Binge Eating

**fashionista87** · 03-31-2007, 01:21 PM

Hello everyone. Binge eating is one of the greatest issues I struggle with that contradicts my fitness and nutrition goals. It's not like I binge on bad foods.. most of the time it's just stupid **** ... carbs like bagels, crackers, pretzels, granola, oatmeal, and sometimes protein bars.. the huge ones that have like 400 calories.

Binges happen, for me, at least 3 to 4 times a week, severely hindering my progress. After a binge I feel horribly bloated and disgusting.

I know that this has a lot to do with emotional eating, but are there any people out there that have similar problems? Any suggestions to help me out?

Thanks!

**twinnett** · 03-31-2007, 01:35 PM

I had the same problem. Mine was not only emotional, but also b/c I was restricting too many calories, not eating enough fat and doing too much cardio. Do you eat enough during the day?

**fashionista87** · 03-31-2007, 01:39 PM

Used to have the same problem. I used to restrict.. now I have the opposite problem. I seem to not know my healthy limits. I either go to the extreme low or extreme high.. and either way is just not right. And very frustrating. How did you overcome your problem?

**nacersusaf** · 03-31-2007, 02:23 PM

Perhaps you could post your diet and training, and we can take a look at it.

**litlfalafelgirl** · 03-31-2007, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by fashionista87

Used to have the same problem. I used to restrict.. now I have the opposite problem. I seem to not know my healthy limits. I either go to the extreme low or extreme high.. and either way is just not right. And very frustrating. How did you overcome your problem?

I so know how you feel. I still haven't overcome it. I try to remind myself the line between enjoying something and gorging. I don't know why I do it and I so desperatly want to stop.

But looking at all your reasons, I know I share the same ones. I know exactly how you feel all too well. Feel free to pm me if you want to talk. Seriously. We need to support one another around here, especially since many of us have the same struggles.

**ballplaya4237** · 03-31-2007, 05:37 PM

Could be wrong but I remeber hearing that stress hormones such as cortisol and emotion based eating generally go hand-in-hand. Make sure you take a good multi-vitamin (Reccomend NOW Eve) and take a 1000mg Vitamin C tablet right when you wake up, around 2-3pm, and right before bed. This should help control you stress hormone levels at the times when they are the highest such as morning, evening and stressful situations. Plus, it should make you react better to most stressful situations. Hope that helps...

**gingerbug** · 03-31-2007, 06:46 PM

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I got down to 12% body fat and stayed on a strict regimine of clean eating for months,well last month I got really stressed and emotional and started going on binges a few times a week. Mine was horrible **** like cakes and icecream. Each time I did it, I felt disgusted and hated myself and promised I wouldnt do it again. For some reason, I couldnt stop though. I started to gain some body fat (up to 14% now). Well the fact that I was gaining bodyfat, made me even more crazy and caused me to eat even more. I even purged a few times. I was feeling like a failure especially after maintaining such a great physique for so long. I felt like the damage was done in a way and there wasnt any turning back. Binge eating is a disorder like anorexia and is connected to severe emotional problems. I read on this website under eating disorders that binge eaters a lot of times are angry too. I realized everything was getting out of control, so I started to see a therapist once a week for an hour and have finally started to get my **** together the last few weeks. Been eating clean now for two weeks and my clothes are already getting looser. If you are bingeing like that, I think you should consider seeing a therapist. It helped me a lot having someone to spill out all of my emotions to. Now when I want to eat a bunch of junk I think to myself, "Why do I want to eat this? What is it going to do for me besides give me some short-term satisfaction and add inches to my waist?" Instead of eating I will clean my house, go for a walk, study for class...do anything to get my mind off of it. If I still just have to have something sweet, i will substitute a piece of cake for something healthier like half a banana and natural pnut butter sandwich. Read the articles about eating disorders on this website. Reading those articles one night after purging is what really made me realize I needed to get help. Good luck.

