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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how to stop binge eating

89 replies

coffeeplease16 · 21/04/2017 13:56

I'm really hoping some of you might be able to help, especially those who have overcome binge eating yourselves - how do I stop???

After recovering from a period of severe restrictive eating I have been caught in a cycle of bingeing and restricting varying from a size 8 to a size 14, dropping weight and then rapidly gaining it

My weight is now at its highest and I'm desperate to stop but I just don't seem able to. I binge mainly on sweet things (especially chocolate in huge quantities) Otherwise my diet is very healthy!

Does anyone have any tips/how did they overcome this? Its got to the point where it affects every area of my life

I have tried most obvious things like don't keep junk in the house (I just go out and buy it especially at night)

Also I am not in a position to seek professional help so please don't suggest that.

OP posts:
Original poster
coffeeplease16 · 21/04/2017 15:22

Thank you everyone for your kind message, definitely helps me feel less alone. I agree that is probably is a sugar addiction. Lots of helpful advice. Fuelledbybacon also interested about hearing more about this, how did you actually go about this? I'm scared to cut something out of my diet completely because it only seems to intensify cravings

OP posts:
Original poster
coffeeplease16 · 21/04/2017 15:22

Those of you who have been to your doctor, what did they say? Did they take you seriously?

OP posts:
Original poster
coffeeplease16 · 21/04/2017 15:23

Problem is with me, it isn't really a snacking habit, I never snack in the day really, just at night. I think its more about achieving some kind of 'high' feeling than anything else

OP posts:
Boooooom · 21/04/2017 15:27

I know you said don't mention professional help but...I've just finished hypnotherapy for sugar addiction (and dentist phobia, not the best combo!) and it has really helped.
I've gone from eating literally everything in the house (I can down a family sized packet of biscuits/chocolate bars in one sitting) to not being fussed about even opening them. Just had a birthday and obviously Easter so house is packed with treats I would normally have polished off the lot by now)
If you can't/don't want to pay there are lots of books and I think you can download audio all be it less personal. My sessions were recorded so I can listen to them when I need.
It was £55 a session and I needed 2 for sugar/dentist. I had another hit was for something else.
Good luck, it's tough xx

wizzywig · 21/04/2017 15:41

fueledbybacon for prime minister

limon · 21/04/2017 15:57

Get yourself to a slimming world club, stick to it and change the way you eat forever.

Chipsandonionrings · 21/04/2017 16:02

I low carbed - it really reduced my incidence of bingeing but I still struggle during times of stress.

AlwaysBeBatman · 21/04/2017 16:13

I totally sympathise - from teens to 35 I was going from size 8 to size 16 and back. Hideously unhealthy and no self-control!

What worked for me was hypnotherapy - I had a 4-session course (with virtual gastric band) 5 years ago and it changed my life, I went down to a size 8 and have been ever since! No more binging, no more cravings, no more guilt...

Good luck!!

Wedrine4me · 21/04/2017 16:28

Two of you recommending hynotherapy. I might give it a try.

limon - That's not remotely helpful. We all know what we should do - by whichever method. It's the sticking to it which is the really difficult part, And we'd all change the way we eat forever if it was that easy.

whirlygirly · 21/04/2017 16:45

I need to kick sugar too. I feel so much better without it. I've had some Easter chocolate today and it's given me a horrible headache.
I know exactly what you mean about the high. It's a real rush but so destructive. Sad

user1473602935 · 21/04/2017 16:59

I do this too. In phases

At its worst I would binge eat at night in my sleep, then throw up. Repeat! My dad had to lock me in my room at night

It's got better with age and as I've got happier, but I'm still prone to it (esp now I'm
Pregnant and hungry!)

I agree, grazing all day on healthy food, i.e. Fruit etc between meals helps. Preplanning healthy meals and not having junk in the house

If o eat just one bit of choc or whatever, I then think F it, I've messed today up now so binge today and diet tomorrow!!

It's exhausting!!

FurryDogMother · 21/04/2017 17:50

I agree with fueledbybacon - the best way is to cut out all sugar. Honestly, it's not like you will crave it forever - after the first couple of weeks of going cold turkey, the cravings for sweet things stop - that's the whole point of doing it. It's just getting through those first weeks that's the difficult part. Sure, you may get the odd urge to eat chocolate, or a piece of cake, but it is so much easier to resist when your blood sugar levels are stable. Best of luck, OP.

hottotrotsky · 21/04/2017 18:25

Identify the emotional void you're trying to fill first. Not being flip.

Hefzi · 21/04/2017 18:50

coffee my psychiatrist (bingeing is a side issue) rates Overeaters Anonymous enormously for over-coming BED (and even when it's not a disorder) He's been hugely supportive and positive with me - the previous psych I saw used to tell me (helpfully) that I should just stop eating so much and lose weight Confused

There isn't an OA where I am now, but where I lived previously, I used to go, and it was brilliant - dieting etc isn't part of it at all, obviously, but I lost weight without even trying as I was staying off the bingeing.

