Binge Eating Forum » Binge Eating Support - General Comments, Questions, and Posts

First post!!

(7 posts)
  • Started 5 months ago by Steph31085
  • Latest reply from Joyce

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  1. Steph31085
    Member

    hey guys..first post here. i'm trying really hard to nix binge eating - it started about a year ago after a lost a substantial amount of weight through diet & excercise and have been trying to keep it off. when i'm away at college, i don't have a problem binging because i don't have easy access to food..not because i've learned self-control. so when i come home to my house where there's tons of food, and my family goes to bed by 10 and leaves me to my own devices, i binge like crazy! i have a hard time falling asleep at night, and i've gotten into the habit of binging horribly RIGHT before bed because the fullness/guilt/wanting to forget about it is the only thing that will make me want to sleep...i've never talked with other binge-eaters about it so i'm hoping it'll help me, and i can committ to other people to not binge eat so that i feel more accountable! i try to eat enough calories in the day so my body isn't craving anything..but i HATE feeling too full, and i get full very easily. So, a lot of times it ends up being nighttime and i've only had 900-1200 calories, because i woke up late or something, which isn't quite enough...so then i feel like i'm "entitled" to binge and end up with a 3000+ calorie-day. can anyone say VICIOUS CYCLE?!

    Posted 5 months ago #

  2. hlthwrtr
    Member

    Hi, Steph

    I know what you're going through. All of us on here do. Are you dieting still, or trying not to eat certain foods? When I tried that for 2 years it totally backfired into a food obsession; I'd dream about cake! What foods do you binge on? Maybe you can incorporate them into your diet?

    Nighttime is such a difficult time to manage b/c we're left to think about the whole day and to sit with that quiet of the night when there's all this noise in your head... it can be really disturbing. Sometimes it seems easier to eat and make yourself pass out, so you can just forget about whatever happened earlier and what may happen tomorrow. What emotions do you think drive you to binge?

    Can you think of a nighttime ritual that might relax you? Like maybe a hot chocolate and listening to some music? I continuously drink in the evenings...water, tea, vitamin water, and I always, always drink a tea or cocoa with milk b4 bed and it really helps me to keep from bingeing and helps me stay relaxed. Or try taking a bath?

    You'll find lots of help here. I have. I'm routing for you!

    Posted 5 months ago #

  3. Joyce
    Member

    Steph, I too started binge eating after dieting for a couple of years and losing a considerable amount of weight. I was restricting too heavily and I believe that is what pushed me into binge eating. If you are still restricting, stop! Maintaining a weight loss is much more difficult for me than losing the weight was, I am now trying to learn to eat a normal amount of food without guilt and fear of gaining the weight back. You can do it too, you just have to change your way of thinking and do your best to eat intuitively. No restricting, no off limit foods, eat whatever you want in moderation. If your body is getting enough nutrients and fuel, and you aren't depriving it of the things it desires, then those urges to binge eat will fade with time. Good luck on your journey. Keep posting!

    Posted 5 months ago #

  4. Steph31085
    Member

    thanks for the support - its so much more comforting to get feedback from people who have been there instead of just berating myself in a diary or talking to my mother who just says "it couldn't have been THAT bad" (does she know how much a typical binge can consist of?!) or "who cares anyways, you're skinny" (but miserably stuck in yo-yo-dieting!) I agree that the key is to not restrict myself...it's so hard after dieting for so long. Even if i'm not actually limiting the foods I eat, I still can't even LOOK at a food without mentally racking up it's calories..it's automatic! anyone relate? as i've read some of the posts I feel like it could have been me writing it - the feelings and situations are so similar...as depressing and frustrating as binging can be, its reassuring to know that i'm not alone...

    today is the first day I have yet to binge following a week's worth of binging..and I'm not giving in! i've had dinner, i'm satisfied, and that's that. looking forward to going to bed in a bit without 8lbs of food in my stomach!

    Posted 5 months ago #

  5. ajragosa
    Member

    hey girl!

    Im new to this forum too and I can totally relate to bingeing when i come back home from school. I feel like I have complete control (usually) at school, but when I come home..wow.. its bad. I think the one thing that has helped me is to look at the foods that I binge on at home and try to incorporate smaller portions into my diet when im at school. For example, my parents always have ice cream at home and I used to never keep it at my apartment at school. So when I would go home i felt like I could never have enough and would often eat the whole gallon. Now, I try to always have some kind of ice cream treat at my house (skinny cow ice cream bars, etcc.) and allow myself to have them for dessert or a snack. So now when I go home ice cream is not as much as an issue.. I wihs i could say the same with cereal!

    Anyways, I agree with what everyone else said about stopping the restricting. Try to start incoroporating smaller meals throughout the day.. and im sure you will feel less likely to binge at night!

    I hope I helped, and check out my journal too

    AJ

    Posted 5 months ago #

  6. Lauren
    Member

    Hey Steph! I wanted to say welcome. Yeah I agree with the girls..you have to up those calories during the day to prevent those night binges. It is really hard to let go of that restricting mentality but just force yourself to do it and every time you feel the guilt creeping in, tell yourself "No this normal and PERFECTLY ok!". Oh yeah I counted calories for YEARS, but I kind of made myself stop...for a while I still was aware but then I gradually grew comfortable letting go of it..it was really important for me to stop because I was very black and white thinking with it..if I went over at all it triggered a binge..plus I freaked going to restaurants and not knowing how many cals there were..so I knew I had to let it go to lead a normal life. You will get there too. Keep posting! ~Lauren

    Posted 5 months ago #

  7. Joyce
    Member

    Steph, yes I can relate to the calorie counting being automatic. As hard as I try to give it up, I just can't seem to quit counting those calories. The fact that I have a calorie counter installed in my head from so many years of counting them doesn't help. Just kidding! But I do know the calorie count of most of the foods I eat without having to look them up. At least I'm not measuring and weighing my food now. I just estimate the calories and let it go at that. That's progress I guess. Maybe someday I will be able to eat a meal without the numbers running through my head. Hope you have many more good days. And keep posting.

    Posted 5 months ago #

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