Cannot stop binge eating

[crazykoo124]

Hello

Sorry posted on her for traffic.
I’m quite overweight (76kg 5’4). I was about 80kg a month ago, have been going to the gym 4-5+ times a week and very proud of my efforts as it wasn’t easy.
I’ve lost 4kg.

However, I could have lost more as I have been uncontrollably binge eating McDonald’s and other junk food I’m so embarrassed. I’m currently living away from my family so nobody is watching. Every day I have the most awful urge to binge eat even if it’s before or after gym. I feel awful guilty after but the cycle repeats itself.
I have tried to prepare nutritious filling meals but they don’t seem to satisfy the urge.

I know it’s all my fault but wondering if anyone has been through anything similar? I hate to see my efforts going down the drain simply because I can’t resist food (and fries)

Anyone?

You've probably tried this OP but are you definitely getting enough high protein, high fibre foods early in the day to ensure you're full? Are you ensuring you allow yourself some treats so you don't crave stuff too much? Can you identify your triggers/danger times?

OP I’m not as big as you but I’m the same. I know it’s so bad for me so I’m trying to hard to resist but the feeling is overwhelming and I binge. I’ve put on weight over lockdown I’m bigger than I ever have been. Tracking, exercise and being strict with myself doesn’t help. I’m going to try intuitive eating for a few weeks and see if that helps. Taking the pressure off of I’ll be better I think.

I'm the same op so I have resigned myself to having a gastric bypass. Nothing else I have done has worked and believe me, I have tried everything.

Op, I’m not sure 76kg is that overweight, but as I am not there yet I may be biased.

I started IF to help with my eating and although it’s hard. It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change. I stop eating at 5pm, and only have water overnight. It stops me eating crap at night.

Obviously knowing why u binge eat is important.

What have you tried?
What happens if you buy healthy snacks? Don’t buy crap?
One day at a time works, so for one day I don’t eat crap, then the next day I do one day not eating crap. Everyday I try to eat well.

IF is a delay not deny process, so I eat in my eating window but stop eating outside of that.

Do you recognise when you're on the edge of a binge or in the middle of it? Can you pause for a minute to identify how you're feeling? Even if you only recognise it after the binge it's a good exercise, you can become gradually more aware.

It's probably not real hunger, but likely to be something else going on for you.

It sounds like you might want to look into therapy and eating disorders / disordered eating and try to get to the bottom of your food issues, probably not about food underneath it all.

Well done for going to the gym, that is an amazing achievement and has hopefully also helped to make you feel positive.

I would probably try and step back from trying to control your eating as you’re just trapping yourself into a binge / shame cycle and this will just make it worse for your mental health.

Don’t feel ashamed - shame has never helped anyone feel better or mentally well, it just perpetuates the negative voice in your head and it’s the voice you need to stop, this will help you feel better about yourself.

Diet culture has a lot to answer for x

I thought I was a binge eater, then I realised that the urge to binge always coincided with Day 15 of my cycle and ended as soon as my period started. I now manage it by allowing myself more calories worth of healthy protein rich and good fat food (greek yogurt, nuts, cheese, prawns, eggs,
poultry, seafood etc). I prioritise stabilising blood sugar. It's made a huge difference. I have PMDD and binge eating is a recognised symptom.

Does any of this sound familiar or would say it's not cycle linked?

@SaltAndVinegarSandwiches I try to incorporate as much meat and veg into my diet when I’m eating normally.
@Ilovethewild when I go to do my weekly shop, I never buy unhealthy snacks. Fruit, meat and veg not even bread. But suddenly I find myself walking all the way to the shops at 8pm to get a sharing bag of sensations. Just feel so stupid.
@Palavah I suppose I know exactly what’s happening but I can’t stop myself. Sounds so dumb I know!

@Gullible2021 it very well might be… diabetes runs in my family so it could be blood sugar linked? Not sure at all

What's going on for you right now that might make you want to feel comforted?
I binge when I feel lonely, so when I feel the urge to binge I look at what's making me feel lonely and I try to find a positive way to comfort myself.

If something feels good before you do it, it's usually bad for you.
If something feels good after you do it, it's probably good for you!

@Cockenspiel
Thank you. I don’t know how to call my GP and say hi I can’t stop eating burgers . I think I’ll have to work on it myself or maybe tell someone in my family? Just feel stupid

@ChiefInspectorParker yes I do try to Atleast not order loads, but ofcourse the calories do add up. I will try taking it one day at a time

@NeverMetANiceOne honestly life’s not amazing right now but I didn’t think that could be a reason why. I suppose it could be. But that’s a perfect way to think of it. I love going to the gym simply for the satisfaction I feel after

You're not alone.
I do the same. And then feel sick. Atm the sugar cravings linked to breastfeeding are absolutely terrible. I had a few good weeks but currently down a rabbit hole!!

I hear you OP. I was an absolutely crazy binge eater and I could not stop. The only thing that helped me was joining Overeaters Anonymous www.oagb.org.uk/. I now eat healthily and stay abstinent between meals. Most importantly I feel so much more sane around food

Have you tried writing it down?

I can relate have been looking into initiative eating and stopping the diet culture.

[quote crazykoo124]@Gullible2021 it very well might be… diabetes runs in my family so it could be blood sugar linked? Not sure at all[/quote]
Maybe see if you can keep a diary of your symptoms and see if you can identify a trigger?

Diabetes also runs in my family and I was diagnosed in the early stages of Type 2 while it was still reversable. I did the Fast800 to reverse it and that's the first time in my life I wasn't dealing with cravings and urges as I had to make sure my blood sugar as stable as possible, not snack etc.

Before then I was having uncontrollable urges. McDonald's breakfasts, Costa, giant bags of crisps, fish and chips etc.
It was awful! I'd feel so ashamed.

Just a gentle reminder to people that 76kg (11st 13lbs) can be a goal weight for some.

Op, I went out today to buy milk and chocolate ( I had long life milk in the cupboard but no fresh milk), but really wanted chocolate. Got half way to the corner shop and realised I had no mask, so went home and opened the long life milk and didn’t buy chocolate (at that time 😊).

You are depriving yourself so are bingeing. It’s quite common. You have to find a way of eating that is t deprivation.

I’d bet you’re starving because you’re restricting your calories too much. Healthy, nutritious and filling meals are great, but if you’re dramatically under eating then you’ll always go back to the binge cycle!

How many calories are you eating daily at the moment?