Binge Eater Looking For Help

I have always known I was an "emotional eater," but now that I have changed my lifestyle by counting calories and working out, I have become an emotional BINGER. I can eat 1000 calories a day for a week straight with no problem, and then one fight with my mother sends me to Taco Bell for a crunchwrap supreme, two burritos, and a taco. Or, I will find myself bingeing on my usual foods, eating 3 Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches in one sitting.

Where can I find help? I have done so well with disciplining myself, but sometimes I honestly feel out of control.

Fri. Jun 30, 2:37pm

i am a big supporter of clinics. i suggest you call your local hospital and inquire about area clinics. or, if you have a regular doctor, talk to him/her. there are also many 12-step support groups around these days-you could check online or ask at the hospital...i wish you all the best. reaching out here will surely bring many ways to seek further assistance in your home town.

Friday, June 30, 2006, 2:46 PM

This happened to me, too. I am in therapy and reading and following Intuitive Eating. I recommend both.

1000 calories is not enough. Your body is starving and deprived, physically and psychologically. Here is a little excerpt from Intuitive Eating:

Principle 2: Honor Your Hunger. "Keep your body fed biologically with an adequate amount of energy and carbs. Otherwise, you can trigger a primal drive to overeat. Once you reach excessive hunger, all intentions of moderate, conscious eating are fleeting and irrelevant."

There was a study conducted in the 1940s of 32 healthy men. At first they ate as they pleased, averaging 3500 cals/day. Then they were asked to lose weight, and put on a 1600 cal/day diet.

Their behavior rapidly changed. Their metabolisms dropped 40 percent; they became obsessed with food; had heightened cravings; some resorted to bulimia; they had "loss of willpower;" some stole penny candy; some exercised extra to obtain more food; there was apathy, irritibility, moodiness and depression.

When they were again allowed to eat at will, their hunger became insatiable; they found it difficult to stop eating. Their weekend splurges added up to 8,000-10,000 calories. It took five months for their eating to normalize.

Keep in mind, this was in the 40s, before body image and dieting were in the media at all. Also, a current weight loss plan for men today would probably be a 1600 calories diet... bottom line, dieting can actually trigger your body to force you to overeat; it's not because you don't have the willpower.

Friday, June 30, 2006, 2:55 PM

Good for you for asking for help. I have also dealt with this issue for a long time, as well. I also advocate getting some professional help--whether it's counseling or getting a prescription for medication that will help you with depression. It was only after I started anti-depressants that I stopped binging for emotional reasons. I still have minor binges--having a second bowl of cereal and feelign manic about it--but nothing like I used to.

Friday, June 30, 2006, 5:08 PM

i so feel for you on this!! i do the same thing and have struggled for years going between being in complete control (or at least feeling like i was) vs being completely out of control vs trying to stay in control and losing it again and again.

for the last two years i have had some success (slowly) in trying to ask myself everytime i'm reaching for something to eat "why" i want to eat it. am i hungry? am i tired? am i sad? am i overwhelmed or stress? once you identify the reasons you reach for food, you recognize what you are doing more often.

i agree with the posters who have suggested getting outside help, i have yet to do that myself, but i know it is probably in my future.

good luck and hang in there!

Saturday, July 1, 2006, 12:12 AM

ditto

Read Intuitive Eating.... it really makes more sense... cannot stress it enough.

Saturday, July 1, 2006, 6:06 PM

ditto adding link

This is a link to an Intuitive Eating Team.... there are some insights posted in the comment or community section... check out this method and just join to learn and explore. :) Also can google Intuitive Eating and get some good blogs that are out there.

Link

Saturday, July 1, 2006, 6:10 PM

Yo... I've also got this problem... before, when i was overweight i'd overeat, maybe eat 5 or 10 cookies even, but not to the insane degree i have been doing since watching what i eat. Now when i've been bingeing it's a desperate panicky struggle to eat everything i usually restrict. The last week i've been visiting england, and have had the compounded problem of bingeing on everything i CAN'T usually eat because they don't have it in america. I have literally gained 10 pounds in 5 days, no joke. It's scary. I think i'm over this current binge, but for some commiserating ideas see my logs from the last week! I am going to look into hypnotherapy i think, i've heard good things...
-Sluttony

Saturday, July 1, 2006, 6:14 PM

I got over my binge eating by eating healthy snacks instead. So if you feel like you're going to go into a binge eat some pretzels or kashi bar or something like that. Don't keep the bad stuff around the house. At first I ate too many healthy snacks, but eventually I cut it way back..........weight loss and bad eating habits are a PROCESS, you're not going to wake up one day and be a perfect eater, it takes a while for your body and mind to learn and cut back gradually.

Sunday, July 2, 2006, 8:50 PM

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