How do I stop bingeing?!

Options
Zoemacleod5907
Zoemacleod5907 Posts: 3 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have a tricky relationship with food and to be honest I'm not sure if it will ever be fixed. It's frustrating to have such an unhealthy relationship with something that you need to survive.

So, I'm a binger. An eat till you vomit binger. I can easily eat thousands of calories within half an hour and I hate it whilst I'm doing it and afterwards. Silly brain. I never used to be this way and I used to eat healthily and exercise regularly then boom. Binger.

I'm hoping that actually tracking my calories will help me realise how much I'm eating and how unhealthy it is. For instance I was just contemplating driving to tesco to buy cake but saw I was 18 calories over my target so I didn't (yay.)

Does anybody else struggle with bingeing or their relationship with food and have any tips on what they do?! :s

Replies

  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Options
    hellonew2015 wrote: »
    I struggled with it and the only fix for me after I have tried everything was to go on a Keto diet. This stopped my brain thinking about food and I do not crave anything anymore.

    ruled.me is a good website to learn more.

    When I binged I often incorporated high fat foods so keto would not have atopped that.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Options
    Do you happen to know if you meet the diagnostic criteria for BED? https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/portal/dsm-bed

    You don't have to tell us and not meeting the criteria doesn't mean anything in the long run. I meet most of them, but my binges aren't frequent enough to be diagnosed as BED.

    In general, I find that these forums tend not to be the best place to tackle something like this. You may get people telling you to just not keep those foods in the house or to chew gum until it passes or whatever. I found that advice completely useless, personally, for my binges.

    The good news is that there's a lot of help out there for this kind of thing. I went the therapy route because I already had a therapist I was meeting regularly for other things. Even if you can only do a few sessions, they can help you ferret out what might be happening to trigger the binges and give you some coping strategies you can try. But there are also some good online resources, I just don't have any of them at my fingertips to pass along.

    You aren't alone, if that helps you to know. Counting calories helps me for a bit, but I also do a lot of journaling when I'm not feeling in control. The real trick is to see what works for you.
  • twinkles4
    twinkles4 Posts: 124 Member
    Options
    I'm not quite that severe but a few a few tips that have helped me:

    1. Talk to a professional. They can help get to the root of the BED and what's triggered it to happen suddenly.
    2. Abstain from the triggers. Don't buy it, don't even walk down that isle.
    3. A great deal of self control and awareness. Saying "no" out loud to yourself, Ask yourself "Am I even hungry?" "What is happening right at this second to make me want to binge?" Alternatively distracting yourself with another activity when you feel triggered.
    4. Take it one day at a time. Yay for you! Good job not stopping for cake! :smiley: Remember this when/if you have an urge tomorrow.

    Of course, everyone is different. Abstaining from triggers was the only way for me. Some people feel the urge more intensely when they limit/restrict themselves like that. Try both, find what works for you.
  • zuiden
    zuiden Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    Fellow binger & purger here. I think you've already self-diagnosed, it's called "silly brain". Unless you're willing to see someone professionally, it's unlikely to change long-term. There are things that you can do to cope but that's also part of the "feeling in control" that we like. Controlling intake and determining outcomes, restricting and micro-managing. As an example, I personally ensure that my dog eats very rigidly but I am unable to properly police my own intake.

    Tracking your calories, regular exercise, MFP community support discussions, and mindful eating will all help. Try everything you can but know in the back of your mind that it's a problem with your brain that may not be solved with the things I've mentioned. Best of luck to you. I've struggled for 30 years.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    Options
    so as some have mentioned, it might be time to see a professional.

    in the meantime, consider changing your relationship with food. food is fuel, not comfort. someone shared once and it stuck with me...if hunger is not the problem, food is not the solution-i think i typed that right
  • happytree923
    happytree923 Posts: 463 Member
    Options
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Have you ever talked to a professional?

    There are tips and tricks you can pick up to help with more everyday "I ate too much" situations, but it sounds like your situation goes beyond that (and you're not alone, there are lots of people here -- including me -- who have dealt with similar stuff).

    Generally I've found that planning meals that I enjoy, eating enough (not trying to go too low in calories), and managing my stress in other ways helps me avoid some of the urge to binge, but when it came to the more deeply rooted stuff, talking to a professional was really helpful.

    This. If it’s not affordable to you right now, you may be able to find someone who is trained but needs clinical hours to finish their licensing. They would be seeing patients under the supervison of someone experienced and it is usually much less expensive. I’ve found CBT based workbooks helpful in the past, but that was after I had seen a therapist so I’m not sure how helpful they are as a stand alone option.
  • nicolehorn0114
    nicolehorn0114 Posts: 51 Member
    Options
    Do you have issues like anxiety and depression?

    I would suggest getting evaluated by a psychologist because it sounds like your bingeing is causing significant problems for you and that you might have related problems you aren’t recognizing.

    Therapy has helped me. I’ve also found psych meds helpful in dealing with my anxiety and depression.

    With this bout of weight loss, I’m taking a more relaxed, moderate approach which makes me less inclined to binge.
  • tammyfranks2
    tammyfranks2 Posts: 290 Member
    Options
    find an OA in your area , over eaters anonymous ..... it helped me , I am doing low carb now and it is working , but I use to binge very badly , Not since Jan have I eaten a whole box of something , or got sick from eating . What I found out at OA was to be accountable , that is why MFP is helping me so much , I have an open diary so my friends can see what I eat , I am accountable for my food intake and if I cheat or binge , they will see it . Also I write , I write when I happy ,I write when I am sad , sometimes I write and then throw it away . I just need to get it out , then I seem to be ok . I am a really big person , over 400 and I have lost 37 pounds since Jan . and I am 52 and diabetic , so I knew if I didn't stop this behavior I am going to die . not drama ..for real die.

    You can handle this with help , yes see a doc or find a meeting , (the OA meeting are free) . write , be accountable !! and most of all take good care of yourself !!
  • ksharrell48
    ksharrell48 Posts: 171 Member
    Options
    I'm a 15-year (or more) binge eater so can empathize. I can recommend a book called "Brain Over Binge" (by Kathryn Hansen) that has helped me tremendously. I'm almost 3 months now without a single binge meal and even the urges have dropped off significantly. Typically I'd binge several times a week, but reading Kathryn's history then her process that completely ended her binges has given me hope that I can overcome mine, too. I can finally see a future without being a slave to my urges; I hope the same for all of you!
  • kimber0607
    kimber0607 Posts: 994 Member
    Options
    i didn't read all the responses but wanted to say the ONLY thing that has helped me is low carb
    i cant eat sugar/sweets..it sets me right into binge mode
    after the first few days of lo carb is gets easier and i dont even think about sweets/binging
    it stinks i cant eat everything in moderation ...but its a slippery slope for me

    kim

Categories