Binge-Eating

I have a problem with binge-eating. Like really bad. I need advice on how to stop the vicious cycle and keep my weight off for good!
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Replies

  • I struggle too with binge eating. It normally occurs on the weekends, like Friday and Saturday night. I will sometimes eat to the point where I can't breathe and feel sick to my stomach. It is the worst feeling in the world, especially since I try so hard to be healthy during the week days.

    Add me as a friend and we can help each other!
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    I have a major binge eating problem. I'm currently coming off of an almost week long binge... I haven't figured out how to control it yet.
  • AeolianHarp
    AeolianHarp Posts: 463 Member
    Why don't you do the intelligent and obvious thing and practice moderation so you don't binge? You don't need to be "healthy" all week.

    When you eat calories for the day, include into your maconutrients and calories something you've been craving. Problem solved. My diary is open, so I implore you to see that I eat whatever the heck I want. And guess what? I never binge.

    Also, how many meals a day are you eating? Maybe you should consider doing 2-3 meals a day instead so that way you have larger, more satisfying meals. I only eat 3 meals a day and dang I love being stuffed! If you check my diary (March 27th), I had 1082 calories (1lb of food) from burgers and a small chocolate bar. Sometimes I'll make a gigantic burrito (that weighs around 3lbs) and eat that. I think it only takes up around 1300 calories or something like that.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    From what I understand binge eating usually occurs when you deny yourself your favorite foods and just can't take it anymore.... so my advice would not to deny yourself what you love to eat, just eat smaller portions of it.
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    Why don't you do the intelligent and obvious thing and practice moderation so you don't binge? You don't need to be "healthy" all week.

    When you eat calories for the day, include into your maconutrients and calories something you've been craving. Problem solved. My diary is open, so I implore you to see that I eat whatever the heck I want. And guess what? I never binge.

    Also, how many meals a day are you eating? Maybe you should consider doing 2-3 meals a day instead so that way you have larger, more satisfying meals. I only eat 3 meals a day and dang I love being stuffed! If you check my diary (March 27th), I had 1082 calories (1lb of food) from burgers and a small chocolate bar. Sometimes I'll make a gigantic burrito (that weighs around 3lbs) and eat that. I think it only takes up around 1300 calories or something like that.

    Dude, if it were as simple as moderation.... I'd be in 8's again. LOL.
  • PeggyWoodson
    PeggyWoodson Posts: 337 Member
    Have you thought about joining the Binge eating group on here? I binge too and it doesn't have anything to do with what I have denied myself. When I binge eat it is about eating. Plain and simple as that. Just eating and lots of it. I haven't done it for a while but I am an emotional binge eater. I binge when I'm upset, worried, scared, aggravated or depressed. Sometimes when I am bored. Go to groups and put in Binge eating. See what comes up.
  • Thank you PeggyWoodson! I don't binge because I feel deprived typically its because I'm stressed or because I have emotional ties to foods and once I start eating unhealthy things I have a hard time stopping.
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
    I have found drinking a large glass of water when the urge hits, has helped.
    I was out picking up my bike earlier, where usually I would simply be straight on it.
    I was near shops, I felt hungry, and I went and bought a bag of chocolate brazils and raisins, as well as an egg and cress sandwich. I almost bought more too, lol.
    As I left the shop, I grabbed my bottle of water and guzzled it down.
    I managed to eat half the sandwich and maybe 5 chocolate brazils before chucking the rest in the bin and setting off on my 2 hour cycle. Last time that happened, I ended up eating all I had bought.

    I also don't buy in any of the foods I might binge on.
    Instead I just buy 1 serving size pot, 1 small chocolate bar or 1 ice cream bar etc, if I want a treat. Other than that, no cake, cookies, biscuits, ice cream, bread etc in my home. Fortunately, I live alone which makes it maybe easier for me than for those with a family.,

    I used to binge perhaps once a fortnight, sometimes once a week, and I purged as well, which is why I am working hard to break the habit of binge eating. It just leads to even more destructive behaviours from myself.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    Maybe you should consider doing 2-3 meals a day instead so that way you have larger, more satisfying meals.

