Help or books for stopping binge eating

mamitosami
mamitosami Posts: 531 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
This has been a problem for me for a long time. I'm infinitely ashamed. On the outside I look like I have it all together--I'm not overweight, and I'm fairly fit. I exercise frequently and I go hard at it. My dark side is the binge eating. People laugh at how much I can consume in a sitting, because I'm so tall and can keep off the weight, but when I binge I feel physically and emotionally like hell. It's taking it's toll on my self esteem and I'm sure physically as well. I realize I may not be able to stop them altogether, but I would like to have them happen less frequently (sometimes up to three days a week now).

Does anyone have any advice or books that may help? I'm pretty desperate at this point and I hate how angry and despondent I feel with myself after a major binge.

I realize this has likely been posted a thousand times, but I felt like I needed to officially 'out' myself and get some advice that applies to me, personally.

I thank you in advance for your responses and/or support and advice...

Replies

  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Therapy. If you're as desperate as you claim you will look into it.
  • MileyClimb
    MileyClimb Posts: 414 Member
    They have a binge eating support group on MFP and some eating disorder support groups. I just joined and am in some of the groups. I would be glad to friend you and encourage you. maybe we can encourage each other
  • mamitosami
    mamitosami Posts: 531 Member
    I actually did do some therapy a few years ago and my therapist even laughed at me! He always would say, you look fine, I do that too--eat a bag of chips and regret it... I guess I would have to look into a new therapist.

    Thank you Pink--I will look into that group right now. I'll also send you a request...
  • SilviCor
    SilviCor Posts: 110 Member
    Perhaps you are consuming too few calories on some days and you binge because your body is telling you that it needs more food? (I can't see your food diary so I don't know how much you're actually eating and if you're eating back your exercise calories). Just a thought.
  • lilojoke
    lilojoke Posts: 427 Member
    A few things that has helped me...

    EFT is emotional freedom technique which has helped me relax when stress hits and anxiety I don't do this as often but it sure does help.

    Books that have helped?

    The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite... This book really helped me and highly recommend it.

    Overcoming Overeating... Not as helpful as the first book but got few ideas there.

    When I searched for answers and even went to doctors about this it wasn't really the binges that caused the problem it was my blood sugar!!! I tend to be a little hypoglycaemic which is opposite of my dad with his type II I do not have diabetes but my tendency to go long with out food really made me gorge myself with food once I hit the low once I started to eat I could not stop eating because my BS were so low.

    Once I started eating more regularly my binges dropped and now it may only be one or two per week if that. I know you love intermittent fasting but try going for a week or two and eat every 3-4 hours small portions and see if that helps.
  • mamitosami
    mamitosami Posts: 531 Member
    I've tried upping my calories to my TDEE so that I'm not hungry, but I still eventually binge. Generally after I binge I do eat too few calories to make up for it, then it ends up a vicious cycle. I know it's emotional, and I realize I likely need therapy for it. But it's expensive and trying to find time in a day to go to therapy while raising kids is difficult to do. I guess I know WHY I'm doing it, I just would like some tips on how to stop it... how to talk myself out of it.

    I've been working on the emotional reasons for it for a long time, but I need a coping mechanism... I thought some good books would give me decent tips on putting my energy diving into mountains of food elsewhere... And maybe I'll hear from someone who has had some success and they can share their experience.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    I actually did do some therapy a few years ago and my therapist even laughed at me! He always would say, you look fine, I do that too--eat a bag of chips and regret it.
    Get a better therapist. :flowerforyou:

    In the meantime, I haven't read many books on the subject, but The Hunger Within by Marilyn Migliore is quite good. Check it out on Amazon, read the reviews, and see what else is out there. There are quite a lot of books that look helpful. You might just have to dive in and order a couple to see which will work for you.

