Binge Eating
ashleyconleche
Posts: 78 Member
I have been struggling with binge eating for most of my life. As it's truly a mental illness, I know that binge eating can't just be "fixed". I've seen a therapist and tried tirelessly to battle this disorder. It's taken it's toll on both my mental and physical health.
Perhaps it's a long shot, but does anyone have any suggestions for "avoiding" binges? Has anyone ever been able to stop while they're in the midst of one?
Perhaps it's a long shot, but does anyone have any suggestions for "avoiding" binges? Has anyone ever been able to stop while they're in the midst of one?
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Replies
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I'm not a binge eater. I have dealt with eating issues though, and have dealt with bulimia a short time, and have always looked for a quick fix to losing weight.In the past from over the counter to illegal,all in the name of being thin. But what I have noticed from therapies and even watching many a "Extreme Weight loss" with the Powell's,is that alot of it has to do with emotional blocks. Once you figure out what those are ,and put them to rest, your binging will not have fuel to grow on. We are only as sick as our secrets. Start talking about your secrets with someone you trust,and you wont feel the need to want to binge. And if your binging is truly truly truly because you love food. Allow yourself to allot gor one meal to be something you really cant be without that day,BUT fit it into your daily calories!!!4
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Can you try to differentiate between a mental illness type of binge eating and a regular binge eater6
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@rmgnow Is there a difference?0
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@Nykkismommy21 I do love food, but I know that a lot of my problem is eating my emotions (also struggling with anxiey/depressions). I really appreciate your advice!1
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Full disclosure: I don't meet the diagnostic criteria for BED. But I have struggled with binging. For me, the only time I've been able to stop a binge is to get in front of it and recognize the kinds of feelings I have when they're about to start. Recognizing and naming the emotions gives me ammunition and some control over the binge. "I don't want to eat, this is just anxiety. I don't need that food, this is just about xyz. No really, we'll get over this." And so on. It's still going to be a long night fighting it. The feelings can consume my life for hours when I'm trying to stop a binge. There are times when I think it would be easier to just binge (but not better).
HALT is an acronym I learned here. Don't let yourself get too Hungry Angry Lonely or Tired. These are times we're more likely to binge. I add an extra A for Anxiety for myself. Getting in front of those things can help some.27 -
@diannethegeek HALT...I like that!1
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I like HALT too. I find I overeat when I'm over hungry OR had too many sugary carbs. So foods high in fat keep me satiated. If I'm going out to a place where I know I'm going to be offered lots of sweet foods I'm sure to eat a snack of protein and cheese either right before I leave the house or in the car on my way there. When I do this I find I eat 50% or less of what I normally would if I show up hungry and I don't have to struggle.
Good Luck!3 -
@Arleigh7 Awesome suggestion, thank you!1
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To avoid binging, I make sure there are no foods in the house that I'll binge on. Cookies, nuts, pastries, chocolates or chips are things I know I will eat until they are empty. So I don't buy them. I also mainly binge if I'm home alone so if I'm alone I'll go out biking or walking.9
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I like HALT too. I find I overeat when I'm over hungry OR had too many sugary carbs. So foods high in fat keep me satiated. If I'm going out to a place where I know I'm going to be offered lots of sweet foods I'm sure to eat a snack of protein and cheese either right before I leave the house or in the car on my way there. When I do this I find I eat 50% or less of what I normally would if I show up hungry and I don't have to struggle.
Good Luck!
Ooh girl yes, I second this,and protien I believe and have been noticing has helped my hunger ,its what I go for when snacking. Im a vegetarian, before dieting I didn't get enough protein, now I always have bars, high in protein,or my morning protein shake,and I really think part of my somewhat fast steady weight loss has to do with all the protein im getting in. OP get you some protein girl, it's going to be your life saver. Lol ,a bit over dramatic, but I can't begin to tell you how much I have noticed a difference since taking in more. I love Clif bars,kind bars and even The Power Bars, which are an aquired taste,but my go to for when I take m walks! Life changing!4 -
@shirgify Good thinking! I mostly binge when I'm alone also.1
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http://www.bodywhys.ie/m/uploads/BEDBookletUpload.pdf
This is a self-help booklet on BED. I liked reading through it, and the food diary (page 18-19) is something that helped me realize when I binge and what emotions are associated with it. I'm strongly seconding what @diannethegeek had to say. It's all about the emotional mind and confronting your impulsive coping mechanisms.5 -
If you mean real bingeing and not just overeating, this is something I've struggled with and I know how hard it can be to overcome. While I haven't completely eliminated binges, I've been able to significantly reduce the frequency. Some techniques that have worked for me are:
1. In the beginning the only thing that worked after years of trying to get it out of control without success was to STOP trying to lose weight. At least temporarily. For me I had to start with only one goal: No bingeing. I could eat whatever I wanted and over calories even as long as it wasn't a true binge. After that was a bit more under control, I could move on to other goals.
