I keep Binging
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SimmerUpSlimmerDown
Posts: 7 Member
I know people have heard this story many times before. But, I feel as though I really want to say it. I have always had a rather unhealthy relationship with food. Coming from a much higher BMI, I had to really work at changing my eating habits to loose weight. I was loosing consistently for months, splurging every now or again, but not really feeling all that bad about it. I was in no hurry. Then somewhere along the line, I snapped. I went from 225 (highest) to 145 (lowest) in less than a year (i'm 5'4, female) and then I started binging. I had done this before when I was at a much higher weight, but it had never hit me with such ferocity as it does now. I feel trapped. Perhaps my eating habits/manner of loosing weight have never really been healthy. I notice that the day following a binge, i'll try to eat, but I end up restricting - I feel guilty. It's just so difficult. I'm sorry for ranting, I don't really have anyone to tell this to. I need help. I'm maintaining, but only because I have somehow managed to maintain a net balance. I'm so close to my goal weight (120) it would be a dream. But, before I can really continue, I need to figure out this horrible cycle i've been in for months. 
Anything is welcome, it is the internet, afterall.
Anything is welcome, it is the internet, afterall. 1
Replies
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Wow, that sounds really frustrating. I don't know if this will help you or not, but I find that if I restrict my food intake earlier in the day, I'll end up binging later. Eating higher protein, lower carb snacks can help me feel fuller and more satisfied and less inclined to overeat. Even if it might end up putting me slightly over my calories, I find it helpful to have a high protein snack when I'm hungry so that I don't become so hungry that I eat more later.
Congratulations on losing so much weight by the way
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Thank you remoore23. I do tend to restrict calories earlier in the day aswell. I hadn't really considered incorporating high protein snacks (or any snacks at all). I'll try that and see how it goes. 5
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Do you normally binge at night? It sounds like your binging is more mental than physical- meaning, you've changed your diet so much from pre-weight loss days that your brain or something inside is wanting you to have that same 'high' you got from the unhealthy foods. So you binge. You don't want to, but you can't help it. Do you binge during all times of the day?
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I used to have a kind of restrict-binge cycle pattern too, but with smaller amplitude - I would eat every day, and I never got more than slightly obese. It's very difficult to break out of if your motivation is just your weight; not even health scare would be enough for many people. I managed to snap out of it because I was fed up with the stress and chaos and apathy; I felt trapped. I started to eat meals - very rudimentary, with a set breakfast and lunch, and aimed for dinner "most days". I also stopped buying binge food. I started to walk. The urge to binge soon stopped.
I had come that far before, even lost considerable weight, and snapped back into disorganized eating habits. But this time was different, because I didn't want to go back. So I looked for changes I could live with permanently. This lead me to ditch much of the current/traditional "health advice", first "avoid fat, sugar and salt", and I started to cook more, and add just enough to make my food taste great. The urge to overeat came from both too bland food, too tasty food, and being scared, and being misinformed. Then I considered exercise, and discovered that I didn't have to do any organized exercise, daily activity was enough, and with that pressure gone, I found myself being more active on the daily. Much later, I discovered that "eating regularly" does not have to be many small meals, it can be two or three meals per day, but it's smart and pleasant to get in some kind of routine you like, and habits actually makes things easier (you don't have to think, or decide, you just do). The destilled version of my amazing discovery, was that the things I tried to do to take care of my health, actually ruined it. Now I enjoy eating, I have a healthy, stable weight, I feel great, energized and relaxed, and I'm not worried about weight gain or self-inflicted health problems anymore.
This is a good read: What is normal eating?10 -
Do you normally binge at night? It sounds like your binging is more mental than physical- meaning, you've changed your diet so much from pre-weight loss days that your brain or something inside is wanting you to have that same 'high' you got from the unhealthy foods. So you binge. You don't want to, but you can't help it. Do you binge during all times of the day?
Yeah, I do tend to binge at night. It is a sort of high, if I think about it. There was one point where I found myself binging during the afternoon, but that was only during very stressful periods in my life.0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »I used to have a kind of restrict-binge cycle pattern too, but with smaller amplitude - I would eat every day, and I never got more than slightly obese. It's very difficult to break out of if your motivation is just your weight; not even health scare would be enough for many people. I managed to snap out of it because I was fed up with the stress and chaos and apathy; I felt trapped. I started to eat meals - very rudimentary, with a set breakfast and lunch, and aimed for dinner "most days". I also stopped buying binge food. I started to walk. The urge to binge soon stopped.