**Revmachine21** · 03-31-2007, 07:22 PM

I do these crazy intra-day binge cycles over the weekend where I don't eat enough in the mornings, then binge later in the afternoon & evening. The key for me is keeping a steady routine, and loading myself up with good calories in the morning. I find that if I'm methodical about hitting my calorie & protein targets, I'm not hungry enough to binge in the evening.

**twinnett** · 03-31-2007, 07:56 PM

A lot of binge eaters are perfectionists too; black and white thinkers. You need to stop thinking of food as good or bad. If you forbid yourself from having something, when you break down, you're going to binge. If you have a couple of bites of icecream, it's ok!! Doesn't mean you have to eat the whole tub b/c you "blew" it

**irongrl** · 03-31-2007, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by twinnett

A lot of binge eaters are perfectionists too; black and white thinkers. You need to stop thinking of food as good or bad. If you forbid yourself from having something, when you break down, you're going to binge. If you have a couple of bites of icecream, it's ok!! Doesn't mean you have to eat the whole tub b/c you "blew" it

Good post.

**breathingsky** · 03-31-2007, 08:17 PM

Today I went to the park with my boyfriend to have lunch. He had a meatball sub that he picked up at a nice, local Italian deli on the way there. My lunch was pre-packed tuna and oats, kept in plastic containers that I carried around in my purse all afternoon until we got to our destination. I would have much rather had a meatball sub for lunch, but that would have meant throwing away all the hard work I've put into eating and going to the gym for the past two days. TWO DAYS of eating oats and chicken breast and doing HIIT runs on the treadmill and sweating it out with free weights, counting every rep and every set. HOURS spent on conditioning my body and suffering through food I'd rather not eat, for a few moments of indulgence.

Maybe I'm being too much of a purist here, but the only advice I can really give is just stop doing it. I struggle with food everyday, because diet is 90% of my training. I found there wasn't a quick fix, or any advice that anyone could give me to make me stop eating the things I wasn't supposed to be eating. Obviously there are things that can help with binges, like making sure you're eating enough calories during the day, therapy for emotional eating, etc. These things are all valid. But in the end, it always comes down to a simple the choice of eating the s*** or not eating the s***. Is it worth the guilt, the setback, the bloating, the discomfort? Sometimes, the answer is yes. I take total responsibility for my food choices, and make an effort to enjoy it to the fullest. And when the answer is no, I do what I need to do to keep my eating on track. Go to the gym, take a walk, have 1/2 a protein shake - whatever that is.

**twinnett** · 03-31-2007, 08:30 PM

Not really true...there's room in any diet for treats here and there. It's still a form of disordered eating if you have to weigh and measure every morsel and will not allow yourself to EVER have a treat.

**breathingsky** · 03-31-2007, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by twinnett

Not really true...there's room in any diet for treats here and there. It's still a form of disordered eating if you have to weigh and measure every morsel and will not allow yourself to EVER have a treat.

I didn't say that I didn't allow myself to ever have a treat. Also, some people are more regimented about their training than others are on the forum. I tend to weigh more on the strict side, but I don't think there is anything disordered about that.

**fashionista87** · 03-31-2007, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by twinnett

A lot of binge eaters are perfectionists too; black and white thinkers. You need to stop thinking of food as good or bad. If you forbid yourself from having something, when you break down, you're going to binge. If you have a couple of bites of icecream, it's ok!! Doesn't mean you have to eat the whole tub b/c you "blew" it

That is so very true. I mean, my messy life just seeps into my diet.. and makes it messy as well.

**twinnett** · 03-31-2007, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by breathingsky

I didn't say that I didn't allow myself to ever have a treat. Also, some people are more regimented about their training than others are on the forum. I tend to weigh more on the strict side, but I don't think there is anything disordered about that.

