Reader Question: Binging

July 13, 2010

This question came through annoynmously from my “Ask me Anything” box on the right of the blog.

“How do we fix binging? Am I just permanently broken? My boyfriend’s been away on a week’s guy vacation and I have been chowing through bags of chips, pints of ice cream, seconds and thirds of everything. I think the only way I usually keep this in chec”

As you probably noticed, the question got cut off. So, if you asked this and want to talk more, please feel free to email me.

First, you are NOT permanently broken. None of us are. No matter what our demons, there is nothing we can’t overcome. Like everything else in weight loss and journeying to fitness, there is no easy “fix.”  The good thing is that you realize you are binging. Here are a few things you might want to think about that have worked for me.

  • Why are you binging? Is it out of boredom, fear, loneliness, etc? All of the above? Try to remember all the recent times you’ve binged and what the circumstances around the binge were. You should be able to notice and identify a pattern.
  • What kind of behavior could you do INSTEAD of binging when this next trigger strikes? If you’re eating out of boredom, think about other things you could do. Go to the mall. Chat with friends. Go get a cup of coffee. Read a book. Basically, you want to think about what in the world, OTHER than eating, you can do when you feel a binge coming on. If you have to, make a list of things that you’ll have at the ready. I know I personally would temporarily ”forget” that I had options OTHER than binging on food. Keep the list close by.
  • You know that feeling after a binge? When you feel miserable and sick because you’ve just consumed so much bad stuff that your body just hates you? Try to remind yourself of that feeling BEFORE reaching for something in a binge. If you are like me and would go get fast food, put a note on your steering wheel reminding yourself to think before you go. And while your’e at it, keep that list handy of other alternatives to binging. If you have the food at your house, put a note on the refrigerator and on the pantry door. Seeing that note as a physical reminder could be the difference between binging and coping.
  • Ask for help. If you really do feel that out of control and don’t feel like the steps above will help, I urge you to seek professional attention. There are tons of psychologists that can help you identify the triggers and build coping strategies. There is nothing wrong with seeing someone about a problem. I’ve done it many times before, and am sure I’ll do it again in the future.

Also, please remember my disclaimer:

All the information presented on this blog is for educational, entertainment, and resource purposes only. This blog is NOT a substitute for any advice given to you by your physician. Always consult your physician or health care provider before beginning any weightloss, nutrition or exercise program. Use of the programs, advice, and information contained in this website is at the sole choice and risk of the reader.

I want to ask others here- have you ever binged? How did you cope with it? Any tips?

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Tagged as: binge eating, food, formspring, junk food

  • http://twitter.com/LisaEirene Lisa Eirene

    GOOD question! I was a binge eating when I was 250. Mostly it was from boredom and depression and thinking “well I'm already fat, why not eat everything in sight?” And my body got used to the insane amount of food I was eating. After I lost the weight, I could never binge again. I don't know if my stomach shrank or what, but if I eat too much of anything I feel sick. And my “too much” isn't very much!

    No one is “broken.” It's a problem that can be fixed with diet and exercise.

    On another note, once you learn healthy behavior and stick with it long enough, it becomes easy. Sure I have my moments where it's hard to resist the donuts at work…but 9 times out of 10 I can resist.

  • http://kclanderson.com/before-and-after KCLAnderson (Karen)

    I used to view the times when my husband was away as the perfect opportunity to binge. I'd even plan it out, shopping for my favorite binge foods (and drinks) and then getting it all together in front of the television (or computer) where'd I sit and gorge. Even after I lost 55 pounds I still engaged in bingeing behavior (although the type and quantity of food changed). Then I regained some of that weight and in the past 18 months have really been examining all sorts of things on my blog. And the conclusion I have come to is that the only way to truly get over binge eating is to allow myself to really BE with the feelings I was bingeing to avoid. Not to distract myself with any other behavior, either. Face the feelings and understand that actually feeling them will not kill me.

