Compulsive eating, so done.

shovav91 · September 2018

Several years ago I had a very different sort of eating disorder, I restricted constantly and got time to a very low weight. From there, I somehow went the complete opposite route and now all I think about is food. I wake up and I ate. I'm constantly snacking throughout the day, and if left alone with anything snackable, I will devour everything in such a frantic way that it seems like I have no control at all. It's exhausting and upsetting and I've gained about 30 lb over the last 2 years and I'm desperate to lose it and feel a sense of control over myself around food. The evenings after I get home from work are a constant stream of eating until I pass out. I'm so exhausted of all of this and I don't know what else to do.

kommodevaran · September 2018

Well I think you know what else to do, and when you're exhausted of what you're doing, you're ready for it: Eating satisfying, balanced and varied meals at regular intervals. It may help to not buy a lot of "snackable" foods, and to plan your meals and buy what you have planned to eat, if necessary, schedule time to prepare/cook it. Then you have to allow yourself to rest, and to feel your feelings.

jogetsgains · September 2018

There is something bigger than the calories in vs calories out equation happening. You don't have to battle this alone and, quite likely, can't battle it alone. Seek out a counselor who can help you unpack your baggage and help you find a healthy eating balance.
It worked for me.

vinx1982 · September 2018

its not your fault. its Anxiety . you can always lose it later .try to relax but keep reminding yourself , that some day you have to lose all you have gained .

JimBad05 · September 2018

It might help to not keep snack foods around your house.

That way, it will force you to put forth some effort to binge - you'll have to place an order, or make a trip to the store, or whatever.

That effort you have to put forth may be enough to stop the binge.

Just a thought

88olds · September 2018

You want control? Start a food diary. Everything you eat or drink with calories gets recorded. Don’t concern yourself with calories at first. Just make the basic connection, you eat or drink it, you log it.

When you’re ready, calculate your maintenance calories and start aiming for that. Give yourself time to learn calorie counting. Get and use a food scale. Study NI when available at restaurants. Just keep putting a good faith number on everything you consume. Calorie counting has a learning curve. It’s a pain at first but gets easier.

When you’re ready figure out what kind of calorie deficit you think you will be satisfied with long term. If it took you 2 years to gain 30 lbs, it’s not unreasonable to spend 2 years losing it. Avoid the temptation to get on the diet merry-go-round.

Long term weight loss is about process and problem solving. It’s a skill set. You can get away from that out of control feeling with mindfulness. Remember, you’re just not trying to lose pounds, you’re trying to learn a new way to live.

Trust the process. Calorie counting really does work, but takes time. Don’t let the time factor wreck you.

MichelleWithMoxie · September 2018

OP, I’ve been exactly in your shoes. I’ve even tried counseling, which never worked for me (but it might for you so it might be worth a try!).

Honestly what keeps me most consistent, in control, and at a steady weight, is eating an appropriate amount of calories with a slow steady loss. I found it actually became easy, I didn’t feel deprived, and had no more urges to binge. The restriction urge can sometimes creep up, but that becomes easier to overcome too because I saw that eating more calories and feeling satisfied, but still maintaining a caloric deficit, was producing results. There’s no need to severely restrict.

I’m not an expert or trained in anything, but your story you’ve written in your OP is something I know well on a personal level, and it can become an exhausting merry go round. Good luck OP, there’s a lot of great info, resources, and members here on mfp - use it all whenever necessary.

staticsplit · September 2018

I am coming out of a brief but horrible bulimia relapse of about 3 months. This is what is helping me:

1. A food diary, but like the above poster said, don't be too stringent. If I weigh every little thing it makes my anxiety worse and I tend to go 'screw it' and eat a whole packet of crackers or something. But get used to keeping accountable to yourself, as sometimes it's enough to make you stop and reconsider if you actually want that 4th cookie.
2. I don't buy the things I know I'll binge on. I have healthy snack options around like popcorn or caramel rice cakes for when I want that crunchy sweet-salty thing. I eat every few hours to keep my blood sugar even, and make sure each meal/snack has carbs, protein, and fat. E.G. an apple with peanut butter. I always have an emergency protein bar in my bag if I get hangry.
3. Meal planning helps me--making 3 or 4 servings of something nice and balanced, put in tupperware. If I come home super ravenous, it can be easy to reach for snack foods, but if I have these, I just pop them in the microwave and I have food in a few minutes. I can do it for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. I mix it up so it's not boring.
4. Regular exercise. I cycle through exercises. For awhile I really liked running, but these days I'm enjoying weight lifting and yoga more. Yoga especially helps me with the mental anxiety and the meditation at the end leaves me feeling refreshed.
5. Drink lots of water, herbal tea, whatever.
6. Try to eat slower, chew more. I'm trying to work towards intuitive eating. My brain-body hunger signal is a bit broken and I'm trying to get it back into alignment.
7. If I feel really bingey, I go for a walk with nice music or an audiobook to distract myself. By the time I go home, I feel okay again. Usually the urge will pass after half an hour, in my experience. Sometimes I take a long bath and read. Or paint my nails. Anything to distract me.
8. I went on anti-depressants, which I'm still adjusting to, but seem to be helping.
9. I'm on the waiting list for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) at the adult eating disorder clinic in my city, to help me develop other coping mechanisms.

Once you break the cycle, it gets easier. I wish you the best. Be kind to yourself. It's not going to magically snap into place. But you can replace unhealthy behaviours with healthy ones, and eventually that becomes the new normal.

pogiguy05 · September 2018

Evening eating is the hardest and I have that problem as well. I could be making a sandwich all the while telling myself i should not be yet it is like cruise control and before you know I have eaten the sandwich and had something to drink. Then I am like why did you eat that? you are not even hungry.

What is your environment around you like? Do you have alot of mental/emotional stress? I have to admit that is what gets me on the wrong path. I am not even sure why, but I know I do it. I think knowing is the hardest part cause you can SEE what you are doing to yourself, but seem to have no control.

You just have to dig deep down FOR YOURSELF and know you are better then what you are doing. It is not easy and it is a daily struggle. When you lapse dont get down on yourself just get right back up and start over. I know logging my foods helps alot and I use a food scale. LOG EVERYTHING even on them bad days and be honest to yourself. You are gonna have bad days just dont make everyday a bad day.

YOU and WE can do this one day at a time.

Compulsive eating, so done.

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