SparkPeople Living Binge Free Team Messageboard

anyone else feel this way?

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:49:37 EST

so i struggle with being on a "healthy" streak - exercising, eating well, feeling awesome, etc. and then i eat something and i feel like i have messed up EVERYTHING and that i'm a failure...and then the whole day just falls apart. like yesterday, i ate two donuts, pound cake, oreos, chocolate...but Sunday and the morning i did well.

has anyone else experienced this? how did you get over it? what did you tell yourself to get back on track?

i ate a cinnamon roll this morn...

my hardest intro post

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:11:23 EST

Hello all,

I started sparkpeople a week ago, today I'm posting all my Intro posts on my various team message boards. I think this one will be the hardest to write.

I've been some variety of bulimic since I moved to Chicago 7 years ago, when I started my first job, teaching middle school. It's hard for me to say when my weight problems really started because I always thought of myself as the fat, black sheep from my family of athletic gazelles. I started sneaking food ...

How I started bingeing

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 00:25:15 EST

I have been thin most of my life. When I was 40 I tore up my knee skiing .Recuperating from knee surgery I decided I deserved something to assuage my depression. I could barely walk for about two years. I first thought of alcohol. But I didn't want to become an alcoholic. So I picked Chesapeake chocolate chunk pecan cookies. I had people bring them to me. If I hadn't had any for awhile my hands shook when I opened the package. Now, and this is 27 years later, when I am depressed or frus...

Hello

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 23:16:37 EST

I'm not really new here I've been reading posts here for quite awhile. I went to counseling for my binge eating and have kept it mostly under control for the past year. I have no idea what happened tonight. I just don't know. I went to the gym, grocery store, came home and it all went to crap! The bags littering my counters and the nausea are all the proof I need. I had a MAJOR binge. I just don't understand. I had a great day. Stress free. Why, why, why? How do you control somethi...

Newbie Help

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:52:01 EST

Hi,

37yrs old and I weigh over 300lbs. I believe I have a Binge Eating Disorder. Any tips and or advice? I struggle everyday........

-Kim

Trying Again

Fri, 7 Jun 2013 20:08:47 EST

Hello all,

Well, I'm not new to SparkPeople but I am trying again. I am fatter than I've been in a long time. I've had a difficult few years first with losing my job, health problems and family tragedies, among other things. Food is something that I've turned to for much of my life to deal with all of my emotions (boredom, sadness, anger, loneliness to name a few). I have had an especially bad week this week, eating out at fast food restaurants every day this week just because. I e...

Chocolate is my weakness

Mon, 3 Jun 2013 15:46:35 EST

Hi all. My name is Deb and I'm a 33-year-old mom to a 2-year-old girl. I am pretty sure I have a binge eating disorder, even though I haven't been diagnosed. I can identify the root of it, and I can often identify triggers after the fact. It's just so hard to say no to cravings when they hit, and when I do say yes, I have a hard time stopping. Portion control is tough when it comes to sweets, especially chocolate. I know I need help, and I look forward to getting to know you all!

Hello teammates

Sun, 2 Jun 2013 15:07:07 EST

I have had a binging problem most of my life . It got worse after I quit smoking about ten years ago.As my life becomes less of my own with circumstances I can't control my binging has gotten worse. I've also noticed I comfort myself with food. I eat even after I'm full until I get that satisfied feeling of the right combo of food.

My weakness is processed carbs.I eat healthy & exercise. I would be down about 15 more pounds if not for binges.
I don't want to be controlle...

Maturity and Success

Sun, 2 Jun 2013 04:14:02 EST

Hey all, my name is Lizz, I've been on and off Sparkpeople since 2008ish with different names..mostly because my intentions, while similar, they've always been slightly different..

Through those years I'd been deep into the life of a closet Bulimic.. and its take me a long time to just get where I am at with awareness of body image acceptance, and developing a new relationship towards everyday eating.

I feel if anything, I am more of a binge eater these days because I'v...

When everything failed

Sun, 2 Jun 2013 01:20:28 EST

So – I have tried everything, and evrything failed. What now. Go back and try everything over again?Try to find the things that failed less than the total catastrophes?

Darn it! :(

Thu, 30 May 2013 23:02:00 EST

So, I went for a walk tonight, which is good. But due to my son's baseball game right at dinner time, I never had a real, honest to goodness dinner, just a sandwich on the run. So I had been hungry all evening, and by the time I got home from my walk I was starving. I ate a bun loaded with peanut butter and mini marshmallows, then followed up with 3 marshmallow peeps left over from my kids' Easter candy.

Now I'm full, frustrated, and annoyed with myself. And yet, I still feel l...

What Does BED Look Like? (link)

Thu, 30 May 2013 14:48:01 EST

I don't know if anyone has posted this yet...
bingebehavior.com/spotlight/what-doe
s-bed-look-like

Katies' intro

Thu, 30 May 2013 13:40:03 EST

Hi my name is Katie. I am 38 years old and a single mom of a 11 year old daughter. I am taking a christian based course to help me deal with binge eating. felt this would be an added aid to help me break free from binge eating.

saying hi...

Wed, 29 May 2013 09:24:40 EST

Hello there! I'm new to spark people. I've read over some of the binge thread posts, and wow , I'm impressed by the supporting feedback you all exchange with each other. I think this is a great environment that I would love to be apart of. I was successful in dieting last year (I managed to establish some healthy habits that omit mindless eating) but have gained some weight back to binging , and so the vicious cycle of losing gained weight and counteracting calories of the binge begins. I've ...

change of pace

Tue, 28 May 2013 23:21:53 EST

hey everyone.... not new to sparks... just new to this team...
i had lost a total of 50# but i had a medical problem at the end of march... major reaction to one of my meds.... have not been able to work... i am on short term disability right now....

my problem is that i seem to be munching alot...and have gained 20# back..... for right now i am unable to exercise and having difficulty with daily chores.... the meds i am on at least for another month make/keep me sleepy m...

Just. Can't. Stop. Eating.

Tue, 28 May 2013 14:47:04 EST

Hello all!

I'm new here, but not new to binge eating. This has been going on for years. My biggest wish in life is just to learn how to eat like a normal person, where food doesn't rule my every waking moment. I'm constantly worried about how to eat, what to eat, when to eat, why I shouldn't have eaten, what I should be doing when it comes to eating...etc.

I have had mixed success with diet plans. I have tried Weight Watchers so many times I have lost count, Atkins s...

Triggers galore & I blew it

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:20:51 EST

Hi All. I don't really post a whole lot - I go through phases where I feel like I'm getting my eating under control... 198 Yeah. I know these binges will probably never be anything I'm "cured" of and I know that they are what's keeping me from losing weight. I'll do great for a while, start shedding pounds and then, boom - binge for a week and end up back at my starting point again.

Enter this week - busy, busy, busy. I have a high stress job, it's hard work and...

Hi all

Sat, 18 May 2013 19:07:26 EST

I'm Jennifer, 32, living in Alabama. I'm struggled with binge and emotional eating most of my life. Last night to this morning was another episode. I have a journal I write in, but I think it's important for me to be open and honest with my emotions and issues because of instead of giving them a voice, I eat to suppress them. Of course there, is still some anonymity posting here, but it's a step in the right direction. I don't want to hide anymore and I acknowledge that I need and want some h...

newbie here

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:38:35 EST

I am 28 years old living in Illinois. I am married and it's going to be 6 years for us. we live with my great-grandma so I can take care of her. I weigh I think 235 I try not go get on the scale to much. I am more of a emotional eater. and I would love to try to stop all of that and be healthy for once

Hi, I'm new here.

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:58:18 EST

I'm 65 and have had BED for about 30 years. My weight has been as high as 375, 11 years ago and as low as 140, 5 years ago.

I came to SP a month ago at 235. Tracking went OK for about three weeks and then I started bingeing. I heard about the No-S diet and tried it, but even that small restriction seems to be too much. I've been following TARATHEVEGAN's blog about her treatment program. It sounds scary but reasonable. So beginning today no more tracking other than whether I binge ...

Introducing myself to the team...

Sun, 12 May 2013 17:57:51 EST

Hi there - I joined Spark last July and have lost 45 pounds and am overall pleased with my fitness improvements. However, I am down to the last 10 pounds to meet my goal and I am struggling to stay on track. Fitness is never a problem - I enjoy working out. But I stress eat. I'll stay in range for a week or so (and it's a pretty high range to begin with - up to 1700 calories) and then really overeat for a couple of days and undo whatever progress I've made. I've been cycling the same 2-3...

At wits end

Thu, 9 May 2013 21:39:15 EST

Hey there. I'm Elizabeth. I moved to a different country for a volunteer project and have put on some pounds. I have a problem with stress/binge eating and when I get upset I eat a startling amount of very fatty foods. Or Starches. Or anything really. I am willing to try anything so I am signing up for this group.
Yup.
HELP!

Hello!

Mon, 6 May 2013 20:17:26 EST

My name is Rachel, I'm returning to SparkPoeple after a few years of chaos! ... Hoping to stay motivated this time!!
Just wanted to say hi!
41

SparkTeam Newbie

Mon, 6 May 2013 17:22:30 EST

I've been on SparkPeople for a while now but never joined a team. I definitely do better with support and accountability. Have problems with bingeing too!!! Can't be on the website all the time though. Will try to learn how this team and challenge thing works! Nice to know there's other people out there just like me!

Made myself so sick I had to call out of work.

Mon, 6 May 2013 15:20:40 EST

Truly a scary day today - a binge yesterday left me feeling so ill this morning I couldn't make it to work.

If that isn't a wake-up call that I need to make a change, I don't know what will be.

Stopping Over Eating

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:38:41 EST

When life gets too tough how do you not go to the refrigerator or cupboard and eat everything you see?

Did I Do Well?

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:23:10 EST

I can't count on my husband to give me supportive feedback because he doesn't quite understand the internal struggle of trying not to binge eat though he tries.

Yesterday I had a great breakfast and a great lunch. Right after lunch all I wanted was something more to eat. For lunch I had two vegetable and hummus wraps. Lunch was good and it filled me. I still wanted something more to eat like lunch didn't satisfy me. I tried hard not to want something more. I finally gave in...

Looking for an accountability Buddy

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:50:21 EST

My name is Maran. I am 24, and I am trying to work through some eating disorders. I have tried using my husband as an accountability buddy, but he doesn't "get it". Anyone out there want to keep in touch via text and/or email? Let me know!

Professional Treatmen /Therapy for Binge Eating?

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:30:21 EST

Hi Everyone,

I've been struggling with Binge Eating Disorder for many years. After failing for years to get this under control by myself, I have sought out profesional help. I am starting an outpatient program at an eating disorders clinic. I will be seeing a therapist, a dietician, joining in group therapy among other things for about 9 hours/week. I am very excited but also nervous. I am wondering if anyone has experience getting this type of treatment? What was it like? Did it h...

Newbie

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:18:19 EST

Hi to all team members,
I am having a tough time with my eating binges lately. It seems worse. I need some type of intervention, so I thought I would try this out.

Also, I am new to the team. I almost forgot to post that. I hope I posted this correctly.

Binge free streaks?

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 05:55:08 EST

I am wondering if would be useful for me to say 'I will (try) not (to) binge for 3 weeks'.

Pro's and con's? What do you think? Have you tried to say 'I will not binge for x days?'
How did that go?

i made it today

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 01:27:38 EST

I just realized that I had a pretty good food day. And yesterday too! I think I was busy enuf to not be completely focused on binging. Yeah for me!

Struggling.

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:48:23 EST

I'm sitting here, in bed at 1:37 PM, just trying to come up with the right words to even begin to express the intense amount of anxiety & frustration I have pumping through my body right now.

I feel like crying but know that doing that won't make any of this better. It won't change anything. I've struggled with binge eating for as long as I can remember... I'm talking Kindergarten-age & up. I'm 21 now & it just feels like it's getting worse. I can't control myself. This hold that...

Seeking support

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:02:08 EST

I always thought I could lose weight on my own, but after years if trying and failing and lots of research, I've come to the realization that I have a binge eating disorder. Tomorrow is my assessment at a local eating disorder clinic. I feel very humbled by the fact I feel like I cannot solve this problem on my own, but I am hoping to connect with others as I work toward becoming a better version of myself. My relationship with food, I feel, has ruined so many aspects of my life. I really hop...

An Introduction

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 10:44:20 EST

Hello all!

I'm new to the team, but not new to Spark... or the concept of binge eating. While I am not extremely overweight, and my binges are not usually on unhealthful foods, I do feel out of control with my eating most of the time. I struggle with my appetite and my self-control on a daily basis; actually every hour, every minute, and basically down to the second. There is not a time when I am not thinking about food. And I love to cook. (Last night, by BF told me we should jus...

Buddy?!

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 13:37:22 EST

I would love/need a buddy to check in with everyday and hold myself accountable! I'm 34, I'm a busy mom of 2 and I work full time. I need to lose about 20lbs.!

My Home!

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 01:14:53 EST

This group seems like just the place for me! I made great progress in Aug-Nov and have since found myself back to binging at the end of the day when I get home from work. I feel terrible about myself immediately after and the next morning and then I do great until evening time again. :(

I really want to get back on track and lose the 8 pounds I've gained back and the last 40 ish to my goal!!!!

A Spark Newbie... :)

Sun, 7 Apr 2013 23:09:20 EST

Hi All! My name is Kim. I'm on here to lose weight & make some friends along my journey. I am shy .. so if you don't see me around.. it's just of my shyness. I am however working on my shyness & hopefully I will be able to come out of my shell every so often and post a message on here .. or two. ;)

So, I just wanted to say "hi" and do a quicky intro. :) Hope to get to know some of you! :)

Have a great spark filled night.... & best of luck on your own journey's :)

New to the Team

Sun, 7 Apr 2013 20:48:44 EST

Hi, I'm Penny. This is definitely the team for me. I have long had a compulsive relationship with food. I am an Emotional Eater and that's where the binges come in. this is my 5th week at Spark People and so far I have done pretty well. I have learned and created some great new habits but the binge monster is always there...(she tried to defeat Thursday night but I managed to kick her out) It's nice to talk to people who know what this battle is like. It's hard to explain to people who ha...

