binge-free challenge, anyone?

So I've got into a pattern of binging once a week.  In order to avoid falling back to be emotinoal eater, I'm gonna kick binges for good.  I know some of you out there are binging even more often, say by keep track of each other's eating habit, we can really help each other out.

greetings everyone,

I have been a long-time reader of these boards and i decided this afternoon that perhaps it might be more productive to stop lurking and start posting. 

In the last year or so i have lost 40-50 lbs. and have never felt healthier.  However, even during my weight loss i binged (usually a couple times a week).  Now that i am so close to my goal i am realizing that i havn't been able to curb my binge eating episodes.  I felt so in control for a few months, but now they're creeping back up on me.  I have been ok for the last two days but i never go very long without feeling out of control with my eating (usually late night). 

Anyway, that's my story in a nutshell. 

I think this board is a wonderful idea.  I hope it will be a great source of strength and support for everyone here. 

Julie

Hi Julie,

I binge at night too, but lately I've been eating the appropriate amount and staying under my caloric intake goals.  I am very busy during the day and don't have much time to eat, so my eating is closer to bedtime than I'd like.  However, I have gotten into the habit of bringing a granola bar with me during the day for when my belly gets to rumbling.  Another thing that I've noticed is that I can control my eating later in the day.  If I eat small throughout the day, then I have better luck with my bingeing.  I have accepted the fact that I like all kinds of different foods and I know that once I start during the day I wil eat nothing but junk the rest of the day.  I've taken to eating small portions during the day and at night I eat several different things that are usually just vegetables or very healthy foods.  And no, I do not have nightmares!

Okay...I wrote a novel again. 

Angie

Hi Julie! I think we all have similar issues here. That's what's nice about this thread. Lately I've been trying to journal after each episode to see what really triggers me. That might help you too.

So far my triggers are, social parties, stress (duh), and just letting myself get too hungry.

This is day three binge free!

I DEF need to join you all.  I always binge on carbs, except last sunday when I had mcdonalds. I know, I am ashamed to admit it, but it was a mcflurry, a choc. muffin, and fries.  Gross.  so yeah.  Huge 1+ binge a week problem here..

hey mrswuktisch - i took your advice about journaling last night.  I have not picked up my journal in forever it seems.  I didn't have a binge which is lovely, so i didn't get to look at my triggers or anything.  Instead I used it to occupy my hands and my thoughts a couple hours before bed (dangerous time for my eating habits).  I felt really good about writing things down afterwards too. 

I'm interested to know what everyone does when they feel like binging?  Sometimes it happens so fast and i'm so unconscious of what i'm doing that i don't even think about journaling to identify the cause.  It's only afterwards that i think "why didn't i stop for a second and think about what i was about to do?"  It's sort of like a temporary insanity and then you suddenly wake up and see your actions more rationally.  What are everyone else's experiences with this? 

I too am day three binge free!  Let's make it four now.  ha!

What happened to cheekieduckie?  She started this forum and she hasn't posted in a while.  I hope she's okay!

A/C

Day 4 Binge Free!  I'm actually not counting that closely, I'm trying to make my bingeing a "NON-ISSUE"

Well, reading everyone's posts here has prompted me to quit lurking and post something of my own. It will probably be a rambling post so I apologize ahead of time :)

Julie, your last post brought bingeing close to home for me. You described what I go through exactly! I try really hard to eat healthy, to not deprive myself so that I'm never starving, and treat myself to those 100 cal snack packs of oreo thins when I need a chocolate fix. I do really well for a week or so, then one day, the girls at work ask "hey we're going for Burger King, you want some?" and all my good intentions dive out the window. I'm right there with the double bk stacker and onion rings without even blinking an eye. It's only after I'm full of deep fried grease that I wake up and realize what I just did to myself. Then I feel like a worthless jerk with no willpower at all. Sometimes I continue to beat myself up for days over the lapse. And worse, I feel like it's pointless to watch my eating habits if I'm just going to do that to myself so I stop eating healthy, thinking "well I've already screwed up, might as well enjoy it and eat what I've been missing all week." 

On that note, I decided to ask my doctor for a psychiatric consult and see if some therapy will help. I am in the process of working towards a gastric bypass surgery, but if therapy helps my awful cycle of eating, sabotaging, self disgust...I may be able to lose weight without surgery.

Thanks for letting me unload that, and for starting this thread :)

I love this website because I don't feel like such a freak when I read other people's struggles! I recently started binging more than I have since I began my B.E.D recovery in August 2006. My boyfriend and I broke up and he moved out in mid-Jan. I have never lived alone before and have found nights to be the absolute hardest! I've started old, bad habits of eating out of boxes (no portion control), not measuring quantities, eating in front of the t.v. or while reading, and eating a lot more sugar, sugar, sugar. Luckily, I've kept up my gym attendance since it always makes me feel better, but I have to get the binging under control again. I was doing so well for awhile there, I even got to a point where I couldn't believe I had ever used food in such an unhealthy way, now I feel like I'm almost back to square one. But I know that isn't true I've learned too much on my journey to ever, really go back to that place. I'm going to try to check in regularly to this forum and let you guys know how the binging is going, with hopes that any additional accountability will help me during this time. Thanks for all the support. Much love.

