professional help to beat binge eating?
bitter_sentiment
Posts: 34 Member
No matter what I just keep going back to binge eating. I just can't seem to stop. I'll have about 3 good days and then binge. Then 3 good days then binge. It's just ridiculous and I'm sick of sabotaging myself, yet I can't seem to control myself.
Is seeking professional help the best way to overcome binge eating?
Has anyone sought professional help? Has it worked?
Is seeking professional help the best way to overcome binge eating?
Has anyone sought professional help? Has it worked?
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Replies
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I see a therapist once a week for various issues and I have found her to be extremely helpful to my diet and weight issues (including binge problems less severe than yours). There are ways to do it alone and sometimes it takes a while to find a therapist that meshes well with you, but I definitely find it worth it for me personally.0
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When you say binge...how much are you binging to?0
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it starts with nutella and i'm not sure how much i eat, half a spoon turns into 2 spoons etc. even once it stops tasting good i find it hard to stop. then i'll have raisn toast with too much margarine after and it usually ends up being 2-4 pieces. so probably about 1000calories in one sitting. but then it throws off my eating for the rest of the day and i'll keep eating badly. it's so embarassing =[0
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Okay i'll be more detailed.
How tall are you?
Age?
Height?
Weight?
On an average binge day, how much do you eat?0 -
Therapy has been enormously helpful for me. When I started seeing my current therapist, it was for what I thought were issues unrelated to eating, but it turns out that everything is interrelated, and goes way back to my childhood.
It was only by chance that I even mentioned out-of-control eating to my therapist (because I really didn't think it had anything to do with what I thought were my REAL problems), but it was actually a very important piece of the puzzle and he was able to help me realize WHY I overeat, and we have been working on THOSE issues. I have made a lot of progress in the past year (really the past 3 months, actually) and highly recommend giving therapy a shot.
Keep in mind that is essential to "shop around" and find someone with whom you connect and who you respect. Also, from my experience, if you truly want to address the underlying issues behind your binges, you need to be prepared to do some really hard and intense emotional work and talk about things that are super-personal and maybe quite painful. For most people this is a long process, but if you stick with it, the results could change your life in a very positive way.
Good luck--feel free to message me if you have more questions about this stuff!
-LP0 -
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Phillipians 4:13 repeat.
Now believe it and claim it. "All things" include bad habits and addictions. Keep your focus on prayer and reading God's word instead of the binging. Find a Christian counselor. I'm praying for you!0 -
Helloitsdan, I'm curious why you want to know this stuff. How would any of these factors impact whether or not therapy might help the OP?Okay i'll be more detailed.
How tall are you?
Age?
Height?
Weight?
On an average binge day, how much do you eat?0 -
height: 172cm
age: 22
weight: 72kg
today from logging what i've had MFP approximates about 3,000calories in total, i did do body combat this morning which burnt around 550calories. but my recommended daily goal is only 1,400. and i workout almost every day and i struggle to loose weight so i know it's my eating that is the problem.0 -
Therapy has been enormously helpful for me. When I started seeing my current therapist, it was for what I thought were issues unrelated to eating, but it turns out that everything is interrelated, and goes way back to my childhood.
It was only by chance that I even mentioned out-of-control eating to my therapist (because I really didn't think it had anything to do with what I thought were my REAL problems), but it was actually a very important piece of the puzzle and he was able to help me realize WHY I overeat, and we have been working on THOSE issues. I have made a lot of progress in the past year (really the past 3 months, actually) and highly recommend giving therapy a shot.
Keep in mind that is essential to "shop around" and find someone with whom you connect and who you respect. Also, from my experience, if you truly want to address the underlying issues behind your binges, you need to be prepared to do some really hard and intense emotional work and talk about things that are super-personal and maybe quite painful. For most people this is a long process, but if you stick with it, the results could change your life in a very positive way.
Good luck--feel free to message me if you have more questions about this stuff!
-LP
yeh i know it'll be tough but i'm so sick of this, i've struggled with it for so long i just want to get over it.
who exactly do you search for? like do you look for psychologists or food nutrionists or general doctor?0 -
height: 172cm
age: 22
weight: 72kg
today from logging what i've had MFP approximates about 3,000calories in total, i did do body combat this morning which burnt around 550calories. but my recommended daily goal is only 1,400. and i workout almost every day and i struggle to loose weight so i know it's my eating that is the problem.
