BINGEING support group

Hi everyone.

I'm a very healthy eater from day to day. VERY healthy. And I'm quite proud of my diet and my will power. I eat whole grains, lean meats, fruits and vegetables and low fat dairy products. I also eat portions of nuts and drink lots of water.

But I have a problem. I'm in university, and tend to go out to the bars on the weekends every now and then. Now, I can deal with a night of drinking, because I can control how much I drink and I dont drink really hefty sugary drinks. My problem is my loss of will power to junk food when I drink. I eat so much... SO MUCH chocolate when I'm drunk! So much that sometimes I feel ill the next day, but of course, I get back on track and dont drop my calories the next day because I know it's unhealthy recoil.

After this rant, I propose creating this group to support and track / log how many days myself and any others interested in joining can go binge free. I still dont mind having small portions of chocolate throughout the day because they might be just 5g portions. I just want to be able to motivate myself to stay on track and not destroy my healthy diet every weekend.

So, I'm going to start out. Since I went all out last night, today is...

Days without bingeing: 1 (I know the whole day hasnt gone by, but I know I'll control it today haha)

Thanks! 

Today is day 12. Meeting a friend for lunch who is not watching her weight. This doesn't seem tough to do anymore. I usually just have coffee because I can never tell what is going to be within my cal limit!

Have have a great Sunday!

wow great job sharonclaire and everyone else on here- this is a really supportive group

day 10 w/o bingeing!! next update when i hit 14

Ok, enough of this, I'm joining.

I've basically been binging every day ( at least 5 times a week) for a month. and not just overeating; full-blown binging. You know the drill: eating thousands of calories in minutes, stuffing yourself as soon as you're left alone in the kitchen (only to pretend putting the food away as someone comes back in the room, then starting again when they leave...), feeling like you're doing something fun and enjoyable while you're binging, trying to stop and failing, and then the horrible feeling that comes minutes after.

I'm going to try internet motivation for a while. If this doesn't work, I'm going to a therapist. I can't stand thinking about food all the time.

Anyway, I don't want to bum everyone out. Good luck to all of us!

 

faustic, you are not bumming us all out! Unfortunately you are just relating! welcome! once you come here and stay with it you know that it's just a matter of time before you overcome it! we are a great group! read back for ideas of where/how to start and enjoy!

jolie, great going, girlfriend! see you on day 14! :  )

faustic welcome! I hope we can help you as much as possible, dont worry at all about bumming people out, were all here to help each other out, no matter what emotional state you may be in. And we all have our lows as well, I know thats for sure on my part!

anyway, speaking of being bummed, I lost it last night. You know my main problem, then drinking and bingeing. Well I was fine until 3 in the morning, then while I was hanging out with a friend the vending machines in our building got mighty attractive. Went through 4 cookies, kit kat, peanut butter m&m's (which were quite good by the way hahah, actual peanut butter inside!). Definetly a binge worth. Could have been worse yet, but it was a binge. But at least I dont feel horrible today, Im actually quite optimistic today for some reason or another? Odd I know hahah.

Anyway starting again. I think I can pass 11 this time around :D

Days without bingeing: 1

Days without sweets: 1

starting fresh!

I think I realized I need this group when I go home to my parents.  At school it's so much easier to control what I eat because it's limited.  At my parents home, it's unlimited! Needless to say, I binged yesterday, and ate a lot lot lot.  I won't do it again.  So, I guess I'll start my count here.

Days w/o binge: 1

alexw: it's a great thing when you know what triggers it!

my trigger is family...a little different situation than jennlett's.

so, I met my goal: 11 days! and then I went belly up. trying to decide on next goal...I think I'll make it a round 2 week. yep! okay, my next goal is 14 dyas and I think I will begin today (hard to say...when I fall off it seems to take a few days to recover!)

everyone enjoy! :  )

Hey guys, sorry I haven't been on much lately. Been kinda busy. I've done really well lately. I'm on day 13! wow. That's amazing. I'm still at my grandparents, and I have just been having small portions of stuff. Like last night I had 1 pork rib, half a peice of cornbread, and some black eyed peas with no sugar added french vanilla ice cream for dessert. I'm feeling really good. I stepped on the scale this morning, and I was 116! :). Eating more does work. good luck everyone!

Wow, congrats to all of you who made it up into the double digits!  VERY impressive!

