How do you stop yourself from binging?

It sounds stupid but I repeat to myself food is fuel, food is fuel. It mostly works, but not when there's pizza.

endlessfall16 wrote: »

Rebecca0224 wrote: »

endlessfall16 wrote: »

Just curious, is BED possible in a home without food?

how about when the person is outside?

I know it takes a lot of consciousness of many things to order a lot of food in a restaurant. It seems difficult to happen, no?

If I have a binge compulsion and don't eat my condition worsens, my body itches uncontrollably, I get nauseous, irritable, violent, and even suicidal. The absence or presence of food does not have anything to do with it for me.

Wow that is so serious. Hope you get it under control.

I've done well with it the last few years. I spent time in a clinic, an actual clinic with specialist, and the binges haven't occurred as often and are not as intense. I learned good ways to cope and have developed a better relationship with food.

slaite1 wrote: »

Geocitiesuser wrote: »

I have binge eating disorder and have gone to many different health proffesionals for it and none of them were able to help me in the slightest. Not saying OP shouldn't seek proffessional help just that sometimes more is required

Same. I feel especially as a man, I am shrugged off for any sort of eating disorder. I think therapy can be helpful for some, but I've had bad experiences trying to find therapy for binge disorder. I basically have gotten an eye roll and told to eat less.

From a doctor or counselor? Doctors can be douches when it comes to any kind of mental disorder... and frankly so can mental health professionals. It took me YEARS and numerous therapists to find my current guy, and I wouldn't trade him for the world.

It's disheartening during the search, but if you can keep trying to find someone I encourage you to do so. I never thought I would advocate therapy after the ignorant, drug pushing pieces of *kitten* I have encountered. Good therapists do exist, and they are life changing.

This, a good doctor, therapist, or counselor won't push drugs on you and will take all concerns seriously and if they don't tell them to have a good day and walk out.

I find that the food does not taste as good as expected so it doesn't make it worth it. I just found out that some of the Danton yogurts can be frozen, that may help the ice cream craving. And when I want a sweet I will have s spoon of peanut butter and jelly, just in the spoon, the jelly is way too sweet and it takes the edge off. But I still eat too much, I need to get better at preparing easy meals.

So many people are in a guilt/purge deprivation/binge cycle.

This whole "eat clean, eat 'healthy', eat the latest superfoods, buy my weight loss program" *kitten* the media throws at us.

We are stronger than this.

We are talented, intelligent, discerning, prudent, moderate individuals.

We are not a clichéd housewife or couch potato.

Eating a treat you've saved calories for every day is the real sort of 'healthy', dammit!

birdtobe wrote: »

I find it easier not to even start than to just have a little taste, which can lead to more "little tastes." So, I'd say 8 times out of 10, my strategy is to just walk away--get out of the break room or the kitchen or walk out of that particular aisle in the grocery store. But I do occasionally give into cravings, at which point I make sure to sit down with the thing I want and enjoy EVERY LAST CRUMB, which makes needing another serving less tempting. Does that make sense? I guess just applying mindfulness to the whole process--if I'm going to make room in my daily allotment to eat something, I'm going to do it and not feel guilty. I think the guilt makes it easier to just throw in the towel and say, "Screw it! I'll have two more!"

I agree with all of this--if in fact it's just a matter of discipline and not an eating disorder. Usually I don't even walk into the kitchen when food is available. If I do eat something I sit down and tune everything out but the food and really enjoy it instead of mindlessly eating while I'm working. If I want more I tell myself I can have more in 10 minutes. After 10 minutes have passed I don't want it anymore. There has never been a time when I've gone back for food after 10 minutes. But telling myself I CAN have it in 10 minutes rather than I CAN'T have any more really helps.

I agree with some of the other posters when they report that a binge incident has actual physical symptoms - sweating, agitation, anxiety, nausea, mood changes - its not simply a matter of giving in to a particular food craving - its a lot more physical than that. I too have struggled with this and some days I come out on top, and some days the best I can do is to mitigate the damage. But for me, when I am feeling stressed and as a consequence, vulnerable or not very confident (or emotionally stable), I have to eliminate my go to foods from the house. I am in a stretch right now where my kitchen is pretty spartan, and I only have foods in the house to make meals and no treats (because who binges on vegetables, right?!) - I am not able to control the urges right now as I await 2 different surgeries, and news about a biopsy that was done recently. I have to keep telling myself that this too shall pass, and that I will find my groove again!

Video games. Seriously, if you're bored and the binge sets in, start playing a video game. It keeps your mind and hands too busy to eat. Or just leave the house and go for a walk if it happens during the day. This is something that as a recovering addict I've had to do. Just keep busy, just keep moving, and make it to the next day.