Hope: Finding Balance

Fri, 5 Apr 2013 10:08:19 EST

Hello I've been working with a nutritionist for a little over a year now but probably struggled with eating disorders from young childhood. I was recently binge free for a month witch thus far has been my personal best. Yesterday I slipped. I am not quite sure how to feel. A few days ago I felt I finally received some validation when my nutritionist showed me my weight flow chart and said it looked as though my body seems to respond to changes almost like a yo-yo My weight goes down three pou...

happy to be here!

Thu, 4 Apr 2013 11:52:10 EST

I struggle with binge eating... I can do well for weeks, then binge for weeks. I can't seem to regulate or control it and Im really frustrated and depressed with my life revolving around food. I look forward to getting to know you and being part of this team to help me on my journey !

Let's add our BF days together- April, 2013

Mon, 1 Apr 2013 00:30:41 EST

Here is our new thread for April. As of Mar. 31, 9:28 p.m. PST, we had 166 BF days from only a handful of participants. Thanks to all who joined in! If we can each recruit one more person to add her BF days, even if just a few, we can boost our totals and morale. I wonder if we can get to 180 team days?

How do you make meal planning easier?

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:22:58 EST

I've developed a routine over the years of shopping so that I just about always have foods on hand for decent meals without a lot of prep.Of course, I don't have anyone else to buy for, so that does make it simpler. However, I know I"m going to need protein so I buy beans and dairy as often as needed. I tend to make a big pot of plain beans and freeze them, heating later with added flavorings. I don't cook a lot of meat, though I have it out sometimes. These days, I don't even cook chicken br...

Learning to be Binge Free

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 22:33:21 EST

I'm learning how difficult it is to simple eat just because I'm hungry and not because of any other reason. I can and will come up with any reason in my mind to justify to eat-eat, to snack endlessly outside of a regular meal.

I'm here hoping that I can finally get this right. I'm on Day 1 for being Binge Free.

Trouble with clutter- paper or otherwise?

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:07:29 EST

I'm not a serious hoarder, but I'd say I have trouble with keeping papers organized and keeping up with good housekeeping. My mother kept a nice house, and so does my sister, even though she had children and a pretty high-powered career. Even when I've spent some periods of time unemployed or off work, I avoid attacking these tasks. Not eating all the time has made this issue more obvious to me because I realize spending time overeating helped me avoid facing these tasks. But now I don't eat ...

What is your purpose?

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 06:22:50 EST

Every time I start to be "good" again I always end up back to the drawing board. Someone told me to give my reason a purpose. Apparently losing weight isn't enough to get me going so I am sitting here trying to think why do I want to change my life...........I can imagine myself 5 years from now, still unfit and lazyier than I have ever been. So here goes...

I DON'T WANT TO BE LAZY ANYMORE!

I WANT TO PHYSICALLY BE ABLE TO RUN WITHOUT DYING.

I WANT TO ...

'Buddy thread' for those who'd like accountability

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 05:17:01 EST

Share your goals and your circumstances and then keep sharing on this thread once a week how it's going. Accomplishments, setbacks, insights...

Also a place to ask for support or for a buddy. If you see someone posting here that they'd like a buddy you can send them a sparkmail and start supporting one another as buddies, or maybe be a mentor if you like.

Edited to add later: you can click on 'spark teams' under 'community' and type in 'accountability' and find several...

I Need a Buddy Too :(

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:53:35 EST

Hey Everyone,

I'm new to SparkPeople and could really use someone to "check in" with to hold me accountable. I've had some success losing weight in the past, but I feel like I've been struggling for the last year. I've gained 10-15 pounds and have been trying for the last 6 months to lose it. It seems like I will lose 3 or 4 pounds, then get emotionally stressed and binge eat all the weight back on plus some. I moved to Canada (from Texas) last year with my husband and 2 daughters,...

Where do I start?

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:28:47 EST

I've battled with binge eating as long as I can remember. I've also battled major depression and anxiety. I've struggled with yo-yo dieting having lost 80 lbs once only to gain it back again, lost some of it again, gained it all back plus more. I've hit an all time high, in weight and in binge eating. I'm not sure how most people differentiate emotional vs binge eating but I'm certain I do both. I believe I'm a compulsive overeater and if there is truly an addiction to food, I think that ...

Trying to fight my afternoon sugar craving!!

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:49:54 EST

I'm really wanting something sweet and sugary right now. I'm trying so hard not to go over to the snack machine and get something horrible for myself. Luckily I have to teach for the next hour, hoping the craving will be gone by then! But if it's not I don't know what I'm going to do... I hate this helpless feeling I get when I get the urge to binge :(

Right Where I Need To Be!

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:27:43 EST

Hello All,

I had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy in April of 2012 and part of the pre-op requirements I had to get a psych evaluation. During my initial evaluation I was shocked when the therapist told me that I was a binge eater!! I had never made the connection. I knew that I ate in secret and that I would eat things I knew I shouldn't when I wasn't even hungry... but had no idea that was a form of binge eating!! Since this discovery I've been trying to be more aware of my eating...

Fighting the urge

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:32:27 EST

Hello everyone,

I just needed to get on here and let you all know the struggle I am having right this moment over some potato chips that are about 20 steps away from my office. I am not hungry at all, I just want those chips. I have been following the Shrink Yourself program and I'm trying to figure out what I might be feeling that is causing this. You know what??? I'm not feeling anything. I'm not sad, mad, overly happy, nothing, I'm sitting here at my desk at work like I hav...

Let's Add Our BF Days Together- March, 2013

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:21:10 EST

I thought I started this thread days and days ago. Sorry!

9 days BF

A Buddy

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:51:28 EST

Hi I'm fairly new to Sparkpeople and really need a buddy. Someone who'd be happy for me to check in with and hold myself accountable. I'd be happy to offer the same in return. I'm an emotional eater who really wants to change. I'd like a day a week were we can expect an email from each other just to check in and see how we're both doing. Weigh in days are particularly stressful, plus or minus and it would be great to know whatever the result someone else was there to back me up or respond to ...

Starting Over

Fri, 1 Mar 2013 11:09:00 EST

Hi there I am 29 and from Kansas. I have tried several times to keep using spark and have ended up falling off the wagon several times. I am an emotional eater. I even tell myself before I eat something bad that it's wrong but I do it anyway and then feel really guilty. I love sweets, dairy, and carbs. Probably the three worst things to binge on. It seems like I do worse on weekends. It's like I just cut myself loose and forget my goals. I am just trying to get back to healthy habits....

Hi I am new here...

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:14:11 EST

Hi my name is Amanda and I am glad to have found this team page. Last Saturday I gave up sugar and went back on my plan of eating. I am doing great BUT I could use all the help I can get. In the past I dealt with stress by eating sweet baked goods and lots of them. I was definately a binger. At the grocery store I would be embarassed at the check out line with my items for a binge. NOW I am FREE and it feels wonderful. I could use direction on how to best utilize this site.

Revelation! I am a binge eater!!

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:01:43 EST

I truly had no idea that's what I was doing. But I found myself raiding the fridge every time I was home alone. I just thought "I can stop this if I want to, but I don't want to." Then when it was over I would think "why on earth did I go through with that when I know I feel bad afterward?"

Yeah, I'm a binge eater. I know now I had no control over it at the time. Now looking back, I know I've been doing this kind of thing for a long, long time. This explains why in my entire adult ...

Looking for answers

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:31:00 EST

I am new to this team but not new to SparkPeople. I have been a Sparker for over 5 years. I lost over 80 lbs. with the help of all the resources here but have failed miserable to maintain because once I get to my goal weight, I start overindulging again to the point of shame. I really want to learn how to break the cycle. I need to remember, that it is not about the weight but it is about being healthy. Binging is not healthy!

need encouragement!

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 22:43:27 EST

SO I was doing really great for a week.. tracking.. eating good.. then the past 2 days i have eaten over 3000 calories. i realllllly need encouragement to do better tomorrow! i'm ready to lose my weight!

Hello I'm new to the team

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:12:55 EST

I've been on SP for my 15th day. Hello everyone, this is a good team for me. I'm a binge eater and addicted to food for almost any reason. I have a long road ahead of me and can use all the help I can get. I have been good on the program except on occasion when I slip up and find myself going back into the "I want to stuff myself" craziness!

Checking in

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:14:32 EST

I haven't been around for a very long time. Life has gone crazy for me so I don't have the time that I used to, but I wanted to take a second to report in on this Friday morning. Back in October I hit an all time high weight and an all time low in how I felt about myself. I was able to lose about 9 lbs between October and the middle of January (with unhealthy eating habits). At that time I took pictures, measurements, and my weight. I wrote it all down and made that my starting point to ...

'help'

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 11:08:48 EST

I am dealing with a very difficult situation.

Someone who hurt my feelings really really bad a few years ago has sent me a letter.
I have NO idea what to think about it and it makes me desperate, and doubting myself and 'my good judgment'.

I received the letter on Tuesday. Wednesday night I had a binge and I kept on bingeing until last night. Today I've eaten according to my normal 'plan', no junk.

Please, if you can, remind me, give me reasons why bin...

New to team..

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:43:31 EST

Hello. :) My name is Alicia and I weight 255 lbs. I didn't get this way because I eat like a normal person for sure. I binge eat. I can't have the foods I binge on around and sometimes I lie to myself and others such as my husband and say oh, you can have it around it won't bother me or I may eat one but I will be fine, I have control of this. Not true. I made banana bread tonight and have eaten half a loaf and praying I won't touch the rest. I don't want to throw it out because I am ...

Factors and triggers for a binge: share them here.

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:13:17 EST

I would like a thread where we can write about what triggered a binge. Hope it's okay to start one here. Just to get more insight into what factors are at play, and what we can do to prevent binge eating in the future.

What factors and triggers can we discern (either before, during or after a binge)?
And, if you can come up with ideas, what could we do differently next time?

So the question is what triggers and factors were at play during THIS binge - the one you a...

I don't want to binge today

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 08:04:53 EST

Hello friends,

I thought I would write this morning because I am struggling really bad. I wanted to join the 21 Day Binge Free Streak and I can't because I have binged everyday since I made the statement. I signed up for a program called Shrink Yourself. I am doing the hard work that I know it's going to take to help me get better. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I want today to be a binge free day so that I can report some good news.

Hugs,
Gwen

Recovering from a long binge

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:00:44 EST

So... as embarrassing as this is for me, I've been binging constantly on unhealthy foods for a full week. I can actually see the weight I have gained, which has never happened to me before, even after long periods of binging. It's not good.

But I've decided that this has to stop. Has anything like this happened to you before? Do you have any advice on recovering after such a long binge period and resisting temptation to fall back into bad habits again?

Rant about the diet mentality

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:58:15 EST

Thought today:
The remedy for overweight - dieting and counting calories - is, to me, really much WORSE than the complaint.

I feel dieting for me paved the road to hell. Binge eating hell.

Following diets, getting a diet mentality, and counting calories REALLY destroyed my feeling of ease with myself and with my body -not that these were great to begin with, but treating my body, food, and my hunger as 'the enemy' sure made things worse.
Tying judgemens to food...

food tracker

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:15:52 EST

Two things...I'm pissed because I binged tonight. I know its not healthy. I know I should eat right...blah blah blah. I have NO self control and it pisses me off!

I'm wondering if there's a way to add more info to my main screen on the food tracker. It shows calories and fat. But during the day I would like to look at totals and see cholesterol and salt etc. Instead of having to go into each thing I ate. Is there a way to do this?

food tracker

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 22:24:29 EST

Binging as a form of hiding.

Sat, 9 Feb 2013 19:45:39 EST

I just had a great lunch with some friends who then came back to my house for coffee and a chat. It was fun. The lunch I chose was good and it was a healthy choice of food. After my friends left, I went to the store and bought junk food and binged alone. I felt like I was "rewarding" myself for behaving well in front of them, like I was now able to hide in my house and eat what I really wanted. I think if we had not met, I would have stayed on track! Thinking back over the years I have ...

Reintroduction

Mon, 4 Feb 2013 18:59:01 EST

Hi all,

I've been here on and off for the last few years. About 5 years ago, I managed to lose nearly 50 lbs and get down to my dream weight. I've since put back on 30 lbs, 46 entirely due to my binge eating. I know I need to put an end to this. I'm focusing on living binge free, and the weight will come off as I stick with it.

I know I need to be more active here, as I found this was a very helpful place for me in the past.

Today's my 2nd day bin...

Getting more sleep

Mon, 4 Feb 2013 06:19:12 EST

I decided to make 'getting in bed on time' a focus in February. Nothing works well if one is tired. Resisting urges to binge definitely becomes harder, and I feel I have been tired, exhausting myself in the past few months.

So with more sleep everything will march better!
I intend to post here every day about the time I was in bed the night before. If it was LATE I will also post why I think that happened and what I will (try to) do about it.

Would you care to j...

Does anyone else in your family binge?

Sun, 3 Feb 2013 19:46:24 EST

OK everyone this particular question is on my mind quite a bit. My grandmother binged. I can remember visiting her and that she had hidden cookies she would binge on. Growing up my mother would have bags of jelly beans or other candy. I am not proud to say I binged on everything. I am working hard to beat tthis. For myself but also to be a good example to my daughter. So I was wondering if anyone else has a family history of this? In the interest of full disclosure my mother and grandmoth...

Valentines Day Victory ABCs

Sat, 2 Feb 2013 07:30:08 EST

This sweet, candy filled, binge prone holiday is approaching..let's arm ourselves with ABC tips before it arrives:),

A: Accept the fact temptation will appear...firmly avoid it, let's achieve our goal..no binges!!

Let's add our BF days together: Feb. 2013

Fri, 1 Feb 2013 09:21:20 EST

Here we go!

Hello — I’m on Day 3. Any stories to share?

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:14:59 EST

Hi Sparkpeople,

I'm glad to be here and glad to have found this forum. Thanks for being such a positive and welcoming community. I checked out a few forums/sites before joining here, and Sparkpeople are really awesome!

