Why do we still binge? Combating binging..

[Tomek]

So many negatives and little positives to binging but we still do it..

Binging makes me feel like utter **** after, it gets you all bloated, it pulls you away from your goal heaps, it ruins a week of your diet (does for me)... the list is still endless but somehow i always go back to doing it.. Still havn't figured out a solution of getting around it.. After 18 months of dieting it's still a major obstacle and feels as thought it will always be.

-Skulling litres of water
-going for a run
-listen to music
-think about how much i've come

These are some steps i take to combat binging..

What do you guys use to combat it?

[PennState]

I agree binging makes me feel like a heroin addict. I've said that many many times. That if kicking something like smoking or heroin or crack was as hard as not eating ****ty food i'd be in trouble. The worst part is that sometimes i don't even realize it. i want it and i sit there saying to myself how much i don't need the doughnuts that are in the office. Next thing you know i'm filling up my nalgene from the water cooler and walking back with a doughnut in my hand. I stuff it down while saying to myself, "wtf am i doing?"

Anyway my best way to beat it, i have a sign above my computer monitor at work:
"Every day is a new war."

That helps tremedously at work. the rest of the time i look at pictures of other people who have the body i want, it is super motivation. or just get out of the situation, like you said go run or to the gym or somewhere other than around the kitchen.

[enforcerlady]

I just try not to shut down my brain when I'm eating. My worst binges have come when I just blocked out any guilty thoughts and had tunnel vision for eating junk. Now I try to be very consious of the fact that i am eating a unapproved food. This allows me to just keep it a moderate cheat instead of an all out binge.

[reagan123]

i'm not much help, but i'm not sure if you saw this post on binge eating from last week.

a few good insights from other people. I still have my days where I go into complete destruction mode, but i'm trying to fix that.

I'm pretty much in the same scenario you are. This week has been a good week with no binges as of yet. For the first time over the past year, i just eat something when i'm hungry (all clean food) and I haven't had any cravings to binge all week...

good luck...

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=984154

[Finnegan Bell]

You r binging either because u are on high carbs diet or low fat diet,

try to lower ur carb and introducing healthy fats to ur diet,

also try to log all ur food b4 the day starts,that will give u the motivation to stick to ur plan..

[mpipes]

First I ask myself why do I feel like eating.

"Am I *actually* hungry or do I just want something for the sake of eating it just because it sounds good right now?"

If it's just for the sake of eating something I know that's just emotional eating and the feeling will pass in a few minutes so I either ignore or I go do something that will occupy my bored mind - exercise, hobbies, drawing, painting, sculpting, video games, movie, call a friend, whatever - I always have a ton of projects going on all needing my attention.

If I'm actually hungry and it's at the point where I just gotta eat anything and everything in sight that means my nutrition is a bit restrictive so it needs some adjustment.

Also throwing away the list of forbidden foods and getting your mind used to the mindset that "Yeah, I can have that stuff any time I want it" really helps to reduce your cravings for it. Once it's taboo, you tend to want it even more and that becomes your focus. If you spend the whole week looking forward to a half pound Hershey bar with almonds on Saturday cheat night, yeah you're gonna eat the whole thing when you get it - and that's coming from experience.

[Scott~]

I prefer a binge to multipile little slip ups. I usually eat clean as a whistle for 10-14 days and then have a binge like you wouldn't believe. My typical binge is....

15 Reeces cups
10 Kit Kats (the little two packs)
McDonalds extra value meal
6 doughnuts

Comes out to about 6,000 calories, maybe more or less, but it's worth it and by no means does a cheat of even that size negate progress in the least. Some people say cheats can "ruin a week of good eating and training".... that's total crap. Of course it's best to not cheat at all, especially binge, but it isn't the end of the world.

[Apollo3000]

^ that's a nice little binge, but i have you beat dude.

2 baja chalupas from Taco Bell, 2 baja gorditas, burrito supreme, soft taco, Mexican pizza, and soda. That was lunch/afternoon. For dinner I had a Big Mac value meal, the McRib, a Big N' Tasty, double cheeseburger, and sundae. Along with many soda refills. Then, later that night I ate like 5 pieces of Papa Johns pizza and a bunch of M&M's and Hershey Kisses that were around the house because of Christmas and stuff. This is like 13,000 calories. I'm still 6'2" 185lbs. and lean. I love my genetics.

[DarinK]

IMO the 3 major reasons for binges are:
1. Going below your bodyfat set point. Your body sends a signal to eat and eat big. Most likely for majority simple sugars.
2. Lack of discipline.
3. Keeping carbohydrates too low for too long.

[Scott~]

Originally Posted by Apollo3000

^ that's a nice little binge, but i have you beat dude.

2 baja chalupas from Taco Bell, 2 baja gorditas, burrito supreme, soft taco, Mexican pizza, and soda. That was lunch/afternoon. For dinner I had a Big Mac value meal, the McRib, a Big N' Tasty, double cheeseburger, and sundae. Along with many soda refills. Then, later that night I ate like 5 pieces of Papa Johns pizza and a bunch of M&M's and Hershey Kisses that were around the house because of Christmas and stuff. This is like 13,000 calories. I'm still 6'2" 185lbs. and lean. I love my genetics.

