What to do in preperation for a binge eat?

It is my friends birthday next month and I will probably be eating loads.

So on the night I will probably have a doner kebab

Then the next day a McDonalds (cheese burger and fries and milkshake/McFlurry/Chocolate Muffin not sure yet, just what ever I fancy at the time) and probably more junk

A half a giant chocolate cornflake cake

Then the next day I will have a milkshake from http://bubblesmilkshakes.com/

I know its pretty extreme but I cant really avoid it as everyone else will be having it, and I feel I deserve it as I havnt had a takeaway for 3 months (it will be 4 months then) but I really dont want to gain weight, so is there anything I can do in preperation. I am going to lay off the snacks but has anyone got any suggestions?

dont eat the whole thing. Have a half portion.

I'm in a similar boat (being dragged for a night out and I will HAVE to get drunk because it's both expected and boring without it but I'll be good on the food front.)

I suggest saying 'no' to the doner kebab. I know it's not easy, but then you'll feel a little bit better afterwards, eating the other stuff. Focus on the McDonald's being your 'first' treat instead.

Hope that helps.

Really, it is kinda unhealthy to "prep" when you know you are going to want to eat a lot.   That can lead to bad habits that can turn into an eating disorder.  This is a lifestyle, you are going to have to change how you live.  Yes, there are still special occasions, and it is okay to eat more, and even some "unhealthy" food, but that doesn't mean you have to totally blow it.  Find some middle ground.  Instead of a cheeseburger and fries, have a salad, and then a yogurt parfait instead of a ice cream.  Or just cut your portions - only eat half of everything.  Just be smart, come up with a plan that works, and stick with it.

Maybe I should just have a little bit of my friends kebab, just maby to take the craving away but have my tea before I go so I have an excuse not to get one.

With the McDonalds i really dont want to change my order, I think I will just get a happy meal. It wont fill me but I will be walking around for the day do I wont really be thinking about food hopefully.

And I will just get a small milkshake.

I got the idea about saving my calories from my mams diet book, It says we are aloud a 100 calorie treat every day but we can save them up if we want, so i am going to try and do that, I think thats healthy?

Thanks for the very quick replys :)

Original Post by xxlozziliciousxx:

It is my friends birthday next month and I will probably be eating loads.

So on the night I will probably have a doner kebab

Then the next day a McDonalds (cheese burger and fries and milkshake/McFlurry/Chocolate Muffin not sure yet, just what ever I fancy at the time) and probably more junk

A half a giant chocolate cornflake cake

Then the next day I will have a milkshake from http://bubblesmilkshakes.com/

I know its pretty extreme but I cant really avoid it as everyone else will be having it, and I feel I deserve it as I havnt had a takeaway for 3 months (it will be 4 months then) but I really dont want to gain weight, so is there anything I can do in preperation. I am going to lay off the snacks but has anyone got any suggestions?

I think some people are probably confused by your post.  In the heading you call it binge eating.  But what you stated above is not a binge.  Perhaps an over-indulgence though.

A binge is the type of eating where the person literally loses control.  It's almost like the body cuts itself off from the brain and just goes at it.  And the person feels powerless (and sometimes unwilling) to stop it.

Other than this, I think you have the right attitude.  Don't over restrict before the big weekend.  Just keep it healthy.  Planning ahead of time what you will eat when going to a fast food restaurant can help.  Maybe you could go for the chicken sandwich?

That sounds smart - a good middle ground.  Especially if you can get the apple slices instead of fries!

Yes, calories are all about averages.  100 calories a day for a week can give you a nice treat - especially if you exercise a little more too, but don't make too much a habit of doing it.  It sounds a lot like the binge-compensate cycle that a lot of ED's are based on.  The flip side of the coin is that if you have done exactly what you should for a week, then going all-out for one day, while not the healthiest, also won't hurt you in the long run.

Also, fast food has a lot of sodium, so drink a glass of water before and after.

Don't forget to count all the calories in your drinks too! It could easily outweigh all that food. I never worry about what I'll eat on a big night out but I do worry about what I drink. If you had cocktails all night you can end up drinking masses of sugar on top of the calories in alcohol. I now stick to vodka and diet coke or lite beer and only have cocktails/wine/nice beer if I'm only having one.

I know you are probably not going to change the way you think overnight, but my advice to you is to eat what /you/ want, and especially /when/ you want it.

Social eating is ****. I might be home alone, craving pizza today so I will go ahead and eat some, in moderation. But if instead of that all my friends decided to go out for pizza, and I could do without it, I would order a salad instead.

Not by any means saying that you don't deserve a treat or shouldn't get one, just go about it in a more sensible way. Eat something you enjoy in a portion that you won't feel guilty about. Don't stuff your body with junk because everybody else is - they don't know any better, but you do, so take advantage of that. And never let anybody make you feel bad about your choices. People who do that often have insecurities of their own and deal with them by bashing others. No reason to play along.

