Bad Relationship With Food

[SlingBackWellies]

Hi, looking for help. I've never admitted this to anyone as I find it embarrassing and I'm ashamed of myself for my lack of self control but I have an unhealthy relationship with food. I'm not anorexic or bulimic, I don't know if there is a name or a category. I'm a bit overweight but in the healthy range for BMI, but there are times when I feel driven to keep eating - almost anything, cheese, butter, spoonfuls of jam or chutney, swigging from the salad dressing bottle, all this when I'm cooking dinner, and DP is in the other room - he has no idea. If my DP is out of the house I feel like I'm let off the leash and stuff my face. I feel totally out of control, what the hell is going on with me? I think about food all the time, I collect recipe books but often don't even bother to open them. I don't eat breakfast to try and counteract when I overeat. Sometimes I eat such a weird and wonderful mishmash of stuff that it upsets my stomach. Has anyone else experienced this, and what did you do? I feel like I am so out of control and it's getting a bit scary. Please be kind.

[ColourMeExhausted]

You sound like me! I'm also in the healthy range (just about) for my BMI but I have real trouble controlling my binge eating. Like you, when my DH is out or in another part of the house, I'll just go crazy and eat loads of crap. I exercise a lot so that keeps it in check, but I'm at an age now where I need to really start being careful with what I eat, and it also makes me feel horrible sometimes.

For me, what triggers it is feeling tired and stressed (I have two small DC and work so that's my permanent state!) I treat food as a reward, and I guess there is a lot of guilt associated with it too, hence the secret binges.

Tonight I'm lying here loathing myself, having gone on a massive binge. Promising to do better tomorrow but know I won't. I do have understanding of what my triggers are and what to avoid...but I'm weak and the cravings are strong!

Do you know what might be triggering you? I have read that if you can identify the cause and feelings that start it off, you are better able to solve it...