to ask how to stop bingeing

@WaterandSandy how are you doing?

Just a thought: do you think you could have ADHD? It is often associated with binging and the meds (particularly lisdexamphetamine) can help.

It’s so hard.

My DP is a bit overweight (BMI 26) but doesn’t have an eating disorder. It’s due to socialising - beers with friends followed by chips on the way home a couple of times a month, restaurant food with wine with me a few times a month, biscuits with tea in work meetings with colleagues. That kind of thing. Normal stuff. He doesn’t really understand BED because when he gains a couple of pounds he just eliminates biscuits for a month or so, and walks more. The way slightly overweight people without EDs do. Imagine that. <envy>

I did this yesterday so you're not alone. My trigger was stress from going to a meeting, then the meeting was cancelled, but also hormonal and I smelled ripe bananas which triggered a sugar crave. I gave into that and then it all went downhill from there.

Today, I plan on starting a journal so that I have somewhere to go BEFORE I indulge. I'm also going to tell DH when I have these feelings so I have someone to talk to BEFORE I do anything.

Hope these might be useful for me and you, OP.

Thank you.
I'm sorry life is such a struggle atm. Sounds like you're in a horrible place.
Tbh, my break in binging occurred because I was too scared to binge as I was so low I thought it might push me over the edge. So that interrupted it, and maybe my subconscious learned I could survive terrible feelings without binging.
I talked to chatgpt every time I had an urge, which got me through.
I think also the reduction in ssris has made my appetite less out of control.
I hope you are able to re-find your balance again soon, because I think that seemed to give you hope.

Hi @WaterandSandy Good to see you back. How's it going now?
I hate the hot weather too, but ours ended quite a few days ago and now it's mostly rain again.
I went 13 days without binging before I broke it. This was a miracle for me. I'm feeling more hopeful around food.

Im so sorry youre struggling @GallstoneGertie. I find ChatGPT supportive after binges and in helping prevent them. Have you tried talking to it? I hope youre able to get some support ASAP 💐
This heat is vile. Ive been mostly housebound as have chronic photophobia plus ssri withdrawals. Strangely, since reducing the prozac, my eating has been better. They say ssris can affect the mechanism that regulates appetite in the brain, so that could be contributing. I know it won't last but I'm appreciating it while it does.

Anyone still around? The heat and the clutter are making everything overwhelming. Horrible binge this morning. I’ve looked up the local pharmacy. I’m not sure if the appts are for WLI only, or if they accommodate all approaches to weight loss.

I’ll phone or email during opening hours and try to find some real-life support. I’m losing my way in many areas of my life.

How's everyone doing? Feels like a lot were struggling 💐

Hi, @BiteSizedLife great analogy. I have a similar amount to lose, I think. Im far too scared to weigh myself. If I focus on weight, I self sabotage due to the slash the other three tyres thing.
@GallstoneGertie Im glad you had a better day, but you do sound low 💐 maybe the pharmacy appointments are worth trying?

Hello @BiteSizedLife like your analogy. The self-destructive nature of this relationship with food can be quite frightening for me.

I did better today. Not very well, but a bit better. Had some red meat to help counteract the sugar/binge cravings to some extent. Also lots of water helps too.

There are so many easy ways of getting food delivered within such a short time. These options are almost irresistible to me. It's a spur of the moment decision that I regret as soon as I’ve paid, but as soon as it arrives I have to eat it all.

I can’t continue like this much longer. So many aches and pains. A local pharmacy has private weight loss appointments, not just for WLI, and might be worth trying for the real life input.

Really interesting thread. Can I join as another all-or-nothinger? I have gone from severely underweight to overweight and back again a few times in my life - i didnt realise this was so common.

I'm at my heaviest ever, and have about 50lbs to lose. (I work in lbs as I find it simple... stones+pounds+ounces is 🤯 so I agree with the Americans on this point 😂) Currently one week in and three lbs down. To start with I have simply removed the bingey junk food in between meals.

I totally understand the all or nothing mindset. If i can't eat the whole bag of pastries then I don't want any at all. Why "waste" the calories on a single one when I don't get to enjoy them all? I guess that really doesnt make sense to some people but it does to me 😂

One analogy that really helps me when an opps moment happens (because life, socials and events continue around you):
If you have a flat tyre on your car, you don't say "oh well I guess I'll slash the other three then"

@GallstoneGertie and @WaterandSandy sorry youre both struggling.
I binged last night too. I didnt enjoy any of it. The food tasted weird after a week of not eating that sort of thing. I was desperate to shut down my anxiety.
I love and identify with the description of an unlovable, rebellious child.
I think there are bound to be setbacks, none of us is going to stop immediately. But hopefully we will go longer and longer without binging, and all the times we're not doing it, we reinforce not doing it and using different coping mechanisms.

I binged today. Fell asleep in the early evening, and now wide awake and sweaty and mad at myself for all the sugar and salt that makes me feel so crappy.

The best I can do is get up at my usual time and get on with the day, drinking my water at regular intervals and keeping busy. There’s tons to do, but I’m like an unlovable rebellious child when I binge, and the house is quickly a tip.

Aw thanks for thinking of me. Pretty rough atm. Very panicky for days.
Going to see if I can get stronger anti anxiety meds while Im doing this switchover.
How are you doing after the chocolate ice cream and banana?

Also?

Delay not deny.

Don't say "I'll won't have it at all". Your brain won't accept that. It will crave it more. Tell yourself you can have but make yourself wait. Even if you only delay by 10 mins initially. Build it up. If you eat those couple of biscuits now, you are only going to eat another 2 in 20 mins. If you can delay not deny, maybe you only eat two not four. You are not going to beat this instantly, but try to take steps in the right direction.

I have been there op you have my sympathies. Ime you have several issues to beat:

• snacking habits
• sugar/insulin cycle
• probably other factors like sleep & stress

I find trying to eat nothing doesn't work , you can't beat both the snack habit AND the sugar /cycle at the same time so work on separating them, by accepting you are goimg to snack, but swapping in non sugar/carb stuff. My top tips, have loads of the following available
Raw carrots, celery, beetroot, peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber plus some hummous, or salsa or balsamic vinegar and olive oil shaken up. Not ketchup or any other processed sauces. Accept that you are going to graze on these almost constantly, don't try not to. Make them v accessible and ready to eat.

Every time you boredly crave a snack, make a hot drink but no sugar or sweeteners . Teas, coffees, miso soup or bovril. Vary it up, swap in things like peppermint tea. Give your palate a big range of varied flavours.

If you can do these, you give your body a chance over a few days to shake off the sugar cycle. Then it gets easier.

Another route is to realise processed food makes this worse. Everything about it is easy to eat its so palatable and sweet and its full of chemicals that trick your brain. To start with, trying making simple home made cakes biscuits so you actually know what goes in them. They will also fuck less with your blood sugar/brain.

Protein increase to counteract sugar cycle. Eggs for breakfast tuna sweetcorn lunch chicken/steak dinner even if you feel full and still eating sugary stuff. It will help ease the cravings and slowly should be able to reduce

Don't give in. Practicing what to do in these hard moments is what it's all about. Maybe make a mental plan for something that you CAN have at the weekend, so you have a little treat to look forward to.