Hiya, I have/had the same problems as yourself. I can be very good for about 4 days then I binge (usually around 5/6000 cals in the day through a short window). Recently I've upped my cals to 1600 Net, usually consuming around 2,000 with my exercise cals. This seems to have helped a bit. I find binging usually happens when I'm really hungry and I think 'whats the point'. Are you hungry on 1400 cals??
Sorry I know this isn't much help, but thought maybe just to know others feel the same. xx0 -
height: 172cm
age: 22
weight: 72kg
today from logging what i've had MFP approximates about 3,000calories in total, i did do body combat this morning which burnt around 550calories. but my recommended daily goal is only 1,400. and i workout almost every day and i struggle to loose weight so i know it's my eating that is the problem.
Hiya, I have/had the same problems as yourself. I can be very good for about 4 days then I binge (usually around 5/6000 cals in the day through a short window). Recently I've upped my cals to 1600 Net, usually consuming around 2,000 with my exercise cals. This seems to have helped a bit. I find binging usually happens when I'm really hungry and I think 'whats the point'. Are you hungry on 1400 cals??
Sorry I know this isn't much help, but thought maybe just to know others feel the same. xx
well according to mfp it's technically still 1400 but i actually eat that plus another 500, so pretty much 2,000 to compensate for the exercise...if that makes sense. and i'm not hungry when i binge usually, today i wasn't. i just crave the sweetness and the taste i think. sometimes i try and have an orange to get the sweetness but it's not the same. but it's stupid because the food i binge on doesn't agree with me and makes me feel sick.
do you find you have one 'bad thing' and then it spirals out of control into a binge? it's almost like thinking, well i've mucked it up now, i may as well keep eating bad...0 -
I have had the same problem and i still do from time to time its is more controlled now but i had attended over eater annoymous meetings... i found being around people that the same problem and listening to their stories has helped me...i also added added protein shakes into my diet it seems to help i feel fuller and i am sastified. I found that i was binging when i wasnt eating enough throughout the day.. or when i consumed too much breads pastas rice etc... and when i wasnt drinking enough water. It is a vicious cycle and one not many people understand... best of luck0
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I would start by going to your regular doctor and explaining your struggles so that s/he can make a referral to a psychologist. For me, a nutritionist wasn't able to help because she kept focusing on appropriate serving sizes and healthy snack choices. That's great, but not my problem. My problem is (or was--it's so, so much better lately) eating in this frenzied, out-of-control way and not even stopping when I felt sick. My problem was thinking about food ALL the time, and just wishing I could be alone in the house so that no one might walk in on me eating peanut butter by the spoonful. It's mental/emotional for me, so a psychologist is a better choice. You might want to ask around for names of psychologists who specifically work with people with eating disorders, but in my experience, it depends much more on the individual therapist and less on their background. (But if your doc refers you to a nutritionist, it would definitely be worth trying that, too.)0
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do what you think is best for you ALWAYS...and there are such things as trigger foods..sugar is a big one for me, I have to eliminate, one bite is enough to set myself up for a binge, kind of like the first drink for an alcoholic...maybe remove the Nutella, cinnamon raisin bread (usually high in sugar..even raisins can be too sweet), hang in there..it is always progress not perfection and try to keep your relationship with yourself healthy...prayer, mediation, talking it out, exercize, reading...whatever healthy thing there is do THIS..as a binge eater I try to love myself in healthy ways..changing that pattern in my head, not loving myself by bingeing...bingeing is not a "living" activity, so I try to focus on doing things that are alive...even housework (UGHH!!) is living life. Also if you do not want to spend money on therapy...you could try Overeaters Anonymous they are always free, online and telephone meetings..but again ALWAYS do what is right for you. Keep up the good work!;0
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I am the same. I will do good for about 4 days and then my body goes into an eating phase and I eat everything not nailed down. I actually was on maintenance and gained 5 pounds back because of binging. Now I'm on a strict diet to get the weight back off. I think our bodies don't want to lose weight and it fights us. I find what has helped lately is the lower carbs I eat the less chance of binging. I know perfectly well about raisin bread. That is something I can't have in my house. I'll eat the whole loaf. That and crackers are my weakness. I hope therapy works for you.0
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I would start by going to your regular doctor and explaining your struggles so that s/he can make a referral to a psychologist. For me, a nutritionist wasn't able to help because she kept focusing on appropriate serving sizes and healthy snack choices. That's great, but not my problem. My problem is (or was--it's so, so much better lately) eating in this frenzied, out-of-control way and not even stopping when I felt sick. My problem was thinking about food ALL the time, and just wishing I could be alone in the house so that no one might walk in on me eating peanut butter by the spoonful. It's mental/emotional for me, so a psychologist is a better choice. You might want to ask around for names of psychologists who specifically work with people with eating disorders, but in my experience, it depends much more on the individual therapist and less on their background. (But if your doc refers you to a nutritionist, it would definitely be worth trying that, too.)
