Break the Binge Mentality

skinny4baby2
skinny4baby2 Posts: 19
in Food and Nutrition
I overeat. Catastrophically. My family gathers often, and at every gathering there's ALWAYS a table full of candy and baked amazingness that I have to resist for hours as we mingle and talk. I used to binge at those nearly every time, and now I'm down to about a third of the time, so that's good, but still . . .

Then, my husband works late nights. I try not to keep super tempting junk in the house, but I don't want him to feel totally deprived, so I keep things like chips and poptarts in a closed cupboard for him. But some nights I am lonely and bored and upset enough that I eat into his crap anyway—even though I don't really like Doritos or pop tarts at all!

I down up to 2000 calories in a sitting, completely sabotaging my otherwise healthy lifestyle (1500ish cals a day and running 25ish miles a week in training for a half marathon). Who out there has had a problem with bingeing but has been able to stop? What did it take? What worked for you?

Replies

  • SheTrucker
    SheTrucker Posts: 35 Member
    Definitely have the problem...wishing I had the solution too..
  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
    Have you tried planning your snacks ahead of time? If that doesn't help, you could instead just plan specific foods that you eat INSTEAD of a specific junk food.
    Like instead of chips (which I love and could mindlessly eat for hours) I buy sugar snap peas and hummus. I still get the super crunchy texture + dip.. but it's a lot better for me. Whenever I want chips, I already know that I have a set alternative and I'll just grab that instead.
  • skinny4baby2
    skinny4baby2 Posts: 19
    I plan out my entire day of eating a day in advance and try to plan out snacks and a weekly splurge (a reasonable meal or treat), but even so I find myself unable to enjoy responsibly. I just don't know why I seem to go into this weird autopilot-eat-everything-and-completely-forget-about-being-healthy mode. It is so frustrating.
  • ShanaGore
    ShanaGore Posts: 58 Member
    I have the same problem, what has worked for me (and this is only some of the time) on the cabinet with the junk food, on the inside door, I have taped a piece of paper that says how many pounds I have lost so far and it also says things like "30 min on elliptical = ___calories burned" "30 min jogging = _____ calories burned" I know it sounds silly, because I can just think these things in my head, but seeing on paper makes it more concrete for me. And when I see it, most of the time I am thinking "wow, one poptart, not one pack, but one poptart equals 200 calories, so it would be like I didn't even go jogging today." Sometimes not wanting to undo my hard work in the gym for the day is enough to make me move over to the fridge for some fresh veggies or fruit. Please let me know if you come up with anything else good that works.
  • anhepler
    anhepler Posts: 4
    I haven't exactly stopped but i have done it less recently. For starters i did what you did and stopped buying snack foods like chips and ice cream (which i should admit almost killed me) and unfortunately my family does like junk food so i have to be really careful about which cabinets i go into when no ones home, but what i started doing was not buying my favorite snacks and i started replacing them with healthy foods i KNOW i like so i used to have oreos in the house like crazy but i replaced those with grape fruit and apples and such. Its really hard to do but it gets easier, especially if you have a buddy doing the same. I dont have one which is probably why its so hard for me, but i'm slowly but surely getting better i hope you can too.
  • TArnold2012
    TArnold2012 Posts: 929 Member
    Just a thought but maybe your husband could keep his snacks in his vehicle. That way when he isn't home and you are alone they aren't there either.
  • Gioooo
    Gioooo Posts: 301 Member
    ever try intermittent fasting? helps some people with the bingeing thing.

    i personally just eat whetever and however much I want on family get togethers/outings or w.e and just stay strict on all the other days. one day doesnt kill anyone
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
    This sounds dumb but a sticker chart worked for me. I printed a monthly calendar off the computer . Every day I went without a binge before I went to bed I put a sticker on it. I left it on the fridge so when I was in the kitchen with the urge to munch I could see it and remember how badly I want to control my eating.
  • skinny4baby2
    skinny4baby2 Posts: 19
    I like the sticker chart idea for sure. :)

    The car idea is one we've totally used before! Unfortunately, keeping anything in a car in the summertime where I live would turn it to melted or baked goo (we've literally had 105 degree days all week). I do make a point of keeping his office well stocked with candy, though. Maybe I should be mean and just tell him the poptarts and Doritos belong there too!

