binging - HELP!

I'm in the same boat. The minute my daughter gets home from school the bingeing begins.....her ADD and homework load stress us both out. It does help to have a hot cup of tea, but lately I' d really really just like to wolf down a whole bag of Doritos.

And i do have a bad image of myself, so does everyone else out there.

Um what? If I have a bad image of myself then my real body must be fabulous!

If you are truly binging then you have a disorder. If you are using this as a dramatic way to say that you eat a lot of snacks, then that's a totally different thing. But since you add in the fact that you have a bad image of yourself - and apparently think that is normal and acceptable - I think you need to take a serious look at things.

certain foods and drinks with aspartmine will make you binge eat and it usually takes 24-48 hours to get out of your system. (just a experiment I tried) Try Yerba Matte tea with Stevita. It takes awhile to get use to but the Yerba matte curbs appettie and the Stevita is all natural substitute

I binge too..on cereal and sweets just like you do! :[ I don't do it all the time. Some days, especially around the dreaded time of the month, i'll get back from class and just literally eat...so much. Like I said, I don't really do it all the time, just I get episodes of it. You may just be an emotional eater.

Make sure are getting fiber, protein and fat in every meal/snack. The protein and fat will help you feel full. For me, binges happen when I'm overly hungry. So, I eat every 3-4 hours to avoid getting to that point. I have a 350 cal breakfast, 200 cal morning snack, 350 cal lunch, 150 cal afternoon snack and a 450 cal dinner. That is the *plan* anyway. Some meals fluctuate a bit but not to much.

I also struggle with the afternoon cravings to eat unhealthy foods. For me I most often crave cheese in the afternoon and sometimes sweets. I go through the same thing in the evening too. This coming Monday I am going to begin a spiritual fast and not eat anything between lunch and dinner or after dinner. I don't know what your religious beliefs are but many people fast during the Easter season. It won't be easy, but the hunger and cravings will remind me to pray and I wanted to fast something that would be a real challenge for me.
You also said you struggle with self esteem and I am so sorry to hear that. I have been there before and know it is a very hard place to be. Maybe you should take the time in the afternoon when you would normally binge and do something special to take care of yourself. Maybe a nice bath, or a manicure. We are all more than just our weight or pants size. You should reflect and find things you like about yourself. Maybe a personality trait or talent you have. Write those things down and keep them some place where you can look at them during hard times. If you have a hard time doing that ask family and friends what they think makes you special, you will probably hear them say wonderful things you had never even thought of. I don't know you personally but I will start with one. I admire your honesty, to be able to ask for help with something you struggle with is very brave, and many people would not feel comfotable enough to step out and admit a weakness

I'm a binger too. Mostly a "closet" binger . . like in my bedroom, late at night, etc. I've learned I just need to keep whatever I'm craving out of sight/reach and try to identify the real emotion that is disguising itself as hunger. Like sometimes I eat out of boredom, tiredness, stress, etc. etc.

So, if I'm tired . . the solution is to lay down and sleep. If I'm bored, the best thing I can do is exercise or clean house, basically keep myself busy with anything other than eating. And then there's the stress eating . . that's the WORST. Exercise is my best remedy but when that's not available, I (sometimes) can satisfy myself with a healthy snack instead, like baby carrots or a handful of almonds. Almonds are a great snack, full of protein and the GOOD kind of fat.

It's all about making choices and retraining our brains to think differently about food. I know, it's really hard. That's why we have the support here on MFP. Even just typing this makes me feel better tonight.

Im in the same boat I don't know what to do? I am trying to up my protien but I don't really want to live off of chicken breasts ya know!? Anyone have any good tips or suggestions on protien powders/ bars?

Almonds, hard boiled eggs, milk, yogurt, peanut butter, I personally like the Special K protein shakes (strawberry especially).

I tend to want high fat/highcalorie food when it's been too long since my last meal, and late at night. So first, I try to space out my intake so I don't have a tummy waiting around for 6-8 to eat.
I try to eat crunchy veggies-really it's hard to go over you calorie limit on veggies. I've curbed many a potato chip attack by eating carrots, celery, and cucumber chips instead.
I also have a chocolate thing, too. I try to get 1/4 to 1 full serving of high quality dark chocolate whenever I feel the need. The darker, the better. I usually buy 85%. The rest of my diet is usually very well balanced enough to allow for it.
If I still have a sweet tooth, sometimes I have a hot cocoa before bed. It's still 90 cals, but it's better than driving to the store in the middle of the night for Oreos....not that I've ever done that.
Also, I read recently that chocolate milk is a great post-workout recovery drink. I had one today and it was awesome! Supposedly the carb/protein balance is optimum for muscle recovery. Who am I to argue with the scientists?