I wasn't talking about you in particular. I just don't think it's a good idea to tell someone with an eating disorder that they shouldn't be eating sh!t..it sounded a little like you were telling her that eating a french fry meant she wasn't dedicated enough or something. If I misunderstood, I'm sorry! I just think that the first step of recovering should be therapy and gaining a healthy relationship with all types of food

**breathingsky** · 04-01-2007, 04:57 AM

Originally Posted by twinnett

I wasn't talking about you in particular. I just don't think it's a good idea to tell someone with an eating disorder that they shouldn't be eating sh!t..it sounded a little like you were telling her that eating a french fry meant she wasn't dedicated enough or something. If I misunderstood, I'm sorry! I just think that the first step of recovering should be therapy and gaining a healthy relationship with all types of food

I wasn't under the impression that she had an eating disorder, so my apologies if I misunderstood. Of course, if she feels she has a disorder she should seek some kind of help. I find with these forums, it's easy for me to project my own experience with training onto people when I don't have a lot of information. When I was in a transition period with my diet, I used to do the same thing. It was more like an "I've been eating tuna fish with mustard all day, I went to the gym, and now I deserve some chocolate covered pretzels" kind of thing for me. It was about making disciplined choices, rather than a binge/purge or starvation relationship with my diet.

**yawaii29** · 04-01-2007, 12:26 PM

I have the same problem sometimes....If I eat a cookie...I feel like I messed up and just go all out...Then it is a matter of fact to get back on the program. I'm slowly trying to learn not to do this...you know not beat myself up for it.

**Jordyn** · 04-01-2007, 01:34 PM

im developing the same problem. im growing concerned. i dont like losing control. nor do i like the accompanying weight gain. one suggestion: stop and think before you eat (more); dont eat by the compulsion

**daYDreAmErX** · 04-01-2007, 01:37 PM

Cheat meals kick my ass in the gym the day after !!

But I hate them because they make me feel so lethargic

To the OP, post your diet and we'll see !! Like twinnett said, not enough fat in a diet can cause binging.

**Sarahgw** · 04-01-2007, 01:54 PM

From personal experience I found that when i would beinge was because I was too hungry, and I would eat one bad thing it would roll down hill from there and turn into a purge.

I would recommend try for a while eating every 2 to 3 hours. See if that helps with the beinges if it doesn't than you are just eating for emotional reasons. If that is the case than I would recommend you seeing a therapist, and try writing down why you are eating. Also, check your water levels alot of people eat because they are thirsty not hungry.

I hope this helps.

Sarah

**fashionista87** · 04-01-2007, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by daYDreAmErX

Cheat meals kick my ass in the gym the day after !!

But I hate them because they make me feel so lethargic

To the OP, post your diet and we'll see !! Like twinnett said, not enough fat in a diet can cause binging.

Hey, thanks for all of the advice! Actually, if you go to my profile page you will see all of my threads, and I have already posted a few days of my nutritional intake.. so perhaps that will help with some more advice..?

**ajrobin** · 04-01-2007, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by ballplaya4237

Could be wrong but I remeber hearing that stress hormones such as cortisol and emotion based eating generally go hand-in-hand. Make sure you take a good multi-vitamin (Reccomend NOW Eve) and take a 1000mg Vitamin C tablet right when you wake up, around 2-3pm, and right before bed. This should help control you stress hormone levels at the times when they are the highest such as morning, evening and stressful situations. Plus, it should make you react better to most stressful situations. Hope that helps...

I was just wondering if anyone could explain the Vitamin C thing a little bit more? I have this problem frequently and also VERY high stress levels, so I'd like to try this trick!!

Originally Posted by fashionista87

Used to have the same problem. I used to restrict.. now I have the opposite problem. I seem to not know my healthy limits. I either go to the extreme low or extreme high.. and either way is just not right. And very frustrating. How did you overcome your problem?

I think it has been really hard for me to stay consistent since my diet has changed. I either go all out and binge for a few days or restrict my calories way too much when I try to eat healthy... It is so hard to figure it all out and must be really bad on my body & metabolism!

