Binge eating

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I can't seem to break out of the binge eating cycle. I eat really healthy and exercise for a few days, then I mess up and eat a bunch of junk. I feel so bad that I go back into extreme dieting again and I start the process back over. I know I'm wrong, but it's so hard to fight the urges. Has anyone stopped binge eating? What tips would you recommend?
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  • nocookiestoday
    nocookiestoday Posts: 1,022 Member
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    Hmm, maybe the extreme dieting is triggering the binge eating. I'm far from knowing what I'm doing yet, but what I was told (when I did the same thing as you), is that if I cut too much out then eventually my cravings take over, then boom, I rob the kitchen for everything junkish.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    xNausicaa wrote: »
    I can't seem to break out of the binge eating cycle. I eat really healthy and exercise for a few days, then I mess up and eat a bunch of junk. I feel so bad that I go back into extreme dieting again and I start the process back over. I know I'm wrong, but it's so hard to fight the urges. Has anyone stopped binge eating? What tips would you recommend?

    stop going to extremes when you are 'dieting'
  • Burton_Bmc
    Burton_Bmc Posts: 35 Member
    edited November 2017
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    You have to accept that a cycle consists of several parts, so it's not just the bingeing. The extreme dieting/exercising drives it, and the demonizing feeds it. Having trigger foods around makes eating it possible, and feeling bad makes you want to stop feeling bad, and you're used to eating to stop feling bad, even though you know that overeating makes you feel bad too.

    What you need to do, is:
    Eat properly. This means no extreme diets, but enough food, balanced meals, a varied diet, and food you like. Eating regularly, whenever possible, is preferable.

    Exercise for fun and good health. Find exercise you enjoy and make it a natural part of your day.

    Plan your meals and only but what you need for those meals. Schedule shopping, cooking and eating.

    Get enough sleep and rest. Listen to your emotions but don't let them control you.

    Don't deem anything off limit, don't degrade things you like. You can eat sweets and treats, but don't let them take up too much room in your diet.

    Good advise, plain and simple. I can add it will take willpower, backbone. The will to change, the view in the mirror. I don't want to sound to harsh though.
  • Ohwhynot
    Ohwhynot Posts: 356 Member
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    I'm in the same boat... and I hate to say it but I think therapy is the best answer.
  • francobollo
    francobollo Posts: 2 Member
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    I did a binge eating last night. The trigger was that I ate only soup for dinner and then left the restaurant
    very hungry--I skipped a meal. On my way home, I stopped at convenience store and ate more than 1000 calories. Also, I exercised before and exercise seems to trigger binge eating, too. This binge caused me a 3 lb weight gain. So, today, I will have to eat only 1500 calories--it's not starvation. I just figure that my caloriie
    intake should cover 2 days, not 1 and so I don't feel so bad or demonized.
  • indiacaitlin
    indiacaitlin Posts: 691 Member
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    If you're extreme dieting the likelihood is that you're probably eating in a way that's unsustainable, try making little and sustainable changes in both your diet and your activity and take it from there :) Also, try not to beat yourself up if you have a day slightly off track - that's normal, you're only human! It's really difficult not to, but not labelling food as 'bad' or 'good' will help with lessening the feelings of guilt if you don't stay on track.
  • kimcalica
    kimcalica Posts: 524 Member
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    I’ve lost 130 lbs and struggle with binge behavior even now! I like to think like this..