Just wanted to introduce myself: I've had overeating and binge eating problems for a long time, at least 20 years or so. I've made a lot of positive changes in the last 3 years, but overeating and binge eating are obstructing progress. On Saturday I starte...

Upcoming Binge Triggers

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:41:37 EST

I've discovered over time that my greatest binge trigger is an upcoming social event. I have a pretty extreme case of social anxiety. What I tend to do is start counting down the days til the event (if I haven't opted out of the event like I typically do, which leads to isolation and basically no life), and I try to calculate how much weight I can lose before the event. In my warped mind, I feel like if I lose a bunch of weight before the event it will make me feel confident and secure and wo...

Never going back..book by Al Roker

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 23:13:46 EST

I have been enjoying Al's new book...he confesses to binge eating, eating secretly, hiding food binge evidence....been a great way to start 2013..always good to stumble across more motivators!

Newb

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 21:50:06 EST

Hey all! Decided to join this after having a mini freak-out tonight and eating 2000 calories in one sitting. I could have eaten more but, thankfully, logic kicked in. It does that once in a while just not often enough!

I've tried in the past to find an OA group for atheists or a group similar so, if you know of one, I'd love to hear about it. This group will have to do for now. Hoping to find support and, when I can, offer it to other.

Cheers!

I'm BACK!

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 06:18:52 EST

Many of you may be new but a few might remember I was in this wonderful group and dropped off the grid in August. I was being harassed by a SP member and it took this long to get resolved. So much has happened with my life since I have been on here...too much to get into in this little post. A little background:
I am a food addict, I have a habit of binging for any and all emotion. Food talks to me and I know this will be a lifelong battle but with patience and understanding I can make s...

Question

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 15:06:35 EST

Wondering about something...
Do you think it ever works to do something that you are uncomfortable with for x months, until you reach a desired weight, and then go back to what you did before but trust that you won't 'let it happen' that you will regain the weight?

Could be counting calories, could be portion control, could be cutting out junkfood, or following a 'lifestyle'...

I'm thinking in particular about a very healthy way of eating that one can do 'more str...

New here

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 06:12:51 EST

This looks where I need to be as I have begun binging again, mostly when I'm tired, and I have regained 13 pounds from where I was last year. My whole life changed drastically 6 months ago (for the better!) and I have a whole new set of challenges! 30

The best shivering I have ever done

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:53:42 EST

My son needs a little bribing every now and again so I try to keep little snack packs of starbursts in the house and tonight they were calling my name like you wouldnt believe so I made myself go outside to run....as opposed to staying indoors where I could see those stupid little treats. I ran 3.1 miles and walked another half mile and the craving is GONE! *happy little dance* Where I live though is a very cold region right now and it was a very cold run. Shivering quite a bit right now, don...

WARNING: Full Disclosure e/Possible Trigger Thread

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:06:18 EST

Hi folks,

I appologize for the nature of this thread. If the mods feel this is inappropriate, please remove it. Thanks.

I had a bit of an epiphany the other day. I realized I use food as a subsititute for real romantic love. Being a large and rather odd girl, I haven't had most of the opportunities that most "normal" girls have had. Food is something I can always turn to when I am sad, lonely, or empty. It fills me up and I no longer feel like I am missing somethin...

Need Help!!

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:33:34 EST

Hi, I'm a 30 year old stay at home mom with two kids. I don't even know where to start. Everytime I even think of beginning a new diet I cringe because it's like I know I'm going to fail. I'm so discouraged but I can't give up because I'm so unhappy at this size. I have lost weight many times before. I will be real motivated and lose 30-40 lbs and then out of the blue my motivation and willpower start slipping away and my old habits start to show their ugly heads again. I don't even know why ...

Interesting book about addiction

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 01:17:30 EST

I haven't had the chance to read it yet but it is on my list. Has anyone read this book?

www.amazon.com/Addiction-Hidden-Epid
emic-Solutions-Problem/dp/1453503730/r
ef=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Birgit

Caught in a vicious cycle

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:01:01 EST

I cannot stop myself, it's very depressing. I will eat healthy and exercise, then fall horribly back into my binging habits, so I quit tracking what I'm eating and quit exercising, so I gain weight, feel guilty, and start eating healthy and exercising again.........then fall back into my old habits......u get the idea. How can I quit "falling" off the cliff? :( Its worrying me a bit.

Hi, new member

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:11:14 EST

Hi all. I'm new to the team and SO happy to be here. Another Spark member was kind enough to read another post of mine and direct me here. Thank you very much to that member! :o)

Anyway, as you can see from my username I'm trying to lose 21 pounds. I have been exercising regularly for the past 8 weeks and have yet to lose anything. Matter of fact, my weekly weigh in this morning shows a gain of 2. :o( Needless to say I have a binge eating problem. I have a very hard time practicing...

A Disturbing Post-Binge Discovery

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 13:45:04 EST

Here is a list of food I consumed during my latest epic binge. It happened last Saturday. I woke up and was feeling psychologically uncomfortable. I blamed it on the PMS and then used the PMS to justify a day of binging.

I sent my husband to Popeye's Chicken while I went to Walmart. All in all, I consumed...
~ A York peppermint cake that I found on sale (the size of a hostess-type treat)
~ an entire bag of Lay's Sour Cream and Onion chip
~ about 7 pieces of spicy, de...

Passing on the phrase

Mon, 7 Jan 2013 20:12:14 EST

"Eat Lite to Be Lite" Pass on the Phrase to other groups

Thank you SongbirdPaula for the inspiration....

Wishes

Mon, 7 Jan 2013 08:49:42 EST

With every wish that you make comes the power to make it come true.
But it is up to you to provide the work that will make it a reality.
Are you using your power to make your wishes come true today?
Libby Rosenauer.

Well.....are you?

I am! 334

I need your help with a recipe

Fri, 4 Jan 2013 20:19:28 EST

I made a pumpkin banana bread recipe.

It makes 2 breads.

But then it says it makes 20 servings.

Do you think it's 20 servings per bread?
Or
10 servings per bread X 2 breads= 20 servings?

At 150 calories per serving, it makes a difference!

I'm back!!!

Fri, 4 Jan 2013 07:25:12 EST

Hi, some of you may remember me from last year. I was on the team for quite a while but I couldnt cope and ran away from trying to sort my life out. The result I am now even heavier than before!!

So i'm back desperate to get a hold of my eating issues. I have no choice I am now offcially obese, this cant carry on, where would I end up?

So I am going to start again and try to do the 21 day binge free streak. Never managed it before perhaps this time I will do it

Saying goodbye to Guy Fieri

Wed, 2 Jan 2013 10:36:41 EST

OMG_Have GOT to stop watching "Diner's, Drive Ins & Dives"--It's killing me, Especially late at night. Will have to retreat upstairs to my own TV when my hubby is tuned in, or check in here for support, or twiddle away on Facebook --ANYTHING to get those images banished, Especially at 10 p.m. or later. Think the Food Network in general is a no- no for me! Wish my cable company would bring back the fitness channel that had Gilad, and other/similar half hour work out shows!
230

New member, old problem?

Tue, 1 Jan 2013 20:52:17 EST

When I'm on that food "high" (which in reality we all know is a low :-( )--It's like I just can't ingest enough of it...or shove it in my mouth fast enough. The food taste SO pleasurable, that it's like I want that sensation over and over again. Sometimes it's gotten to the point where for weeks or months afterwards I can't even stomach the thought of that item- and then something triggers me to relapse again. Does anyone go through something similar? Any suggestions to control this? I did fi...

Let's add our BF days together: Jan. 2013

Tue, 1 Jan 2013 16:50:16 EST

Starting from scratch, everyone. I know we can beat December which was 230 days as of last count. 90

Wall Street Journal essay on women & overeating

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 08:34:25 EST

I really enjoyed re-reading this essay, published earlier this year, and I hope you will too.

Caitlin Moran on women & overeating in the Wall Street Journal: June 15th, 2012.
"I know why the fat lady sings"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424
052702303768104577462562370062738.html

A short extract:
"Overeating is the addiction of choice of "carers," and that's why it's come to be regarded as the lowest-ranking of all the addictions. It's a wa...

new year

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 14:31:36 EST

well at midnight we enter 2013 and I think it is up to us to make it the best yet.
lets commit to a year of self care self respect and acceptance of everyone.

Emotional Binge Free 1

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 21:08:32 EST

I want to shift boxes of unsorted papers, so that I can put the car in the garage while we are away.
My husband is packing, and thinks I should be, too.
Drink of water. Pressing on.
I will not eat this time!
I will not turn on TV to avoid the stress.
It's 3pm.
I will meet this goal today.
I aim to ask him to shift the motorbike to fit my car in, by 4pm the latest.

Counting calories NOT eaten

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 18:04:45 EST

Sharing part of my blog entry of today...

I was thinking today that I should not count calories that I ate (which I don't), but that I maybe should count calories that I DID NOT eat!

I had this thought as I was sitting with my husband in a little coffeeshop near our house, after I'd had a VERY stressfull evening during which I'd had several 'visions' of going to the store and getting chocolate cake and stuffing myself with it.
What I did was write a list of possible...

Another New Years Resolution

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 11:28:13 EST

I resolve to stop driving away with the gas nozzle still in my car

246 334 40

My New Years Resolution

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 10:09:36 EST

My New Years resolution is to learn under water basket weaving

246 40

I am ruining what I achieved

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 16:56:10 EST

OK. I have been doing great for a couple of years now, but the last few weeks I have been out of control. Binging on chips, combos, etc. I try to eat clean, but occasionally I give in to temptation and then lose control.

So, here I am...trying out your team to see if I can get back on track. My workouts are going great, but my eating needs some improvement. I have gained 10 lbs. and now I have to start tracking my food again and get serious this coming new year.

Kinda freaky

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 09:20:46 EST

I just had a nightmare about sugar plum fairies. Kinda freaky to think that they would dance around my head.
40

My 'new rule of thumb' seems to be helping

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:34:49 EST

I'm thinking that my new rule of thumb is really helping me. The rule is that after a meal I wait, in principle, for three hours before I eat again. I'm not fanatic about it, if I'm really hungry sooner I will eat and a few times I do eat 'in advance' when I know I'm away from home and will get hungry but no chance to eat.
But the waiting does help because it gets more 'normal' for me, apparently, to check how I feel before I eat. Eating really does seem to become less of 'big deal' thi...

New restaurant experience

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:32:34 EST

Went out to dinner tonight. Passed up on the candy that came with the decaf cappuncino (twice), skipped dessert.
And, a new experience: had a soup for a main course because I actually realized I wasn't that hungry... and really enjoyed myself. It is totally new for me to in a restaurant first feel just how hungry I am and adjust my order to that instead of just ordering my 'favorite dish' or a big dish because THIS is THE time to have it.

(A nice side effect is that this way...

21/12/12

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 05:26:07 EST

Do you believe that something bad is going to happen tomorrow,the 21st of December, as the Mayan predicted? 40

Hello everyone!

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:06:22 EST

Hello everyone! My name is Stephanie, and I'm a 42-year old work-at-home-Mom living in the deep south with my husband of eighteen years and our two children. I recently reached my highest weight of 325 pounds, and I am now on my way to losing the weight and getting my life back, once and for all. I would love to add some new friends so we can help support each other! Good luck to you all! God bless!

Hi!

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:25:37 EST

My name is Sydney! I have lost weight twice before and have gained it all back plus some. I've gained 30 pounds in 3 months this time (Grandmother died). Because I'm a binge eater. Now, I binge mostly because I love the taste of food and not for emotional reasons. I'm ready to lose weight again. This time I am being positive and am gonna try not to think about dieting and eating all the time. I have got to get this weight off, and I think this team is just the support I need!

Planning to binge? Have you ever?

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 19:51:05 EST

I am hoping that my five day streak is the beginning of real change. That being said I don't think I have wrapped my head around the idea of not bingeing on Christmas.It is almost as if I am planning the binge.This would not be the first time. I have on many occasions gone out and deliberately bought excess amounts of food planning on consuming it all at once.This to me is real bingeing. Now a week before Christmas I need to think ahead. I need a plan. Has anyone here ever planned a binge? H...

Sick again, grrr!

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 15:21:06 EST

I have lost count of how many times I've been ill this year. I've been unwell for the last 6 years, but am now on the mend, except that my immune system doesn't seem to function properly this year. I'm so sick of being sick! The kids are sick too, but it always seem to hit me hardest. I've got no appetite at all, so at least I won't be binging I guess. Well, I better pick myself up, get dressed and make a big garlicky pot of soup for everyone.

New day, fresh start

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 08:18:07 EST

Thank you all for your kind words. Today is a new day. I am going to pick myself up, dust myself off and keep going. No other way to go. I am going to have a nice workout today. After that I am going to work on my Christmas gifts.

Have a happy day everyone!

247

I blew it!

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 17:27:35 EST

I just gorged on cake that my mom made. I am so upset with myself. While I was eating I kept telling myself that I will do better tomorrow. I sooo tired of fighting. It's like beating a dead horse. I started taking an anti-depressant a few months ago. I'm wondering if it has something to do with it. I'm going to take a look back on my calendar when I was first prescribed. Hopefully I can put 2 and 2 together.

39

Urgent!

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 15:56:10 EST

Ok, so it's 10am, and I haven't eaten yet because I really really want bacon and eggs and I don't know if I should. It's not on my plan for the day, but I wouldn't put me over my calories for the day either (I'm aiming for 1200). If I have a sensible portion of bacon and eggs would that be the same as binging since it's not on my plan? What do you think, I need some other opinions or I'm not going to be able to make a decision, and I'm getting really hungry. 24

A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PRAYERS

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 09:02:35 EST

Lets all take a moment of silence and prayers For the people in Connecticut at......

9:00 AM Pacific Time

12:00 PM Eastern Time

2:00 PM Central Time

10:00 AM Mountain Time

Please post a 247 if you participated

New to you..old to the habit

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 06:26:35 EST

I'm 51, mother of one 14 yr. old, married and in business with my fellow CPA husband. This team looks active, members losing weight, while working on problem I struggle with daily. I weighed in 160s when married in '88...currently in 230s. I look forward to being an ctive member of this team!

Another notch in my belt!