Enjoy the party! :)

Preparing and even thinking too much about indulging tends to make people enjoy the actual treats less - if you think so much about it, then by the time you do eat the treats you will be sick of thinking so much about it!

I have learned over the years that the best way for me, as well as many other people to enjoy treats is to just have a healthy attitude to food in general, and to just learn to have what you feel like AT THE TIME, without PLANNING or GUESSING what you may feel like BEFORE the event actually happens.

My advice would be to wait until the day, and to have a little bit of what you feel like.

Or, of you truly feel like having a large serving of a particular food, such as a huge piece of cake or about 2 - 3 normal sizes) then that is FINE TOO - however, if you have it all in one go, than you will feel better if you eat your usual food for the rest of the day.

If you feel satisfied after a few bites of a few types of indulgences, than you can spread it out through out the day instead of blowing it all on one huge portion; just do what you feel like at the time and eat accordingly for the rest of the day.

You do not need to plan or COMPENSATE for special occasions; you simply need to eat healthily MOST of the time, this means that occasional treats balance out and do NOT MAKE ANY difference to your body, because you are healthy MOST of the time. There is NO NEED to compensate with extra exercise unless you eat more than 3500 calories MORE than you burn (that is 1 pound of weight/fat)

Maybe you just shouldn't think about it too much, enjoy the food and move on with your life :)

Before a Nephew's b-day at a fast food resturaunt, I just looked up the nutritional info online and made my choices before I went (I decided on the single hamburger with a side salad with Raspberry Vinagerette instead of fries). Then I ate accordingly earlier in the day so I wouldn't be going over my cal intake. I still had room to have a brownie too.

However I do agree with others who have posted here, if you go over a bit don't sweat it. Just get back to eating well the next day.

Why on earth would you plan to binge?  Making changes to your life includes stopping destructive behaviour even if it's only on rare occassions.

Now if you asked me about how I plan before attending a party where bad food will be served I'd tell you this:

1, eat a mug of soup before leaving.  This settles your appetite so you don't feel starved when you get there.

2.  Drink only ice water while there

3. take very small portions of the best of what's being served.

4.  Stay away from where the food is - go find people to talk to.

5.  Keep that glass of ice water in your hand so you don't have a free hand to grab more food.  It also keeps people from offering you drinks - you just wave your glass at them and indicate that you are fine.

I'll never, ever do what I use to do, which is exactly what you are planning to do.  I've stopped destroying my body for good.

Try to learn to love healthy natural unprocessed foods in your every day life. And maybe try derive less enjoyment in your life from special occasions that involve certain foods?

Do you need to have a massive binge on several days? Why? Can’t you feel just as happy having 1 - 2 pieces of birthday cake one day, and than one cheeseburger and one medium fries and maybe even a Sunday the next day?

Food can be great, however, you really need to try to think of food as a by product of a good experience; go and have fun socializing, or go read your favorite magazine for that enjoyment alone; food can compliment some experiences, however, it should NOT be your main focus.

I did the same thing as you did for years, and it will always make your life less happy until you learn to be able to go and do things without over thinking what you will eat to a large extent.

Doing small things, such as an extra gym class or eating al lighter lunch or eating some nuts before you go can be help, but these preparations are very common sense things that you do not need to think too much about.

If you have been sedentary and have not been consistent with your health and fitness, than you will feel better about yourself if you eat accordingly at a party and have a smaller piece of cake. If you have been working really hard lately than you can get away with eating slightly more.

However, it is only sensible to plan a little like I have mentioned above; do not over exercise or under eat before such an occasion; a lighter lunch, and an extra gym class = normal. Planning what and how and where you will eat DAYS in advance is not normal and it is harmful to your health and happy ness.

Actually, a kebab on day, a normal sized MC Donald’s meal the next day, and a milkshake the next day is actually not that bad and will not make a difference to your body if you are consistent and eat sensibly most of the time.

Just wait and see if you need that food on the actual day; by allowing yourself to have it if you really crave it, you may be surprised that you may not actually feel like as much? It is not bad if you DO eat all of it, but if you learn to relax a little more, and if you accept that you will not gain weight unless you eat an extra 3500 calories, than your body will stay the same! Albeit some fluid retention if you eat a lot of salt.

It is good that you want to do the right thing, but the most successful healthy people never plan; they just allow themselves to have what they feel like at the time, and this freedom prevents them from rebelling and feeling like they need to have a lot of food to be happy. Successful committed people do not need to compensate either, because they eat normally healthily most of the time, so a few one off occasions as you mentioned do not cause weight gain.

