BINGE EATER. HELP !

i totally feel ya! lots of people do this and they dont even know why.....u know its not bc you are just hungry or bored. a lot of the time you feel like your out of control and you eat a lot faster than normal. but dont beat yourself up over it, you can change things. it sounds like u are a cumpulsive binge eater, as are a lot of people. but the difference with u is that u know that theres more to it than just a night craving. its more about emotions and self image.....i am a cumpulsive binge eater and have been working on it for quite some time. some days i do really well and every once in a while i still fall of the wagon (usually its when i have a bad day,sad,mad etc.) but im doing much better and you will too now that you've started to figure it out. hang in there!

Its ok, I agree, I eat what I crave to, but I dont keep them in the house, I have to go out and buy it if i really want it :laugh:

You have to work on changing your mindset. There's really no way around it...avoid the temptation. Tell yourself that all of that food is not going to solve anything, fix anything or cure anything- in fact, it's only going to make everything worse.

Overeating is a compulsion...or an addiction, and you just have to find the strength to not give in, and if you do give in, work on not giving in the next time...and the time after that.

I'm trying to overcome the same thing.

Yea, cravings are the worse.

I am so glad you posted this because I was about to post one here about my binge eating at night too!
I just started binge eating two weeks ago. I am not sure is it due to stress. I feel like I started doing this when I told myself to eat healthier and limit myself on what I can and cannot eat. Sometimes, I feel like it's because I think I eat lighter during the day, so it is okay to eat more or have some of whatever I want/ like at night. Then one bite of yummy goodness triggers the whole eating nonstop reaction. I would eat even when I'm beyond full...hard to breathe and such. I'm glad I'm not the only one, and hopefully, we can all battle this temptation together!

Thanks for posting and all the tips everyone!

I have the same problem. I find total deprivation makes me want MORE. Usually I can be satisfied by a small taste but sometimes I have this great compulsion to eat too much. I could teach a nutrition class on portion control. My biggest problem is just before dinner after I've been "good" all day. I have found lately though that eating what I really like through the day (I'm talking about healthy stuff and correct portions here) I am less likely to want to snack at night. I save calories for a snack after dinner and I have something 100-150 calories which could be a 1/2 c of Breyers Double Churned mint choc chip with a Hannaford's cone (150 cal)

i think dealing with why you binge is the first real step to a lifestyle change....coming from a reformed binge eater - i used to binge at least 4 to 5 times per week (hence my fatness), and after a lot of talking therapy and self relaxation and dealing with issues I have not had a binge for a little over 9 weeks to date!!!
Something just clicked one day for me about what purposes bingeing was serving for me, and each day i need to continue to serve that purpose in a different way so i dont fall back to bad habits!

xxPINK

I think that's a very good point! I think my main problem is that I have many, many stresses in my life. Some I can control and some I can't. I think me starting to work out again will help me deal with many of them. The rest I have to keep reminding myself to turn them over....

I commend you for having your binges under control! Nine weeks is incredible!! I plan on saying that about myself in 9 weeks.....I know I can do it---I've done it before.

I also agree with Mimi on not depriving yourself totally. This is in fact a lifestyle change---not a temporary fix. If I told myself I could never have gooey brownies again I don't think I'd be very motivated.

I also have to train myself to stop at just one. For now I don't have them in the house because even if I portion them and freeze them into little squares, I simply grab 5 of them. Until I'm a little further along and know I can handle taking just one, I'll leave them at the store.

I'm new to this site, but not new to binge eating. In 2007, I lost 60 pounds. Then I went on a 15 month binge, gained 70 pounds within that time, and here I am starting again. It took me until I was 30 years old to realize I was a compulsive overeater and why I binge; and I binge anyway. However, since starting MFP two weeks ago, I haven't binged. I think counting calories allows me to "budget" foods I want in appropriate portions and helps me not go overboard. Also, this time I have learned very quickly that exercise helps me not to binge. I often find myself in a vicious cycle of eating "badly" during the day (breaking the rules) and then binging to punish myself. Exercising helps me cope with things instead of food.

My worst time to binge is between dinner and bedtime. It can really turn into a free-for-all. I have started making myself a hot cup of herbal tea with Splenda to sip during this time. The warmth in my tummy helps me not binge. It might work for you.

Also, I just bought the book "Overcoming Overeating" at CVS yesterday. It's an old book, but has several interesting ideas that fit me.

Lastly, as I looked around the message boards last week, I stumbled upon Viviakay's blog. She is amazing, and her blogs have helped me these last two weeks more than anything else. I strongly suggest you give them a read.

Daisy

Hi everyone. I just wanted to say that Binge Eating is actually a condition that many folks seek professional help for. I am in graduate school working on my doctorate in psychology, and this is not a will-power thing, it's something many people need extra help with. If you feel out of control, it might be time to see a professional who can give you some help that is scientifically supported -especially if you know your eating is caused by stress or a traumatic event.

This site is all about being healthy, but of course, health isn't just about your body, it's about your mind and spirit too. There is a strong connection between the two. Thanks for everyone sharing, I really appreciate the honesty in these posts, and I just hope everyone can be the healthiest and happiest them. :flowerforyou:

Binge eating. For me one thing that triggers it is not eating enough, then I feel it is my body going into starvation mode and when I get near a temptation food it says "EAT, EAT!!" lol. But I have learned to drink a glass of water, or indulge in a small taste. Because everyone knows the guilt you feel after a binge totally overpowers the happy feeling you get when eating. good luck!

I know one thing I've always noticed with me when trying to lose weight----hunger is my enemy. If I wait too long to eat and start getting to that desperate stage where I just 'have' to have food it's a very dangerous time and can trigger bingeing. I try to never let myself get there. I eat 3 basic meals and healthy snacks in the afternoon. If I'm hungry, I eat but choose healthy crunchy veggies dipped in hummus or a yogurt. I plan these in between snacks and can still stick to my calorie limit---usually.

My problem though, is when I binge I'm not hungry. Not at all. It's usually right after an incredible healthy and satisfying dinner. It's a nasty habit that I'm working on replacing healthy habits with.

Beth is right when she says that it can be a condition. I never believed I was an emotional eater until I started paying attention to it. A very good friend of mine (who also happens to be a weight loss buddy) also has a doctorate in psychology and we've discussed this. Because of the many stresses I have, it's forced me to hash them out and mentally deal with them. I was doing great for awhile and last summer I was only 10 pounds away from goal....

Instead of asking myself "Why am I bingeing again?" , I asked, "What is eating ME?" Once I was able to really sit and think about it, I came up with this mile long list. I analyzed each thing one at a time and thought about what I could change, and what I couldn't and went from there.

I probably should do that again. Although I did have a binge-free night last night (first one in WEEKS), I'm stressed again this morning over one of the things I 'can't' control...... which means I have to turn it over......