that is me down to a tee, not wanting people to see you eating. trying to sneak eat food etc. and eating to the point of feeling sick. thanks for the advice, hopefully i'll be able to find someone helpful =]0 -
Yeah, we had to stop buying raisin bread for a few years, too. Now we buy it rarely and keep it at the bottom of the chest freezer, so I'd have to be really, really motivated to get it...0
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I know for me I'm a carb addict. Once I start, I can't stop. Yesterday, for example....
I know I did really well when I want to LA Weightloss - it had nothing to do with the diet, and everything to do with the counselling. I'm not with them anymore....too expensive.
It also helped me to go to a nutritionist when I was pregnant with diabetes. I planned my meals and stuck to them. I don't go there anymore, I'm not diabetic anymore.
Try planning your meals. Find your triggers. For me it is anything soft, white, and fluffy - that can be bread, marshmallows, potatoes, ice cream, rice, etc. Also anything chocolate....also nuts....and cereal right out of the box....so I try not to start. If I do start, I try to start again the next day.
Also, check how many calories you are eating regularly. It might not be enough and it might leave your body craving.
So, professional help? It will help.0 -
a 12 step fellowship0
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well according to mfp it's technically still 1400 but i actually eat that plus another 500, so pretty much 2,000 to compensate for the exercise...if that makes sense. and i'm not hungry when i binge usually, today i wasn't. i just crave the sweetness and the taste i think. sometimes i try and have an orange to get the sweetness but it's not the same. but it's stupid because the food i binge on doesn't agree with me and makes me feel sick.
do you find you have one 'bad thing' and then it spirals out of control into a binge? it's almost like thinking, well i've mucked it up now, i may as well keep eating bad...
[/quote]
I have the very same way of thinking, if I see the numbers in red I think 'f**k it', and off I go. But I've been trying to pre-plan and allow a treat a day, usually a small bar or few squares of chocolate. If I don't I feel deprived. I've stopped having trigger foods in the house and I go out everyday for the little treat. I know people say everything in moderation, but hell thats how I got big in the first place, I 'can't' do moderation without lots of planning and boundaries.
Overeaters annon sounds good, we don't have it here, but could be worth a shot, you may be able to get more information there on more formal help if you feel you still need it x0 -
Why not give therapy a shot and see if it helps? It could be really helpful in figuring out why you binge and giving you the tools to respond to the urge to do so.
Delicate reminder that not everyone on here is Christian. :flowerforyou:I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Phillipians 4:13 repeat.
Now believe it and claim it. "All things" include bad habits and addictions. Keep your focus on prayer and reading God's word instead of the binging. Find a Christian counselor. I'm praying for you!0 -
height: 172cm
age: 22
weight: 72kg
today from logging what i've had MFP approximates about 3,000calories in total, i did do body combat this morning which burnt around 550calories. but my recommended daily goal is only 1,400. and i workout almost every day and i struggle to loose weight so i know it's my eating that is the problem.
You really arent all that over weight.
At your height and weight you can eat 2200 cals and below to lose weight.
Why not change MFP settings to maintenance, around 2100-2200, and just make sure you eat a little below that daily.
I can almost guarantee if you workout only 3 days a week at 2k a day youll lose more fat than working out daily trying to eat 1400 cals.
The reasoni ask for stats is because a lot of youn women think they are over eating when they arent.
I've encountered women on here who are skinny-fat but underweight and think they need to diet down.
The fact is they need to eat more.
Yea you will want to binge if you dont eat enough and 1400 isnt enough for someone your height and weight.
Heres a test to my theory.
Go to Fat to Fit radio and use their tools.
Do the military body fat calculator then enter the info into the BMR tool.
The trick with the BMR tool to figure your TDEE is to enter goal weight as your current weight.