AmateurSwami · 21/04/2017 18:53

Watching with interest as I'm so addicted to sugar too. I'm fat, I yoyo and get skinny and the cycle continues. Really inspired by those that have broken the cycle

NotInMyBackYard1 · 21/04/2017 18:57

I had some hypnotherapy which I'd really recommend. Some of the things I've been taught -

  1. treat the naughty voice and envisage like a pig or a monkey or a naughty toddler. If it is stamping it's foot and screaming for biscuit 3/4/5/6/8/20 then say no. You wouldn't give in to your toddler demanding 6 biscuits so do not give in to the pig screaming for 6 biscuits.
  2. Envisage yourself 30 years from now, were you sticking to the same eating habits - how would you body be adversely impacted? what would you look like? 3)Think of the sum total of sugar and grease and fat consumed over the course of a month and imagine it all on a table groaning under the weight - disgusting huh?

Perhaps you could buy a hypnotherapy book or something about a healthier mindset?

Musicaltheatremum · 21/04/2017 18:59

I binge eat too. Fortunately I can stabilise my weight but I'm still 3 stones overweight. And I'm a GP so we have problems too. I'm actually going to start some counselling next week as I am using food as an excuse for other problems in my life. (Job stress and life stress)
Annoying thing is, I'm very sympathetic with my patients and several of them have gone away and done very well and I'm left as the fat one. You have my utmost sympathies. Weight control is so hard and needs more input.m

dangermouseisace · 21/04/2017 19:03

coffeeplease I was anorexic, then bulimic…lots of binges. It took a long time to get over. My tips are:

  1. Remember that stopping is not a linear process. You will do 2 steps forward, 1 back, 1 step forward 3 back for a while.
  2. Stop weighing yourself. Try (hard) not to focus on your weight/losing weight. Focus on stopping binging. Just that.
  3. Plan your meals and snacks. People eat less if they know they are eating in a few hours. Make sure that meals/snacks are fairly 'normal' healthy…e.g. balance of proteins/carbs/fats/fruit veg and that they are tasty. Don't have 'diet' foods/artificial sweeteners/low fat foods. Fat is actually important for satiety, and artificial sweeteners screw your system up. I usually have puddings as well as main- usually something healthy e.g. fruit and yoghurt.
  4. Avoid buying stuff you typically binge on until you are more in control.
  5. Work out what one portion of something is and stick to it. E.g. if you really want chocolate, have your 'portion' but no more. I find that dark chocolate is not something I want to binge on so only have a square or two and that sorts the chocolate cravings. If you go over your portion keep in mind that it isn't a disaster, be mindful and STOP- do something else, and don't starve yourself to compensate.
  6. I'd agree with the avoiding sugary foods thing…but wouldn't exclude sugar completely myself as I'd feel deprived. Each to their own though, and if sugar is a trigger for you it might be worth giving it up completely.
RandomWordsandaNumber5 · 21/04/2017 19:11

I sympathise - I was a binger for a number of years and I too found chocolate hard to control. What worked for me for exercise - I joined a gym and really enjoyed the classes and programmes. I still eat chocolate but I eat the very good quality product a square a day.
Hope this helps.

Coulddowithanap · 21/04/2017 19:34

I binge too :( usually it's evenings when my husband is at work.

I find logging my food for the day on myfitnesspal really helps. Any food left that I haven't eaten but logged I allow myself to eat in the evening. I allow myself around 2000 calories (got this amount from what the Trinity diet suggests I eat according to my height/weight/body type) and I am actually losing more weight than when I restricted myself to 1600 calories per day.

On days when I don't log my food I just can't help but raid the cupboards.

When I am logging my food I do drink more and will have hot orange rather than a cup of tea in the evening.

thebakerwithboobs · 21/04/2017 19:40

I agree with all others that it is sugar addiction-More addictive than heroin.

I read a book a while ago called 'That Sugar Book' and it totally changed my life. The author gave up sugar for a period of time (can't recall how long exactly) but replaced all the calories-I.e. He ate the same number of calories as he had been doing, but no calories came from refined sugars. The difference in him-health, weight, visceral fat etc.-was dramatic. For some reason it struck a chord with me (I was obese for years but lost a huge amount of weight on a VLCD and have kept it off, but until the sugar epiphany, not always healthily). I cut out all refined and additional sugar and all 'low fat' food as well as potatoes, white bread and white pasta. I've lost a further stone without trying but more importantly I am always in control of my appetite. Genuinely, I don't crave the sugary foods I used to, I get tired at bed time but not having slumps like I used to and feel 100% healthier. A revelation. It's just the fact I feel totally in control of what I eat that is the amazing thing-I honestly used to binge eat but feel powerless to stop it. That sounds pathetic but it's exactly how I felt.

Arealhumanbeing · 21/04/2017 19:49

Hi OP. Sorry to here you're suffering with this.

I struggled with binge eating following a traumatic event which I then kept secret for 15 years. I hadn't had a problem with food before this.

I eventually had a breakdown last year and told those close to me what happened. The cravings/urge to binge just left me and I haven't done it since.

A therapist told me that binge eating can be a way of eating feelings instead of confronting them. Or a way of pushing something down.

Don't know if this is helps you or not. Just my experience of the issue you're having.

Arealhumanbeing · 21/04/2017 19:49

hear

BrieAndChilli · 21/04/2017 19:52

Log everything you eat into something like myfitnesspal - be completely honest. It makes you realise exactly what you are eating. Once I realised that a pack of Jaffa cakes was 600 calories it helped me just eat 2 and stop.

ShamefulDodger · 21/04/2017 19:54

Any tips for how to find a good hypnotherapist?

I've just had a quick search for my town in the midlands, but have come across two slightly 'dodgy' looking ones so far.

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