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Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention; if you think your problem could be acute, do so immediately. Even qualified doctors can't diagnose over the internet, so do bear that in mind when seeking or giving advice. If you need to talk to someone in confidence, please contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity.
Eating disorders
To give up binge eating, do i need to give up dieting?
shouldaknownbetter · 09/01/2018 08:27
I seem to be caught in a binge-diet cycle somewhere between binge eating disorder and bulimia. I will heavily restrict carbohydrates (ketosis dieting) to lose 7-10 lbs within 2-3 weeks, and then end up binging it back on. Christmas was terrible.. I'd lost 10lbs and finally felt good about my body and then had 3 weeks of horrible binging and hate my body again. At one point I literally couldn't stop eating every evening, although that has abated now thank goodness.
I know I need to get off the rollercoaster, and I've read 'Brain over Binge' and think it makes a lot of sense.
Problem is, the old diet voice is saying to diet one last time so I can get the weight off before I resolve my bingeing problem. I want to give up bingeing but not at this weight IYSWIM.
But I don't know if dieting will make me binge again as a reaction? When I diet, I don't go hungry but I do cut out all carbs so it is very restrictive in terms of what you can eat... ketosis is a natural appetite supressant and I can get by on quite little if I am fully in ketosis.
Is it possible to lose weight without bingeing, maybe if I go a little slower? Has anyone resolved this problem and were you able to lose weight whilst doing it, or do I need to choose between losing weight and resolving my ED?
IDSNeighbour · 09/01/2018 23:41
Extreme dieting will lead to bingeing. You already know that. It's just so difficult to break the all or nothing cycle, isn't it!
I'm sure it is possible to diet sensibly. But perhaps not at the moment, for you. You don't need to choose between losing weight and resolving your ED permanently - but I think resolving the ED should come first.
You might well find that sensible, regular eating that isn't dieting or binge eating leads to natural weight loss anyway.
Are you able to talk to your GP about this. If you can get access to the CBT and potentially the follow up CBTE counselling programme that goes alongside the book 'Overcoming Binge Eating' I think it would be really helpful for you. Or even just read the book alone.
Noregrets25 · 10/01/2018 18:46
Hello, in answer to you posts title, yes, 100% you need to give up dieting to stop bingeing. I’ve had eating disorders on and off for 15 years. The only long periods of time when I’ve been ok, I have stopped trying to but out certain foods or lose weight. If you struggle with ‘normal’ eating try looking at something like slimming world. Although it calls itself a diet it’s actually just sensible eating. Nothing is forbidden and you don’t go hungry. It’s basically just healthy eating, swapping things oil for the spray oil and stuff like that. Cutting out whole food groups has always lead me into the bulimia cycle.
BluebellTheDonkey · 10/01/2018 18:51
Have a look at the NoS diet. Not a diet in the traditional sense but more a way of learning how to eat with moderation and form a healthy relationship with food. It has helped me end years of yoyo dieting. No snacks, no sweets, no seconds except for days beginning with S - weekends and special days like birthdays. There's a thread running on here and a website with loads of info.
OneMoreOne · 10/01/2018 18:59
Interested in both of the books mentioned as in a very similar situation. 
OP.
shouldaknownbetter · 12/01/2018 21:25
Update, so I've been trying to eat 'normally' the last week and not diet. And I haven't binged once ! I've had a couple of times where I've maybe eaten a bit more of a treat than was ideal, but that's not a binge in my book (of the 'stuff in as much as you can continuously until you are about to puke up through being so full' variety).
Although I can sometimes overeat when stressed or bored I think by far the biggest reason I binge is because I am either about to go on a diet (the old 'I'll start tomorrow' excuse) or I've just come off a diet.
I am beginning to see how counter productive diets are. I am (only very slightly to be fair) overweight because I binge, and I binge because I diet... therefore I am overweight because I diet. The logic is all backwards.
I am going to try and just eat healthily and exercise for a bit but also have some planned treats to avoid feeling deprived. It's so hard to get the balance right. But it's been nice to have a holiday from binging, that's for sure.
edibleweirdo · 13/01/2018 16:04
I think you do have to give up dieting. I too have had 'success' with ketosis but overall it doesnt stop my BED. I started eating normally in october. not at all restricting myself, ever. I haven't binged since and a whole load of health symptoms have stopped. I also haven't gained a single lb despite eating carbs and perhaps triple what I would normally have eaten in a day before.