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:54:57 EST

Another day binge free! I did it!

244 236 236

I Need Help!!

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:29:27 EST

I'm going out to eat at a Mexican restaurant tonight. This is a planned indulgence, and I am want to drink margaritas.
But I DON'T want to binge! I need to stay accountable, so I'm sharing this with you right now.

I will go out to eat with my family and some friends. I will enjoy chips, guacamole, and margaritas in moderation. I will order a sensible dinner or dine off of my husband's plate (if his portion is huge). And I will NOT stop at Walgreen afterward for thousands of c...

Oral surgery

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 09:52:03 EST

Wish me luck everyone. I am having oral surgery today. Leaving right now for it.

See you all later!

Glindathetoothlesswitch

334

Oh geez my first day and I think I blew it

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:48:27 EST

I am so sorry for my rambling post earlier. I have a tendency to blurt stuff out. I was trying to let everyone know where I was coming from.

I'm kinda embarrassed......I've done stuff like this all my life. I ramble on to people. I have left people with a blank stare on their faces because I ramble on about technical jargon. They simply just shut down because I'm going on and on about something. At the moment I think what I am saying is useful

I'm embarrassed 40...

We are not robots

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:10:57 EST
Sharing part of what I wrote in my blog today, in an adjusted form:

We are not robots.
I feel a desire to say this, see it as some sort of vent maybe.
But I see quite a few people here treat themselves and their bodies as if they are. Robots.

Put in x and you get result y. Put in less than x calories and burn more than y calories.
Weight loss is presented as a mathematical thing: burn more calories than you eat and you get weight loss. Too bad we are more...

I just had an epiphany

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 13:04:00 EST
Since I am a vegetarian and I workout a lot I make sure I get all the right nutrients in my diet. Plus, I spend a lot of time here on Sparks surrounding myself with diet and exercise.

I basically obsess about food.

Something for me to ponder today.....

More about my diet and me....

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:34:25 EST
PLEASE NOTE: This is a long post. I contains information about my binge eating and my knowledge of nutrition. I posted it as an example of my food intake and I thought it would be interesting for you all to read.......

Here goes......

Thank you all for your input. I am confident I am going to enjoy being an active member of this team.

I eat a well rounded diet especially since I am a vegetarian....

2 to 3 servings of dairy
Cottage cheese
M...

I binged, but I'm going to move on

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 22:56:04 EST
I've spent a lot of the day crying out of frustration and feeling helpless. I had a 1350 calorie binge at lunch time. I've felt angry and depressed and stuck, but that's not helping anything. I need to move on. It's done now and I can't do anything to change it, punishing myself further for it isn't going to prove anything.
I vented some of my frustration to my mother on the phone, who said to me today that I'm too young to kill myself with food. That struck a nerve. Big time. I need to ...

Bad binge tonight

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:53:03 EST
I haven't binged like this in a while. I pretty much have a little bit of PMS and some stress so it was a bad combo. I guess I kinda knew what I was doing and just let it happen. I'm paying for it now. I feel like I have a food hangover feels like I'm in a cloud and I'm sure I won't feel well in the morning.

I struggle a lot more with binge eating during PMS, any suggestions of how to handle cravings with out it turning into a binge?

Desparation

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:25:48 EST
I joined this team once awhile ago only to let it stray so I quit. I am back again and very frustrated. I am usually a happy up beat person. I exercise 6 days a week. I do strength training, walking, jogging,cardio, Tae Bo.... I have built a lot of muscle, my endurance is high and my stamina is great. My BIG problem is binge eating at night. I do really good throughout the day then at about 6PM every night I start craving food. I eat very healthy. I am a vegetarian, I eat at least 6 servings ...

Out of control

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:21:55 EST
Hi I'm Jen, I'm a 27 year old mother of two (three if you count the hubby). I use to be slim and pretty, now I'm big and masculine looking. It's affecting every aspect of my life. I don't have the confidence to go out and socialize. I know how to eat well, but I can't seem to put it in to practice. I start the day well, but my motivation doesn't last long and it's a constant battle. I'm sure you all know what I mean. Anyway, hi, see you around the message boards.

Thank you

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 23:07:09 EST
It always amazes me the lengths a person will go to for the approval of those they care about.....I myself have fallen victim to this many times for the approval of my family and it just is interesting how social of a race we humans are. I think it would b impossible to function without other human interaction yet it defines us so much in our day to day goings. Would anyone ever b able to succeed at anything difficult if no one cared? I mean absolutely no one? prob not.....it's obviously poss...

The BEST book?

Sun, 9 Dec 2012 16:03:38 EST
What's the best (most useful) book that you have found on the topic of how to deal with & overcome problems with binge eating?

How Long Has it Been Since Your Last Binge??

Sat, 8 Dec 2012 12:24:25 EST
My last sugar binge was October 19th.

Thought I could do it by myself ... obviously, not

Thu, 6 Dec 2012 17:39:05 EST
357 331 198 357 331 198 357 331 198 357 331 198 357 331 198 357 331 198 357 331 198 357 331 198 357 331 198 357 331 198 357<...

SO happy to be here

Thu, 6 Dec 2012 14:49:28 EST
Hello,

My name is Amy and I live in Chicago. I have struggled with eating disorders my whole life, but binge eating has been the bane of my existence for over 10 years. If I sat down and counted the amount of money I have spent on binges, the massive quantities I ate and the frequent times I broke down and purged it all, I could fill several novels. I am a strong woman in every other way, I am loved, successful, intelligent, confident. This is the one thing that makes me feel l...

About to binge...stopped myself

Tue, 4 Dec 2012 20:32:51 EST
At the moment I'm getting that feeling of anxiety while packing up my son and hubby's lunch. I was a bit hungry, but the moment I started packing the lunch I just felt the need to eat something and felt like my hunger level shot from 1 -10 in 5 min.

I was thinking of all these things I could eat. This sets off an alarm for me. Normally I don't stop myself in that moment. I said I planned on sitting for 15 min with the feeling and trying to journal and work out my feelings. For the...

December '12; let's add our BF days together

Sat, 1 Dec 2012 13:52:03 EST
This can be a check-in thread for those who want to feel they are adding to a team effort. When you check in, add your days BF (1 or more, if you check in only periodically) to the total in the last post.

X (team total) + 1 (your addition)= ______

Last month, we started late but we still got to 76. Let's see how long it takes us to get that far.

Remember, we count only the days we are binge free in December.

This reminds us that we can still enjo...

Problems with Jealousy

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:39:59 EST
So I started running races and getting myself in shape about a year ago, almost to date, and my family was very happy for me and supportive but kinda a "eh ok whatever u want to do" kinda attitude. Then not long after I started in October, my sister-in-law began running too. She started running races and low and behold not only does her family turn out to see her (and some to join her) but MY family makes an event of going to her races and taking pics and watching her run. Talk about a downe...

sticking with eating healthy

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:36:10 EST
So how does everyone stick with eating healthy? I have been trying since july with slip ups like everyone else but more good choices then bad.

However I am starting to get really sick of healthy foods and I want some substains and junk. I have tried tons of recipes on spark people which my fmaily and I eat now but I am down right sick of healty foods. I am scared if i dont get my mind aroudn this I will go on a massive binge :(

thanks for any advise and tips

Do You Binge When Feeling Good?

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:50:44 EST
Yesterday I weighed and lost two pounds. I hit a weight I haven't seen in a long time. Feeling good, put on a pair of fitted yoga pants, a fitted top and had a day of running around doing errands and shopping. I had three men "hit on me" during the day. I am no longer young so this amused me but felt flattered and NOT fat at the same time. I came home and in the evening I had two and a half glasses of wine. I try to not drink because I lose my resolve but I was celebrating for getting ...

Your best strategies?

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:03:37 EST
Can you name one (or two or three) of your favorite / best woking tools or strategies to deal with / heal from binge eating?

(Or thoughts/ principles, anything that helps)

No more than three things that work for you.

Shrink Yourself course on sale just for today!

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 07:33:31 EST

Only 31 dollars and change if you join the Shrink Yourself online program today.
I paid something like $119 when I did it a few years ago, and it was worth it even at that cost.
Hope you girls will jump on the opportunity- it's a life changer.

(PS I don't work for Dr. Gould, LOL, I am just a fan!)

What is your food plan?

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 01:40:17 EST
I am new here and just wondering what type of food plan you follow.I have read some lately on binge eating and I find conflicting ideas about how to manage the binge eating.Some say you have to eat everything and not restrict yourself and others recommend a structured plan.I have read Beck Diet Solutions and the Beck For Life,I found that eating plan in the second a bit complicated.I have read Overcoming Overeating which recommends eating what you want and keeping favorites in house so you do...

Starting at ground zero after brunch binge

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 14:52:53 EST
Ironically after trying a healthy breakfast, I went totally off the hook with leftover home made chili, a bunch of guacamole (not a healthy or diet version at all), and a whole stack of Ritz crackers. I did put some hot sauce on it and took my vitamins afterwards, but have started the day feeling bloated and like I want a nap.

It's not like this is a "bad day", I have had "cheat days" since Thanksgiving. The main difference is now I started a day on the wrong foot. I have read v...

Commit to sticking to my plan this day-Tues, 11/20

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 07:06:52 EST
Today, I will stick to my plan of eating.

Eating over my issue doesn't solve my problem.
It adds a second problem as well.
381 just for today.

VENT here - Things people say to you

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:30:05 EST
Vent here about all the things people say to you about the choices you make. There is a lot of negative things and it helps it get them out!

Here is three things said to me JUST this week VENT lol
1- "Why do you count calories?, you look fine." I said "so I can keep it that way" I wanted to really explained but she laughed at me and walked away.
2. my friend says to me "I hate when skinny people go to the gym, they dont need to be there" I then explained to my friend t...

Hi everyone

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 18:45:16 EST
I have been binging almost everyday for the past six month and am desperate to stop. I had previously lost 60 pounds; and now I have gained back 20 pounds. Agh it is so frustrating, I am so angry with myself for letting this happen. I know I need to stop wallowing and start exercising and tracking my food and after reading a few forums you have made me determined to just do it.

How do you define a binge?

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:42:39 EST
This may have been a topic in the past but I didn't see it in a brief search through lists. For me, learning to be real and honest about what I eat is part of the struggle. There are so many ways to measure food (a bite, a service, serving size, a plate, a meal) and we have to eat several times a day. And I get entangled in food choice issues vs binge such as if I eat a dessert is that a binge if I'm trying to stay away from sweets. Addiction leads to this kind of brain muddle and ability to ...

Period and Binge eating

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:12:48 EST
Hey Everyone

So I am trying really hard not to binge eat and I have started to track calories and burn more often and I noticed the past 3 months I always binge eat chocolate 3 days prior to my period and two days after then I am ok.... by ok I fight over a lot of decisions but I can choice the right choice when its that time I always choice wrong.

Please give me tips so next month I can beat this and keep my good streak going longer then 3 weeks.

Thanks fo...

Challenge idea

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:38:03 EST
In other teams I have a board challenge where you add up exercise minutes. We start at zero every month and see how many minutes we can collect together.

It is possible to do the same with bingefree days - see how many we can collect together during a month.

The idea is that I start with for example one (so far it is all I got for november 2 )
If you want to join you just press reply and add you days like this: 1 + 10 = 11
The next person copy "11" ...

Trying a new tactic...

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 04:25:32 EST
So, I binged yesterday. I ate twice my maximum calorie allowance, which actually, was nowhere near as bad as the epic binges of yesteryear! However, my new tactic is this.

"SPPPLLRRUUUGGTHHHSSPLLLYRRTH"

In case you were wondering, that was me blowing a big fat raspberry!

My new tactic is to have some perspective about bingeing. I have been eating very healthily over the last few months, I haven't felt deprived, I am looking after my mental and emotional nee...

whew this is tough....

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 20:57:02 EST
So I've had a continuous problem with "rationalizing" my binges. Today, I'm trying really really hard not to even though I'm being extremely triggered. I've come thisclose to binging about 4 times so far, and although I went over my calorie limit for the day by about 200, I know that I haven't blown it for the day and that where I'm at is a WHOLE lot better than binging.

I guess I just needed to post something because this is the first time I've really sat through an urge, and ma...

one day down

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:15:30 EST
Hi All!

I joined this Team a while back, but have a hard time getting 'into' the Teams. I'm going to give them a better shot this time because I need support, motivation, and a way to help with accountability. When I joined SP in 2009 I felt I had more support than I could handle. This time I've not been feeling it so much. Is it because I keep failing? Surely not. I keep trying and have not yet given up on myself. I know that I'll get past this. I was successful in 2009, but due t...

new to the team

Fri, 9 Nov 2012 14:11:11 EST
Hello

My name is kathy.
I never considered my self with a eating disorder . I thought that was for other people
a form of self denial . I looked up the word binge ,before I decided I had that problem .

I at times will start eating sweets and just wont get control of my self . its not food
I eat very small portions and stay in calorie range until

the sun goes down & I put sweets in my mouth . hoping this team can help me .
I read you needed ...

A Challenging Weekend

Fri, 9 Nov 2012 08:52:52 EST
I desperately do NOT want to binge this weekend. I've been working so hard and have come so far. My trip to Ohio is next week and I really don't want to be all bloated and hung over from a binge:( But I have a lot of triggers to deal with tonight and tomorrow.

I'm scared.

Hey there

Thu, 8 Nov 2012 16:41:12 EST
Hello everyone. I just realized I haven't introduced myself yet to the team. My name is Mary Kate and I'm learning that I have a problem with food. I know I binge. Sometimes I binge and purge, though sometimes I throw up just because of the sheer amount of food that I can no longer hold in. I always thought that I just needed to diet to lose the weight. I did it once before and lost around 100 lbs but they have found me again so I'm trying to lose weight again. I'm worried that I won't be abl...

What are your triggers?

Wed, 7 Nov 2012 13:24:55 EST
I had a revelation. TV is a major trigger for me. It seems when I watch netflix I want to snack. And sometimes when I start, I struggle stopping. I never thought of this before. What are your triggers?

out of control

Tue, 6 Nov 2012 15:48:07 EST
Thank you to whoever started this spark team. I am hopeful I will find the support and knowledge from others to overcome this downward spiral I cannot find my way out of.