    I work hard regularly to build armor to protect me from the eventual face plant I will make. I’m inspired by knowing I’m going to screw up one of these days.. but the longer I keep from screwing up, the stronger I’ll be when I screw up, so as long as I’m or faced with terrible temptation or horrible emotional trauma, I’m usually doing ok, because I’m saving myself for the binge I know I’m going to need. But knowing I get one or have enough armor on for one.. makes me feel pretty safe. I think that’s been a huge help in losing all this weight.
  • monicaamy902
    monicaamy902 Posts: 55 Member
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    Yes, I have struggled with binge eating for 20+years. I find that when I stick to a healthy lifestyle I don't binge. Even if I feel like binging, I don't feel bad about what I eat if I stick to my diet. I have to start in the right mindset, which it seems like you do. The good thing is if we understand that's what we are about to do, we can take a breath and let the urge pass. It gets easier as time goes on. If I eat healthy, no processed food, sugar or gluten, I don't have the urge to eat those things the way I do when I am eating them normally. And when you do binge, just let it go, don't get mad at yourself, just move on. What you did is over and you can move on to your next decision. I found that when I messed up, if I told myself I was starting all over, it was harder than if I told myself I slipped up, no big deal, let's move on.
  • KeepRunningFatboy
    KeepRunningFatboy Posts: 3,055 Member
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    Look up book by Alison Kerr The Binge Code. It might be of help.
  • chelseascounter
    chelseascounter Posts: 1,283 Member
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    Make sure you’re not under eating or overeating. I went through a binge phase and tried everything to make it stop. I tried keto, zero carb, paleo, sugar free, high carb low fat, IIFYM, reading books about binge eating, nothing worked. One day it just stopped because my body finally hit a healthy weight.
  • HeatherTudor
    HeatherTudor Posts: 10 Member
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    I am a binge eater/emotional eater. Then again I make any excuse to eat. I have been able to break the binge cycle, thankfully. I did it by taking very small steps with my foods. I started with my liquids. I limited my soda intake to 2 sodas a week. I could drink a 12 pack of soda a day, if not more. And then gradually got to where I was drinking just water. I then started with my actual solid foods. I started introducing more fruits and veggies. And made a conscious effort to reach for fruit or veggies when I wanted to binge eat. The thing is, I don’t deprive myself of the food I love/crave. A craving can be a killer. So it’s better to get a small taste of the food you’re craving, track it, then move one. Don’t let one bad meal/day derail all of your hard work. You got this! Feel free to add me!
  • carterbrent
    carterbrent Posts: 91 Member
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    Start by dividing your dinner plate into 4 quadrants. I veggie, 1 fruit, 1 starch and 1 protein at each meal. Add in a serving of lofat dairy as between meal snacks. This is the USDA.gov Myplate method that replaced the old food pyramid. Force your self to eat 3 meals a day. Break the starve and binge cycle. I did it. You can do this!
  • FJlove4life
    FJlove4life Posts: 157 Member
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    The best thing that was ever said to me was "foods only supposed to solve hunger nothing else"..

    I also found this book very helpful to me:
    https://www.amazon.com/Never-Binge-Again-Permanently-Overeating-ebook/dp/B014V1Q6SI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512008247&sr=8-1&keywords=never+binge+again+book

    Take it a meal at a time, get 3 good square meals and a couple snacks if needed. When you do binge, try to figure out why you did, what just happened that triggered it.. start keeping a journal of them and ways around them in the future.. that's what I did as well and it helped.

    Good Luck

  • thenamessully
    thenamessully Posts: 11 Member
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    Speaking from experience of EDs. I do the same thing. Add me girl, lets chat. Motivate each other to stay away from the awful binge cycles. Ive got some good tips on how to trick your brain into thinking you're eating more.
  • theyoginurse
    theyoginurse Posts: 82 Member
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    I have to start in the right mindset, which it seems like you do. The good thing is if we understand that's what we are about to do, we can take a breath and let the urge pass. It gets easier as time goes on. If I eat healthy, no processed food, sugar or gluten, I don't have the urge to eat those things the way I do when I am eating them normally.

    And what @HeatherTudor said are the advice I needed to hear right now. So glad @chelseascounter you got over the binge and got to your healthy weight. I am praying each day to get to mine! Right now, I am eliminating “red light foods” just like @kommodevaran mentioned, it’s better to not buy the foods at all that are triggers. I think exercising that discipline by depending on a Higher Power helps. I was free of binge eating for about 180 plus days. I did it by riding the urges and not giving in to One compulsive bite. Please add me so we can support each other!
  • HeatherTudor
    HeatherTudor Posts: 10 Member
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    @theyoginurse you’ve been added! Message me anytime you need to chat!
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
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    Give yourself full permission to eat what you want when you want as much as you want. Restriction, physical and mental (i.e., thoughts of “I shouldn’t be eating this.” “Tomorrow/Next week/Next month I’m going to get on track.” etc.) often leads to bingeing. Knowing the food will be available to you when you want it can remove the sense of urgency and the feelings of having to eat it all while it’s available and of eating because “I already messed up, so I’ll just eat all the things.”
  • xNausicaa
    xNausicaa Posts: 61 Member
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    xNausicaa wrote: »
    I can't seem to break out of the binge eating cycle. I eat really healthy and exercise for a few days, then I mess up and eat a bunch of junk. I feel so bad that I go back into extreme dieting again and I start the process back over. I know I'm wrong, but it's so hard to fight the urges. Has anyone stopped binge eating? What tips would you recommend?

    stop going to extremes when you are 'dieting'

    Not helpful at all. If I could, wouldn't you think i would have done it by now? And by extreme dieting, i mean only healthy and organic foods. I don't starve myself by eating an apple a day or anything.