How I warded off a binge that almost happened

I just began to binge, but stopped myself.  I wanted to share what I did.

I felt like bingeing because I'm going through some drama - I don't feel my emotions are directly connected to my overeating in a logical way, but I notice that I feel sooooooooooooooooo hungry when I calm down after feeling upset.

Anyhow, I put 2 pieces of bread in the oven to toast and hooked up Dance Dance Revolution.  I told myself I'd start playing, and if I got into it, I'd turn off the stove, but if I was still hungry after 15 minutes, I'd eat.

I did turn off the stove, but I was still hungry, I ate a grapefruit.  I was still hungry, so I turned the stove back on and toasted the bread.  I ate the toast (80 calorie ezekiel bread) with lite butter, cinnamon, and agave nectar on it.  This is a very hi-calorie treat, totaling about 160 calories a slice (and who can eat just one?).  I ate a 2nd slice of toast with the same toppings.  I couldn't force myself to decide to stop, but I did force myself to warm up a quart of water as I ate my 3rd slice of toast with the toppings.  Then, I downed the warm quart of water as fast as I could so I could get onto eating the 4th slice of toast.

Of course, the water filled me up and I didn't eat the 4th slice of toast.  Then I went on the computer to post and log my toast.  I found my calories today have added up, so far, to 1300, and I am still sitting pretty.  And my average caloric intake since Dec. 14, my first day, has been 1714.  I burn around 2200.

What do you guys do to stop yourself from bingeing?  What works for you?

I try and keep myself busy and not go to the kitchen at all...because that's when I start trying to find different foods to eat.

If not, I just take the right amount of food that I want, then leave the kitchen so I stop myself from going back and getting more

nice job on avoiding a potential binge milfred!

for the past couple of days i've been making hot chocolate with milk (the regular stuff, not low cal or anything) and having it after my last meal of the day. i figure i should be drinking the milk anyway so it's only an extra 120 calories for the cocoa mix. when i was young my mom used to make us kids hot chocolate every night - maybe that's why it does the trick? pretty obvious need for comfort and love food association there haha.

i don't really have any advice to offer though. there have been periods when my binging has been "managed" and then other times when i feel totally out of control. i've tried chewing gum, drinking loads of water/tea, barring myself in my bedroom, mediating, journaling. Sometimes certain things work, sometimes they don't.

I'm guessing successful strategies are pretty much all trial and error.

I've been having chamomile tea with ginger which is really soothing 1. cause it's warm and tasty and 2. both the chamomile and fresh ginger having calming properties.  I make a pot and sip on it, when your belly is full of warm tea binging isn't as tempting.  Also, I 'm a new member, but logging my food daily has made me a little more aware of when and what I eat and how I'm feeling.  So I've started to notice what triggers my fake hunger (tummy doesn't really want food, but having cravings any how) so I start making the tea when I catch a trigger.

Later in bed I journal about the triggers/events/feelings....I have alot to learn about me, my eating and my triggers....I know it's worth it though cause the way I was living wasn't healthy.

I hope this helps.

Best Wishes,

Jen

I don't know if I have ever conquered a binge, but I have become very aware of the fact that if I can just wait out that 15-20 minute period of time for my brain to kick in that I am not so hungry anymore after eating a snack, it helps.  So, what I have done in the past is eat a smaller snack but tell myself that after I do "this chore" that takes about 30 minutes, I'm going to really make a big pig of myself and indulge in something gooey, cheesy, and satisfyingly large.  By the time  I get done with my chore, I'm not as hungry as I was and I can make a go of common sense.

I learned this not by trying to be good but from having an enormously hectic schedule at work where sometimes I don't have time in between meetings or conference calls to even go to the bathroom.  "Lunchbreaks" don't always exist for me, so I keep nuts, energy bars or anything non-perishable.  If I don't get something to eat when I'm truly hungy, I have a hard time focusing on work and if I don't eat, I also get "Crazy" out of control when I can finally get my hands on something satisfying and lots of of.  The little snack seems to help, but believe me I 'd rather be eating something more proportional.  I just noticed that the propensity to binge goes way down after about 15 minutes.

I have found that chewing some extra watermelon gum (it's sweet) and drinking something warm help fight off binges. I also try to keep healthy food around like fiber one cereal, ff jello, dannon lite n fit yogurt. Apples. But delaying is the best strategy. If you can put it off for 15 minutes and drink something... chances are it will work.

Good luck