A Family Problem

Tue, 6 Nov 2012 08:34:54 EST
My sister (11 years younger than I) is living with me while she goes to college. I was talking about Spark People and how I have been trying to be more active lately because I need the support. I also bravely brought up binging and bravely confessed that a bad binge a few weeks ago scared me (I even got it to the gory details of what I binged on)
I found out something that shook me. She is a binger too. This should not surprise me. We have already realized that the depression and anxiety...

New here and a complete mess

Mon, 5 Nov 2012 23:45:04 EST
Hey everyone. Very happy to find a board like this. I've been struggling with binging since high school - almost 2 decades. I used to not really realize what I was doing until after. Now I recognize what I'm doing, but it's more frustrating because I still don't stop. I know I don't want to be doing it, I know I could and should stop, but I don't. Sometimes I actually set out to binge!

I know it's my stress relief drug which is hilarious and sad because it stresses me out mo...

Hello!

Mon, 5 Nov 2012 10:49:19 EST
hi everyone. I've had a problem with bingeing for years. I have made a lot of progress, I'm down to 147lbs from a high of 200lbs, but I do not have the binging under control. I binged yesterday which totaled in 4000+, the most I've eaten in weeks. In my defense I do have PMS right now.

I am working with the Beck Diet solution to cope with this. I've got a tendency to take shortcuts, and recently I realized I can't do that. As much as I think I don't need to do a step, I need to fo...

From anorexia to binge eating?

Sun, 4 Nov 2012 21:54:05 EST
I have suffered from anorexia for about 9 months. I'm almost 5'2" and I went from a healthy 96 lbs to 79 lbs! I now, however, cannot seem to find a balance between under eating and over eating. Lately especially, I undergo excessive binges and now weight nearly 85 lbs. It's starting to get way out of control and I don't know what to do! Also, I'm a runner. And while my food intake should be high, my binge-eating mindset makes me feel helpless and unmotivated. It doesn't help I recently took o...

30 pounds in 6 months

Sun, 4 Nov 2012 13:38:01 EST
Hi everyone,
I am so disgusted with myself for the way I've been eating the past 5 months. My days were spent planning my next meal and making sure I had everything I needed for my nighttime binge.

It's interesting the way my mind works. I'll tell myself, I'll stop binging the beginning of next month. Then, something gets in the way causing me to postpone it until the next month. In October, it was a local fair I was going to. I wanted to be sure I could stuff my face wit...

My oldest daughter is starting to gain weight!

Fri, 2 Nov 2012 10:56:06 EST
She is 14 and has TERRIBLE eating habits. She does "sneak" food late at night too. I try to focus on healthy eating with her and have a hard time getting her to eat anything but flour and sugar! I don't want to approach her about her weight but I noticed the jeans we bought in September are getting tight on her. She is not over weight yet.

I am planning to start in January focusing more on healthy habits with her that are not restrictive. I am guessing just getting a healthy di...

Awesome book on curing binge eating quickly

Thu, 1 Nov 2012 17:33:05 EST
Here's the title:
www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conv
entional-Recovered/dp/0984481702

I just got this book and almost finished it in 2 days. This is exactly what worked for me many years ago. Going low-carb was the other piece of the puzzle that eliminated minor binges that involved physical cravings.
Has anyone else read this?

Birgit

Halloween Candy?!!!

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 23:04:54 EST
I'll pass!! 419

Giving up Feels a Lot like a Binge

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 22:23:42 EST
Somehow I have gotten into the habit of 2 days on, one day off. But not on purpose. I do really great with my goals for 2-3 days, and then it always seems to turn into a binge day on day 3 or 4. It doesn't stem from cravings or feeling deprived. I think its because I make a small mistake and then lose all of my confidence. Then it quickly snowballs into a day-long binge, with some really extreme eating. I am not gaining weight, but I am also not losing weight.

New and need help

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 10:21:14 EST
Hi, I just joined the team. I feel so out of control with my eating. I just keep shoving food in my mouth and don't know how to stop. Please help!!!!

Why we Binge

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 14:14:16 EST
I wrote a blog today regarding a documentary I saw on why a person who has lost weight binges. It said it has to do with physiology and not emotional issues. I had a rare binge yesterday. I was wondering if some of you can read my blog and let me know what you think of the philosophy of this documentary. I am trying to help myself with further binges. Thank you!

New Person Needing Help and Guidance

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 14:54:41 EST
Good afternoon everyone,

I joined this team last night after someone referred me to you. I have been on Sparkpeople for 15 months. I have done really well, all thanks to God. The past few months I have been struggling with overeating. At first it was 1-2 times a week. This week was really bad.

I know what's caused the overeating/binging. On one hand, I completely cut certain things out just because I didn't trust myself at all. That has now backfired. My overeating stem...

Your After-Binge Recovery Plan?

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 04:50:53 EST
What's your 'after binge recovery plan'?

I have a certain 'routine' of picking myself up after a binge.

The 'plan' includes small simple steps like:

- Take a shower and use an extra nice bodylotion or shower gel
- Take a walk of at least ten preferably thirty minutes
- Drinking plenty of water or herbal tea.
- Waiting to eat until I can feel that I'm hungry / my stomach is empty again
- Once I eat again have something healthy, something ...

Warning: Angry Posts Ahead

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:23:25 EST
It's been almost a couple months now since I've embarked on this journey to stop the binging once and for all, and I must admit- without comfort food and alcohol as my "drug" I'm not quite sure how to handle myself sometimes.
Some of you may have witnessed my little outburst the other night where I was whining and saying that I'm tempted to just go back to the Mexican food, candy, and margarita binges... and that I don't even know what's so great about living binge free, etc, etc.
...

Hour commitments

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 10:38:51 EST
Edited Jan 2013:
Happy New Year!

I found this thread useful to make commitments to not eat for several hours at a time. I created it last year as a public way to make this commitment. My goal has been to learn to eat 3 times a day and "live" in between. These commitments help with that habit. I follow NoS, so Saturdays and Sundays and special days have more flexibility.

I seem to be the only one who used this thread last year, but feel free to jump in if a public...

Giving into the urge to binge....

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 13:40:37 EST
A couple of weeks ago I started getting that urge to binge. It became stronger and stronger and my internal battle to fight the urge became absolutely overwhelming. I knew what had triggered it (issues at work which in turn related to self-esteem), but the knowledge of cause just wasn't enough to make it go away.

Quite often, I get the urge to binge, and I distract myself, and the urge fades away. This time, not one strategy worked. I fought the urge for three days solid. And ...

comfort food, or just comfort? (Dr. Gould)

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 08:10:15 EST

When you use food as a source of comfort, you are actually denying yourself the comfort you really need and deserve. If you overeat because you are tired, overwhelmed, angry, scared or frustrated, then you are actually covering up the real "need" that you should be listening to. And you probably won't find lasting comfort until you pay attention to the desires of that whisper from within.

This week's tip is to focus on getting your real needs met. Is there something you need...

Does reading about binge eating make you binge?

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:06:30 EST
Or... does it bring the thoughts about and the possibility of bingeing closer? I'm wondering about this because at times when I read books about binges or eating disorders, just reading about them makes it all more of a 'reality' to me... or so it seems. How does this work, I wonder?

Bingeing at night

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 15:52:48 EST
I realized that if I have a binge it's almost always late at night. I've been thinking about why this is. I hear from others too that night time is 'trigger time'.
At night I'm tired and when I'm tired I get emotionally upset faster. I also have less resistance against cravings. I now try to rest more and go to bed earlier. Preferably before I start to get hungry again after dinner. It's very hard though. I seem to be quite reluctant to go to bed on time.

Do you binge at nig...

Interesting blog post about binge eating

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 12:35:42 EST
Indygirl, who lost 235 pounds, wrote a very interesting blog post about bingeing and how she deals with it:

www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_jo
urnal_individual.asp?blog_id=5098141

Help! I need to start over...AGAIN.

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 07:00:26 EST
Hi Everyone. I have been lurking for 2 weeks now but reading your posts has helped me have 2 great weeks. And then on Friday I talked to my mom and she SET ME OFF and here I am on Sunday in a haze of a daze and I am sitting here crying and I don't know what to do. I know that I want to start over and I want to feel as good as I have the last two weeks and I just need to stop and restart but there is this little part of my mind that is just bothering me. Ugh I hate this and I am sorry that I a...

Hello Everyone

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 21:17:46 EST
I'm a bit nervous to join the team to pubicize something which has brought me a lot of shame over the past 20 years. My worst time is in the evenings and nights (around this time). So I'm looking for some additional tools and skills to deal with the triggers that cause me to start bingeing. I'm hoping that support will help me to get some control over my bingeing.

So sick of this ongoing battle

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 19:39:11 EST
Hi, I'm Barb and I've been struggling with binge eating at night for longer than I can say. I don't want my life revolving around what the next snack might be. The sun goes down and I start thinking about food....how it tastes, how it feels in my mouth...it's so comforting and entertaining...and all-encompassing. I need help. I think this group will be good for me and hope I can contribute to others.

Hello everyone!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:54:40 EST
I joined this team because I realize that a I am an emotional eater. For along time I hated myself for not being strong minded and it made me binge more. But I accept who I am and the dysfunctional relationship I have with food. I want to live binge free.

Almost lost my streak

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:31:43 EST
Today is my 17th day without binging but I'm really struggling. I'm having a terrible bout of depression due to PMS and I KNOW that it's not genuine hunger, but rather a desire for a Dopamine fix to make me feel better (thanks to BOOKWORM for pointing that out). I came so very close to saying "screw it" and going to get a happy-hour margarita and appetizers, bbq ribs, chips and salsa, etc. Then I know I would have stopped on the way home to get candy to continue the binge.
Thankfully I w...

Step 2: Food Mood Diary & Journal/Blog

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 09:15:10 EST
I've found it very important to keep a food mood diary as it helps you to know what emotions trigger a binge and what sorts of food you go to and when. Also keeping a general journal or ( most of you probably use your) blog. It helps you to really realise what your feeling. I'm sure it's probably not just me who's numbed my feelings out with food. It does some good to know that you have feelings and identifying what you feel when!

For example;
Time: 9.00pm
Food: Dairy Mi...

Step 1: What's your food history???

Tue, 9 Oct 2012 11:59:36 EST
Writing down your food history or why n when you became to have a bad relationship with food can help you to pin point the reasons why we use food as we do. What points in your past have made food your best friend and your worst enemy??

I was always a 'large' child. I had a growth hormonal defect when I was small n by the time I was 5 I looked like a 10 year old. By the time I was 5 my mother had given up on putting me on diet after diet and regularly said 'she's just ment to be fa...

Dr Gould - 'Shrink yourself'?

Mon, 8 Oct 2012 16:07:46 EST
This book was mentioned on the forum. If you have read the book, done the program, practiced his advice - let me know if it was useful for you (and in what way), if you feel like it...

I took his online test yesterday and got a free report and a free e-book that I'm printing out as I write. But before I buy and start reading ANOTHER book on emotional eating I'd like to ask for your opinions...

New to the board

Mon, 8 Oct 2012 14:16:38 EST
Hello, I suffer from binge eating disorder and am new to the board. I have been to therapist but was not taken seriously since I am only slightly overweight. Even so, bingeing takes a mental and physical toll on me and affect all other aspects of my life. I have been somewhat successful with doing "spark streaks" (although I haven't used that term) and would like to join the 21 day challenge. I have been training for a marathon which will happen in 20 days and I would like to go into it feel...

Hello I am new and need help

Sun, 7 Oct 2012 17:31:06 EST
I am a binge eater, just ate four donuts. i know why I did it it is because I am mad at my hubby and myself. i need ideas on what to do when this comes up, i tried going for a walk but it led me right to the donuts.

Did your minimum exercise - yes or no?

Sun, 7 Oct 2012 15:28:21 EST
From my reading, it sounds like consistent moderate exercise, while it might not cause a person to lose weight, is highly associated with longevity, even if a person is so-called overweight. So, if we are serious about wanting to improve our health, and not just get thin, exercise is definitely a good idea. And if ending eating disorders is aided by finding pleasure and contentment in life beyond food and weight loss concerns, then finding a way to fit SOME consistent exercise in seems a good...

how to change the habit of emotional eating

Sat, 6 Oct 2012 12:11:45 EST

by Dr. Roger Gould, author of Shrink Yourself

Any painful life frustration can trigger emotional eating. It could be a difficult marriage, a stressful job, a negative self image or the unrealistic pursuit for "perfection."

And what drives one to emotional eating one day can be different the next.

This might be disappointing information if you're hoping to find and fix just ONE emotional eating trigger that explains it all.

However, if ...

Positive journalling technique

Sat, 6 Oct 2012 09:00:26 EST
Yesterday I did some searching for different ways to keep a journal. I found an awesome way to write about the positive things in my life.

Here it is....

Focus on the positive

Focus on Triumphs

Recognize daily achievements

Focus on future goals

Write down at least one healthy choice

List successes

I started it yesterday. It helped me tremendously.

Remember to sparkle in all your sparkli...

Mexican Food Challenge

Fri, 5 Oct 2012 09:39:07 EST
Tonight my family and I are going to eat out at a Mexican restaurant. I will calmly and sanely sit there while they munch on chips and sip on margaritas, and I will enjoy my water with lemon. I will not feel bitter or resentful that everyone else gets to munch on hundreds of calories worth of chips and drink happiness-in-a-glass. I will happily wait for my entree to come and I will slowly savor the rich, deep flavors of chicken in mole sauce, refried beans, and rice. I will not devour this pl...

hello, just wanted to introduce myself

Tue, 2 Oct 2012 23:51:36 EST
Hi I'm new to the group and I definitely struggle with bingeing. I used to struggle with bulimia for several years, but was able to overcome the purging after being hospitalized, but have been unsuccessful stopping the binges. I maintained my weight despite the binges for a couple of years because of my bery physical massage therapy job, but when I quit a year ago to focus on school I gained 40 pounds in a year because of my decreased activity. I'm trying to get my binging under control but i...