2. If I feel like I'm starting on a binge, I try to tell myself "if I stop now, it won't actually be a binge. It won't be a great day, but at least it won't be a binge" (or "at least it won't be as bad as it would have been if I had continued bingeing")
3. Remind myself of how I will feel after the binge (worse) and ask myself if I can support feeling that way for the rest of my life (No)
4. Ask myself if I would be willing to eat what I was eating in front of other people. If the answer is no, I try to convince myself that I shouldn't be doing something I'm ashamed of in private either.
5. Staying away from the scale and even calorie counting for a while and trying to focus on how I feel. Asking myself if what I'm putting in my body is making me feel better or worse (particularly useful after a few days binge-free when I can feel the difference)
It may not work for everyone, but just keep going until you figure out what works for you!14 -
@krose4514 Step 3 is what I'm working on right now! I haven't had a binge in a week or so, which is incredible progress for me, but I'm so afraid of slipping up. I'll have to remember 2 and 4 for the next time I feel like I can't stop. Thank you!2
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I read in another thread that you're trying to go vegetarian. By completely restricting meat you may be setting yourself up for more binging.
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Since I stopped eating meat, I actually haven't had any binges. I was afraid of that also.2
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I'm not sure if my binge eating is the same reasons as yours. I think mine was more diet related. Once I switched to a high protein diet I don't get the urge to eat all the foods. It's like a light switched off. Staying away from sugar helps too. When I stray from my healthier eating I binge way more. Sometimes it's like my stomach is a bottomless pit and I literally feel ravenous no matter how much I eat.3
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ashleyconleche wrote: »Since I stopped eating meat, I actually haven't had any binges. I was afraid of that also.
Most likely since you stopped eating meat, you're eating higher volume fruits and veggies that are more satisfying. I'm a vegetarian and it's helped. I still binge once in a while, but I know it's because I'm either overly tired or let myself get way to hungry.3 -
The book Brain Over Binge helped me enormously. That, and finding the same compassion for myself and this struggle as I would have for my child or a dear struggling with something, and then acting and treating myself accordingly.
I also second what others have said about a high protein diet, but that may not be true for your body.5 -
BABeautifulBadass wrote: »The book Brain Over Binge helped me enormously. That, and finding the same compassion for myself and this struggle as I would have for my child or a dear struggling with something, and then acting and treating myself accordingly.
I also second what others have said about a high protein diet, but that may not be true for your body.
Same here--that book mirrored my experiences & I found it quite helpful and an interesting read.
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If you mean real bingeing and not just overeating, this is something I've struggled with and I know how hard it can be to overcome. While I haven't completely eliminated binges, I've been able to significantly reduce the frequency. Some techniques that have worked for me are:
1. In the beginning the only thing that worked after years of trying to get it out of control without success was to STOP trying to lose weight. At least temporarily. For me I had to start with only one goal: No bingeing. I could eat whatever I wanted and over calories even as long as it wasn't a true binge. After that was a bit more under control, I could move on to other goals.
2. If I feel like I'm starting on a binge, I try to tell myself "if I stop now, it won't actually be a binge. It won't be a great day, but at least it won't be a binge" (or "at least it won't be as bad as it would have been if I had continued bingeing")
3. Remind myself of how I will feel after the binge (worse) and ask myself if I can support feeling that way for the rest of my life (No)
4. Ask myself if I would be willing to eat what I was eating in front of other people. If the answer is no, I try to convince myself that I shouldn't be doing something I'm ashamed of in private either.
5. Staying away from the scale and even calorie counting for a while and trying to focus on how I feel. Asking myself if what I'm putting in my body is making me feel better or worse (particularly useful after a few days binge-free when I can feel the difference)
It may not work for everyone, but just keep going until you figure out what works for you!
These are great steps and I've used all of them when I was under treatment for my Binge Eating Disorder (& still binge free since 5-7-2017).4 -
I can't say that I am a "binge eater" per se, but I have had episodes of an uncontrollable compulsion to eat. What I found out from experience is these nearly always happened when I foolishly ran up high deficits or even net negatives and did not adjust my food intake accordingly.