**Chooky** · 04-02-2007, 03:12 AM

I am so there! I work graveyard shifts and I find it hard to get up and start eating every 2-3 hours because I dont feel like food. Then bam! all I want is food, and the food I have I just seem to have to choke down (I need some better recipies!), and everything else seems so much more appetising! But Ihave a new line of thought to focus on:

1. Am I going to take this moment to move forward and closer to my goals? or
2. Am I going to take this moment to stay where I have always been, where I am dissatisfied with my health?

I have way to many little 'cheats'. I also have this crappy mentality that if I do lots of exercise I can afford a bit of a treat - but for this I think I really need to focus on nutritional value of foods - not total energy. Pure unproccesed foods is what we are designed to eat! (+ grain are SO YUMMY)

**girl81** · 06-04-2007, 11:37 PM

I firmly believe in carb addiction as disease. I believe some people are addicted to carbs much like alcoholics are to alcohol and must therefore remain abstinent. JMO.

**jg_girl088** · 06-05-2007, 08:20 AM

I'm sorta with breathingsky here on the strict side. I never eat "treats" like cake and ice cream and chocolate because a.) that stuf just disgusts me now that I know all about their horrible nutritional value and b.) If I never eat it = I forget how it tastes = I don't crave it. I haven't eaten that stuff in so long I don't ever crave it because I just don't remember how it tastes. Plus, sweet stuff makes my teeth hurt like hell, so I have yet another reason to avoid it. Plus my 2 refeed days a week satisfy me enough to where I don't feel deprived, and I ususally eat 6-7 times a day so I am never ravenous lol. I think the key to avoiding a binge is never being ravenous, because when you are hungry you don't care about what you eat as long as it tastes good and there is a lot of it (which is bad if you have sweets in reach).

**polinutrigirl** · 06-05-2007, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by breathingsky

Today I went to the park with my boyfriend to have lunch. He had a meatball sub that he picked up at a nice, local Italian deli on the way there. My lunch was pre-packed tuna and oats, kept in plastic containers that I carried around in my purse all afternoon until we got to our destination. I would have much rather had a meatball sub for lunch, but that would have meant throwing away all the hard work I've put into eating and going to the gym for the past two days. TWO DAYS of eating oats and chicken breast and doing HIIT runs on the treadmill and sweating it out with free weights, counting every rep and every set. HOURS spent on conditioning my body and suffering through food I'd rather not eat, for a few moments of indulgence.

Maybe I'm being too much of a purist here, but the only advice I can really give is just stop doing it. I struggle with food everyday, because diet is 90% of my training. I found there wasn't a quick fix, or any advice that anyone could give me to make me stop eating the things I wasn't supposed to be eating. Obviously there are things that can help with binges, like making sure you're eating enough calories during the day, therapy for emotional eating, etc. These things are all valid. But in the end, it always comes down to a simple the choice of eating the s*** or not eating the s***. Is it worth the guilt, the setback, the bloating, the discomfort? Sometimes, the answer is yes. I take total responsibility for my food choices, and make an effort to enjoy it to the fullest. And when the answer is no, I do what I need to do to keep my eating on track. Go to the gym, take a walk, have 1/2 a protein shake - whatever that is.

I like your post. I just got back from a trip to Ireland with my family. I'm the only health nut in the family, and the only vegetarian (my family doesn't eat very poorly, but they aren't concerned about fitness/health like I am). If we went to a restaurant and I couldn't find anything decent, I just got a salad and had a protein bar later. I'd much rather eat something that is healthier than eat something crappy and FEEL crappy. I brought about 30 protein bars w/ me on the trip, along with my protein powder, and it was worth it.

**Khsmile** · 06-05-2007, 11:18 AM

I have a treat meal once a week, and LOVE it and dont feel guilty at all!!!