  • Adele

    My “tip” is not really a tip, because depending on how tight your budget is, this could be a bad idea, but I've noticed that, weirdly enough, I sort of get the same “relief” (or whatever you'd like to call it – that temporary moment of peace that comes when you're binging, before you're done eating and are back in reality) from spending money. So, if I wander around the bookstore and think about all the purchases I'll make and then in the end buy a book or two, I feel better. I'm not sure why this is.

  • http://twitter.com/LilyFluffbottom Lily Fluffbottom

    I have this rule. I'm not allowed to eat when I'm not hungry.

    Do I always follow it? No. But I am always aware of when I'm eating even when I'm not hungry, because I'm usually trying to drag myself out of the kitchen.

    I sometimes feel like the juggernaut. The more I eat, the more I need to eat and faster. So I've found that I just remove myself from that setting, and give myself permission to have it if I wait a little bit. I usually forget all about it after 5 minutes or so.

  • http://www.shrinkingamber.com Amber

    I binge and I've binged before. I can't seem to figure out why but it usually occurs late at night while sitting in front of the TV or while at a party or gathering where there is a lot of food around. There's no emotion that's attached to it (that i can tell anyway) but it happens.
    Lately I've done exactly as you said and try to remember what it feels like after a binge and I go with that. I know I don't want to feel like butt when I'm through.

  • Curlyqlu

    I'm the same way. If I don't want to binge, I'll go shopping instead. I get the same kind of comfort or pleasure or… high?

    It CAN be a little dangerous to the wallet to think like this, but I think it's better than the mental and physical anguish binging does to me.

  • Laura

    Binging is the reason I became obese. I loved binging, and honestly, I still do! It's something I fight everyday. Binging was the way I comforted myself when I was sad, bored, lonely, depressed, angry, anxious, nervous, etc. I would always binge on salty things or tubs of ice cream. I've lost about 50 pounds but I fight the urge to binge everyday. It's like being addicted to drugs. One thing had helped was reading “The End of Overeating” by David Kessler and following some his advice towards the end of the book. I'm retraining my brain to say no all the horrible foods that I would binge on. I know I'll have to work on this for the rest of my life.

  • Kittykatz4

    How many of us have asked this question! I know for me, the best thing I can do is to figure out the “why's” of my behavior. I have a great therapist right now, who's really helping me. Right now I'm reading “Women, Food, & God” by Geneen Roth. Very insightful book. Journaling helps me. And spending time, on-line or not, with like-minded people helps, too.

  • http://kclanderson.com/before-and-after KCLAnderson (Karen)

    Yes, I've done that too…especially when I lost a lot of weight. I needed new clothes! But I realized that all I was doing was delaying feeling my feelings. And when I regained some of the weight, shopping was a soothing distraction.

    Here's what to do: the next time you feel the urge to binge or shop, stop and see what comes up….what do you feel?

  • Clstin31

    I've read the term “feel your feelings” many times and I always think who wants to be sad, lonely, bored or whatever. But that's one of the things it takes to overcome bingeing. Bored? Do something – exercise, watch a movie, get out the house, call a friend. If you are sad, cry, call a friend, blog or journal your thoughts. Whatever the feeling, feel it and don't feed it. Most of all, if you do fall into the trap of bingeing. Don't feel guilty. Guilt brings about more bingeing. It hurts be feel sad and other feelings we tend to feed for comfort, but feeling them and letting them pass makes us stronger each time we go through it.

    One of my favorite quotes from Jonathan Roche is: Life is too short to get dragged down by the voice in your head trying to hammer you about non-changeable decisions from your past and that will only rob you of you becoming who you deserve to be.

    The last time I felt really down and I found myself craving things I should have I ended up crying in bed and sleeping. I felt better after a little while and enjoyed the rest of my day. Now fate was with me somewhat. I was headed to the kitchen to eat some leftover pizza my children had the night before. It was all gone so I went back to my room and stayed there, cried some more and slept.

  • http://www.foodfoodbodybody.wordpress.com Foodiemcbody

    Great advice, all of it. I totally agree!!

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