    I recommend this. If you have larger, less frequent meals maybe you will feel more satisfied and won't binge eat. Contrary to popular belief, you can actually eat all of your calories at once (like in the evening, for example) and still lose weight (as long as you are in a deficit).
  • AeolianHarp
    AeolianHarp Posts: 463 Member
    Dude, if it were as simple as moderation.... I'd be in 8's again. LOL.

    It is as easy as that. And also not creating a severe caloric deficit while ascribing to unnecessary dietary rules that actually do not contribute to fat loss.

    Honestly, cutting can be very easy if you make it easy. This is what I did to make it easy for myself:
    - At least include one thing that satisfies my "junk" (I hate this word but it seems to be universally understood despite its ambiguity) food craving
    - Submit to intermittent fasting - I eat at 12 and I stop eating at 8
    - Eat only three meals
    - Learn to cook - I eat a pretty diverse diet most of the time. I eat anything from stuffed chicken wrapped in prosciutto to bacon, cheeseburgers with mashed potatoes to pea and bacon risotto to white chocolate, macadamia nut pancakes with white chocolate creme anglaise! HOLLA! My meals are meals I'd eat if I wasn't trying to lose weight and it's almost always better than stuff at restaurants.
    - Keep my mind busy - This is the best one. People think about food too much. Move on. I've done so much more with my time instead of pouting. I've taught myself about postural assessment, anatomy, study methodology, advanced culinary and pastry techniques, and so forth. If you're always learning then your mind isn't focused on food.

    Simple. Losing fat isn't that hard. People make it harder than it needs to be by including unnecessary dietary rules that are just pointless.
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    Dude, if it were as simple as moderation.... I'd be in 8's again. LOL.

    It is as easy as that. And also not creating a severe caloric deficit while ascribing to unnecessary dietary rules that actually do not contribute to fat loss.

    Honestly, cutting can be very easy if you make it easy. This is what I did to make it easy for myself:
    - At least include one thing that satisfies my "junk" (I hate this word but it seems to be universally understood despite its ambiguity) food craving
    - Submit to intermittent fasting - I eat at 12 and I stop eating at 8
    - Eat only three meals
    - Learn to cook - I eat a pretty diverse diet most of the time. I eat anything from stuffed chicken wrapped in prosciutto to bacon, cheeseburgers with mashed potatoes to pea and bacon risotto to white chocolate, macadamia nut pancakes with white chocolate creme anglaise! HOLLA! My meals are meals I'd eat if I wasn't trying to lose weight and it's almost always better than stuff at restaurants.
    - Keep my mind busy - This is the best one. People think about food too much. Move on. I've done so much more with my time instead of pouting. I've taught myself about postural assessment, anatomy, study methodology, advanced culinary and pastry techniques, and so forth. If you're always learning then your mind isn't focused on food.

    Simple. Losing fat isn't that hard. People make it harder than it needs to be by including unnecessary dietary rules that are just pointless.


    That's not why I binge eat, but thanks though.
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    Thank you PeggyWoodson! I don't binge because I feel deprived typically its because I'm stressed or because I have emotional ties to foods and once I start eating unhealthy things I have a hard time stopping.

    That's my issue: once I start I can't stop.
  • eastcoastlisa
    eastcoastlisa Posts: 5 Member
    Dude, if it were as simple as moderation.... I'd be in 8's again. LOL.

    It is as easy as that. And also not creating a severe caloric deficit while ascribing to unnecessary dietary rules that actually do not contribute to fat loss.