I am a distance runner so I tend to run high deficits on occasion, and stubbornly refusing to increase my calories would cause me to wake up in the middle of the night starving and raiding the fridge for the first thing I could find. I remember at first when this used to happen I was convinced I suffered from "binge eating disorder". The reality is my body was just screaming out in agony for food that I was depriving it of. I lived and learned.4 -
Sometimes you have to focus your energy on something else. For example, substitutions. If I binge eat, I would add exercise time. For example, I had three glazed donuts which totaled 600 calories. I knew that binge eating was only a mental setback for me. Instead, I decided to walk outside for 45 minutes in order to lose some of what I ate. Good luck!
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JustRobby1 wrote: »I can't say that I am a "binge eater" per se, but I have had episodes of an uncontrollable compulsion to eat. What I found out from experience is these nearly always happened when I foolishly ran up high deficits or even net negatives and did not adjust my food intake accordingly.
This is true for me as well; however, there are times when I have the uncontrollable urge but I know it's not because I've restricted too much. I know something is bothering me, and I have to just sit (or stand) there for a few moments and ask myself, "Why do I feel the urge to eat this? What is bothering me?" Once I identify what is bothering me, it's (sometimes) easier to avoid the binge, or at least acknowledge I'm eating out of stress and try to control how much I eat.
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ashleyconleche wrote: »I have been struggling with binge eating for most of my life. As it's truly a mental illness, I know that binge eating can't just be "fixed". I've seen a therapist and tried tirelessly to battle this disorder. It's taken it's toll on both my mental and physical health.
Perhaps it's a long shot, but does anyone have any suggestions for "avoiding" binges? Has anyone ever been able to stop while they're in the midst of one?
@ashleyconleche ,
There is a Binge Eating support group on here on MyFitnessPal that's quite active ( even daily) that you might find useful.
community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/726-binge-eating-support-group
For myself, I've found it best to be proactive with binge eating to stop them long before they have a chance to happen because once they start, they seem impossible to stop.0 -
If you mean real bingeing and not just overeating, this is something I've struggled with and I know how hard it can be to overcome. While I haven't completely eliminated binges, I've been able to significantly reduce the frequency. Some techniques that have worked for me are:
1. In the beginning the only thing that worked after years of trying to get it out of control without success was to STOP trying to lose weight. At least temporarily. For me I had to start with only one goal: No bingeing. I could eat whatever I wanted and over calories even as long as it wasn't a true binge. After that was a bit more under control, I could move on to other goals.
2. If I feel like I'm starting on a binge, I try to tell myself "if I stop now, it won't actually be a binge. It won't be a great day, but at least it won't be a binge" (or "at least it won't be as bad as it would have been if I had continued bingeing")
3. Remind myself of how I will feel after the binge (worse) and ask myself if I can support feeling that way for the rest of my life (No)
4. Ask myself if I would be willing to eat what I was eating in front of other people. If the answer is no, I try to convince myself that I shouldn't be doing something I'm ashamed of in private either.
5. Staying away from the scale and even calorie counting for a while and trying to focus on how I feel. Asking myself if what I'm putting in my body is making me feel better or worse (particularly useful after a few days binge-free when I can feel the difference)
It may not work for everyone, but just keep going until you figure out what works for you!
This is the best list ever.
As am extension of (4): just the process of logging my food helped me realize how often I feel ashamed to admit what I ate/how much I ate, even to myself.1 -
@BarneyRubbleMD Thanks for the head's up about the group! I definitely agree that once a binge starts, it's almost impossible to stop, so definitely important to get ahead of them.
@timtam163 Logging my food intake was really eye-opening for me as well!1 -
I have BED and I do know that they are doing clinical trials in my area...the only thing I can really think of is medication for a short time while behavior and habits are worked on...0
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I have BED and I do know that they are doing clinical trials in my area...the only thing I can really think of is medication for a short time while behavior and habits are worked on...
Medication has helped me quite a bit with my BED. I don't think I'd have it under control without it.
I'm on a low dose (75mg) of Topamax to help control my urges to binge and it works very well for me--I haven't had a cupcake or even a desire for one since May 7th, which is bizarre, as I use to binge on them all the time. Others have found Vyvance helpful with reducing the urges to binge. I wanted to try Vyvance but it can raise blood pressure (which I also take meds for) so I went with Topamax instead. Even at a 50mg dose, I noticed a binge eating urge reduction improvement. When I get to my goal weight I'll be curious if I'll still need to take it or if due to eating at maintenance calories I'll no longer feel the urge to binge.0 -
My doctor suggested Vyvanse, but I'm still a little hesitant to try it. I've had a lot of bad experiences with medication, so I prefer to not take it if I don't have to.0
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