in a much better place than I was in the past, but still have issues at times. I think finding trigger foods is a huge step to helping stop binging.

I've never eaten in secret but I am obsessed with food and thinking about my next meal. I've just posted in another thread about how I think I will always need to track my food.

For me, the key thing was making the decision that I really wanted things to change. Sure I'd 'start over' every Monday but I never did it with any great commitment or seriousness.

I hated the way I looked though, had high blood pressure and used to drag myself around in the summer. Stereotypical, fat, sweaty girl in the summer. Oh and chaffing, never being able to wear skirts because my thighs rubbed together.

So there was that and then I realised that if I didn't change the way I lived I would have serious implications on my health. I had so much more I wanted to achieve and do with my life.

I started experimenting with food I did like, tried to make it low calorie so I could eat a lot more of it. In the beginning I was never on target for my calories but I was making small changes, changing up really calorific crisps for lower fat versions (popchips and pombears have been my saviour!), trying to make lower calorie versions of my takeaway food.

Before I realised it, my tastes started to change and I realised I hated that feeling of always being stuffed to the point of hurting.

It is lots of small steps that lead to a big change.

Sadly, last year I was diagnosed with diabetes so my changes came a bit late but I'm happier now I've made those changes.

In the beginning I had a section in my diary for 'binges' because it did still happen but that has happened less and less. I've had to come to terms with the fact that it is a lifestyle change and not a diet. I can't deprive myself of certain foods, I just have to moderate what I eat and incorporate those unhealthy things into my new lifestyle.

Exercise helps too but you have to be careful not to binge afterwards because I find that exercise makes me really hungry.

You also need to be aware of the attitudes of the people around you and factor that in too. I had friends that I would go out to eat with and they would comment on my lack of dessert, the fact I was eating a salad, drinking water instead of a fizzy coke. Often they would try to tempt me and it is hard going but it's worth making those changes.

'One step at a time' was my mantra and I tried to remember that even when I was having a bad day.

Good luck xx

I just found a blog that seems incredibly helpful. Good luck all.
http://www.aliceboyes.com/cbt-technique-binge-eating-example/

Flour/sugar/simple carbs are the devil for me too. Managing my hunger is usually just fine as long as I'm not eating any simple carbs. Peas, string beans, most fruit, to an extent oatmeal, potatoes, or corn in moderation, and I'm fine. But give me just one spoon full of something sugary or just one slice of white bread and I transform into the Mr. Hyde of hunger. I think it's that way for a lot of us.... anything that spikes my blood sugar too fast is like opening the flood gate.

You just described every woman when she is on her period.