    Here's an idea I had, and I could see it being great or awful. What if I had little baggies of chocolate chips in a closed drawer and allowed myself either one modest helping of a goodie if offered (family gathering, date with husband, etc) or, if I didn't have anything all day, had a little chocolate each night? I like the idea of reinforcing that I CAN EAT SUGARY FOODS, just in moderation. Thoughts?
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
    I like the sticker chart idea for sure. :)

    The car idea is one we've totally used before! Unfortunately, keeping anything in a car in the summertime where I live would turn it to melted or baked goo (we've literally had 105 degree days all week). I do make a point of keeping his office well stocked with candy, though. Maybe I should be mean and just tell him the poptarts and Doritos belong there too!

    Honestly I would. I'm sure he'll understand
  • debomommyforhealth
    debomommyforhealth Posts: 31
    Three things that have helped me with my binge eating...

    1) keeping crap out of the house. My hubby takes his junk food and keeps it at work. He knows I mean business when I threw away about $20 worth of food when he came home one night!

    2) I see a therapist and she started me on celexa 20 mg. Getting on medication was my last resort, but it's helped with the urge to binge BIG TIME! And, I have actually lost 15lbs on it (with MFP, of course). People complain of weight gain on antidepressants, but I actually lost!

    3). Read the book, "Breaking from Emotional Eating" by Geneen Roth. ANY of her books on compulsive eating are so helpful!


    It's a process, and I think I will always be a "food" addict. However, my goal is to keep it under control. Good luck, and let me know how I can help you in anyway!
  • SheTrucker
    SheTrucker Posts: 35 Member
    This sounds dumb but a sticker chart worked for me. I printed a monthly calendar off the computer . Every day I went without a binge before I went to bed I put a sticker on it. I left it on the fridge so when I was in the kitchen with the urge to munch I could see it and remember how badly I want to control my eating.

    Thats a great idea! Reminds me of when I could earn gold stars in kindergarden...man reward systems really work lol
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
    This sounds dumb but a sticker chart worked for me. I printed a monthly calendar off the computer . Every day I went without a binge before I went to bed I put a sticker on it. I left it on the fridge so when I was in the kitchen with the urge to munch I could see it and remember how badly I want to control my eating.

    Thats a great idea! Reminds me of when I could earn gold stars in kindergarden...man reward systems really work lol

    I got the idea from a reward chart in one of the classrooms I was a student teacher in. I figured hell if it can get little kids to learn certain behaviors maybe it can teach me to NOT emotionally eat/eat out of boredom
  • skinny4baby2
    skinny4baby2 Posts: 19
    I have wondered about counseling/medication, but admitting my problem is that bad scares me. Props to you for stepping up and taking control of your situation! Maybe I need to do the same.
  • violetta88
    violetta88 Posts: 117 Member
    For me personally the only thing that worked was getting everything out of the house. But some other tips I found quite handy are:

    1) Breaking things into portions when you buy them - like wrapping biscuits in packages of two, or two squares of chocolate, or putting a handful of crisps in a freezer bag. Something about having them wrapped made me stop and think before I opened another one.

    2) Brush your teeth right before the time of day you usually binge. My teeth cleaning routine involves flossing, brushing and mouthwash - puts me right off food because I can't stand the taste, plus there's no way I'd want to do all that twice!

    3) Time yourself. If you want something, set the timer on your phone for 15 minutes and tell yourself when it does off you can have what you're craving. Odds after after 15 minutes the craving will have died down.
  • SkettiGurl
    SkettiGurl Posts: 186 Member
    I have struggled with this in the past as well. We just don't keep that crap in the house anymore. Once and a while we'll get snacky stuff but we'll get popchips instead of doritos etc. I've tried the breaking things into snack size pieces, sticking things in the freezer (girl guide Mint cookies taste better from the freezer though!). I'm a lot better since I've been tracking my calories and can see the actual numbers, that's what helps me. I try not to let myself get too hungry as well, that is the worst. I will get home starving hungry and open the cupboards and eat chocolate chips and marshmallows and seeds, whatever I can find in the baking cupboard! YIKES. Not being hungry does help me. Also not being bored...