    Honestly, cutting can be very easy if you make it easy. This is what I did to make it easy for myself:
    - At least include one thing that satisfies my "junk" (I hate this word but it seems to be universally understood despite its ambiguity) food craving
    - Submit to intermittent fasting - I eat at 12 and I stop eating at 8
    - Eat only three meals
    - Learn to cook - I eat a pretty diverse diet most of the time. I eat anything from stuffed chicken wrapped in prosciutto to bacon, cheeseburgers with mashed potatoes to pea and bacon risotto to white chocolate, macadamia nut pancakes with white chocolate creme anglaise! HOLLA! My meals are meals I'd eat if I wasn't trying to lose weight and it's almost always better than stuff at restaurants.
    - Keep my mind busy - This is the best one. People think about food too much. Move on. I've done so much more with my time instead of pouting. I've taught myself about postural assessment, anatomy, study methodology, advanced culinary and pastry techniques, and so forth. If you're always learning then your mind isn't focused on food.

    Simple. Losing fat isn't that hard. People make it harder than it needs to be by including unnecessary dietary rules that are just pointless.


    That's not why I binge eat, but thanks though.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Dude, if it were as simple as moderation.... I'd be in 8's again. LOL.

    It is as easy as that. And also not creating a severe caloric deficit while ascribing to unnecessary dietary rules that actually do not contribute to fat loss.
    Well aren't you the little expert. It's easy for some people to eat in moderation. It was easy for me. For others like the people who have posted here, there are other issues going on that make it just a wee bit harder. Please don't presume that everyone is like you or that you have all the answers. Binging is a serious problem for some and it isn't overcome by "duh, moderation!"
  • eastcoastlisa
    eastcoastlisa Posts: 5 Member
    You SOOOOOO do not understand true Binge Eating. And you are very judgemental....That is like telling an alcholic...it's EASY. Just don't drink. Um...hello?! Very judgemental harsh words....and annoying.
  • rubybeach
    rubybeach Posts: 529 Member
    Hi,

    If you feel that you have Binge Eating Disorder I'd recommend seeking professional help. It's usually about so much more than "food". There are great groups out there as well as individual therapy.

    You can go to the Something Fishy organization website for referrals. I wish you the best, you don't have to go through this alone.
  • toffee322
    toffee322 Posts: 186 Member
    i have that problem too :( i had seen a psychologist and a counsellor but dont find them helpful.. they target at as emotional eating most of the times.. for me, i find myself full in my tummy but my mouth wants to eat!!! it's like an evil living in me.. so sad!!! i joined the support group in mfp too.. dont get much support from it but its really in you to support yourself.! it's hard!!! :(((
  • AeolianHarp
    AeolianHarp Posts: 463 Member
    People getting rowdy about binge eating. There is a level of accountability that must be taken. I don't disagree that it may be a disorder but I used to be a binge eater. Maybe I don't understand because I got over it so easily by simply creating a healthy relationship with food and being logical. Let's be real at the moment. You guys are referring to food as "unhealthy." There is nothing unhealthy about what you ate at that point in time. The food isn't unhealthy but your dietary habits. To me, there are no healthy or unhealthy foods.

    I never, ever feel guilty eating food. Guilt as the result of eating is illogical. It just simply signals that you have a poor relationship with food. Eat. Live life. It's a joy of life. People assume that once you need to start losing fat, you need to eat salads, grilled chicken, no red meat, no chocolate bars, no this or that. It's all no and very few yeses then we wonder why we binge when presented for that delectable "no" food. And once it hits our mouth after we give in? We can't stop. The pleasure is too good.

    Maybe it's different for other people but that's how it was for me. My life changed quite quickly and easily and, again, it may very well be because I chose to educate myself instead of feeding into nonsensical, mass media-driven garbage that made me uncomfortable with food.

    Maybe I don't understand because there are so many people who use psychology as a scapegoat and do not want to be culpable. I held myself responsible for being obese (208lbs @ 5'6") and for eating a lot of food. I used to say, "I can't control myself" but, in actuality, I chose to eat every bite.