I work hard to have something that tastes awesome to me. I am not going to gain any weight because i ate some pizza or pasta or burger.--it would take eating 3,500 cals ontop of what i burned that day--i dont think i could actually eat that much if i wanted to. I know it may slow down my results a tiny bit, if any. And those of you who say you never cheat..i dont believe it. I think you have that "Im perfect attitude, and i am going to maintain that rep" Maybe you dont like sweets, so you dont eat them, so you never cheat..cheats are more than sweets and i just really find it extremely hard to believe...not even the people with the best looking bodies are going to say that dont ever cheat!
It also helps me not to binge..i never have..because i know in a week i will get what i have been wanting craving all week. My sweet during the week, that i dont even consider a cheat is like one bite of ice cream, or one bite of something. But, reward yourself for your hard work. Dont let someone make you think you are throwing everything away that you earned or what you are weak, or make you feel guilty bc you eat one meal a week that isnt all that healthy..go for it!

**jg_girl088** · 06-05-2007, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by Khsmile

I have a treat meal once a week, and LOVE it and dont feel guilty at all!!!

I work hard to have something that tastes awesome to me. I am not going to gain any weight because i ate some pizza or pasta or burger.--it would take eating 3,500 cals ontop of what i burned that day--i dont think i could actually eat that much if i wanted to. I know it may slow down my results a tiny bit, if any. And those of you who say you never cheat..i dont believe it. I think you have that "Im perfect attitude, and i am going to maintain that rep" Maybe you dont like sweets, so you dont eat them, so you never cheat..cheats are more than sweets and i just really find it extremely hard to believe...not even the people with the best looking bodies are going to say that dont ever cheat!
It also helps me not to binge..i never have..because i know in a week i will get what i have been wanting craving all week. My sweet during the week, that i dont even consider a cheat is like one bite of ice cream, or one bite of something. But, reward yourself for your hard work. Dont let someone make you think you are throwing everything away that you earned or what you are weak, or make you feel guilty bc you eat one meal a week that isnt all that healthy..go for it!

seriously though, I do not "cheat." I have never liked pizza (I hate the smell), never liked burgers or any fast food. I used to be a runner and even before I decided to eat clean I was already eating pretty clean with the exception of granola bars/energy bars/bread, and I used to eat stone ground whole wheat bread anyway back then too. Oh and I ate a whole lot more fruits. Apples were like my dessert. Oh and I used to eat sushi with white rice. gatorade was actually probably the most unhealthy thing I consumed because little did I know its actually basically pure high fructose corn syrup (its the first ingredient), but I only drank it because I thought it was the right thing to do after a run (and truthfully never really enjoyed the taste, only could tolerate orange or purple).

I'm serious though when I say I never cheat lol. I refeed yes, and on my refeed I eat a hell of a lot of oatmeal/other whole grain cereal with no hidden crap and sweet potatoes and other clean carbs and that usually does the trick. I truly believe a "sweet tooth" is entirely mental, nature didn't intend for us to have a sweet tooth for chocolate or ice cream, otherwise nature would have provided us with those kinds of stuff. Just my 2 cents.

**Khsmile** · 06-05-2007, 12:42 PM

I think that is excellent that you are that way. I wish i would want my cheat meals to be more oatmeal..lol. I want less of that! I dont really much have a sweet tooth either, never have, one hershy kiss can do me over for a week..my only weakness with sweets is cheesecake!! yummm..but i havent had that in like a year. Pizza and mexican are my weakness with cheats..but i always get thin crust veggie..which isnt totally overboard haha. So i guess you could say your cheats are extra servings of what you already eat, which you already like..haha.

**Bgkatz** · 06-05-2007, 01:01 PM

I agree with Twinnet. For me its very much a combo of emotion and low-calories.

I was on a downward spiral with binging for months. I was miserable and the effects it was having on my body and spirit were not only damaging but becoming very visible.
I would reach for the same kinds of stuff you were grabbing for....pretzels, flax chips, hummus, nuts, bread........it was crazy! And if I had had a few drinks, forget about it, that was a licencse to chow on whatevery I wanted.

I upped my cals b/c the were ridiculously low and really got my nutrition in check as well as my head.

I have been binge free for 26 days. The longest time Ive gone since Jan.

the struggle gets easier once you know how to fight.......

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