What on earth is the answer for binge eating + junk food addiction?

[thas]

I really feel at my wits end. I’m 2 stone overweight so not huge, but extremely unhappy with my body. I’ve just binged on 6 bars of chocolate that I bought whilst doing the Aldi shop. If I enter a shop right now I end up buying food to binge on. Every single time. I don’t buy anything to keep at home, but shops are everywhere and if my brain sees one it takes me in there. I’ve done this for 25 years and it’s really taken its toll on my health, both mental and physical. I’m really worried about my health. I have an autoimmune disease and should be eating sugar hardly at all.

Does anything work? I need answers right now. My BMI is not near enough for weight loss injections and I’m concerned about the side effects of those anyhow.

Any advice?

I get your reluctance with the jab but the most common side effects are just tummy upsets and burps. Not nice but you’ll still lose weight and you can just stop if it’s no fit you. The effects of the jab only last a week.

Other than that a really strict no carbs diet worked wonders. None of that unlimited salad or unlimited meat stuff. Water maybe, but every single morsel that goes in your mouth needs justification. Sounds like an ED but actually for fat binge eaters like us we need to experience the opposite to our non accountable habits.

I’m reading a great book at the moment called ‘Women, Food and God’ by Geneen Roth. Really helping me unpick what’s going on for me with emotional eating. (it’s ‘God’ in the sense of emotional connection with yourself - not religious)

It might be that you need to resolve to stop reaching for food when you’re not hungry for a bit to start unravelling what’s going on in the moments before you reach for something. Even if you don’t actually stop yourself, try to pause and question why you’re reaching for something and what you’re feeling - bored, lonely, angry, tired etc? Your ability to pause and reflect will grow over time as you start to tolerate your feelings more.

I have horrendous sugar addiction and issues with overeating/emotional eating, but following a low carb diet (even a moderate one) is really helping with this. Tried giving up sugar many times without making other changes, never worked. But when I cut sugar plus bread, pasta, rice & potatoes then it's like a switch is flipped and the sugar/junk cravings just aren't there anymore. I use the Fast800 books/recipes but without restricting calories and it has really helped me.

Also not sure if someone already mentioned but the Brain over Binge podcast is worth a listen. It is not a simple thing to overcome at all and you're not alone in struggling with this 💐

I agree with others - the underlying issue can’t be ignored

When it comes to food specifically, it’s about tuning in to what works for you. If you are an impulsive person, leave your wallet at home when you go out. If you don’t cope with hunger pangs, do volume eating. Can’t cope with the idea of being on a diet indefinitely - intermittent fasting. And so on.

i really think we need a culture shit towards what food is acceptable at each time of day.

Western society seems to think breakfast is oats and fruit, so slightly sugary at best or crappy cereals full of sugar at its worst.

We eat our heaviest meal at night for some reason?

I am fully embracing a none traditional eating pattern and eat what I want for breakfast. Well 10-11-ish, and then having a salad or light supper.

My big meal of the day consists of curry’s or heavy soups full of lots of veg, plus very filling flat breads. Evening meal is noodles, eggs, or a sarnie. I have lost loads of weight by configuring my most calorie dense meals during the day, and don’t feel the need to snack, because I am full from a proper meal.

2 stone since November, and a few pounds off my target weight xxx

I agree with the cutting carbs and sugar.
You never hear of overweight people blowing out on cucumber and spinach. It’s high sugar/high carb foods we overeat.

@thas - many people have found this 'flipped switch' effect when they restrict sugar, refined carbs and UPF in general, including me.

Resources I found extremely useful were The Sugar Solution by Dr Mark Hyman and Dr. Becky Gillaspy's talks on YouTube. The latter are very short and therefore excellent for daily reinforcement (especially the earlier ones which don't include so many sponsors).

I think that reducing carbs really does help.

I am only slightly overweight but reducing my carb intake really has helped me to control my desire for that kind of food.

I used to walk into the supermarket and look longingly at the bread, brioche, crumpets etc. Now I just glance over them without emotion!

The Binge Eating Therapist on YouTube is great - Sarah Dosanjh

Something is triggering your compulsive eating. I recommend psychological help in your circumstances.