I did well on Friday (usually that's where I begin spinning out of control for the weekend), and stayed around maintenance, went to the gym, etc.

Saturday and Sunday, I didn't binge, which is awesome.  I was still around 3000 calories each day...which is not so awesome, and still negates most of my week's work!  I'm going to give myself a little credit for being more aware of what I was eating/planning to eat (even if not so healthy), though, instead of just doing the space-out-and-eat-everything-in-sight that I usually do!  

Ugh, Mondays are hard for me!  I feel tired and bloated and grumpy!  Had a huge fiber-filled muffin (mmmm Trader Joe's!) for breakfast, a clementine an hour or so ago, and am looking forward to a healthy lunch...

P.S. alexwilliams, I WISH I had the willpower to throw my chocolate in the garbage!  What is wrong with me?! 

Well,

I would consider my weekend a success!  I didn't drink on friday night because I moved into a different apartment.  Then Saturday I move tons of crap all day and I was ready for a drink by night time! But I didn't binge sat night after all the drinking.  I had a couple of crackers. YES!  Soo anyway.

That sucks Alex! The best thing to do is just pass out and go to bed rather than stay up soo late, cuz that's when the munchies come on! 

Good job everyone else! 

Tootles and have a lovely week!

Days with out Binging 7!!!!

hey all!

sorry I've been MIA .. I've been out of town looking at grad school programs (my decision has to be made by April 15th!).  Luckily, I haven't binged, though a few of the day sI didnt make it to the gym and ate my maintenance (though I walked all day those days, so I hope it made up for it!).  So far my "weight-loss" has stagnated...I have been fluctuating daily between 120-123.  I don't really know if it is worth it to try to push myself that much harder.  For now, I think I'm going to stick with 1. trying to eliminate binges, 2. keep up my exercise like I have been and 3. keep my calorie deficit going!

anyways, glad to see how well all of you are doing (it seems like less and less weekend binges from people!) and to see new faces!

Katy, days without bingeing: 9

Oh no!  My TOTM (hehe that's the first time I've used that acronym on here!) just started, and allllll I can think about is chocolate!  My day is going to hell in a handbasket...FAST! :(

liora - where are you right now, what are you doing, and what is your schedule like? Just stick to healthy snacks, drink lots of water, grab some sugarless gum! It will pass!

Im actually about to read an article from womans health on how to beat sugar cravings. Ill get back to you asap!

YOU CAN DO IT!

Ok so I guess this could be for everyone's general interest:

Ive been meaning to read this article for the past 2 weeks but school is reaching hellish levels these days (just one more month!!!) so havent been able to check it until today. It is calle "Sugar overload" from The April 2008 issue of Womans Health. Here are the interesting facts I picked up from it, which I think are fantastic to know, especially since my bingeing always involves candy and sugar:

• eating sugar triggers release of opioids which are neurotransmitters actgivating pleasure receptors in the brain
  • addictive drugs like morphine and heroin use the same opioid receptors - this doesnt surprise me!!!
    
  • in lab rats, after 21 days of a high liquid sugar diet, their feeding was delayed 12 hours and they showed signs of withdrawl including anxiety, teeth chattering, depression (not done in humans but would likely be similarly addictive)
• costantly eating sugar forces pancreas to work overtime
  • pumps out massive amounts of insulin
  • body can become less sensitive to sugar, or even insulin - i believe this situation is a factor in type two diabetes
• artificial sweetners  can be just as bad
  • rats ate more after consuming artifically sweetened drinks than sipping water
  • they may act as stomach teasets - body anticipates arrival of caloriesm and then when the body isnt getting it, it makes you turn to the "snack bowl"
    
• The federal dietary guidelines recommend 10% of your daily caloric intake to be your sugar limit/intake (about 20g/1000cals)
• many food thats are low fat or all natural are still loaded with sugar
• dried fruits, though a healthy alternative to other greasy foods, can have about 21g sugar/1oz (dried pineapple), whereas regular pineapple in the same amount will have 2.6g
  

The only way to curb sugar habit: cut back (tough! but we can do it!)