After it spits out the info, look at the Katch McArdle BMR setting.
Yours is about 1500.
then at the bottom you would want to eat below "Light Activity" but above your Katch McArdle BMR.
Heres an example with my numbers...
So i'll do my numbers:
Age 37
Male
Height 66
Current weight 135
Goal weight 135
Body fat% 12
Katch-McArdle Forumla
The numbers above are fairly accurate, however they don't take into account your lean body mass. A more accurate formula that does take your lean body mass into account is the Katch-McArdle formula. Since many of us have scales that will tell us our current body fat, this formula may yield more accurate results. Based on the information you provided, body fat percentage of 12%, you have a lean body mass of 119 lbs., and your BMR is 1538 calories.
How Many Calories Should I Eat?
Based on your goal weight, the following chart was generated. The chart shows the number of calories that you should eat on a daily basis to reach your goal weight. At Fat 2 Fit Radio we advocate eating like the thin, healthy person that you want to become. The calorie levels you see in the chart are not extreme, but they do create that all important caloric deficit that is required to get you to your goal weight in a safe manner. Once you reach your goal weight, you will continue eating the same number of calories for the rest of your life to maintain that weight. You'll never be on a diet again.
Based on how much activity you do on an average day, the calories in the right column will be the number of calories that you will be able to eat at your goal weight. If you start eating those calories right now (eating like the thinner you), you will eventually become that thinner person. As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point.
Activity Level Daily Calories
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1793
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 2054 <----This is my TDEE.
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2316
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2577
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2839
So if you eat daily just below your TDEE, youll lose fat but maintain lean mass.
And youll only really need to workout 3 or 4 times a week for optimal results.
Therapy may be good for you but if you can adjust your hormone level by eating correctly....
PM me if you need any help.0 -
Why not give therapy a shot and see if it helps? It could be really helpful in figuring out why you binge and giving you the tools to respond to the urge to do so.
Delicate reminder that not everyone on here is Christian. :flowerforyou:I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Phillipians 4:13 repeat.
Now believe it and claim it. "All things" include bad habits and addictions. Keep your focus on prayer and reading God's word instead of the binging. Find a Christian counselor. I'm praying for you!
thankyou, and i agree. and i've been looking into overeating anonymous but they're all held in churches and i'm not sure how i'd feel about that. i think i'd feel even more uncomfortable and out of place because i'm not religious, on top of already being nervous about attending and talking about my overeating to a group of strangers.0 -
My husband and I went to an OA meeting once, just to see if we thought it would be helpful. It was very interesting, but not what we were looking for (it did seem to have religious-ish undertones and the food restrictions were not appealing to us). We were not expected say ANYTHING that first day--in fact, we may even have been asked not to speak. It seems to be a great fit for some people, though, just not for us. It may be worthwhile for you--or anyone who binges--to check out one meeting, since it is free and, I felt, very different from other available options. Just seeing the range of people at the meeting--and listening to some big, intimidating-looking guy (he was like a construction worker or a miner or something) break down in tears while sharing his story gave some helpful perspective.Why not give therapy a shot and see if it helps? It could be really helpful in figuring out why you binge and giving you the tools to respond to the urge to do so.
Delicate reminder that not everyone on here is Christian. :flowerforyou:I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Phillipians 4:13 repeat.
Now believe it and claim it. "All things" include bad habits and addictions. Keep your focus on prayer and reading God's word instead of the binging. Find a Christian counselor. I'm praying for you!
thankyou, and i agree. and i've been looking into overeating anonymous but they're all held in churches and i'm not sure how i'd feel about that. i think i'd feel even more uncomfortable and out of place because i'm not religious, on top of already being nervous about attending and talking about my overeating to a group of strangers.0 -
thankyou everyone so much for your support and advice! i really appreciate it!0
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bump0
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Struggling with binges myself x0
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I used to binge and have been essentially free of it for a long time. I have found out that I do it when I'm a) dehydrated, and b) tired. Put those two things together - dehydrated late at night - and it's a recipe for disaster. I should instead grab some water and go to bed.
The other thing that has helped me is to eat much closer to maintenance while losing weight - aiming for losing 1/2 a pound weekly instead of 1 or 2 pounds a week. A small deficit keeps me able to eat some of my favourite foods in moderation and still make my goal. Then I'm way less likely to just say 'screw it' and go for whatever I want with no regard to moderation.0
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