However, today I am DISGUSTED by my body. I'm 3lb lighter than I am at my heaviest, but I'm still appalled as though I'm 2 dress sizes above what I am, and the temptation to starve is SO STRONG :( I allowed my husband to feed me a larggge piece of quiche at lunchtime even though I wanted to sew my lips up. :( so that's progress. It's really hard to resist that urge to diet though. I'm not sure what else I can do, my job is very manual, so I basically do gym everyday and don't overeat the calories I'm supposed to be allowed. So how exactly I'll lose weight rather than maintain without cutting down unhealthily or overexercising I don't know :( hopefully my metabolism will get better or something :/
anyway - resist!
AnimalBrain · 05/02/2018 17:03
Hi OP,
I just registered today so I could join in the binge eating support thread but then found there isn’t one active!
I’m also trying to give up dieting and just live like a normal person. It’s such a difficult issue and cliche as it sounds “nobody understands” - that is, normal eaters don’t understand.
Friends say “oh I had two packets of crisps and a packet of rolos on Sunday!!”
My binges not only exceed that my an embarrassing amount but will throw me into a cycle of binging/starving and keto dieting attempts for weeks/months.
I hope you’re doing well, maybe we can support each other?
AnimalBrain · 05/02/2018 17:04
Although I can sometimes overeat when stressed or bored I think by far the biggest reason I binge is because I am either about to go on a diet (the old 'I'll start tomorrow' excuse) or I've just come off a diet.
This is my life!
shouldaknownbetter · 08/02/2018 19:10
I've started the no S plan/ diet (it's so different to any diet I've ever done before I can't even put it in the category of a diet) and so far, it's great. I think this could be the answer I need! For those that don't know it's no snacks seconds or sweets unless the day starts with an S.. which sounds too simple to be effective but it basically means I'm not restricting myself but i can't eat whatever i want either.. it's a plan for moderation really.. And I've never been very good at moderation!
I read something profound on the no S forum yesterday... when you binge and think I'll diet on Monday, you think you are paying off a debt but what you're actually doing is opening up a line of credit.
This explains so much to me, those 'last supper' binges that I know all too well.
What I like about the no S plan is that it is something you can do for the rest of your life - there is no 'on' the diet or 'off' the diet. And although weight loss is slow, it will be permanent. I've finally admitted that dieting and then gaining the weight back again is a zero sum game. Looking back, in the past year I've lost weight 3-4 times but put it back on in a matter of weeks each time, so I really needn't have bothered!
WildWindsBlowing · 08/02/2018 19:44
I am very sorry you have been going through this,
You might find you would be helped by reading Fairburn "Overcoming Binge Eating" There you would read that most important factor in recovering would be to eat three meals and two snacks, all to schedule.
There is no reason not to eat good food when you do this, but it would not help to diet as such. You should be having some healthy oil so your brain will be nourished, lots of vegetables for vitamins, and proteins at each meal/snack. If having yogurt have full fat. This mean you are nourished and will not feel hungry.
Other than this, don't worry. If you have some cake/chocolate for example on top of your scheduled meals don't feel guilty and try to compensate by vomiting, exercise or restricting the next meal. It is good to go for a short walk after meals.
In case you are using food/certain foods to anaesthetise depression/problems it might also help to see a counsellor. But do not believe a counsellor who says it is all about mood, because the problem will be physiological, not just psychological. Also, a lot of the depression is caused by the binging/bulimia & lack of nutrition itself.
Eating meals and snacks to schedule is like medicine for this condition.
shouldaknownbetter · 08/02/2018 20:17
I read Fairburn but didn't rate it to be honest.
I have heard the no S plan is a really good way to recover from yo yo dieting, as it isn't a diet as such. Just 3 healthy meals a day - i actually add in a fourth small supper, as at the moment it is just too much to go from dinner which I eat early, to breakfast - but he says you don't have to stick to 3 meals so long as they are actually meals. So I sit at the kitchen table and eat something sensible and wholesome rather than junk food.
I've been eating this way since Monday and already feel a lot better. I'm eating healthily but heartily, if you know what I mean!
Thanks for the advice though.
I'll let you know how I get on. I think admitting that traditional/restrictive/exclusive diets don't work, even if they appear to in the short term ,is a major step for me. So now I just need to find a solution that actually works.
WildWindsBlowing · 08/02/2018 21:06
What you are doing sounds excellent Shoulda. You seem well on the way to knowing how to help yourself. Good luck.
BusterGonad · 14/02/2018 17:38
How's the No S plan going Shoulda? I'm eating far too much crap at the moment and I need to come up with a plan to get me back on track!
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