How to stop binging

[Worrywart21]

I do so well and actually have no cravings then all of a sudden out of no where I will have an uncontrollable craving for sugar and binge on ridiculous amounts.

I can go a week or sometimes 2 but this keeps happening.

Why? And how can I stop it.

[DuckWillow]

Hi Worry

Wordy response but hope it makes sense.


The likelihood is that you are going too low when dieting. Lots of research out there now which shows low calorie diets often lead to binges as the brain thinks there is a famine afoot. It’s why 95% of dieters end up losing weight but then regaining it. You’re normal...and not alone in not being able to maintain a calorie reduction if it’s too low.

I have Binge Eating Disorder...these days it’s much more under control and I am slowly losing weight....slow meaning around 2lb a month. To do this though I’ve had to really examine eating and look at WHY I eat beyond fuelling my body.

These days I try mostly to eat intuitively. I think if eating like a dial

See the cake (or whatever)

0 = eat the cake, eat all of it
1 = eat some of the cake with no weighing or measuring.
2 = have a measured slice
3 = decide not to eat the cake.

Sometimes my dial is still 0 but the key thing is that THAT’S OKAY.

I now aim for around 2300 calories a day and for around 80-120g of protein in that. I think protein has been the big key as it definitely fills me up.

Have a look at Beyond Chocolate (FB Group...there’s also a book)
Also Rebelfit ..but be warned he’s very anti diet and HATES SW with a passion...he’s very funny though.

But above all look at calories rather than Syns or points etc. You can still lose weight but likelihood is you need around 1800 cals a day.

If you look up TDEE calculator (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and out you height, activity levels and current weight in it will tell you roughly how many cals a day your body needs to function. Aim to go below that by around 300 -500cals.

Mine is 2650 ...I go to around 2000 some days but often around 2300 cals Key thing is I don’t feel deprived and my brain doesn’t realise I am dieting so binges are far far less.