STOP STOP STOP

Mon, 1 Oct 2012 10:15:58 EST
I am screaming to myself. STOP! Baking birthday cookies for my daughter and I shoved 3 cookies and started to stuff a piece of chocolate in my mouth. Realizing I had a piece of chocolate in each hand broke me out of the frenzy I was about to start.

Important for me to remember although I broke my streak I did stop the binge that could have potentially lasted me a day. Let the count begin again.

"just" feeling the feelings,w/out eating over them

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 10:31:00 EST

As a recovering binge eater of almost 40 years, I have felt for my whole life that my feelings would be too much to handle. That if I really had the nerve NOT to binge instead of feel the feelings, that I would not be able to overcome that sort of pain. That I cannot hear the core truths of my own life and be okay.

I am finding that to be a lie. Each time that I allow the feelings and don't pile food on top of them, I grow a teeny bit emotionally stronger. Am I sad lat...

May I always be able to handle it this way...

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 11:12:35 EST
I had a VERY very hard moment today and succeeded in handling it well, I think! Very glad and relieved about that.
There's a very serious issue, in that it bothers me very much, that has been playing for years already. It's only getting more to the forefront again recently because I'm trying to take steps and change the situation. Because of some interactions remdinding me of it all I got VERY (very) angry all of a sudden. I got so angry that I had to return home instead of taking a bu...

Wondering

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 16:27:34 EST
I'm trying to get some more clarity on just what are the views regarding food, bingeing and weight of this team... I have looked at the resources sticky and intend to check out some of the books and authors mentioned there.

But I'm wondering if there are some basic ideas or principles that are used here? Maybe by the team leaders?
What does this team consider to a binge to be, and how to deal with / heal from a tendency to binge?

regarding helpful amount of exercise

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 02:08:58 EST
Here is an interesting article about exercise that spurred weight loss. Loss isn't supposed to be our focus, but for anyone trying to decrease bingeing and who may therefore not be tracking calories, this may be a boon. And it reassures anyone who is convinced she has to put in long sessions. It's certainly not true for the most bang for your buck for health improvements. Now it looks true for peaceful calorie burn.

well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/is
-30-minutes-of-dai...

DAY 1 of 50- NEED SUPPORT PLEASE-

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:40:16 EST
Hi, I have tried to live binge free MANY times over the past year, in an attempt to be 50 pounds lighter by my 50th birthday. However, I am now 50 DAYS from my 50th birthday and 8 pounds lighter. I am thankful for the 8 pounds, but would really love to be binge free for the next 50 days (with the help of God). I would also really appreciate any support or encouragement on this real life journey that is beginning today. I have never been able to acheive anything like this (21 days Binge free h...

in your opinion, what constitutes a binge?

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 15:12:41 EST

It's interesting to me how people define a binge. For me, a binge is eating somewhere between 500 and thousands of calories after a meal, and having the sensation of "needing" the binge to release tension/emotions. Personally I don't consider a larger than usual dinner to be a binge.

What's a binge to you? (obviously there is no wrong answer, I just hope people aren't being too hard on themselves. Two cookies instead of one is not a binge. It may be an unnecessary...

i need help :(

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 23:22:21 EST
i really don't know how much longer i can continue this cycle of doing so well during the week, then ruining it with one bad day. i need to stop bingeing because when i do, i feel the need to purge and it is just not healthy :( it's really starting to depress me and i really need some help to get through this.

Making progress

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 09:30:06 EST
Hello all! It's been about two weeks since I've had a real epic binge. For the most part I've been eating 3 sensible meals each day. I have tried to abstain from sweets through the week but had a set-back a couple times. However, during those times I didn't let it get out of control. I only had one serving of the sweet. So all in all... I feel like I'm making progress!
I've decided it's time to stop drinking margaritas... at least for right now. I'm entirely too vulnerable to binge, and ...

I can't do this anymore

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:55:37 EST
Hi, everyone. I am so done!!! I don't want to live like this anymore. I have been living under the tyranny of food for too long! When I was in college and at the beginning of my marriage, I would binge and purge. It scared my husband so much he sent me to a therapist. The one thing I remember her telling me was that my new rule to live by was "if you binge, you can't purge, you eat it, you keep it." Well, that helped with the purging. But it didn't help me with the binging. So I even...

Body issues.... .Something to ponder on

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:39:25 EST
I did a little research about the percentage of women who have body issues.

I found that Currently, 80 percent of women in the U.S. are dissatisfied with their appearance. And more than 10 million are suffering from eating disorders.

Historically, the ideal female body was strong and full-figured, as seen in icons such as Marilyn Monroe. Yet even as early as the 1800s, when painful, health-impairing corsets were used to accentuate the breasts, hips and buttocks, women w...

A Sparkling hug for everyone! Lets keep it going!

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 08:57:53 EST
247 212 247

Instructions on how to sparkle in your sparkiness

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 08:49:15 EST
You've been hit by a powerful jolt of sparkled sparkiness.

Pass it on ...

These instruction will definitely help you to live a sparkled day in all your sparkiness.

1. Smile a lot.
2. Practice random acts of kindness.
3. Give someone a hug.
4. Laugh out loud.
5. Do at least one positive thing for yourself.
6. Do at least one positive thing for someone else.
7. Give a goodie to your Spark friends.
8. Give someone prai...

coffee substitute

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:27:36 EST
I have stopped drinking coffee but I miss that drink in the morning in the car.
I am looking for ideas in a substitute drink that would not give me that caffeine jolt that leaves me jittery and tired.

Glad to be here!

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 17:19:11 EST
I have been struggling with binge eating all my life. I lost 60 pounds a couple years ago. I gained about 10 back. I did really good with my eating. Just recently I started binging at night. I am hoping to find like minded people to share my woes and accomplishments with.

41

Sushi- My Challenge For Today

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:24:38 EST
People are often surprised when I tell them one of my favorite comfort foods is sushi. I LOVE sushi! But it's not often thought of as a comfort food. But oh... it's so good. I love it! And I like the real stuff, too. Not the deep fried stuff wrapped in rice and drenched in sugary sauce with deep fried crunchies on top. I like the raw sushi, sashimi, rainbow rolls, with lots of veggies, etc.
But even the real stuff is still not low in calories. I can eat A LOT of sushi. I've been known to...

Can you visualize yourself thin?

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:39:35 EST
This from Jacquieann1:

How many of you are like me and have no idea what you will look like when you have lost the weight that you want to?

i have never been my 'right weight' overweight since the age of 11 or 12 .i know i will never be tiny as while i am short i have big hands and feet.this came up for me as i have joined spark coach and a lot of the daily visualisation invole seeing yourself at goal. i just cant do it. .any one else have the problem?

weekend FAIL

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:08:47 EST
So I failed this weekend :( BINGE
I over eat on sat and sunday by a lot.
Hot chocolate and pie. (1000 calories right here) with girlfriend sat afternoon coffee shop.
Chocolates and chips. (3000 right here) sunday night
It adds up so fast with the junk.

My thought processes was just to have ONE serving of each and that's it! FAIL I eat until my hubby and me polished it all off mindlessly infront of the TV sunday night.

I need a new approach count...

Geenen Roth on Dr Oz Show 9-19-2012

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:15:55 EST
Hi everyone,
I just saw that Geenen Roth is going to be on the Dr Oz show this Wednesday, Sept. 19.
She is going to be talking about breaking free from extreme bingeing.
I just thought I would pass this info on in case anyone is interested in watching.
Have a peaceful day with yourself and the food,
~Joy~
AKA Lilac

IGOSSELS Challenge

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 14:15:20 EST
I have decided my challenge for the week will be to consume all food in a chair.

~ No food consumption in the bed (I know this is disgusting, but I have been known to binge in my bed even though I detest food in the bedroom!)
~ No food consumption on the couch (this is not concerning since I don't watch TV)
~ No food consumption in front of the computer (I believe this will be my greatest challenge).

If I eat something, it must be in a chair and I have to put m...

Looking for a Fun & Active Team

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:05:41 EST
Hi. My name is Dee. Long time dieter. I can lose ten, gain ten back, lose 10 again and then by gosh there that ten is back again.....my life story!I I can't seem to stick to a plan over the long haul. I find myself on a binge and sometimes it lasting days. This only leads to me being grouchy, grumpy & frumpy! So here I am to get your thoughts, advise and support. I hope I can help someone out too. OK PEOPLE- Let's get this party started!!! HUGS to all of you. WE CAN DO THIS!!

Concerning Thoughts

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 17:09:51 EST
I realize a major part of recovery and learning to live peacefully with food (and self) involves accountability... so I would like to share some troubling thought processes that I encountered this past week.

Let me start off by saying that I do not consider myself an 'inflated' person, prideful, or otherwise egotistical. Humility is something I do put a tremendous effort into embracing as a virtue in my own character. This is why I am so troubled by this particular thought I caught...

All or Nothing

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 10:11:31 EST
I really need some support today. My family and I are planning to go out for a burger for dinner. I really want a burger! But my problem is... I have a lot of anxiety about it. I have that "all or nothing" personality that binge eaters typically have. I am so scared I'm going to not be able to stop at the burger. I'm scared it will trigger a binge. But I HAVE to learn how to incorporate the foods I love into my life without letting them trigger binges. It's inevitable I'm going to eat them......

Looking for a support buddy

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:42:48 EST
Hi all,

After bingeing on nothing but junk... chocolate... cookies... etc... for the third day in a row, I know I need to talk with someone.

I have been on the binge eating roller coaster for the last 15 or 16 years of my life (I'm 32 now) and need to do something that can foster some permanent change. I maintain a healthy weight range - although at the high end of where I should be - and believe I only manage to stay where I'm at because I am compulsive about exercise...

fully back (i think)

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:52:11 EST
thank you all for being so patient with me but i think i am now fully back .
i am having problems understanding myself. my father died 1 month ago .we were veryclose and i had been his caregiver for the last 31/2 years.
now what i dont understand is i havent binged once in this time.i have made the odd unhealthy choice but using the skills i have learnt here i have felt my grief dealt with it and carried on instead of my usual hide it under the numbness of food.
i know i have...

Trying something new

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 09:28:10 EST
My "binge" is a very anxious feeling where I am reaching for food, usually when I am not hungry, with a sense of urgency. When I have that feeling I've been stopping, if not currently eating or stopping and slowing down. Here's the problem. Not actually eating enough. I'm falling short of 1200 calories a day.

So, I was thinking, while I am very happy with my weight loss so far and very proud of myself for being binge free I need to be careful not to swing the other way.
...

Living Binge Free?

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:21:43 EST
Day 1. I've been struggling a lot lately. Every day I promise myself that I will eat reasonably and begin exercising again. Every day I break that promise in a huge way. My skin is getting bad again. The dry patches and tightness are constant reminders that I'm out of control. I feel bloated. I don't trust myself to be able to stop eating and so I try not to start. When I am hungry I wander around the kitchen agonizing about the right thing to eat, the thing that will satiate. Proble...

"eating competence"

Sun, 9 Sep 2012 13:23:04 EST
'm very much enjoying reading SOME of the pages on the site of Ellyn Sattow, who talks of eating competence. I wouldn't want anyone to use the label to berate herself if she thinks she isn't "eating competent," but it is still an interesting concept.

There are four components for ecSatter (4)
• Context: Take time to eat, and provide yourself with rewarding meals and snacks at regular and reliable times.
• Attitude: Cultivate positive attitudes about eating and about food...

Where to start...

Fri, 7 Sep 2012 23:57:43 EST
What do you believe is the one most helpful piece of advice that you could give somebody who is looking to overcome a pattern of binging and seeks a healthy, peaceful relationship with food?

Shrink yourself - Mind body connection

Wed, 5 Sep 2012 09:50:33 EST
I found a shrink yourself team but it doesn't seem very active + their description of a binge is a please tell me that eating an extra apple is not a binge...

So this topic is to follow Dr Gould and if you want to add Beck etc you can.

It's about what we can do to help each other with our trying to get control of our eating habits.

Anyone is welcome.

I just downloaded the pocket hunger coach and I think i'm going to try and use it next time I feel a...

My first thoughts after reading the sticky thread

Sat, 1 Sep 2012 00:49:41 EST
I've done a lot of thinking after reading through the sticky topic. I love the links and all the information and found much of it to be accurate or at least in line with my experience.
The one thing I found though, is that in spite of having done a fair amount of reading on the topic (less in books, more on the net) over the years, that it was hard for me to see the red thread going through all of it. I suspect for someone who needs some start-up tips on how to deal with binge eating it...

Realization

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:21:26 EST
I love this team! I have made a lot of progress in just a few weeks because of this team. Reading through these posts, I made a realization. I rationalized my bingeing because I would exercise so much afterward that I never gained weight. I figured if I stayed steady on the scale, what did it matter if I ate a lot of junk food. I realize now that a healthy lifestyle isn't about the scale. Eating junk food has so many bad consequences that can't be undone by all the exercise in the world. I fo...

new to the team, not to spark

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 10:05:42 EST
I found this team after having been on Spark for quite a long time. I wish I had known about it a long time ago.
I am actually past the binge eating now but have lots of experience with it. It started when I was a teenager and trying to lose just a few pounds. I set myself up for failure by eating too many calories and dealing with negative emotions by eating tasty foods. In my case everything I ate was loaded with sugar and today I realize that part of the addiction cycle was simply a ...

UCSF WATCH clinic lifestyle intervention

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:41:16 EST
Now this isn't meant to stop bingeing, but these steps might help overall.

http://www.h3daily.com/fitness/4-simple-
steps-to-weight-loss/

Completely out of control

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:38:49 EST
Hi Everyone.

Here's a quick rundown of my weightloss journey so far, and where I am now.
Over a couple of years, I managed to lose over hundred lbs (the right way I believe) and came very close to my goal.
Now for the last six months I've had lots of binge issues and now I can't even call it a binge as it doesn't ever stop. Yes I'm an emotional eater and I've got stress galore lately...but.....
I went from being out of breath going up stairs, to running 10k races, t...

Binging and confused....

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:03:28 EST
So yesterday I binged, or at least it felt like a binge but I also stayed in my calories.

