The only thing I'm losing is my mind!!

I have finally come to the conclusion that I have a problem with binge eating. I've been journaling my feelings and found that everything and anything can flip my switch to go into binge mode. 

This is so difficult. I don't have any sense of eating, I eat when I'm hungry, I eat when I'm happy, I eat when I'm sad, angry, depressed, the list goes on...I increased my workouts thinking it'll motivate me to stop the binging but nope, that didn't work...does anybody out there have any advice for me? I usually binge on sweets so I tried to go cold turkey and stopped buying healthy sweet snacks but that made it worse.  I must say that although I binge I do make sure they're healthy snacks I'm gulping down.

at least the snacks are healthy. if there isn't anything specific that triggers your eating then this is just a habit that you have to break. just like some poeple are addicted to alcohol or other drugs, food can have similar effects. the best thing is to just commit to changing and accept an occasional slip up because we're human and that happens, but you just have to stop. don't buy the snacks and distract yourself when you realize you're not hungry. get out of the house, go for a walk. Put on your ipod and drive to a park with a book in hand and just read. do anything that will stop you from eating and maybe over time the behavior will stop. i really don't know what to say though, are you at a healthy weight? maybe it isn't as big of a problem as you think. you can pre-portion your foods and have all of it planned for the day and tell yourself that once the food is gone you're done. allow yourself to eat it whenever you like but commit to only the amount you already planned for. sorry if this doesn't help but since there are no specific triggers it's a bit harder to really change the behavior.

just wondering if maybe subconsciously you are thinking of this as a diet in where you can't have things like sweets. Maybe it is something as simple as a thought pattern.

B"H

Hi -- I've spent the better part of my life trying to undo my biggest weight gain (from the only time in my life when I was a compulsive eater). It took me about 2-3 years to get to the top, it's taken me so far 32 years to get it off (well, several times I lost and gained again)......

In any case, I'm doing much better now. But I discovered, over the years (I've lost a total of close to 100 pounds net since my heaviest point), a few things:

1) I just feel deprived without sweets (particularly dessert). So I try to come up with healthy snacks -- cookies of sprouted grain flour, almond meal, stevia, cacao nibs, nuts, and a few other ingredients, stevia sweetened root beer (my fave), before I was vegan fat-free frozen yogury, stuff like that....

2) Don't set yourself up for something you can't keep up. I like walking, for example, but can't manage to be regular with anything other than the treadmills (like stationary bikes or elliptical machines or swimming). Stick with what you can stick with.

3) Food is good, but food is just food. It's not your best friend or your worst enemy. You need to fill your life with activity -- I personally love designing and the internet affords me a place where I can try to sell my designs. I also love to read, watch TV and cook (cooking your own food, BTW, is the best way to keep a handle on everything your eating). Find other activities you love (without swapping one addiction for another -- like don't start power shopping or gambling or drinking).

4) One of the best ways I've found to make positive changes in my life is to tell others I'm making the change. That way, I'm motivated to not have to tell everyone I failed at making this positive change. For example, I think one of the reasons I was able to get past the rough cravings and stuff at the beginning of my being a vegetarian is that I told everyone I was going veg. If I went back to eating meat, chicken and fish, I'd be admitting to the entire world that I didn't have the will power to do it. So I stuck with it over the rough spots and it became easier over time. So here I am, 32 years later, not only a vegetarian, but a vegan (and healthy eating vegan) (almost 20 years as a vegan). I've also influenced one of my nieces and one of my cousins to go veg.

Debbie

Thanks everyone, I think I've tried so many of the little tricks to stop myself but they haven't helped....I just end up binging. It's not to the point that I'm consuming thousands of calories in one sitting but on average my binges are about 500 calories. The thing that bothers me the most is not that I'm consuming an extra 500 calories, it's the feeling I get when I'm binging...this loss of control, loss of satiation...it takes over my mind. 

Yesterday, I went out and bought the book Crave because I think the best thing I can do right now is educate myself on the disorder. I've gotten through a few pages and I have to say, I'm loving it!

Thanks for the support, I definitely need it

not a problem...if you wouldn't mind sharing some of the quotes, tips, etc. from the book that would be great!! anything that stands out to you i would love to hear!!