rebekahzinn1 Member

I think you're asking what to do when you are tired, but sleeping is not an option. (As opposed to having insomnia.) Instead of going for uppers - sugar being your biggie - give yourself some rest. You don't have to sleep in order to rest. It is hugely helpful to lay down on your back. This can be very restful even if it…

This is one of my favorite topics right now! Geneen Greer, especially, "When you eat at the refrigerator, pull up a chair." Charles Eisenstein, Yoga of Eating (not exactly on the topic, but so much about self-compassion and listening to your body) Currently I am reading "Mindful Eating" by Jan Chozen Bays. It is the best…

Hey, there. Be as nice to yourself as possible. Write down a list of 10 things that you can do to make yourself feel better, other than eating. Try to do those things when you're triggered to binge. (e.g., walk, call a friend, take a bath) The self-hate and shaming talk about yourself is a common trigger for binging.…

Hey there. I've been there, with both depression and emotional and binge eating related to my depression. There is no magic bullet. It takes time, a lot of effort, and a big support network. I learned over time that my overeating was feeding my depression. I would especially feel worse when I ate lots of sweets and other…

You're in good company here. Please don't make yourself vomit. It has many health consequences, physical and emotional. Binging and bulimia are both mental health disorders, and I hope you are able to find some support from friends or groups like Overeaters Anonymous, Emily Project, etc. that don't require insurance.

Oh, honey, you are good no matter what you eat, what you weigh, or how you look. It sounds like you may want to have a talk with your mom about how her words hurt you. Sometimes praise hurts just as much as negative talk, when it seems to say that you weren't good enough before you changed. She may not know the impact of…

Hey there. I have suffered from binge eating disorder for many years. Decades, actually. What you are discussing sounds like clinical binging. We often use the word "binge" to mean overeating or unplanned eating, but it is actually a compulsive behavior that is distressing to the person, who does not feel in control of her…

There are sweets at work, and I'm not even very tempted. My rational brain is so much stronger now. It says, "Eating that will make me feel bad." And I'm convinced by that thought. Went thrift shopping for clothes yesterday and had a ball. Now am a size 12 top and 14 bottom, and my choices seem limitless. I can actually…

How long have you been trying? If you just started increasing exercise, you will likely see a rise in weight due to water retention in your muscles. This is temporary and is not an increase in fat. How many calories are you eating? Have you consulted with a doctor?

I need this. I haven't been losing weight lately, but I have had so many signs of permanent healthy changes: 1) I am losing my feeling that I need to overeat in unusual situations. I have learned strategies for eating out and at holidays and birthdays that totally work for me, and that I feel really good about. I don't…

I have experienced this many times. I have been obese since I was a child, and after losing 120 pounds I am now lighter than I have been since age 18. That's 20 years. The biggest shocks have come when I crashed below weights that I thought I would never see. Going under 200 pounds has been huge, and I lingered just above…

It is crucial to learn how to manage stress and emotions without turning to food. Overeating is a quick way to feel numb (I won't say better), but ultimately it does not fix the problem. I relied almost exclusively on overeating and binging for many years, but little by little I have learned other coping mechanisms. Now,…

One trick is to reserve a time for a treat every day. Every day, you plan to have a 100-200 calorie snack before bed. It can be whatever you want. So, if you want that brownie, wrap it up and save it for your snack time. If you build a routine like that, you won't feel tempted to snack all day long because you know you can…

Cara, it might help you create a "pleasant alternatives list." A list of things that you give yourself permission to do whenever you feel like overeating. I have one posted right at my desk at work: "You are given permission to: stretch, lay down, go outside and breathe, walk to nearby woods, read poetry, write poetry,…

You're in the right place! I'm so happy that you are getting some insight into your issues. Sometimes a label or a name or a behavior can be a powerful tool to help to heal it. I've lived with binge eating for many, many years and can proudly report that I haven't binged in about 7 years. I have had to build a lot of tools…

I use it, based on my doctor's recommendation. However, I use it as a substitute for other fats. I will put it into soups instead of butter or oil, and spread it on toast. The calories definitely count like normal calories. I'm not sure where the 3T a day advice is from. That seems like a lot to me if you are trying to…

I found that weighing myself daily helped me stop freaking out about the fluctuations. Now it is clear to me that my weight will be up at least 1 pound the day after a hard workout, and will go up about 3 pounds once a month due to hormones. It normalizes that experience so I can relax about it. There is a lot of advice…

I eat a lot of dairy, fish, eggs, and seeds. I don't end of eating as much protein as my doctor suggests, but it is pretty high. I only eat meat 2-3 times a week. Sardines or tuna on a salad are my go-to lunch. Breakfast is usually yogurt or cottage cheese with a little bit of granola and/or fruit. Greek yogurt has tons of…

Don't we all know how to diet? I mean, there is so much information out there it is ridiculous. You're totally right that knowing how to "control" yourself is so much harder. Have you tried Dr. Judith Beck's techniques? She has a few books. The basic one is Dr. Beck's Diet For Life. It teaches you how to change your…

You can do this. I totally understand what you are going through. I'm happy to talk.

Take a walk or stretch break. Even a 5-10 minute exercise break will really cut down on stress. I also now tell myself "NO CHOICE!" Instead of saying to myself, at various times, "maybe I'll just have a healthy snack, or half a snack, or none, or all of it, or none," I just say "No Choice!." It really helps my brain relax…

Maybe get a new doctor. One who is never "mad" at you. I mean, come on. Slow is good. You don't need to be losing weight all the time. Sometimes I am losing weight, sometimes I am just trying to stick with my newer, healthy habits. I wouldn't try to reach a certain weight at a certain date. It doesn't always work out, and…

I agree with beckajo82. Binging is "extreme" behavior, and so is fasting or overly restricting food. One extreme behavior leads to the next. I find that eating too little is a big trigger for me to overeat or binge. I try to stay as close to the middle as possible, whatever my recent past looked like.

It sounds like you are on a great track, Sara. It's awesome that you are reaching out and it sounds like you are working with a great team. I have a long history of binge eating disorder and compulsive eating disorder (aka food addiction). It can be overcome. I have now gone many years (7 or 8) without a single binge, when…

Wow. I have lost 38%. Goal is losing 50-55% of my former weight.

This makes sense to me unless it means a huge deficit due to being very far away from your goal weight - that is, if it makes you lose more than 2 pounds a week. I might give it a try!

I eat whatever I want one day a week, but the definition of "whatever I want" has changed radically since I was 315 pounds. For instance, now I will split a Coke with my husband, or have 1/4 chocolate bar. I will eat two dinners until I'm a little full, but not totally full, and I also exercise a lot on my "break" day.

I take breaks, sometimes for several months. I find that it is important to change to the goal of maintenance, rather than just going hog-wild and potentially regaining the weight. I feel empowered knowing that I can not only lose weight while I am dieting, but I can keep it off when I am not. It still takes effort to…

I find Dr. Judith Beck's books very helpful for this. She teaches you how to change your thought patterns and tackle these exact ones.