Overeating problem

[Reeva90]

AIBU to say that this is so much harder than just 'stop eating so much'

I'm an overeater, always have been. I'm addicted to fizzy drinks and binge eat. For various reasons throughout my childhood I think I replaced love with food and comfort eat late at night as a relief, a habit which I've carried through from teenage years to adulthood.

Last March, I fell pregnant. All of a sudden I had aversions to fizzy drinks, craved fruit & veg and had quite bad morning sickness which actually resulted in me losing weight while pregnant which I was obviously pleased with!

Before lockdown I was 2.5 stone lighter than my pre pregnancy weight and managed to stay away from fizzy drinks and overeating. I was out walking with baby every day and feeling amazing. Family and friends commented on how good I looked and honestly my confidence was at an all time high.

Then lockdown...

Fast forward 3 months and I can feel old habits setting in. I've gained 7lbs. My mental health has gone to shit as a new mum with no support. I've started to comfort/binge eat in the late evening and after my partner and baby go to sleep for that familiar feeling of relief. I'm addicted to fizzy drinks again. I'm so ashamed and I feel disgusted at myself for letting this happen again. I don't want to see anyone as I'm embarrassed that I've put on weight again and they'll know I'm back to my old ways. I feel so angry every time I look in the mirror.

Has anyone managed to overcome something similar to this? I need to curb this before it gets out of control again.

[Cakecakes2011]

I don’t know I’m a binge eater too and I’ve not been able to get it back under control since having kids and lockdown is making it so much harder!

What I would say is you could easily lose 7lbs in two to three weeks if you put your mind to it...so try to nip it in the bud now before you get like me and have put on a lot more!

[Lifeisgenerallyfun]

Can you chop up veg eg carrots and celery etc and keep in the fridge. Don’t buy fizzy drinks - can you get fizzy water and add in some lemon juice/sugar free cordial?

It’s hard, id live off crisps If I could, the only way is to concentrate on what you want to achieve, take away temptation and replace what you get from the food with something else

[TheFencePainter]

Would you walk late at night to get the drinks?
If not, do not have them at home. At all.

[Grumpos]

I’m a massive binge eater, I have dieted my whole adult life on and off and although on the whole I have a very healthy daily diet and I’m pretty fit in terms of exercise, it is a constant battle with my head to not binge.

In an effort to overcome this binge mentality I have had to really explore my triggers. Like you I am an emotional eater and I can almost feel the pull to sugar the minute I get stressed or upset.

I’ve completely removed my triggers from the house, I do not keep chocolate, biscuits, cakes or any real processed sugar in the house. I cannot eat what it not there. I’m not saying I don’t have it but I’ll have a choc bar from the shop or a slice of cake as part of my daily calories and enjoy it occasionally but I do not allow myself access to them because I can’t trust myself not to binge yet.

You really have to identify the triggers, it sounds like yours is really around emotions so finding ways to better deal with them rather than leaning on food is going to be the solution in the long term - but short term you need to remove the ability to binge and overeat. Switch to fizzy water and cordial, stop buying your trigger foods, buy stuff you can eat instead - strawberries, grapes, chopped up apples etc.

I don’t know if it’s possible to ever completely overcome this but I’ve been working really hard to do it and I’ve lost 2 stone this year so far.

[Grumpos]

Oh and if you can please practise kindness to yourself and your body. You wouldn’t be disgusted in a friend just bc she’d gained 7lbs in lockdown. So don’t talk to yourself like that either. It doesn’t help in the long run and only contributes to the shitty feelings which fuel your need to comfort eat.

Any time you catch yourself talking shit about your body try to step away from it and refocus on the positives

[Pumpcushion]

You need to remove all temptation from the house

[HippoMumsy]

@Grumpos fantastic advice, and well done you for all your hard work!