Sugar binges

[helpmeplease2045]

Hello!

I am a medium weight - around a size 14, but have a really unhealthy relationship with food. I will eat very healthy around five days a week and then have two day food binges, yesterday for example I ate a whole vienetta ice cream, a brownie and a big bowl of cereal. Oh and a packet of crisps then was all after eating a healthy and filling breakfast and lunch (big bowl of porridge with fruit / seeds / nuts) and a soup and a sandwich, plus two piece of fruit.

I don't know why I do this to myself, it's like I go in to a trance and I'm not even tasting the food, it doesn't make me feel good, I eat to the point I start to feel sick! Does anyone else do this? If I could cut this out I would be a nice size 12 as I am generally active (do yoga / jogging) plus eat a nice healthy diet most of the time, don't drink alcohol / smoke etc.

Does anyone have any advice, or books they could recommend maybe?

Thank you!

When you say you eat 'very healthy' during the week would you say that this is an effort, like being on a diet?

I feel ya. I feel like I sabotage myself! So frustrating as all my hard work during the week is for naught

Yeah same. When I get going it's like watching a nature programme of lions tearing strips off carcasses. Gross.

I do this. All is fine and under control then four days of eating nothing but cake and chocolate. I don't do it to the point of discomfort in that there isn't a bulimia element but I do eat nothing but sweet stuff in large quantities.

I am also otherwise healthy. I don't drink or smoke. No interest in crisps or wine or fizzy drinks or junk food day--to-day. Just these episodes of cake. This is at the root of my weight problem. I don't know what triggers it. Tiredness, perhaps.

Any thoughts warmly welcomed too.

I read this book and honestly it was amazing.

eatingless.com

I have found that I can combat the craving of "bulky" sweet stuff having berries (blueberries and raspberries mixed) with natural greek yoghurt generously sprinkled with Truvia (a granulated 0Kcal sweetener from Stevia). Also cocoa made with full-fat goats milk sweetened with Truvia.

SleepwhenIdie- Weirdly I really enjoy eating healthily so I don't feel like I'm on a diet, I also eat big portions on my healthy days but just really good stuff (fruits, veggies, wholegrain a little dairy and a little fish).

About every five days or so I just start these horrible binges, and always in secret. I.e. on the way home from work buying crap in a supermarket and eating in the car, or when the kids are in bed. I get no pleasure out of it and feel horrible during, after and the next day :(

Sorry to hear others are in the same boat, I wonder if there is a good technique to stop this!

There is typically a diet mentality involved in the bingey behaviour you describe, where the effort involved in fighting your appetite and restricting your food intake becomes too much - usually that is when we are at our most tired and hungry. I also believe we are designed to want a certain amount of sweet stuff (naturally sweet food such as honey, fruits etc) and denying that completely pushes most people over the edge at some point. But particularly if we are really restricting food intake then our bodies will scream hungry louder and louder until we reach for the fastest energy source, sugar....

...but there's also an emotional element. Where we use food in the same way as a drinker, gambler, compulsive shopper or self harmer, i.e. as a distraction, a block on dealing with tougher things, whether that's something we need to say to someone, or change, or feelings we aren't comfortable with (which can include happiness!). Does any of that ring true for you? Could the returning home point in the day be some kind of trigger?

You need to break your habit. Can you go a different route so you don't have a supermarket to stop at. Or leave your purse at home on the days you know you are likely to spend on rubbish? Or just carry enough cash for what you need that day.
It takes up to a month of repeated behaviour to form a new habit so persevere.