Trying to lose 15 pounds...can't stop binging (even though I'm binging on healthy foods!)

skinnibribri
skinnibribri Posts: 8 Member
in Getting Started
Hi everyone, I am 5'4.5 143 pound female (my appearance is deceiving as I look about 130 pounds). For the past two years, my weight has gone from 117.5 pounds (I was so so small at that weight, almost bony) to as high as 146 pounds. I have gone through the malicious binge eating cycle, except I was binging on healthy foods (like RXBars, dark chocolate, nuts, etc.) yet packing on the pounds. I have become extremely conscious and have lose momentum. I am trying to reach at least 130 pounds, preferably 125-128 pounds. I am trying to end my binge eating habits before addressing weight loss, as I feel I will lose weight without even feeling it if I just stop binging. Other than the binging, I eat extremely clean (no dairy, bread once per day, minimal added sugars, no processed foods). I need a support system too! My sister is trying to support me as she just lost 20 pounds in the last year (and she looks great!), but I always succumb to the binge! I'd love to have a support system and hear your success stories! Thank you!

Replies

  • lonelystaarr
    lonelystaarr Posts: 221 Member
    Do you think you are binging because you are restricting too much? Why can't you just eat whatever you want, as long as you stay in a deficit? Restricting TOO much can be unhealthy.
  • lonelystaarr
    lonelystaarr Posts: 221 Member
    When I first started losing weight a year ago I decided I was going to eat only fresh foods, nothing processed, nothing high in fats. And that worked until it didn't, and it wasn't long before I would sneak in a chocolate bar or a donut but feel really bad about it. Like I was cheating or ruining my progress. Then, I decided I would have a cheat day once every 2 weeks, but I found on these days I was so obsessed with getting the foods in that I missed that I would even eat when I wasn't hungry. I think restricting just made me binge and the guilt of doing it made me eat even more. Have you always binged, or did it start while you were trying to lose weight?
  • skinnibribri
    skinnibribri Posts: 8 Member
    I am not too restricting, I just binge carelessly! Dairy bothers my stomach and I still eat chocolate/popcorn and satisfy whatever else to meet my needs. I've been in deficit for about 3 months, got to 139 and that ended because I was eating too little (1200 calories). I've decided to stop counting calories (never worked for me) and instead, track the foods I'm eating. I am also super busy during the work day and usually don't get to eat lunch, so I get home (and even if I have dinner prepared), I just eat EVERYTHING, mindlessly. I think you're right about restricting too much, but I've tried to be looser on restrictions and it never quite works as I still end up binging because I get too comfortable w/ myself. It is not even like I binge on foods I say I "can't" eat, it is because I'm either:
    a. exhausted
    b. bored/depressed/getting my period or PMSing
    c. JUST MINDLESSLY!

    I am going to try to focus on eating 3, filling square meals for the next week (without freaking out over calories)...
    Breakfast: steel cut oats w/ 1 tbsp pb and 1/2 c. berries w/ 30 oz water
    20 oz btwn lunch and dinner
    Lunch: two slices of sprouted Ezekiel bread w/ avocado and lettuce w tomato w/ 30 oz water
    Dinner: whole wheat pasta w/ rao's tomato sauce and string beans w/ 30 oz water
    followed by an apple
  • skinnibribri
    skinnibribri Posts: 8 Member
    And thank you for your response!
  • skinnibribri
    skinnibribri Posts: 8 Member
    When I was losing weight last year (got to 132 pounds) I even went out every weekend and shared a dessert, yet I was still losing weight! But then I started working from home and eating mindlessly w/o accounting for it. Binging is simply mindless for me and I've been doing it for 5-ish years, but it was not until the pounds started packing on about 2 years ago.
  • skinnibribri
    skinnibribri Posts: 8 Member
    Sorry for so many responses:
    I started binging when I started on my college tennis team and I was 117.5/120 pounds around then. I was working out a ton and playing tennis. I had an injury about 3 years ago that ended my tennis career (I was a senior, 22 yrs old), which is when the weight started to pile on as I was depressed from tennis and in pain (and on every med in the book). I have tried every diet in the book and have failed on each due to the restrictions, but I find that cheat days make me guilty and turn into cheat MONTHS! I just want to satisfy my sweet tooth w/ a piece of dark chocolate or fruit every night, but it never works! Binging has become habitual at this point...
  • tjschwingler
    tjschwingler Posts: 1 Member
    I was and sometimes maybe still am a mindless binge eater. However, I listened to a book on my way to work about mindless eating. Maybe it something that will help you too. "Mindless Eating
    Why We Eat More Than We Think
    Brian Wansink, Ph.D."
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
    Honestly, and I mean this with no disrespect, but if you're binging it might help to seek outside help to get to the root of your binging.
  • skinnibribri
    skinnibribri Posts: 8 Member
    edited January 2019
    Thanks for the rec! I'll start listening to it on my way to work tomorrow :) And I have sought outside help but it has not helped as the cause was undeterminable ... I went through a tennis injury and developed anxiety but my md never thought it was related...and I definitely take that w/ no disrespect, as you are 100% right. That was a step I took about year ago.
  • lonelystaarr
    lonelystaarr Posts: 221 Member
    Just want to let you know you have an amazing body. But I do agree with a post above, binging is usually rooted deep in a psychological issue. Like you said about the injury that ended your tennis career leading to depression.
  • skinnibribri
    skinnibribri Posts: 8 Member
    lonelystaarr wrote: »
    Just want to let you know you have an amazing body. But I do agree with a post above, binging is usually rooted deep in a psychological issue. Like you said about the injury that ended your tennis career leading to depression.

    Thank you for your kind comment and I think I am going to call my md's office tomorrow and get a referral for a psychologist. I think there is a deeper issue causing the binging.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
    Just a thought: if you're looking like 130 then does the weight on the scale matter? Maybe you don't need to lose weight but build some muscle instead to look 'tighter' without looking too emaciated.
  • swirlybee
    swirlybee Posts: 497 Member
    edited January 2019
    Do you enjoy the "clean" and "healthy" foods that you're eating. Somebody asked if you're being overly restrictive. It doesn't necessarily mean calorie-wise. If you're eating foods that you hate, you start to crave other foods and maybe that's why you're binging.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    skinnibribri wrote: »
    I am not too restricting, I just binge carelessly! Dairy bothers my stomach and I still eat chocolate/popcorn and satisfy whatever else to meet my needs. I've been in deficit for about 3 months, got to 139 and that ended because I was eating too little (1200 calories). I've decided to stop counting calories (never worked for me) and instead, track the foods I'm eating. I am also super busy during the work day and usually don't get to eat lunch, so I get home (and even if I have dinner prepared), I just eat EVERYTHING, mindlessly. I think you're right about restricting too much, but I've tried to be looser on restrictions and it never quite works as I still end up binging because I get too comfortable w/ myself. It is not even like I binge on foods I say I "can't" eat, it is because I'm either:
    a. exhausted
    b. bored/depressed/getting my period or PMSing
    c. JUST MINDLESSLY!

    I am going to try to focus on eating 3, filling square meals for the next week (without freaking out over calories)...
    Breakfast: steel cut oats w/ 1 tbsp pb and 1/2 c. berries w/ 30 oz water
    20 oz btwn lunch and dinner
    Lunch: two slices of sprouted Ezekiel bread w/ avocado and lettuce w tomato w/ 30 oz water
    Dinner: whole wheat pasta w/ rao's tomato sauce and string beans w/ 30 oz water
    followed by an apple

    That sounds low in protein

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