I had come that far before, even lost considerable weight, and snapped back into disorganized eating habits. But this time was different, because I didn't want to go back. So I looked for changes I could live with permanently. This lead me to ditch much of the current/traditional "health advice", first "avoid fat, sugar and salt", and I started to cook more, and add just enough to make my food taste great. The urge to overeat came from both too bland food, too tasty food, and being scared, and being misinformed. Then I considered exercise, and discovered that I didn't have to do any organized exercise, daily activity was enough, and with that pressure gone, I found myself being more active on the daily. Much later, I discovered that "eating regularly" does not have to be many small meals, it can be two or three meals per day, but it's smart and pleasant to get in some kind of routine you like, and habits actually makes things easier (you don't have to think, or decide, you just do). The destilled version of my amazing discovery, was that the things I tried to do to take care of my health, actually ruined it. Now I enjoy eating, I have a healthy, stable weight, I feel great, energized and relaxed, and I'm not worried about weight gain or self-inflicted health problems anymore.
This is a good read: What is normal eating?
Wow, your journey and story is very touching. It is matter of routine I suppose. I do need to get some sense of normality to my routine, develop more healthy habits. It is a self-inflicted illness considering I am the one who decides to keep eating when I am no longer hungry. Health isn't just one way of living life. thanks 1 -
I use to have this same problem... I lost about 180lbs and along the way, on holidays mostly, I would complete collapse and binge hard on alcohol and anything sweet...
I don't anymore however and for a number of reasons...
1- It simply gets easier over time, your probably still pretty new to this, but the mental effects of starvation mode do pass gradually. Eventually your brain will stop losing it's self everytime you taste something sweet or salty...
2- Know that it's not your fault, seriously. It's not lack of discipline or gluteny, or some type of character flaw. People would like to think so however so they can climb on a high horse and feel superior, but that's bull *kitten*... It's not your fault, you've lost a lot of weight and your brain, body, and physiology are still adjusting. Your hard wired to crave calorie dense food, your body does not know your dieting, it just knows its slowly starving... When you taste something sweet, your brain reacts with chemicals and you honestly don't stand a chance, no one can "fight" that off.
3- But here's the trick... Know it's not your fault that you can't resist, nobody could in your shoes. Once you consider this, it will allow you to make peace with your cravings and they will lessen...
Know that you've binged in the pass and you didn't die, you didn't all of a sudden wake up the next day 100lbs heavier, it didn't end your journey, you got back up the next morning and were back at it again... The binge did not, can not, and will not defeat you..
This will also allow you to make peace with your self and cravings... And the day when you can say... Hey, this isn't so hard anymore will come a lot sooner!
Congratulations on your success!12 -
Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »I use to have this same problem... I lost about 180lbs and along the way, on holidays mostly, I would complete collapse and binge hard on alcohol and anything sweet...
I don't anymore however and for a number of reasons...
1- It simply gets easier over time, your probably still pretty new to this, but the mental effects of starvation mode do pass gradually. Eventually your brain will stop losing it's self everytime you taste something sweet or salty...
2- Know that it's not your fault, seriously. It's not lack of discipline or gluteny, or some type of character flaw. People would like to think so however so they can climb on a high horse and feel superior, but that's bull *kitten*... It's not your fault, you've lost a lot of weight and your brain, body, and physiology are still adjusting. Your hard wired to crave calorie dense food, your body does not know your dieting, it just knows its slowly starving... When you taste something sweet, your brain reacts with chemicals and you honestly don't stand a chance, no one can "fight" that off.
3- But here's the trick... Know it's not your fault that you can't resist, nobody could in your shoes. Once you consider this, it will allow you to make peace with your cravings and they will lessen...
Know that you've binged in the pass and you didn't die, you didn't all of a sudden wake up the next day 100lbs heavier, it didn't end your journey, you got back up the next morning and were back at it again... The binge did not, can not, and will not defeat you..
This will also allow you to make peace with your self and cravings... And the day when you can say... Hey, this isn't so hard anymore will come a lot sooner!
Congratulations on your success!
Oh man, thank you for the kind words. It helps to take this into account, and refocus my perspective. Knowing it isn't me just going crazy is comforting. Thank you ^-^4 -
I still struggle with binging also and know that it’s much easier said then done to do some of these things, but for me what has really worked is everyday I write in a journal, whether I’ve binged or not, and write down how I am feeling. It is very evident that on the days I binge I feel so terrible after it, so when I feel a binge coming on I just grab my journal and read what I have written to remind me what I am about to do to myself. I also set small goals for myself, like if I don’t binge for ten days then I can buy myself a new pair of exercise pants. Lol sounds silly but it’s what has been working lately for me!
Good luck on your journey, and great job on what you have done so far!5 -
I still struggle with binging also and know that it’s much easier said then done to do some of these things, but for me what has really worked is everyday I write in a journal, whether I’ve binged or not, and write down how I am feeling. It is very evident that on the days I binge I feel so terrible after it, so when I feel a binge coming on I just grab my journal and read what I have written to remind me what I am about to do to myself. I also set small goals for myself, like if I don’t binge for ten days then I can buy myself a new pair of exercise pants. Lol sounds silly but it’s what has been working lately for me!
