What to do after a binge?

Hi, yesterday I totally lost control over food, I mean it, my total cal intake was: 2581.  I feel so bad.

Maybe it may seem like it could have  been much worst (worse?), but believe me i look like possessed went i ate a package of donuts without even chewing (wasn't the only thing I ate).

I don't know what to do :( it's no the first time it happens, but it's been a while since the last "episode" and today I have like this crazy chocolate crave. (pathetic i know)

So, what do you do after a binge?

What should I do?

Can I win weight because of that single binge?

(btw I'm not a native English speaker so if there is something incoherent or something wrong with the spelling please tell me)

Hi!  Im Debs..  This is the first time I have posted to a group.  I have just joined the site...   I know that feeling of losting control of food.  It usually happens if something bad has happened or worrying about finances etc... In my head I crave chocolate and cake etc and feel that everything would be made better by consuming huge amounts of food...

When I have binged out on chocolate etc I find what works for me is not to buy or keep these foods in the house...  I will not even walk past the aisle that has the chocolate and crisps on it...  Seeing the temptation makes me want to buy it and eat it...  Its incredibly hard but when I get to the end of the day and realise what I have achieved...  I feel fantastic and very proud of myself.

I then supplement that need for those foods with something else that is filling...   Bananas, yoghurt and breakfast cereal I find a good help...

Im not an expert just thought it might help to hear another person's experience....

Hi I'm Sam,

This is also my first time posting.  For me after a bigne the next day I might look at a chocolate bar and think, "why not? I'm not going to loose any weight this week anyway!" But instead, lately, I try to just pick up and not let it get me down. Maybe I add 10 mins to my work out for the next few days without burning myself out.I also don't keep sweets in the house. If I have a craving I'll go out with a friend and SPLIT something. That way I get my fix and don't over do it.

And remember it took a long time to put the weight on, it'll take time to get it off. Don't beat yourself up- we all have bad days- the point is to have more good ones:)

Good Luck!

I know how you feel. There would be days when I would sit at home feeling all down and eat 2 flapjacks, 2 cream cakes, a family size bar of galaxy chocollate and a family size bag of crisps, as well as my regular meals.

What is working well for me at the moment is that I actually gave up chocolate for Lent (Im not religious I just do it to prove I can!!), so I have my husbands beady eyes watching the chocolate supply in the kitchen. Also, as Debs said I try and make sure the things I buy in the supermarket are relatively healthy. I was really hungry last night and so I had a cup of Cheerios (110 cals) as opposed to a bag of crsips or chocolate bar which would have set me back many times more calories.

I know its easy to say but try not to feel bad about it...this is easier said than done but really if you feel bad you will be more likely to binge again. Just think : Today is a new day. Take a longer walk than usual or do the extra 10 mins in your workout that was also suggested.

Good luck :-)

I feel guilty but usually thinking about it and why I did it helps; along with a nice walk with my dog.  Have a great day!

Hi

I just joined the group and I couldn't help replying to this topic

binging.. that's one thing i really KNOW about!

it's a bit hard to control the guilt.. sometimes when I binge-eat and feel guilty afterwards I pick up the phone and order some super sized fast food meal with an extra order of fries !! and then feel even worse! the feeling is just horrible!

anyway.. I figured out how to deal with these "episodes" as you said

1. NEVER have a weigh-in afterwards. wait for at least 3 days

2. NEVER try to fix it by starving yourself the next day, you'll end up eating whatever is there in your fridge in the end of the day. just go on counting your calories like you usually do.

3. every person has a set-back. it's okay! people make mistakes.. consider it a mistake or just a small set-back. it's a bump in the road and you'll get through it. beleive me you will.

4. when you binge, don't count the calories! it'll make things worse !

wish you the best of luck :)

damsh

Hey, I'm Hannah :)

I know binging can be hard to control, but it does not mean you should immediately jump to conclusions like "Now I am not going to lose any weight," because then you are going to be more likely to binge again.  Binging is almost always tied with your emotional state, whether it is for anxiety (like me), depression, or low self-esteem, and obsessing over it once it's done will not help.

What I find really useful for when I get those cravings or I feel I am about to lose control is to take a minute or two and think.  Am I hungry? Or am I trying to get rid of what I am feeling?  If it the first, it's easy: just eat.  But if it is the latter, I have to remind myself (kinda like a mantra) that eating won't help.  Emotional eating will temporarily make me feel better, maybe only while I am shoving the food into my throat, but I have to remind myself about how I am going to feel afterwards: worse than I already do.  It's really hard at first because you are so used to just using food as your comfort and way of dealing with whatever emotional state you are in, but even taking a minute to really think about what's making you want to eat can alleviate some of the obsessive behavior.  Once you can address the emotion causing the binge, you can properly express it in healthier ways (like talking).

As for what I do after a binge--I refuse to beat myself up.  It will only make me feel even worse about myself and cause me to binge again later to make myself feel better, or I get that mentality "I can eat whatever I want now, because I've already ruined today and I'll never lose any weight."  You have to stop that thinking if you ever want to feel better.  Sure, you fell off the wagon--everyone does at some point--but wouldn't it be easier if you simply accepted the fact and moved on?  When you first tried riding a bicycle, did you immediately quit and let yourself fall into a depression when you fell off for the first few times?  When you failed your first test in school, did you give up and get the "Now it's pointless--I'll never get into college" mentality?  When you use small examples like that, it seems silly to feel defeated and be controlled by that negativity.  Instead of quickly beating yourself up over how much you ate and how many pounds you probably gained, start evaluating what triggered it.  Why did you feel the need to eat all of that? and How can you do better in the future?  Learn from your mistakes.

I apologize for this really long response, but I really wanted to help.  I have struggled with binging for so long, and it got to the point where I couldn't even remember what I ate or that I even binged.  If you feel like there is more of a serious emotional or mental issue behind the binge eating, I strongly recommend seeking professional help because otherwise you will not be able to defeat binging by yourself.

I hope this helped :)