I was so mad about work and about my DBF and things in general that I wanted mashed potatoes and corn. Weird but I was craving it. I binged on two servings of each, and then I was done. I tracked it first to see how many calories it was. It felt like a binge in my head but at the same time I paid attention to what I wanted and tracked.

Binge or no Binge? Thoughts?

I'm not alone!!!

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 10:47:57 EST
Hello,

I'm waving at you from wild and wonderful West Virginia. From what I see there is lots of positive energy and support going on around here. My story is the same as most of you probably in that this struggle with food is always a challenge. I must say that it is always a learning and reevaluating experience. God chose this compulsiveness as a way to bring me to my knees every once in a while and face my demons.

I'm Grammy to 2 beautiful grandbabes, retired and ...

Feeling Hopeless

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:19:33 EST
Hi Everyone,

Haven't logged onto Spark in awhile but figured that maybe writing about my struggles would somehow help my situation. For the past year, it seems as though I can't get through one week without at least one binge. I feel like eating has taken over my life and don't know how to stop it. I think about it constantly and can't stand the uncomfortable feeling associated with being hungry. I hate that I always seem to log on here after a large binge instead of using it as a ...

Hello!

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 20:21:07 EST
My name is Bridget and I am definately a binge eater/overeater, whatever you choose to call it. I have been to an OA meeting and I am thinking about going back. I need HELP. I don't understand how to stop but I am trying.

I can't avoid junk food

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 12:10:48 EST
My husband and I dabbled in a vending machine business, which worked well, but isn't ideal for us b/c we're an air force family and we move a lot. Anyway, we're in the process of selling them, and are stuck with a bunch of junk food in our spare room. What ideas do you have for helping me control myself? I tried to not eat anything at all for a couple of weeks. But after 4 or 5 days, I would binge. Like, dang son. Thanks for your help :)

What self-talk helps you the most?

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 01:26:47 EST
Self-talk has been invaluable in helping me manage binges. I have a lot of things I say to myself. I'll share a few. Hope you will, too.

"If I can wait to pee, I can wait to eat."
"That's a bad idea."
" I'll feel better if I wait for my next meal."
"Resisting urges is uncomfortable and unpleasant, but it's tolerable."
"I may deserve a treat, but overeating and random eating is not a treat." 90

9 days of anxiety

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 11:20:54 EST
Next 9 days are going to be really hard. I have house guests from today until Wed and then I leave Thurs morning for camping trip (which I have to pack for). I do not have a big house. I am also working Mon - Wed. I expected this to be hard but was planning to focus on one thing at a time and try to relax. I already have so much anxiety and the first guest (who is here until Wed) has been here less then an hour. Thankfully hubby and guest ran to the store so I can stop, focus and shower...

New to communities, but not to spark or bingeing

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:19:07 EST
Hello all - I'm new to the group, but not so new to binge eating or to Spark People. I first started using Spark People as a calorie tracker in 2009, after gaining a significant amount of weight my sophomore year of college from binge eating due to emotional difficulties, though at the time I wasn't able to identify the problem as "bingeing" or what was causing it. While I hardly used the community aspect, I was fairly successful, and managed to lose a good amount of the weight, and then ke...

2 steps forward - 1 step back

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 07:54:25 EST
Back to day 1. Last night I got home from work and immediately felt overwhelmed and anxious. I was tired and now faced a mess of a kitchen. Up till then I had a good day was in my calorie range made all good choices. I was sitting on the couch with my daughter and I decided to have a handful - just a handful of pirate booty. Although I did stop before finishing the bag it was still a binge and for a moment I felt myself loose control.

And the cycle started . . . I could feel ...

Emotional or Food Addiction?

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 14:10:28 EST
I am re-starting my program - got way off track this past year and the binge eating is getting much, much worse. Definnitely want to join the team.

Does a 'trigger' food HAVE to equal a binge?

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:59:23 EST
Hi Everyone :)

Today I read a post "Forget Chocolate" .. You really CAN'T have your cake and eat it too"
Well just having had a piece of chocolate cake yesterday and with the way I feel today, about having ate it. It put me on a passionate rant about deprivation, with some very personal disclosures. And, so I thought if I have felt this way, or have had some sort of negative (perhaps, disgusting) food behavior, then surely I am not alone!

So, here's my passionate ra...

Why do you want to stop bingeing?

Thu, 9 Aug 2012 22:36:27 EST
I've seen a lot discussed on why people binge/emotional eat, but in order to stop I think it would help to be able to have somewhere to post exactly why we want to stop. If we have a place where we can record our reasons for wanting to stop bingeing, then we can look back on it when we are struggling. I didn't see another thread or post specific to this, so I thought I would start one.
Blessings!
Lilac

381 67 437

Why do we binge?

Wed, 8 Aug 2012 21:02:14 EST
Recently, I admitted to the fact that I binge, A LOT! I am doing much better with resisting urges, and I am soooooo grateful to this team for their support and resources. But I had to wonder; why do we binge or do other destructive things? Whenever I feel the urge binge, and I think of why I should do it, I can think of more reasons why I shouldn't do it. My husband used to smoke, even though he knew how bad it really was. So anyway, does anyway know why we overeat, even though we know it's b...

Blah, My Week of Binging

Tue, 7 Aug 2012 06:36:59 EST
I went on vacation for a long weekend and just completely threw my eating and exercise plan right out the window. And for half the week before vacation I continued to eat horrible foods in large quantities and ignore the protests from my body. I am trying not to feel guilty about this because it is over and done with but I was doing so good before and I feel like I let myself down from all the hard work I've put in to myself.

I think I start to do this when I'm stressed or see impr...

Newbie to LBF team

Tue, 7 Aug 2012 02:58:51 EST
Hi everyone, I'm new to the team, but I've been on SP for over 5 years. I've managed to gain a further 14 pounds since I first joined SP. Realised that my primary problem is binge eating, my excess 60 pounds is a symptom of that.

I've tried several different methods to both stop binge eating and lose weight. Nothing so far has worked for me. If I don't diet and do intuitive eating that is a recipe for me to just eat constantly. I know it works great for some, but not for me. If I ...

Leaving the team

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:24:04 EST
Thank you all for your help. I am not having any serious problems with binge eating currently. I am hoping that this is good for a while. If you see me back, you will know.

Wishing you all the best!

Do you log your binges?

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:08:31 EST
I had a binge last night after a rough and stressful day. I was fully aware of what I was doing and knew that it was a mistake. I woke up this morning and got back to my routine. It was one slip up and I'm over it.

But I was just wondering if I should log it in my nutrition tracker. I never have before and don't really want to because I think it would really depress me. I know what I did and I know about how many calories over I was, but I just don't think I want to keep that remin...

Help! I keep using food to fill the pain

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 08:49:59 EST
Hi there,
I just joined this a few weeks ago to help find support and to lose the weight I had gained in 2 months (broke with a boyfriend and I have a mean workaholic boss that is making my life miserable). I find I turn to food when I'm lonely, bored, and stressed. Yesterday and duri g the week I got in my car and went to the store to buy this crappy food to eat to fill my need- how do I stop from getting in my car and to have a binge?. I refuse to weigh myself this morning as it will ...

Recently aware of struggles with binge eating

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:27:25 EST
Welcome! My name is Maran, and I am new to the team. I have high hopes for myself, but I have encountered problems with bingeing. My husband and I service vending machines, so the inventory we keep stocked is obviously a hurdle. We currently have the machines listed for sale so that that is no longer an issue. But Even before the machines, I have had troubles with bingeing. It's the worst feeling to see food, and just eat it. I'm sure you've all had that feeling; you may not be hungry, and yo...

So glad I found this team!

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 10:43:36 EST
I am pretty new to Sparkpeople (just a few weeks) and am having a great time--this is fun, supportive and motivating. Binge eating is my big challenge and has been for years (decades, actually). That is how I gain weight--boxes of fudgesicles after dinner, a dozen cookies or so after dinner. I usually gain 10-12 pounds before I manage to get a handle on it. I've done this too many times to count. Now that I am getting older (57) I realize that I want to make the next 20 years or so as go...

I'm new to the group & a food addict ... HELP!

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:17:08 EST
I just joined the team, hiello there, and appreciate the opportunity to find support and guidance with people who know what the heck iI'm talking about when I say "I don't know why I found myself grazing in the kitchen even though I was full from dinner!"

how do I silence the voices in my head and reframe my thinking so I'm not obsessing with the contents of my fridge?

Hello Everyone!

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 19:07:38 EST
I am a victim of fad diets, the last one of which I lost 120 pounds over the course of 3 years, just to put it back on over 1 year. I have finally joined a gym and started attending water aerobic classes. I REALLY want to learn how to eat like everyone else and not give into binges.
My life is kind of stressful with family issues coming from my children and grandchildren.
My source of strength (although should be my faith) tends to be cookies, cakes, and candy...the 3 C's. Th...

Hello !

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:42:59 EST
Hi, my name is Victoria and I am new to the team and thought I would swing by and say hello.

I am 51 years old and am in recovery from binge eating disorder which I have suffered from non stop since 83 when I was a young college girl of 22.

It has been a very very long and hard road to get where I am, 29 years is a long time.

What I am finding helpful in my recovery was cleaning up my diet and going both gluten free and vegan. I find eliminating bread, macaro...

Back again : )

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 22:44:59 EST
Hello all,

I was a part of this group about a year ago and then stopped when I moved to Boston for graduate school. At the beginning of that transition I was doing well, feeling excited about living in a new city, meeting new people and learning about a subject I am passionate about. But as school became incredibly stressful, I felt like I had no real, close friends here and I felt more homesick and depressed I started binging again. And of course the spiral of gaining weight, feel...

Obsessing over food

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:28:45 EST
This isn't only during a binge. Even during a normal meal, I feel like I have to eat the entire meal right away. I can't save food for later, because I can't stop thinking about it, knowing the food is there! Any suggestions to help with these thoughts? Thanks!

hello

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 21:09:30 EST
I am so thankful that there is this team on sparkpeople, although I wouldn't wish this disorder on anyone. Today, I took some kiddos to the pool and did lap swim. There wasn't any food available there and I knew if I took the kids out early they would be sad. That gave me some time. After my workout, I didn't want to ruin the effect of it. Had dinner...however evening is my worst time after the kids have gone to bed. I'll log on to sparkpeople if I need to keep my hands busy. 30 Ho...

this isn't easy for me...

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 19:31:01 EST
Hi all.

I've struggled with binge eating for almost 7 years now. I'm so sick of being caught in this constant cycle of...

losing weight only to gain it right back
feeling ashamed
putting life on hold to "get over" a binge
being a slave to how much I do or don't eat

I think I let it go this far because I thought it was something I'd just have to deal with my whole life - a struggle I'd just have to learn how to manage better. But now I'm at the p...

the day after

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 23:36:37 EST
What do you eat the day after a binge - your regular food plan, or do you go heavy on the proteins or anything else. I guess I thinking of a detox?

Engagement

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 09:55:02 EST
I got engaged exactly a week ago and im so excited. Its crazy since then i have not felt to need or reason to binge. yes the feelings come up and i just think about walking down the aisle and it goes away. I gave myself a goal of 20 pounds then i will start looking at dresses and so far im down 3. probably just water weight or regulation of eating a normal amount of food, but i just hope that this feeling will continue. I'm ready to get married and move on with the rest of my life! Just have ...

Confusion

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 15:35:02 EST
After days of binging and no exercise, I'm left feeling like a big, fat loser. To name just a few of the items I binged on- I had a Culvers double bacon burger deluxe with fries and fried cheese, a gallon of Blue Bell coffee ice cream, two boxes (3 bars per box) of Magnum double chocolate caramel ice cream bars, cereal, bags and bags of microwave popcorn, etc.

So my confusion is with the fact that I just weighed myself and didn't gain an ounce. I don't understand how that could be....

Why?

Sat, 7 Jul 2012 20:17:48 EST
I know what to do- stop worrying about weight, practice intuitive eating, put up the scale, pick up a hobby, stay consistently active, etc...
BUT... I seem to have developed some kind of sick, twisted relationship with my b.e.d. I hate it (and I do mean HATE) when I'm actively binging and immediately following a binge. But when I'm not actively binging, and am recovering from previous binges, then it's almost a comfort to know that it is there "just in case." What the f***!!??? What is u...

Hey!

Thu, 5 Jul 2012 23:25:03 EST
Hey! I'm Rae and have been on Spark since February. Today I was diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and I think this team looks promising.

Hi everyone!

Sun, 1 Jul 2012 13:39:03 EST
I was a member of this team for a brief time but left after having to cut down on some Spark time. I decided I really needed to come back because I'm not getting anywhere on my own. I do well for a couple days and then all bets are off once I give in to my cravings. It doesn't make any sense to keep going back to the same old patterns. I look forward to participating on the team and find the missing links to help end my journey on the Binge Express.

Wishing everyone a good week...

Im so glad that Im not alone

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:09:16 EST
Until I read some of the postings here,I really thought that I was alone.That surly,noone else can lose control as badly as I do.
I am hoping to find a way to get a handle on this.
It does`nt do any good to try to "diet" because anything that I restrict myself from,I will start craving and eating it .I was doing the 17 day diet and lost seven pounds.Of course you can`t have bread,pasta,sweets,the usual.I was craving pasta and I don`t even care for pasta much.
Anyway,I am glad ...

Thought of the day

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 08:24:55 EST
Sometimes I see a skinny girl walk past me and I just loathe her for being that amazing looking and not having to do anything other than be herself, I asked said girl the other day what her secret was and she shrugged and just said "I have always been this way", then she pointed out her two kids in the cart by her....sigh, but you know what? at the end of the day, my "skinny" body is something I can be proud of, no one "gave" it to me through some amazing genes, and I have to do sooooo much m...

Hi!

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:32:39 EST
Hi! I'm new! I can have really bad problems with binging. Once I get going, there's no stopping me. The trick is to not get going, to make it through those urges, to not brings binge foods into the house, to avoid restaurants where I can binge, triggers. I don't know why I binge, but I've eaten my way up to 262 lbs., post gastric bypass. So I pretty much wasted that chance. Back to the hard way or a different way, lifestyle change.