I used to binge eat and would finish things like an entire box of ice creams just because they were there. I focused on nutrition, I simply asked myself ‘is it nutritious?’ If the answer was no I didn’t eat it. I found foods I loved that were healthy, I love roast carrots and parsnips, I roast a big pan and pick at those. I eat grapes if I want to sit and eat in front the of the TV. I love Greek yoghurt and berries. I changed my mind set from what I couldn’t have to what I could have. Start small, don’t go all out as you’ll fail. One day say ‘I’m going to pick at a veg / fruit platter tonight instead of chocolate’ and do it. Go for a walk. Keep hydrated. If you binge one day, don’t turn it into a week of binging where you’ll ‘start again on Monday’. Every time you make a healthy or nutritious choice you’re doing well.

What @REDB99 said 😎

I also found avoiding wine very useful. Reduced sugar consumption and less risk of weakened resolve...

Some really useful ideas, thanks all. I need to make some kind of a plan, as I can’t live like this.

Keep us posted

Great suggestions above, I just want to add…

There’s a vast industry creating and marketing junk food. They are specifically designed to be the most attractive and easiest foods to eat, hitting the ‘bliss point’, raising your blood sugar so giving you that hit, every time. Supermarkets are stuffed with them, and all you have to do is open the packet.

Your trigger seems to be when you go shopping so it might be helpful to avoid your trigger for a while. Can you work out what you need for a week and shop online, then get a delivery? And avoid the shops as much as possible the rest of the time? Perhaps it would be easier to cur down the junk food if it’s not so in your face?

Have you tried hypnosis OP? I don't know what area you're in, but if you do a bit of research you should be able to find a good hypnotherapist. Worked for me to stop smoking which I thought would never happen! I understand sugar cravings can be as bad as nicotine so you have my sympathy, it is really, really hard.

My sister is currently looking into hypnosis to conquer a fear of flying.

Acknowledging the problem means you're stronger than you probably think you are. There's some good advice on this thread, I hope you manage to crack it x

I have BED too OP, so my sympathies. I’ve been working hard to tackle my anxiety and that’s helped me a bit. I’ve gone from very slim to overweight and border line obese all my life. I yo-yo.

For me I think my eating relates to a multitude of factors so the book on binge eating might help some of it but there is no one “route cause” it’s an entrenched habit and my response to many stimuli.

For me prioritising my mental health and wellbeing and sleep, especially sleep helps. But it doesn’t cure it.

I get this and my biggest problem is secret eating when I am on my own.
I have found my eating more controlled with doing an online shop. If I wander into Aldi and see the massive bar of fruit and nut cheap it lands in my basket.

Someone mentioned an app to listen to and help with this. I don't know the name though.

Cut down slowly. Buy 1 bar at the shop not 6. Tell yourself you can pick a different bar each time so you don't feel restricted too much. Portion sizes matter.

That’s not how BED works.

Did you read the posts by the person wanting to leave a relationship? Every time she shopped she took cash back, and bought extra of stuff she would need which she stored in a storage unit so she had a couple of year's worth of eg washing powder, non-degradable essentials, tinned stuff, kids clothing etc.
If you are determined to leave, could you tot up the instant gratification price you would spend on chocolate etc as you go round the shop, (use your phone's calculator as you shop) then spend it on stuff you can keep for your 'escape fund' or round up to the nearest tenner and take it as cash back with the shop to save for the exit.

This! I was pre-diabetic so I cut out all refined carbs. Once I was back in normal range I reintroduced them, but far fewer than previously. The cravings were awful for the first week or two, then just disappeared. Now I’m still mindful. I’ll buy an individual bar of chocolate instead of a multipack if I fancy it. I don’t keep rubbish in the house.

Thanks for that recommendation, I've just watched one of her videos and she's great.
Think this will be a big help to me.
She has a lovely demeanor and puts things very well.

Overeaters Anonymous is the only thing that worked for me, alongside a lot of therapy (I've always been a compulsive eater since a young child, any feeling I eat!) I Did have a lot of trauma in my upbringing (abuse related) and have some other trauma related diagnoses which have allowed me to access therapies like Dialectical Behavioural Therapy. I realised that the eating was just another form of self harm, self sabotaging and impulsive behaviour, so some of the techniques I learned there help me a bit, but OA has been my main support with the food.