I'm repping you for that binge. Kudos and long live the occassional binge!

[Germanic]

People love to gorge themselves with food. It's a natural thing to do. When you are hungry, and there is a massive amount of food in front of you, your instinct is to put it all down the hatch. Obviously, then you realize "**** I shouldn't have eaten all that". It takes tons of willpower sometimes. That's why appetite suppressants can make it or break it for some people.

[amjzzz]

Imo binges are all brain chemistry/pyschology.

I've really never had the urge to binge with food, alcohol, or drugs. At times I've eaten too much, but that's usually cause I didn't want to waste the food.

I'm also really conservative with my finances too.

My sister in law was a closet overeater. She got gastric bypass, so now she binges on clothes/shoes.

[dsizzle]

you just have to control it man

here are a few stupid tricks that i have picked up

1) brush your teeth- who wants to eat food with that minty just-brushed-your-teeth taste in your mouth... food tastes like crap

2) eat with your shirt off

3) water / diet soda

4) this is controversial and dont do it if you feel like you are prone to addiction, but smoke cigarretes or dip (smokeless tobacco)

another thing is like my mom brought home a huge bag of cookies from some party she went to... there has to be like 60 cookies and they are all a different kind

instead of eating a whole cookie or multiple cookies i just take a bite

you arent going to get any more flavor out of something by eating the whole thing that you cant get from one bite

and most of the time people are binge eating their just shoveling **** down their throats

take a bite of the cookie and then immediately eat something better for you

[PennState]

did you honestly just suggest smoking/dipping to combat binge eating? I could just solve the whole problem and do lots of coke...then i'd be thin. kind of counter productive if you ask me.

[dsizzle]

wow strong exaggeration

quiz

what is worse for you, like a 1/4 tin of dip, or eating 6,000 calories of doughnuts and burger king in one sitting

[chazman]

Originally Posted by PennState

did you honestly just suggest smoking/dipping to combat binge eating? I could just solve the whole problem and do lots of coke...then i'd be thin. kind of counter productive if you ask me.

Comparing apples to 9/11 are we?


Also...I smoke cigarettes occasionally...but the dip is MUCH worse.

Unless I can burn off the dip on a treadmill and instead of sweating out normal sweat, I could sweat cancer.

Now that would be sweet.

[Adam_Da_Gronk]

Im just about to go out and binge on some burger king, just means i got to do some extra cardio during the week to get rid of it and to punish myself. No point in living if you cant indulge every now and then, gives you a higher sense of self satisfaction when you do make an achievement

[PennState]

Originally Posted by dsizzle

wow strong exaggeration

quiz

what is worse for you, like a 1/4 tin of dip, or eating 6,000 calories of doughnuts and burger king in one sitting

1/4 tin of dip. easily. 6,000 calories once or twice a month isn't going to kill you. Tobacco products are the only product on the market that if you use them properly, they will eventually kill you.

[dsizzle]

which is why i said not to do it if you find yourself to be easily addicted to things

[kranked]

It's usually really bad for me when I get home after school, If I feel as though i'm about to crack I throw a pot of water on to boil and throw in some whole wheat pasta. Watch it boil for 10 minutes, crack open a can of tuna, and by the time your ready to eat, your craving is either dead, or you've got a load of healthy food you can stuff yourself silly with before you even get the chance to binge on crap.

[DTRG]

its funy this thread is here. this weekends ive stuffed my face and have little guilt because if you work hard during the week you should be able to go nuckin futs on the weekend

friday night before bed:
4 yogurts
3 bowls of cereal
a bag of popcorn
peanuts
other stuff too

last nite, friends xmas party, got there just in time for desert:
slice of cake
slice of pie
brownies
chocolate covered pretzels(addictive to the max, stay away at all costs)
more chocolate covered pretzels
heaps of m&ms
other chocolate candies
beer

today:
i just ate 3/4 a box of cheezits after eating a good healthy breakfast


the cheezits are pushing it, they arent even that tasty, but last nite was heaven while it lasted. i can feel the fat being added and i dont care because you live how many times? oh yeah, once.

work hard during the week so you can enjoy weekends at least, especialy if youre younger than 30.

[soriminah]

I've pretty much gotten over the whole I feel crap from bingeing thing. I've been an emotional eater for most of my life and now at 29, I've decided that if I binge today, I made that decision today. Tomorrow is another day. I don't berate myself and hate myself for it anymore. That can be part of the viscious cycle - 'I hate myself for bingeing so another family block of chocolate will make me feel better'. I just think 'well, that wasn't the best food choice but tomorrow I'll make better food choices.

[vein5]

when ever i binge, I just think of all the nutrients my body got that day and how my muscles are going to be %100 for my next workout, But then I like to binge on cereal and milk.