Help! I think I have A binge-eating PROBLEM..

I have been the same way for years. It is a really hard habit to break. I'd have 2 or 3 perfectly good weeks then crash! I think some of it is because during those weeks, it's all or nothing kinda thing. I've been binge free for a little while now although I have to fight it regularly. I'm re-training my mind to eat normally. My main thing is only eat if I'm hungry. I used to eat just because I loved putting food in my mouth & I couldn't stop myself. If I want something I have it...in moderation. And not everyday all day. Every now & then. You really have to be determined. I've gotten to a point where I feel healthy again, not weighed down, bloated, icky, irritable. And I like this feeling so much more than those. I'm choosing to continue feeling that way. I take it 1 day at a time & face the urges...one urge at at time. So now it's one victory at a time! You can do, & its not always going to be easy. If I know its something that I won't be able to stop, it's best not to start!

Planning ahead works well for me...sometimes. I'll anticipate special events or whatever and make sure to do something healthy and low-calorie for the meals I can control, so it doesn't break the bank when the cake comes up.

Hi Alex,

Very brave of you to post this. Hope I can help. I went to an all girls boarding school and saw the sides of eating disorders that no one should ever have to see, including people in hospital. The brilliant thing for you is that you can intervene now and stop it going down that path- please please listen to me- I really, really know what I am talking about.

You need to take responsibility for your eating. Have you noticed that in your post you say 'it still happens' as if it has a mind of its own and is beyond your control. Unless someone is forcing food down your throat, you ARE in control and you CAN control it- I promise. You deserve to do well.

You need to identify what triggers it. Is it being bored, lonely, feeling down, or do you tennd to binge at a particular time of day? Once you have done this you can then avoid those situations, which avoids the triggers and hence the eating. The best way to do this is to use distraction e.g if you are at work, running aroud, serving customers, sorting out other peoples' mess (!), etc, food won't even cross your mind. If you tend to eat e.g in the evenings, why not go to the gym in the evenings instead, or go out, see friends, go for a walk, etc, anything that gets your mind off food. You will find, after time, that food becomes less and less a part of your life, and one day you'll realise that you haven't overeaten for a week, a month, a year, 5 years. Spending time with others acts as a barrier to bingeing too, because you would't eat a whole (e.g.) cheesecake infront of people, woud you?!

If you are still struggling, go to your GP. They can refer you for CBT, which works really well. You CAN get out of this and have a healthy relatioship with food- I have seen it happen.

Wishing you all the very best

Izzy

Same for me, and I know why (at least for me). I'm an emotional eater. When I'm doing well with my diet, I feel like it has to be "perfect". By eating anything I'm not supposed to, I feel like I've just screwed it up. Then my emotions say to me, "You suck. You just blew it, you loser. Why can't you just stick to a diet, you idiot? How hard can it be??? You may as well just drown your sorrows in that whole pizza since you already screwed up anyway!"

I don't know if that feels familiar to you, but I can tell you what helps me. I have to remember that PERFECTION is not the goal. PROGRESS is the goal. I try to set realistic goals, and I give myself permission to give into my cravings when I can fit it within my calorie goal for the day. For you, it might help to measure out a sensible portion of something you're craving. Make a commitment to yourself that if you eat too much, walk it off that evening. Losing weight is really hard work and it can be exhausting, both mentally and physically. Just know that you are not alone. We're all going through it. Maybe it's easier for some that others. For me, I have the same issues that you do and to be honest I have not coped well either. Just reading and replying to your post has motivated me to work harder, so thank you!

This is definitely a process, and If you can make progress, you're doing wonderful!! This about a healthy lifestyle, and who said you can't have a little indulgence in a healthy lifestyle?? I understand the will power thing, i gave in to some choc. cheesecake just yesterday. I felt aweful for the rest of the night. But I would try to see if your friends would split portions with you. Rather than each getting a large piece of cake, or candy or whatever. See if they will share with you so you're doing both yourself and them a favor. Load up on water before you go out with friends so you're not super hungry when you go out. I wish you luck, and if you need any support I'm here. Friend me if you like

I highly recommend the book "Brain over Binge", it's helped me so much!