Hey,

I've been reading through this post since it started, and I tend to read most "binge" posts as I'm a recovering bulimic, and I just want to share a little something. I got to the point where I was bingeing about 2 to 3 times a week, and I was so exhausted by the whole cycle that I got help for it.

I haven't binged since December 20th, 2006.

It's possible to stop! :)

I haven't postin in a while probably out of shame.  I've had a bad week.  I feel really weak.  I've worked out every day, but I have eaten everything.  Oh, well.  I have almost gained back everything I have lost.  I guess today is a new day.  I try to give myself motivation but then I think who cares.  No one is looking at me anyway.

Yesterday I ate three meals, one snack, and even had a slice of cheesecake for desert and did not binge at all! Binge free day #1, today's looking pretty good so far, I've had two meals and am planning on having dinner and maybe one snack and that's absolutely it, no more binging. I feel so much better about myself when I eat this way and I get to actually be hungry at meal time, what a concept. Much support and love to all.

Hey Digdig.  I'm not sure if anybody here is a bulemic.  We binge and keep it down.  We are those that are addicted to food and don't want it to consume our lives.  Which I guess that's what any eating disorder does.  My whole thing is that I want to make healthy choices and I feel that my addiction to sugar is what sets me off.  I always feel that if I can cut out the sugar then I'll be okay.  But once I go without sugar for about 3 days, I go crazy, I get lethargic.  So, for me it's about moderation and feeling in control of my life. I have to eat to live, I don't want to live to eat.  I love, love, love food and I would eat all day if I could, but I can't.  That's why I'm teaching myself to eat when I'm hungry and in order to survive.  Also, when I do eat when I'm hungry I want those foods to be delicious.  I want to still enjoy my food, but at the same time know when to say ENOUGH!!!

Angie

Yeah, it was kind of weird, I never got bulimic until I started restricting......so I'm all about everything in moderation: even moderation. I was feeling odd about coming back to calorie-count, but things are going a lot better the second time around with a different mindset. :)

My point was, the bulimia started as a diet. Then I had a "cheat" meal. Then I had a cheat meal every once in a while. And I hated it!! I mean, it was nice when it happened, but working it off wasn't much fun. It got to the point, though, where I couldn't make it through a week without 3 or 4 binges. That's when it becomes problematic...

"Purging" doesn't have to involve throwing up or laxatives. It can be exercise or calorie restriction, which were my main methods.

Careful out there. ?

i binged today....and yesterday....but i did so because i've been sick and i feel like rewarding myself because i dont feel good....ughh hopefully i'll feel better soon so i can get back to eating healthy

question....I've had a cold the past couple of days, but i've been able to do a little bit of exercising, followed by napping and laying around in bed....should i lower my calorie intake because i'm inactive, or should i keep it around my usual active intake....do i need the same amount of calories because my body is fighting the cold? or am i just trying to make excuses for myself to eat more?

i'm joining the anti-binge effort! :)

fhgurl17 - I feel your pain! I've had a rotten cold for several days now. On the "bright side" I have no appetite to speak of so I've been forced to eat really healthy. Why don't you go get some soups? They make my throat and head feel better and they can be really lo-cal. Also, tea and toast are big with me when I'm sick. Here's hoping we're both well soon!

Also - happy to report that today is day 7 no bingeing! My hubby is being very supportive and has been cooking very healthy for me lately. (he's the cook in the family - lucky me, right?)

Uh - oh. I'm replying to myself today. Where is everybody?

Well, this is day 8 no bingeing. I must confess that I really had to fight the urge last night. I tried to remind myself that it's in those moments that I'm losing weight. Also, I had a 100 cal. snack to ease the pain.

Realized last night how many darned calories there really are in frozen corn. I feel shocked and betrayed by my favorite veg. How dare it be so good and also 100 cals for a measly 2/3 cup!

I just read through this thread...

I'm in! Yesterday was my first day without a binge. Today is day 2.

We can do it.

way to go lookingforchange! Keep posting! I've found that being accountable to this thread has helped a lot.

i am so down w/this.  i have a love/hate relationship w/food.    LOVE to eat it, HATE what is does to my thighs.  ugh.  and i am a binge eater for certain.   night time is the worst.  after the kids go to bed, often we have friends over and i snack while playing poker (cause, you know, i had all that free time i was bored waiting for my turn...lol), or snack during a movie, or snack cause i'm on my period, or snack cause i just had dinner...oh wait...lol.  seriously tho, i ate dinner last night and skipped desert (yea!) but not 15 minutes later reached for a bowl of chex mix.  then some nuts.  then we sat down to play texas hold 'em and my husband (God love him...grrr) pours a gi-nor-mous bag of Robins Eggs (yea ...er...boo...for easter candy) into a bowl and i proceed to eat them like popcorn.  UGH!  

why do we love to eat so much?  why do we binge?   any takers for thier thought on why?

good luck everyone, evening is approaching in my neck of the woods.  i feel like i'm about to go into battle.