    Do you think if you go see help that the advice will be any different than mine? That you'll have your hand held and told that you aren't accountable for your actions then put on medication? I highly doubt it but considering that prescribed medication for psychological disorders is normal now then I could be quite wrong.

    Love me or hate me, there is a dash of truth to what I say.
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    People getting rowdy about binge eating. There is a level of accountability that must be taken. I don't disagree that it may be a disorder but I used to be a binge eater. Maybe I don't understand because I got over it so easily by simply creating a healthy relationship with food and being logical. Let's be real at the moment. You guys are referring to food as "unhealthy." There is nothing unhealthy about what you ate at that point in time. The food isn't unhealthy but your dietary habits. To me, there are no healthy or unhealthy foods.

    I never, ever feel guilty eating food. Guilt as the result of eating is illogical. It just simply signals that you have a poor relationship with food. Eat. Live life. It's a joy of life. People assume that once you need to start losing fat, you need to eat salads, grilled chicken, no red meat, no chocolate bars, no this or that. It's all no and very few yeses then we wonder why we binge when presented for that delectable "no" food. And once it hits our mouth after we give in? We can't stop. The pleasure is too good.

    Maybe it's different for other people but that's how it was for me. My life changed quite quickly and easily and, again, it may very well be because I chose to educate myself instead of feeding into nonsensical, mass media-driven garbage that made me uncomfortable with food.

    Maybe I don't understand because there are so many people who use psychology as a scapegoat and do not want to be culpable. I held myself responsible for being obese (208lbs @ 5'6") and for eating a lot of food. I used to say, "I can't control myself" but, in actuality, I chose to eat every bite.

    Do you think if you go see help that the advice will be any different than mine? That you'll have your hand held and told that you aren't accountable for your actions then put on medication? I highly doubt it but considering that prescribed medication for psychological disorders is normal now then I could be quite wrong.

    Love me or hate me, there is a dash of truth to what I say.

    No, actually there's very little truth to what you say. You don't get it. Period. That's cool that you don't get it but there's no reason to write paragraphs of text bashing others because you think you know it all.
  • booyainyoface
    booyainyoface Posts: 409 Member
    as a recovered binge eater... with an occasional lapse every 3 or 4 weeks...

    don't focus on losing weight- focus on eating maintenance calories and making sure you have enough fats! Avocado has been awesome for me, besides adding fat it adds flavor and volume to foods. when i was binging regularly my fat intake was LOW (until i put down that pint of ben and jerry's along with a pizza and some peanut butter at night)

    track EVERYTHING. tracking my binges helped give me a visual representation of the "bad" i was eating. I used to freak out and think i blew my day if i ate some cheetos. now, when i log that bag of cheetos i can see that i didn't blow my day, and in fact i still have 500 calories i can eat! i used to think if i ate one unhealthy thing that i blew my day and would continue the binge. i like to think of this as not an "eating disorder," but "disordered eating"

    get smaller plate and make a deal with yourself that you will eat everything off of a plate/bowl. super cheesy of an idea, but i made a pact with myself so often when the inner demon wants to run around and binge out of the box i have to take one more step that gives me a chance to remind myself.

    finally the last thing i do to help prevent binges away from home (i work 12 hour days so most of my day is away from home) is i pack my meals/snacks the night before and don't bring my wallet to work. That way if the drivethru is looking better than my meal i can't just pull out $5 and get a unhealthy meal.