    Oh! I have an idea. if you have a 20 minute workout video try putting that in when you have a craving...
  • skinny4baby2
    skinny4baby2 Posts: 19
    You are all wonderful! Here's my new plan:

    1) I printed a sticker chart for myself. On bright orange paper. For fun. :)

    2) I have a bag of individually wrapped Dove chocolates and I will have one every evening.

    3) In the event that I'm going somewhere that I know I'll encounter treats, I'll skip my daily chocolate and have a modest portion of whatever is there.

    I figure that I may be 5 pounds heavier than I could be by including treats daily, but if I never have more than a small serving of anything sugary (and on probably 7 days out of ten limit it to a 45-calorie chocolate!), I will still lose significant weight because I have WAY more than that amount of sugar in my life now! Thanks to all of you for chipping in advice and support. I was really having an awful day but I am in a much happier place now. Much love to all of you, and good luck tackling your own mountains! We can do this!
  • StrongerByTheMiles
    StrongerByTheMiles Posts: 60
    I have struggled with this. Honestly, I don't know that I ever really got it under wraps until less than a year ago. I had to start setting specific goals and specific times that I wanted to look good! I would think of that upcoming event, picture myself looking good then focus on how detrimental the treats would be to that good. Sometimes it helped. It was a more visual goal than "drop pounds.: I still struggle with this sometimes. I also have a husband that works nights frequently (or nights like tonight, has video game nights at a friends as if he's still 13. haha). He does not eat healthy.

    I buy him junk foods he likes at the store, but avoid the ones I know are BIG weaknesses for me (like ice cream). I am fortunate to have a finished basement with a bar/cupboards where i can keep alot of the treats. Even though they are in the kitchen, I am less likely to go down there to get them when I am mindlessly snacking. I also make sure that I buy a plentiful amount of my own healthy snacks and aim to have specific alternatives to what I buy for him. Ie.: Kale to make kale chips for me and potato chips for him. Sugar filled kids cereals for him and healthy ones for me. **I have a horrible habit of snacking on dry cereal and that is a huge binge item for me, so I try to at least have a healthier alternative. You get the picture.

    I also have not removed artificial sweeteners from my diet. I know alot of people think that is horrible, but I just have not done that. Right now I am drinking Sprite Zero as a treat. A whole box of sugar-free jello is sooo low in cals also! It is better than anything else that I would get myself into!

    My workplace sounds like your family gatherings. I obviously can't avoid it either! Haha. I suppose the same mentality could work though. I take my own treats. Sip on decaf coffee/teas throughout the day so that I am busy consuming something. Stay out of the room w/ the food as much as possible. Never let yourself be in the room with food alone!

    P.S. I always end up writing waaaay too much, so obviously writing also keeps me busy and away from food! Haha.
  • myfitnessval
    myfitnessval Posts: 687 Member
    for me finding the root cause of my binging helped drastically. also, removing myself from the temptation. go outside, go for a walk, read a good book, do something to get your mind off of the cookies in the pantry screaming for you to come eat them all. good luck!
  • findingfit23
    findingfit23 Posts: 845 Member
    Some really great ideas here! Im going to start a sticker chart this weekend :)
  • cloud2011
    cloud2011 Posts: 898 Member
    I understand, and there's another way to think about it. Are you satisfied with your normal daily food? Is it possible you feel deprived?

    There are a some good books that can help. One is "Eat More, Weigh Less." I have an old copy of it, but the idea is that you can still eat a lot in volume if you choose the right things.

    Also, there are two other books that have helped me, and the good thing is, they have photos: "Volumetrics" by Barbara Rolls and "Eat This, Not That" by [?]

    Anyway, you can learn to make choices that fit in with your lifestyle. If you like to sit with your family and visit and snack, why not learn to make some snacks that you can eat without guilt? Maybe others would appreciate your contributions, too.

    Also, the nighttime eating when you're lonely is hard, I can relate to that, since my husband used to work crazy hours. I would just come up with some munchies that you really enjoy, that don't cost much calorie-wise.

    I used to make a huge salad for late evening, and even though it wasn't the lowest calorie (I added blue cheese, almonds, craisins), it wasn't like eating a lot of junk food.

    Also, air popped popcorn with different seasonings is really good.

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