professional help to beat binge eating?

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bitter_sentiment
bitter_sentiment Posts: 34 Member
in Food and Nutrition
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?
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Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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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.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    When you say binge...how much are you binging to?
  • bitter_sentiment
    bitter_sentiment Posts: 34 Member
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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 =[
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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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?
  • lil_pulp
    lil_pulp Posts: 701 Member
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    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
  • debbiestine
    debbiestine Posts: 265 Member
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    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!
  • lil_pulp
    lil_pulp Posts: 701 Member
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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?
    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?
  • bitter_sentiment
    bitter_sentiment Posts: 34 Member
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    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.
  • bitter_sentiment
    bitter_sentiment Posts: 34 Member
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    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?
  • Laoch_Cailin
    Laoch_Cailin Posts: 414 Member
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    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
  • bitter_sentiment
    bitter_sentiment Posts: 34 Member
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    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...
  • shawnadwyer
    shawnadwyer Posts: 49 Member
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    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 luck
  • lil_pulp
    lil_pulp Posts: 701 Member
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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.)
  • Lilflowr
    Lilflowr Posts: 21 Member
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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!;
  • SusanMcAvoy
    SusanMcAvoy Posts: 445 Member
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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.
  • bitter_sentiment
    bitter_sentiment Posts: 34 Member
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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 =]
  • lil_pulp
    lil_pulp Posts: 701 Member
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    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...
  • ellekay22
    ellekay22 Posts: 147 Member
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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.
  • alexandradeyl
    alexandradeyl Posts: 67 Member
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    a 12 step fellowship
  • Laoch_Cailin
    Laoch_Cailin Posts: 414 Member
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    [/quote]

    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 x

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