    feel free to add me- this is still a struggle for me, but these things have really helped me!
  • carinaut
    carinaut Posts: 15 Member
    Sometimes, when I'm just craving to eat SOMETHING at night and not anything special I've been depriving myself from, i just tried to binge on low cal food, i mean really low cal, so that you can eat a whole package of it and still its not that much in calories.....I really got into canned esparragus and canned whole mushrooms for example, because for me it's way more satisfying than raw veggies. Maybe this can help you sometimes but of course I know a glass of canned veggies is not pizza or whatever you are craving for.
  • nikk0
    nikk0 Posts: 2
    I have that problem also; so I buy frozen fruit and will let a bowl thaw a bit and eat the fruit still frozen it's delicious and healthy
    so ladies enjoy!!!:smile:
  • jjblogs
    jjblogs Posts: 327 Member
    Seriously want to binge on a package of reeses peanut butter cups atm.....pms coming into play. But, they are not in the house, so in order to get them, I'll have to make a late night run to the conveinence store. Hopefully, that deterent will keep me from binging on them. Because I can state with a fact, once I start that bag, there would be no stopping tonight. My best line of defense is to keep the binging items completely out of my house. If I lose my mind and want them that badly, I'm going to have to go into town for them. That usually stops me.
  • honestlysweet
    honestlysweet Posts: 221 Member
    Just stop, pack a bag and head for the gym. Exercise is amazing, and you know that sick bloated feeling you get after you binge? Well the opposite of that feeling is the feeling you get when you get back from a hard sweaty workout. A happy satisfied feeling. Just stop eating and exercise. You can do it.
  • strawberrie_milk
    strawberrie_milk Posts: 381 Member
    I have a binging problem as well. I wish I could contribute something useful to this thread, but I still binge like 1-2x per week. I do actually binge less than I used to, which was like every other day. I found that planning out my meals ahead of time, upping my calorie intake, and eating more protein/veggies/fats helps a bit. Also, if you can, keep trigger foods out of the house.
  • xdaysbingefree
    xdaysbingefree Posts: 98 Member
    People getting rowdy about binge eating. There is a level of accountability that must be taken. I don't disagree that it may be a disorder but I used to be a binge eater. Maybe I don't understand because I got over it so easily by simply creating a healthy relationship with food and being logical. Let's be real at the moment. You guys are referring to food as "unhealthy." There is nothing unhealthy about what you ate at that point in time. The food isn't unhealthy but your dietary habits. To me, there are no healthy or unhealthy foods.

    I never, ever feel guilty eating food. Guilt as the result of eating is illogical. It just simply signals that you have a poor relationship with food. Eat. Live life. It's a joy of life. People assume that once you need to start losing fat, you need to eat salads, grilled chicken, no red meat, no chocolate bars, no this or that. It's all no and very few yeses then we wonder why we binge when presented for that delectable "no" food. And once it hits our mouth after we give in? We can't stop. The pleasure is too good.

    Maybe it's different for other people but that's how it was for me. My life changed quite quickly and easily and, again, it may very well be because I chose to educate myself instead of feeding into nonsensical, mass media-driven garbage that made me uncomfortable with food.

    Maybe I don't understand because there are so many people who use psychology as a scapegoat and do not want to be culpable. I held myself responsible for being obese (208lbs @ 5'6") and for eating a lot of food. I used to say, "I can't control myself" but, in actuality, I chose to eat every bite.

    Do you think if you go see help that the advice will be any different than mine? That you'll have your hand held and told that you aren't accountable for your actions then put on medication? I highly doubt it but considering that prescribed medication for psychological disorders is normal now then I could be quite wrong.

    Love me or hate me, there is a dash of truth to what I say.

    You really can't tell people that the solution is so simple, seeing as you have no personal experience with binge eating. If someone went to seek help, the advice WOULD be different from yours. A doctor would take a much more caring approach, and talk it out with you to figure out what else is going on in your life that is causing you to binge eating. \

    You don't know what kind of experiences people have had that cause them to binge. I'm sure some people ARE using it as an excuse just like you said, but you shouldn't generalize like that.
  • lisag2007
    lisag2007 Posts: 130
    I don't have as much trouble as I used too, but anytime chocolate chip cookies are nearby....they are so hard to resist. I think I could eat 15 without blinking an eye. Add me as a friend and we can help each other learn some self control. Good luck to you.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    bump, I have the same problem and need a solution as well.
  • stephabef
    stephabef Posts: 936 Member
    I have the same problem. Never had it before MFP :(