Binge eating

[Prima123]

Hi all,
Just looking for some advice with anyone who's also suffered with binge eating.
Always had issues with food (always being the chubby one growing up etc and family trying to put me on diets at a young age but that's another story!!) since around 20 I've struggled with binge eating, triggered from losing a lot of weight I believe. It's been on and off for the last 8/9 years. Around 3 years ago I started strength training and lost a good chunk of weight, eating lots and not restricting and I felt amazing and thought I'd finally got out of the binge cycle!! But now in the last 6 months it's come back, I've gained a lot of weight and feel terrible in myself. I have started anti depressants again as I believe it is linked to low mood/self esteem and they have helped but not massively. Any advice on what you've done to help beat the binge or any tips would be greatly appreciated xx

anti depressants should be a last resort imo.

the key I find (fellow sufferer) is cutting out your big binge foods. Mine being chocolate cake and milk chocolate. When I cut that I don’t binge, it’s bizarre. They’re my main binge foods.

if you’re depressed, look at your diet. Depression never used to exist, I believe from research that it’s all linked to diet and lifestyle. Cut out seed oils, processed foods, get out in the sunlight and socialise, focus on good quality sleep.

eating real food will stop you wanting junk, but allow yourself to binge on real food. By real I mean single ingredients foods, like bananas, eggs, chicken breast. I guarantee you won’t be able to, the urges will stop. But cut the crap out, honestly.

are you still weight training? It’s so good for you! If not, do. It’ll help the depression too.

The Brain Over Binge podcast (there's also a book) helped me hugely with binge eating. I've been free from binging for years.

I definitely wouldn't be advising cutting out foods. This can be part of restriction, which inevitably leads to the binging cycle.

Moving your body in a way that's enjoyable is a good call. That could be a daily walk outside, yoga or weight training. For me the main benefit of exercise is on my mental health.

Hi,I'm currently in a similar position, I have bipolar and I am just coming out of a depressive episode and I have seen how much weight I have put on. I've a long history of binge eating, food makes me happy. Now I'm getting better mentally I want to now change my eating habits. I know cutting foods out is an unhealthy way to go,so I am now trying to limit the foods I binge on. So instead of a whole tub of ice cream ill just have a Couple of scoops.