Good luck on your journey, and great job on what you have done so far!
Thank you for the suggestion. I'll look into the more emotional aspect of the eating. 0 -
If your binge-restrict cycle is negatively impacting your life as much as you say it is, it might be time to see a mental health professional about it.3
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I think maybe a little perspective would help - it takes 3500 calories to make one pound of fat. How many calories in your piece of cake and ice cream?charlottewood713 wrote: »I find I struggle with bingeing. Last week end it was a whole bottle of wine in one night. Tonight it was a giant piece of cake and ice cream and now I feel like a whale and can't sleep because I'm laid here beating myself up. Just got myself interested good shape I'm happy with and ruined it all. Anyone else feel the same ?
You may see a temporary jump in your scale weight after eating due to water retention, carb replenishment, and waste, but it's just that - temporary. You can't ruin it all with one bad meal, just like you can't eat one good meal and have a perfect body!
By the way, you look beautiful in your profile picture. Please be kind to yourself! You deserve to enjoy your life without feeling like a whale or beating yourself up. Log your cake and move on, it's your every day behavior which will make the difference, not something you do once a week.
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Hugs1
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I also was thinking a big piece of cake and ice cream is not a binge! A splurge or treat maybe. If you said you ate the WHOLE cake and a container of ice cream, then that is a problem.1
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First of all I will say I know the struggle and have gotten help, but still struggle every day! Some suggestions I can offer that have worked for myself personally are:
1. Try not to feel guilty about your actions, it happened now time to look at why and what to do different next time.
2. I try to limit where I can eat in my house, for example I only allow myself to eat in the kitchen.
3. I know my trigger is when I am bored, I have been working hard to find hobbies.
Just know you are not alone and you are doing great!!!! Take care!!!1 -
@SimmerUpSlimmerDown ,
There is a fairly active Binge Eating Support Group on here that you might find useful...
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/726-binge-eating-support-group
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I can totally relate.. I was in excellent shape for a good year then ever since I went through a break up and with a stressful school semester I find myself reaching for food..
things that have helped me are:
1) I got a coach (I'm into weightlifting). She gave me a food plan. workout plan, and i do weekly checkins where i send her my picture and weight.. the accountablitliy really gets me to think twice
2) I dont restrict carbs, and i eat them more in the beginning of the day and around my workout
3) im not trying to go to extremes for a quick fix.
4) i live alone, so i can control whats in my house
5) I prepackaged my foods the night before
6) being gentle with myself. I can be my own worst critic.. i didn't get here over night so I have to be realistic that it will take time to get where i want to be.. I also know slip ups are going to happen so I just need to pick myself up and move on when they do (so i don't use it as an excuse to binge more and say f*** it.)
hope something helps, and your most certainly not alone. Take care 2 -
I'd consider just maintaining for another few months. What does that mean for you? Once you get a handle on that, then lose the last 25 pounds. You've done great, but for many maintaining is the key to success. Since you're stuck here see if you can maintain in a 6# range (3 pounds up or down) for a few months. Once you get confidence that you can, indeed, maintain your weight loss, you might find you're more ready to resume losing again.2
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Hi, I'm sorry to hear you are struggling like this. Over the years, I have had much trouble finding a balanced way of eating. Restricting, then eating out of control has been a main difficulty.
A thing that has helped me a lot has been to stop focusing on losing weight. Even if it was my ultimate goal, I have put it aside, and concentrated on changing the eating habit instead.
For me, it was allowing myself to get three meals a day, and afternoon tea, and some crakers before bed. When I allowed myself these meals and snacks, I could sit down and eat them and appreciate them.
When I restricted and ended up eating anyway, I would wolf something down fast, standing up in the kitchen in fronf of the fridge. It was stressful and not very satisfting.
Allowing myself to have the meals brought peace, and took away some of the tension. I didnt need to steal from the fridge, wolf random food down, or what so ever. The eating became normal. It slowed down in speed, then in volume. It became meals instead of binges.
Meals for me has been easier to make adjustments to than binges, bacause they can be planned, prepared in advance, and adjusted.
And finding a way to transform binges into meals has been a major change for me. I still wolf down stuff sometimes, but in all, I eat meainly at meals.
Good luck to you, don't give up, keep looking for solutions that will suit you. It isn't necessairily a single one, it can be lots of different little things you put together that will work for you1 -
I am in a similar situation to this, I notice that I binge a lot when I don't have treat substitutes like Zevia (diet soda with stevia), low calorie popsicles, and 100 calorie bag of kettle corn. I find that having those things around really helps. Also really good smelling tea. There is one by bigelow called blueberry radiance that helps me when I feel the urge to binge.
Best of luck.1
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