• it will be hard at the beginning but your body will crave less sugar as it regains its insulin sensitivity
• fruit although it is a natural source of sugar can be one of the best ways to satisfy your sugar craving - combines natural sugar with fiber and loads of antioxidants and fiber can help you feel more satisfied
• eat breakfast - 90% sugar addicts skip it
  • they wait and get a big sugar hit at 10am
  • when you eat breakfast, you prevent drop in blood sugar that makes you crave more later
• indulge right after dinner - having a small scoop of ice cream can help reduce, but not counter, the insulin spiking effect (since you already have a meal in your stomach)
  

So Liora there are some suggestions to help with your sugar craving:

• have a piece of fruit, maybe even sprinkle some cocoa (no sugar!)
   on something, or even cinnamon on an apple is nice
• cocoa in oatmeal is filling and tasty! and full of fiber!
• Womans Health reccomends half a packet of hot chocolate with skim milk which can help reduce the desire for loads of chocolate

I hope this helps Liora, and anyone else interested!

I know Im working on cutting back on sugar, its so hard, and Im limiting myself to 4g of splenda a day, just for my oatmeal.

Wow, thanks, that info is really interesting, and the support is FABULOUS!!

I'm at work right now, and discovered a bag of chocolates in my desk drawer...I just ate a TON, but decided to throw the rest of the bag away (mini victory?)...It sucks; I feel like I only have a taste for chocolate right now! Am gonna try to munch on my grapes...and keep looking at my desktop picture (me, last year, goal weight)! Eek...

yes, liora! that is a victory...not a mini one! it's hard to do.

great info, alexw! glad you posted for reference!

well, after one day off and overeating beyond my max, I guess I am back in. It's very unusual for me to regroup after one day. maybe one day I'll be another yyonah and kae and just never take a break ot indulge...

I'm being interrupted. I'll be back...

Original Post by liora513:

Wow, thanks, that info is really interesting, and the support is FABULOUS!!

I'm at work right now, and discovered a bag of chocolates in my desk drawer...I just ate a TON, but decided to throw the rest of the bag away (mini victory?)...It sucks; I feel like I only have a taste for chocolate right now! Am gonna try to munch on my grapes...and keep looking at my desktop picture (me, last year, goal weight)! Eek...

What ive come to find about bags of chocolate, throwing them out is like ripping off a bandaid, or in my case, kindof like getting a piercing HAHA (except not as painful) - doing it for 5 seconds hurts, but once its done its SO worth it!

And as a side note, to make it really effective, youll need to not just throw out the bag, cause that can be picked out of the garbage. Either flush them haha or totally turn over the bag and mix it into the garbage, THEN you wont eat it :D Trust me, it's worked wonders!

Grapes are actually fantastic! Another thing I LOVE are baby carrots. you can munch on them, have some natural sugar, and a good chunk of fiber to keep you satisfied! Try them, I swear they wont fail!

Let me know how it goes!

Hiya Everyone!  Back from the weekend and still binge free!  Although, weekends are kinda my safe zone and while I didn't binge, I definetely overate.  I LOOOVVVE homemade sundae's! 

Monday's are soooooo hard, no more sweets until the weekend!  (I can only have them when my boyfriend's around - I don't binge when he's there so I make him take all the left over binge goodies to his house on Sunday's hee hee.)

I can do it! 

Days without binging: 6 and working on #7.  just have to keep it together for a little while longer!

Thanks for the support, everyone. I needed it.

And, thanks to you, Binge-free day no.1! Huzzah! It's crazy: not only did I manage to eat well during the day, I also managed to take a healthy dessert of yogurt and berries a few hours after having supper (I usually look for something treat-like and comforting and I end up bingeing). I also managed to get 20 minutes on the treadmill.

And liora, don't worry. In the long run, this chocolate binge won't affect you. The one thing that will is that you had the willpower to actually throw away the bag. A huge step. Throwing away trigger foods is always empowering to me (though somewhat wasteful, so I try not to keep them around in the first place).

hi guys! 

i am so glad to come across this forum. I have a major bingeing problem, where i eat thousands of calories in minutes, and then can't stop. this is usually followed by a few more days of bingeing, because i feel a diet is so hopeless! anyway, hopefully this group will help. 

I need to lose 20 pounds i think... i don't want to think about how i gained so much here in college :( currently, i am working backstage at a theater, which means there are plenty of times of just sitting around, and plenty of snacks. i binged all weekend, and tried to get back on track today, but i just ate about 3 servings of flat earth baked fruit chips, as well as eating wasabi peas at rehearsal. sooo... a minor binge, but still a binge! 

tomorrow will be success!