    Here's a website that I've found useful too: http://bingeeatingtherapy.com/

    Good luck, and feel free to add me.
  • lilojoke
    lilojoke Posts: 427 Member
    http://tinyurl.com/8gx5ml

    http://tinyurl.com/76lec3n

    I think the binge eating is more of a habitual part of our lives then a mental one because it eventually becomes a response we deliver when things get to a certain point in our lives. So by blocking the habit and changing up our behaviour will eventually lead to less binges. For me it was right after an argument with parents I would actually drive out and get food lots of food! When I stopped doing that and not leaving the house I had no choice but to eat what was available so I kind of ate less. So changing your response is key and to be honest coming from a Eat Stop Eat friend of yours I would stop fasting and see if that stops the binges.
  • lilojoke
    lilojoke Posts: 427 Member
    Programs like OA and therapy will only get a person so far... Trust me I was going to OA and therapy at the same time. Even going to both I was still eating a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter all of it by myself for over three months. When you lose control of your eating actually eating becomes a scary thing to do! This is when real situations of eating disorders happen. Losing my weight was hard to deal with because I was always hungry. Its not about will power either its more of a evolution perspective and the fight or flight response to the stressors in our lives.
  • lilojoke
    lilojoke Posts: 427 Member
    Actually maybe the problem is deep down you actually don't feel guilty for binge eating because of all this eating more to lose... So you keep on doing it because lots of food is always a good thing around MFP! ;)
  • MileyClimb
    MileyClimb Posts: 414 Member
    they have a course on overeating you might want to check this out settingthecaptivesfree.com

    I am taking the under eating course called in His image. it is christian based but if that doesnt' bother you it may help the overeating course is called The Lord's table you may want to go with plan B if you take it though plan A is way to strict and not realistic. they assign you a mentor its a 60 day journey. you have the option of mentoring others when you are done or in my case I retook it I did not feel I was ready to mentor yet have to work more on me first.

    here is another good place eat more to weigh less but it will teach you better eating habits and helping you on your calories. I am actually trying this and just joined yesterday
  • jburls23
    jburls23 Posts: 22
    Hi there-- "Overcoming Binge Eating" by Christopher Fairburn... you can get it used on Amazon for like $7. I work in a Binge Eating Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program and our entire program curriculum is based on this guided self-help book. We have all our patients purchase it. It's really an excellent book. Also might like to try "50 ways to soothe yourself with food" by Albers. The emotional toll binge eating takes on a person is unbelievable! Watch out for perfectionism/self criticism...as they almost always derail a positive self-change process... Be kind to yourself!:flowerforyou:
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    The biggest nutritional cause is if you are not eating sufficient calories and fulfilling your macronutrient goals: if you are lacking in Protein or Fat intake, you will tend to binge more frequently, so watch that particularly. Too many Carbs lead to too many Carbs.

    Once you have that sorted out: try a Journal. When you have a binge moment, sit down at the computer or with a paper journal and write about what you were feeling and thinking when you did it. Writing afterwards is fine, but eventually you will learn to write right before you binge, and you will be able to substitute that behavior with the unwanted one. You'll be amazed at the insights you'll get about yourself. Write it all down, the good the bad and the ugly.

    Usually compulsive behaviors are caused by feeling out of control, or not having any control over a particular situation.


  • mamitosami
    mamitosami Posts: 531 Member
    Thank you all for your kind responses. I will look up all the books recommended, and I will also try to journal my feelings--even just a line.... thank you...
  • lilojoke
    lilojoke Posts: 427 Member
    nce you have that sorted out: try a Journal. When you have a binge moment, sit down at the computer or with a paper journal and write about what you were feeling and thinking when you did it. Writing afterwards is fine, but eventually you will learn to write right before you binge, and you will be able to substitute that behavior with the unwanted one. You'll be amazed at the insights you'll get about yourself. Write it all down, the good the bad and the ugly.

    Usually compulsive behaviors are caused by feeling out of control, or not having any control over a particular situation.



    ^^^ THIS! I did this for over two years and worked very well. I have come down to 1-2 really bad binges a month from 5-6 per month. The more I wrote I also found my quantity of food eaten in my binges became less over time... Instead of 5000-6000 they are now about 1000-2000.
  • blandwriter
    blandwriter Posts: 50 Member
    Doreen Virtue has written several books on binge eating. Also, one of the best books I've ever read is called "Facing the Fire" by John Lee. It's a book about anger, not binge eating, but connecting the dots between anger and binge eating has been especially helpful for me.
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