I promise - I am learning to eat extra if I TRULY crave it, and I tell myself that scientifically I will not gain weight unless I eat 3500 calories extra. I do not need to compensate by over exercising or eating less. Being less hard on myself has helped me to go out and enjoy the foods I want, when I want them.

I used to do what you are planning to do, but even if it didn't change the scale, I felt bad - physically & mentally.  Just me, maybe, but for the first time last night I went to a potluck/dance, controlled my portions, didn't obssess or plan & now feel great!  I would always compensate before and/or after; what freedom now just to get on my healthy life!

I think there is a difference between someone who is just learning to eat healthier, who still is adjusting and figuring out the amounts of calories in fast foods, and someone who has been doing it for a while.  The newbie really does have to make a plan of some sort so that he/she learns HOW to do the best that can be done, what works for that person and that situation.  After a little experience, yes, I agree, planning can be a bit of a downer, and you lack the feeling of freedom to do whatever if you are always thinking of calories - when you have the experience, then you already have a good idea what you should do.

For me, we go to McDonald's a lot, just for the playground.  I used to eat a burger, half a large fries, and a soda (maybe even a refill).  It took planning to decide how I would deal with visits, to become familiar with the food options, and now I don't really have to think about it - the habits are formed.

The reason I am asking about it is because ive only been eating healthy for about 2 months and this is the first time im having a takeaway.

Sorry about writing the name wrong, I thought it was the best way to describe it.

Thats a good idea about the apple, I think I will get that and just pinch a fry off my friend :)

With the drink ill just get a bottle of water or something, or I could buy a drink that isnt as bad as pop from another shop and sneak it in ;)

I don't feel like I will enjoy the treat less when I actually get it because im kind of enjoying thinking about it and thinking about the possibilities that I could have. I am also using it as motivation to keep eating healthily and not give into temptation because im finding it hard atm.

I break up from school that week so I will make myself a fitness circuit to do everyday, It will make me feel less guilty and if I do it for the week, i might end up enjoying it and wanting to do it more, I doubt it like, but its worth a try.

I think I am starting to like natural and fresh food more and actually appreciate them more and feel better once ive ate them, Im happy about this but I still do miss the nice take away food, even though they dont seem as mice anymore because they are full of fat and I havn't had too much fat for ages.

Maby after ive ate all of that then I wont feel like I need and treats for a couple of weeks which will be good.

I am a little bit confused as some people have said different things but basiclly If I keep eating healthly and have small portions of the foods at the party then It shouldnt make too much of a difference.

Thank you for all of your advice!

Original Post by xxlozziliciousxx:

The reason I am asking about it is because ive only been eating healthy for about 2 months and this is the first time im having a takeaway.

Sorry about writing the name wrong, I thought it was the best way to describe it.

Thats a good idea about the apple, I think I will get that and just pinch a fry off my friend :)

With the drink ill just get a bottle of water or something, or I could buy a drink that isnt as bad as pop from another shop and sneak it in ;)

I don't feel like I will enjoy the treat less when I actually get it because im kind of enjoying thinking about it and thinking about the possibilities that I could have. I am also using it as motivation to keep eating healthily and not give into temptation because im finding it hard atm.

I break up from school that week so I will make myself a fitness circuit to do everyday, It will make me feel less guilty and if I do it for the week, i might end up enjoying it and wanting to do it more, I doubt it like, but its worth a try.

I think I am starting to like natural and fresh food more and actually appreciate them more and feel better once ive ate them, Im happy about this but I still do miss the nice take away food, even though they dont seem as mice anymore because they are full of fat and I havn't had too much fat for ages.

Maby after ive ate all of that then I wont feel like I need and treats for a couple of weeks which will be good.

I am a little bit confused as some people have said different things but basiclly If I keep eating healthly and have small portions of the foods at the party then It shouldnt make too much of a difference.

Thank you for all of your advice!

Hey :)

As I mentioned in my last post in your other thread I think its ok to have a treat (or a cheat) meal every now and then as long as you are sensible about it, you have already made some changes to what you were initially going to eat, not the kebab (but have a taste of your friends), not the thick shake (but water or sneak in a bottle of fruit flavourd water would be a good choice)

Go have a great night and enjoy the food, but enjoy the thought more that if you are a good girl and just eat a little you will feel even better the next day because you are stronger than before, you will soon realise that you dont need these kinds of food to make you happy .. what will make you happy is knowing that you are doing good for your body, health and fitness, and in 20 years time when all your friends are fat and unhealthy because they have been eating fatty foods ... you will be strong and healthy and slim and still pulling the boys ;)...

Thank you, I think I will feel good about it because Im not eating what I was going to but I still get the treat.

Im just going to enjoy the 3 days and be good afterwards :D

I have gave up on the hulahoop for now because we are having a heat wave and I can't be bothered because Im already to hot but as soon as It cools down then I will try again :)