I live in Colorado with my three cats. I l...

Binges, emotions, food

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:28:09 EST
It's not all that easy to come up with an introduction of myself... What to write and what to leave out?
I don't think I can say that I ever had a 'normal' (what is that, anyway?) relationship with food. I was a 'chubby' child and began yo-yoing after my first diet at the age of 15.

So while I had been familiar with emotional overeating, I only started having binges two years ago after I lost an important relationship.
A pattern began of eating healthy foods for a few ...

'What is a binge?'

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:12:55 EST
What is your definition of a binge? Or maybe 'when' is it a binge? Does it have to do with how much food we eat? Or with the type of foods?
Do you have particular foods that you will binge on?

Lifelong struggle with binging

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 11:30:10 EST
I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't struggle with binging. When I was a child I would sneak into the kitchen and stuff food into my mouth even though I was well fed. It was emotional eating--lonely, bored, feeling judged. The binging continued in my teens as I struggled with disappointments and losses. I was never more than 20 pounds overweight as a teenager--I "compensated" for the binging by not eating at other times.
Three years ago I lost all the weight that I wanted to ...

What I am going to do to get back on track

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:58:11 EST
I've been struggling with emotional and impulsive eating for about a year now. It started in college when I lived in the dorm room but now that I'm home for the summer, I've still been unable to completely rid myself of the habit of emotional and impulsive eating. It feels (and is) an addiction.
Looking back on how I've been eating this summer I'd say I've been just as healthy and food conscious as I have been impulsive, using eating as a comfort or distraction. I say this because the ...

There was a thread on here

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 07:55:37 EST
The 2 pound loss countdown thread. I can't find it to post my update. I even when through my recent posts. It isn't there either and i know i am not going crazy lol. I am assuming the thread is deleted????

Hi

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:14:24 EST
My name is Suze. I am 4 ft 11 inches with heels ...lol.... I am going to be "50". I have been overweight all my life even when I was in the Military !!! I was a member of the ( over) weight management program even then. I had to be required to be motivated to lose weight. The real secret was I used food for comfort . I always ate butter & sugar sandwiches and fried biscuits rolled in sugar. Family problems led to my Divorce after 16 years of what I thought was bliss. The binges have now tak...

Been MIA

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 06:00:03 EST
I have not been on this forum in a while but i am still here on spark. After redefing my goals and switching my focus to gain muscle, I have gained some weight. I have been struggling this week with wanting to binge but have avoided it by just going to bed early. I love the support of this forum but had to stop reading everyday due to time constraints and i felt reading too much about binging was perpetuating my negative self talk. Its important to have a safe place to vent and get it out of ...

Plan of desperation...

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 21:13:28 EST
ok, so I am going through some serious stuff right now that just stinks and I am aware that is not an excuse to binge but my body is soooo trained to expect something sweet when I am stressed that I just cannot seem to help it :( I was doing, well, not great but ok before my vacation and now it's just all gone to the dogs so this is what I am going to do and anyone that likes this idea feel free to join me... I love books, I love reading, I love getting lost in them, I love everything about b...

Binge Day/Week after weight loss :(

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 04:34:39 EST
Hi everyone, on the 17th of april I joined weight watchers and I lost 4.9 kilos in 6 weeks! I was so proud of myself. This week however, I have been over eating like there is no tomorrow, even today- and tomorrow I'm meant to go to Weight Watchers for a weigh-in!

Some of the foods I ate today:
3 peanut butter granola bars
2 strawberry pop tarts
Reese's peanut butter cups
Kit kit
Salt and vinegar potato chips
4 sausage rolls (sausages wrapped in pastr...

New Kid in School

Mon, 4 Jun 2012 16:58:33 EST
Hi all! I've known about this group for a while thanks to my friend JOL, but I haven't had the nerve to join until now. Howdy!

I'm 40 something, married with kitties, a tech writer, and I've been in recovery for almost exactly one year. I see a therapist and a nutritionist on alternating weeks. I read a lot, I journal a lot, and I have a blog about my recovery (which I repost here on my Spark Blog too). It's been a long year of ups and downs, like everyone else. At the moment I'm ...

Binge triggers

Thu, 31 May 2012 21:33:19 EST
What is going on here? Three times now when I hit a new low in my weight it has triggered a binge. I can't make any sense of it. Does this happen to others?

Job

Wed, 30 May 2012 23:35:04 EST
It is really hard not to binge when my job is soooo stressful :( my boss is trying to get me fired so what do i do? a whole cake and like 10 cookies and......yeaaaa, figures. anyone have any thoughts on stress relievers for a high stress life? cause, as much as it pains me to say this, changing jobs isnt an option :(

mini win

Tue, 29 May 2012 17:19:45 EST
Today was hard at work, really stressful and horrible weather today too. so i went to the store and bought all my favorite binge treats. Yes I did eat some of them, but I stopped and realized that I was worth more then some stupid candy. I decided to throw it away and stopped before it got out of hand and now i am just relaxing after my awesome workout. I'm getting one step closer to beating my binge eating. I hate who I hade become and don't want to go back there. I will fall a few times bu...

Tired of my bad habits

Tue, 29 May 2012 16:11:24 EST
I found this team this afternoon, after I ate lunch, but then somehow thought I could fool myself into thinking I could eat ONE Lindt chocolate ball. I ended up eating a handful more of various minature chocolates and then felt awful. Yesterday I had a huge piece of chocolate pie after lunch, then a frozen custard concrete (like a DQ blizzard) after dinner, and a Snickerdoodle right before bed as my "last" treat for the weekend/holiday. I do that every Sunday! This week it was Monday due ...

Thank you

Mon, 28 May 2012 17:56:35 EST
Hi there - I introduced myself a few posts down as Shula-D, but due to a technical hitch (my house rabbit, the 'real' Shula, sat on my mousepad!!) my account got deleted. So, thank you for your encouraging messages to my previous post, and already I'm so grateful for this group - I was having a terrible evening: binged so much and just feeling overwhelmed with everything in my life right now. That is usually when I decide to embark on some mad starvation diet, but reading the posts in this ...

feeling full

Sun, 27 May 2012 23:51:10 EST
everything I have read about binging says listen to ur body and when its full it will feel full and stuff to that liking, well, i am beginning to think my body doesnt have a "full alarm" of sorts. I mean I can sit and eat an entire box of animal crackers without ever feeling full but I know I should b. I dont feel hungry anymore (I am aware that's a sign) but I dont really feel....well, full. If I am not hungry I try not to eat and mindless eating is kinda my big downfall for when I am watchi...

Am i in the right forum?

Sun, 27 May 2012 09:08:32 EST
I have been reading many posts within the forum and i hear a lot about binging, which i feel is what i do. I eat all the time and it doesn't matter what it is. But then i read about compulsive eating. Isn't this the same or is this forum about binging and then purging?

I noticed...

Sat, 26 May 2012 16:41:51 EST
There isn't a challenge for this month or at least i don't see one. Just wondering if there will be one for June?

How to find comfort NOT in food?

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:15:05 EST
Any advice on what you all use as a comfort instead of food? I find when i am upset or avoiding things i run for food and well it isn't good when i have a week or two of these feelings going on as it really adds up the pounds.

Trying to find things instead of food for comfort.

New to this group but not new to SP

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:00:31 EST
I have been a member of SP for a couple years now. However i keep falling off the wagon. I decided to log back onto SP and find a group that i hope can help me and i can help others like me. Binging is a big one for me. I noticed that you have some goals at the bottom of this team. One of them being blog once a day about how i avoided binging and helped yourself each day. This is a perfect way to get started on my journey to weight loss.

Looking forward to knowing you all!

No meat

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:38:59 EST
I have osteoarthritis and want to see if giving up red meat might help so I have not eaten any meat for a fortnight. Well, I have in fact, I am not fanatic, but I don´t buy or cook meat, my food at home has been pultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, peas and lentils for protein.

The joints feels much better for them moment but as it comes and goes I don´t know if it is a permanent improvement.

But the other effect is that I don´t overeat or binge. Not entirely true, I can ...

Mindful Eating

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:48:48 EST
A 2 pound loss is doable. The best motivator is success.
Anybody want to join me in losing 2 pounds at a time?

5/ 1 - 152
5/15 - 150 - first two pounds gone

5/19 - 149.6
5/21 - 149.1

"Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them."
- Leo Tolstoy, was a great Russian writer, whose masterpieces are "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina".

Hi

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:54:18 EST
I am here to lose weight.

Hi there

Sun, 20 May 2012 14:11:42 EST
Hi everyone,

I'm glad to find this team here: I've suffered with binge eating for many years, and it has steadily got much worse: I can't remember the last time I had a day where I ate 'normally'. The more I have gained weight, the more self-conscious I have felt, and the less I have socialised. The inevitable result: more binging in a futile attempt to feel 'better'...

So, now I am attempting to break out of this vicious cycle and slowly get my life back on track.

A new member--glad to be here

Sun, 20 May 2012 10:29:51 EST
Hi, Everyone!
Glad to be part of your team. I'm joining the 21-day binge free streak! Karin

So glad to find a team on Binging!

Sat, 19 May 2012 13:41:02 EST
Hi, my name is Jeannie, 45 yr old mother of 2, 100pds to loose. I am so happy to find a group addressing binge eating, as this is one of my major problems. I can be great for a day or two and ruin it in an hour with what I call a "pity party". I've been on Spark for about a month and it is wonderful for me to know there are people struggling with my same issues. Look forward to meeting everyone! 213

Support Groups?

Fri, 18 May 2012 08:31:46 EST
I am thinking about going along to a local support group for folks with eating disorders. They have a talk every two weeks on relevant topics which sound really interesting. Then they have informal discussion/chat.

Does anyone here have experience of real-life support groups (as opposed to online)?

I am a bit nervous about it for a few reasons:

1. I'm quite introverted so the idea of chatting is scary - although I know from experience I can get past that...

i need this group badly.

Fri, 11 May 2012 13:39:44 EST
Hi im Laura, Im 45 year old mom, and have no self-control when it comes to food. I quite drinking when i got pregnant 14 years ago, and replaced it with food and comfort when im stressed, and thats 90% of the time. I have insomnia, fibro,panic/anxiety, chronic pain, and a stressful household.
Im looking forward to starting once again on spark family. I cant give up on myself again.
Looking forward to meeting all of you.
Ive met a great friend already.
She's awsome.

One meal at a time

Fri, 11 May 2012 13:01:03 EST
Did you enjoy your meal and stop when satisfied?
When I eat with awareness I eat less at meal time.

What Helped Me Stop!

Thu, 10 May 2012 23:50:02 EST
It's hard to stop binging because after awhile it becomes a habit and studies show your body will actually adjust to it and expect it. So I was thinking to myself today that maybe some of you out there might also be able to benefit from some of the little changes I made that helped me tremendously. So hopefully some out there will find these helpful!

1. I like to break it down from minute to minute instead of day to day when I'm feeling a bit stressed and on the edge of binging. At...

"tomorrow" never comes....

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:32:01 EST
No it isn't the title for the new James Bond movie lol (just thought of that as i was typing it lol) but has anyone else done this....oh I screwed up, I'll just start fresh tomorrow and then it goes like 4...5...6 days in a row and so on? It's a little depressing cause I mess up and I'm like oh I'll have a good day tomorrow then I realize this is my 4th day in a row starting over :( How in the world do u get back on track? It seems impossible :(

I'm not sure where to start, what to do......

Wed, 9 May 2012 22:35:28 EST
I am a binge eater....big time. I try not to, and then before I even realize it I have something in my hands and I eat it. I try to only buy what food is necessary for the week and that's it, but I find myself stopping for donuts, or ice-cream, or you name it. My weakness by far are sweets. I don't stop for cheeseburgers and fries, I never drink soda. I drink a good deal of water every day and only have one to two cups of coffee per day. Not only do I binge on sweets, I can't stop thinking ab...

If he can do this,so can we.

Wed, 9 May 2012 12:43:52 EST
www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WLDKW7NX&ut
m_source=GodTube%20Must-See%20Video&ut
m_medium=email&utm_campaign=05/08/2012

When you think of giving up, come watch this! 247

Vision Board

Tue, 8 May 2012 05:50:59 EST
Has anyone ever made a vision board? Its like a collage of images, words, whatever really that you put on a poster and look at for inspiration, or when you need motivation. I think Im going to make one....

doing better!

Mon, 7 May 2012 15:30:54 EST
I learned that I am Celiac in January of 2012. I set about removing all gluten from eating and proceeded to eat EVERYTHING without gluten...with abandon. It showed in clothing sizes but worst: in my health.

I'm out of that now.

I'm telling myself: "Food is a non-event." When I want to eat, I'm questioning, "Are you hungry? If not, what do you need?" If I am, then, "What does body need?" And I'm trying to "listen" to what the body wants, not logically make the choice. I...

Clean Slate.

Fri, 4 May 2012 18:30:26 EST
Hi everyone new team member here.

I am a 41 year old guy called Frank. I live in Scotland with my wonderful wife and two beautiful daughters and i am also a binge eater.

I have been on and off the spark for sometime now as well as being on Overeaters Anonymous and the Smart Recovery program. Up until these past couple of weeks i have really struggled to committing to my lifestyle change. Sometimes i would last a week or if i am lucky i would last a couple of months and t...

confused and frustrated

Wed, 2 May 2012 21:21:42 EST
I have no idea what triggered today's binge, I was perfectly fine, full, not craving anything....there were a few minor annoyances that occurred but nothing binge worthy :( I was just fixing my little one supper and noticed the chocolate frosting in the cupboard for my friends birthday cake and all of a sudden it was gone, practically the whole jar. What happened? I feel worse than ever and I don't even know what caused it....

Tight pants

Wed, 2 May 2012 09:46:43 EST
SO I was getting dressed this morning and spied a pair of pants i have that are too small/tight (we all have a pair in our closet, dont we!) for me to wear and I had and "aha" sort of moment.

* The next time I feel tempted to binge im going to put these pants on!

The thought spurred a whole slew of other ideas that im plan on blogging about later, but this one was the one that made me laugh the most. I can just see my husbands face as i walk around in tight pants LOL tr...