"binging" after dinner

Try walking away from the kitchen! Find something to do where food isn't involved. There isn't anything I (or anyone else) can say to help you. You need to help yourself. Either you want to get healthy or you don't. Its up to you! Sorry but it seemed like some tough love was needed here. :grumble:

One thing that i found that really helped is honestly just not buying lots of food at one time and Not having snacky stuff in the house ie stuff you can pick on.... Like rice cakes and spread etc After having the minimum for a while really helps

You say you finish dinner with a 500 calorie deficit.... that means 500 calories below what MFP says you should have for the day? Assuming yes, here are some suggestions:

- Have a 100 calorie snack 30-60min before your normal dinnertime, and move your dinnertime 60-90min later at night. That would mean less time for eating between dinner and bedtime, which may equate to less eating.

- Eat more for dinner. Eat all but 1-200 of your daily calories and pre-plan a 1-200 calorie bedtime snack. If you take out your bedtime snack while cleaning up from dinner, and know that that is all you are allowed to have, perhaps you will be more inclined to stick within those predetermined limits. Even entering your snack into MFP before consuming it may help strengthen your resolve to not add anything else.

- I have not looked at your diary, but perhaps if you cut 50-100 calories from each meal during the day, you will build up enough reserve to have a larger bedtime 'snack' (which would actually be looking more like supper now). In this way, you could eat more satisfying foods for your snack, instead of light 'snacky' foods and this may equate to less calories needed to make you feel satisfied.

- Don't watch TV after dinner. Not sure if you do or not, but the more sedentary you are after dinner, the more likely you are to feel the need for snacks. Save your workouts/cleaning/billpaying/etc for after dinner to keep your mind distracted.

Hope you find a solution that works for you!

Are you actually hungry when you're binging? Or is it just boredom?

Dont keep the temptations in your house!

For example, I decided to buy a bag of chocolate after Valentines Day (Hey, it was on sale!). Now, everytime I walk into the kitchen I am beyond tempted. I cant buy bags of chocolate anymore.

I usually have a hot cup of tea to keep from eating. Some times that works and sometimes it doesn't.

Somebody once suggested to me that I do the whole dental hygiene routine. Brush, floss, then rinse out your mouth with Listerine. I have more success when I do this.

Good luck.

I need help! And I mean this in all seriousness. Yesterday after dinner I ate 5 cups of Special K Red Berries cereal with Almond milk and then I had 3, yes 3, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The night before, after dinner, I had 4 cups of cereal and then ate 7 rice cakes with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray and cinnamon/sugar on top. I could go on and on about my after dinner binging. It's not like I'm still hungry...I'm not. I need some help. Who can I turn to? I don't have a bunch of money to go see a specialist but I can't keep doing this to myself. I'm having to workout like mad just to keep my head above water. I need some real-life suggestions that I can sustain for the long haul. I finish dinner with a 500 calorie deficit and then I wipe it out in no time and end up with a 500-900 calorie surplus. I'm so frustrated right now I almost just feel like saying the hell with it....

WOW.

This could be written by me on many, many, days.

WHat has shed light into this nightmare is to add a tab"emotional/compulsive" eating so I can SEE all the damage I am doing to myself.

My diary is public and I am no longer eating in secrecy during these binges, and this helps me alot for some reason.

Binges are SYMPTOMS of what is wrong...You can do things instead of eating but until you face what is really going on...It wil come back.

Try to read Geneen Roth's books...

Good luck,

E

I am the same way. I am finding that gum, especially mint flavors, have been helpful. The other thing is getting as far away from the kitchen as possible! I have even considered moving our TV from the living room to an upstairs room! I also have a big sign posted on my refrigerator to remind me why I should not eat.

I go to hot green tea and gum- never without gum! gets you the satisfaction of chewing and has flavor for no (ok 5) calories. also try brushing your teeth, i tend to think about eating more food when i can literally still taste it :ohwell:

Are you really hungry or could you just be thirsty? Try drinking a cup of water before you eat and a cup after. This really works for me.

Every time you want to eat, drink water instead. Drink a full glass of water. If you are still hungry then measure yourself a small snack of something healthy like almonds or vegetables.

It is essential to keep busy...keep your mind off of food.... This is why instead of just watching TV I workout while I watch TV. I usually ride my stationary bike or do a whole bunch of free exercise on Bodyrock.tv (it is a great website you should check it out).

Organize something! Paint your nails! Phone a friend! Join a class! Get a new hobby!

Or, try a brisk walk around the block with your iPod...

Chew gum!

I go for a walk or try to train one of my dogs, but this is not easy for me. If it's in the house I will want to eat it. I do keep a lot of food in the house for my children. It is literally on some days a battle to stay away from eating something (usually sweets). I've managed so far by buying things that I just won't eat. If that doesn't work I make it an early bed night, take a shower, brush my teeth and retire to the bedroom to be farther away from food.

Ugh I'm so bad about this. My weakness is cocoa pebbles!!! I just save up cals during the day for my night time munch downs.

i did this every night for years and have finally got it under control. here is how i think i managed to get it better under control (even though i admit, sometimes i mess up)
in all seriousness after spending 2 years on here and making never really staying under my calories i finally admitted to myself, what the hell am i even trying for????? i ruin it every night!! do i really want to lose weight??? HELL YES! can i do it if i keep acting this way??? HELL NO! i've got working out down, but all the workouts wont matter really if i eat this way every night. its only you who can change it. dont expect a 100 degree turn around overnight, you'll have good days and bad days, but if you're gonna throw in the towel on anything, throw it in on the binge eating, its all about mental control. somtimes even saying it outloud when i want to eat: NO ! helps.
ps. if you are smoking weed and thats contributing, i can only say either limit it, wait until later, or work on mind over matter.
also helpful : gum, lots of water, you've gotta get real with yourself. i know how hard it is, but nothing changed until i realized i was choosing to feel dissappointed and guilty every morning and that none of my goals were going to change unless I changed it. binge eating has become a habit and it will take a bit of work to stop it. but you CAN do it. take it from me i promise.

I find that a large glass of water really helps...then walking out of the kitchen and even outdoors. The "need it now" fix will soon pass. I think its best as some others stated...don't have your past "comfort" foods in the house. Get them out...today! Have your family on board to help...they don't need the extra calories either. I found it most difficult when my daughter would make "treats" of brownies, bars, etc. When they know what the possible negative outcome is and how it can affect YOU, they will change too. Out of sight...out of mind. Do you have a support system/buddy? Get on the phone and call them if you get in one of the compulsive moods...thats what it is when we just can't stop...and we're not really hungry.
Mind over matter...I hope this helps you. Its not easy...but who ever said it was? Good luck!