How do I stop binge eating?

Is your deficit too big? Do you have room for treats or do you feel deprived?

Welcome to the club. You are addicted to food. You eat for the wrong reasons and mindlessly and have difficulty controlling this impulse. Check out overeaters anonymous for free help. It is a tough cycle to beat but it can be done. If you don't get it under control it can impact your life and health. Go to a meeting and get a newcomers packet. You want to learn how to eat to live rather than living to eat. Many people treat food like a drug and have a tough time eating healthily. Just check out the website and take the assessment to see if this does apply to you. If you are a serious overeater than this is the best place to start. If you occasionally binge and can control it then this might not apply to you. Like AA, OA uses a 12 step approach which is spiritual and involves the body and mind.
Good luck and do not give up. You are not alone. There are many of us.

Fitfromfat17 wrote: »

Sounds like you're cutting out certain foods and not getting enough protein. What have you been eating? If you eat filling, satisfying meals, you should've feel hungry afterwards

Agree. I focus on protein to get out of a binge cycle. This means not keeping snack foods around and working to make a lot of protein foods available, plus a variety of vegetables and healthy fats. This is controversial but I avoid sugar like the plague. It works for me. Now I can enjoy sugar very occasionally if it's not a daily thing controlling my cravings.

Fats like avocado and olive oil keep me satisfied. Life has changed since I stopped fearing fats and focused on protein. I still relapse into bingeing maybe once a month but it used to be a weekly or daily struggle. It takes time and practice.

All that being said, I try to eat any food I really enjoy in moderation, if it fits my calorie and protein goals. Feeling deprived sets us up to fail.

Ellie my lovely friend. If you feel as if you are binge eating, you may be depriving yourself of certain foods and therefore you have a nutrition deficit and your body will react. Also if you are struggling with stressful life situations you may be using food as medication. It may be helpful to talk to talk with a medical professional about your actions. Binge eating is a behavioral symptom and can be overcome by changing how you approach life situations. Dialectical Behavioral Training DBT is a very good thing to look into to seeing how you are addressing conflict and relationships. I share this because recently I discovered I was using food as medication. Deadening feelings that were hard for me to handle. I have an eating disorder. And for the last 6 months have been working with a nutritionist and therapist to learn how to change my relationship with food and others in my life. To learn how to give myself self care and put myself first before I try to help others. I hope you can find some support. Please know you are not alone. Binging is a very regularly used behavior for protecting ourselves from caos and conflict. Send you love.

In all seriousness, I see a therapist. Not only for binge eating, but it's a part of it and I find seeing her every couple of weeks means I'm more likely to be honest with myself. I also binge less when I restrict less. So instead of such a crazy low calorie goal, I'm more reasonable and I don't get all ruffled feathers if I go slightly over.

I also log my binges now and I've noticed they've gotten smaller over time.