Binge Eating
Dawnvt105
Posts: 1 Member
How do you guys handle binge eating? I have a horrible habit of doing good for a couple days and then bury my face in a 24 pack of granola bars. Okay, maybe not 24 but pretty close.
I'm trying to find ideas on how to keep it under control. I know what works for you may not work for me, but ideas are appreciated.
I'm trying to find ideas on how to keep it under control. I know what works for you may not work for me, but ideas are appreciated.
6
Replies
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The general advice is eat more food so that you do not collapse into a binge cycle, it can be helpful to find low calorie filling foods such as zucchinis and things like that0
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Hey Dawn, I used to be a closet binge eater for close to 20 years so I know the feeling! I was stuck in this constant cycle of eating super clean for a few days and then splurging on sugary foods. What really helped me was learning to see my binge eating as a symptom rather than a cause. What I mean by that is that we often see binge eating as this horrible thing and we keep trying to avoid it and restrict it.
But actually, I learned that a binge, or a compulsion, is actually a sign that something else in life needs tending to. Typically I got the urge to binge whenever I was feeling stressed, and generally due to self-inflicted stress e.g. I was beating myself up about not doing something well, or I was feeling overwhelmed by a very long to do list (which I created).
Having compulsions is a human thing. We're designed to seek pleasure and avoid pain. So we'll always have urges to do things that bring instant gratification. I've just learned to intercept them before I give into them. So now when I feel the urge to eat, I'm able to ask myself 'OK, what just happened' and then deal with the emotion instead.
When do your binges typically happen?16 -
I also binge eat. I am so thoroughly disgusted with myself. I can't seem to stop.1
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I am a binge eater at night. It starts with a glass of wine around 6pm. I am still ok at that point. But then, around 9pm another glass, then at 10p, 10-15 cookies, chocolate and toast with jam. Joninjas hit the nail on the head. And even though I know what she is saying is correct....somehow my brain cant stop me.2
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Once my kids are asleep, and I finally sit down to watch netflix, I get the urge to binge on crappy food. I resist it most days but have the odd day where I cave in, I just try to do better the other days to do some damage control. Its so hard!2
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This may not be practical advise, but do you need to keep those snacks in the house? I find myself doing something like that from time to time. Done be too hard on yourself. Log everything. No matter what. And make sure you’re eating enough throughout the day! Good luck!3
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hoppgeorge wrote: »This may not be practical advise, but do you need to keep those snacks in the house? I find myself doing something like that from time to time. Done be too hard on yourself. Log everything. No matter what. And make sure you’re eating enough throughout the day! Good luck!
^^ the hardest time to stick to your diet is in the grocery store!!1 -
When this happened to me I tried to focus on what I was eating during my "good" days. If I was being to strict and feeling like I was missing out I would always binge on the weekends. So if I fit some of my favorite foods into my calorie count each day, I didn't feel like I needed a binge on junk food. But for the days where I just NEEDED to eat I started stocking my kitchen with ok-ish foods, like air popped pop corn with everything but the bagel seasoning. That way I could eat a bunch of it and not be totally out of luck with my calories.0
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I too binge eat. I have to keep my trigger foods out of my house. Although that doesn't always stop me from going through the drive-thru. I really like what Joninjas said:But actually, I learned that a binge, or a compulsion, is actually a sign that something else in life needs tending to. Typically I got the urge to binge whenever I was feeling stressed, and generally due to self-inflicted stress e.g. I was beating myself up about not doing something well, or I was feeling overwhelmed by a very long to do list (which I created).
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This is my primary issue, as well. For me, I can't buy my binge foods or I will eat them. If I don't have them, then I would have to go to the store if I really really want it.. that means putting on pants! (the horror!) If, after putting it off a while, I still want it bad enough to put on pants, then I go get it.. eat it.. then move on with life. Completely denying myself makes me just want it more. Instead, I'll hit the convenience store for a single zebra cake instead of the grocery store for a whole box. I'll go to to Dairy Queen and get a Blizzard instead of buying a half-gallon at the store. And.. now and then, when I really really want my bag of turtle Chex Mix? I get it and eat it.. I just don't let myself do that more than every few months or longer.
All that said, I just went through a personal loss and did not GAF about weight, diet, eating right, nothing. As a result, I gained back about 14 lbs. That's ok! I know how to take it back off and I'm here to do exactly that.
I think the MAIN thing about binging is the guilt. Let go of the guilt as well as you can and know that you haven't ruined anything. You aren't a bad person. Your self-worth isn't tied to your calorie counts.
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Binges and cravings happen. I had one yesterday where at the end of the day I was so ravenously hungry that I just ate what I wanted, and decided that I'm not going to beat myself up over it. I'll just get right back on track the next day. I know why I binged (not enough sleep the previous night and not enough protein during the day), so I just accepted it for what it is. Lot less stress that way. Don't be so hard on yourself. When you remove the stress and guilt of it, then getting past "the bad days" will be much easier to handle and recover from.2
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I've never been formally diagnosed, but I lose control almost daily. Or, I will do really well for a stretch and lose some weight and begin to feel good about things and then I have a bad day or something stressful happens and I just lose it. I will eat and eat until I'm sick and then I hide wrappers and deny that I've eaten. I've struggled with my weight my entire life and I'm under stress to maintain my weight now and that just makes me want to eat more. I'm happy to have new friends and people who understand.0
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