[Skyra]

OK, I'm not saying that anyone ever really wants to binge and feel out of control, but... I feel like when I used to weigh more, I used to find some sort of pleasure in binging. I could eat my weight in sugar and, even if I felt kind of sick from it, I still kinda enjoyed and craved those foods.

But now I sometimes find myself binging and it feels like... that enjoyment isn't even there at the start. The whole time, I'll be thinking, "Why am I even doing this? I don't even want this. It doesn't even taste that good"... and yet I still feel SO DRAWN to those foods that I've always binged on. It's just like this old habit I'm stuck in even though it's really not doing anything for me

Do you ever just feel bored when you catch yourself binging? I still feel a little guilty sometimes, but now it's shifted more to frustration and boredom with repeating the same patterns. I can't decide if that's a good sign or if it's bad or what.

And.... how do you stop? I feel like people are like "just walk away, distract yourself," but I don't know that that works for me. Or maybe I just haven't developed the discipline yet... is there anything else you do to try to gain control when you've caught yourself slipping up?

Sorry this is so long! Any thoughts are deeply appreciated!!

[mizzstacey]

I know exactly what you mean!! i dont even buy food that i like and i still eat it all! its like that cave woman instinct of preparing for a famine (which in my case never comes) overcomes everything. even taste!!

i know this sounds silly but its like a heroin addict. at a certain point they dont even feel high when they shoot up, they just do it to not feel horrible-to feel normal.

[ladykahlo]

Binging is comfort for me. Not even the food, but just the act of doing it. It's so familiar that it comforts me. I've been learning to identify what I think the food is doing for me. Most of the time, I'm trying to soothe myself or reward myself. So I've been trying to do other things to reward myself life buy flowers or a new top or something and to soothe myself I go for a bubble bath or just go take a nap. Naps help restart things. But it's hard to let go of the thing that has helped you survive for so long.

[Skyra]

Originally Posted by mizzstacey

I know exactly what you mean!! i dont even buy food that i like and i still eat it all! its like that cave woman instinct of preparing for a famine (which in my case never comes) overcomes everything. even taste!!

i know this sounds silly but its like a heroin addict. at a certain point they dont even feel high when they shoot up, they just do it to not feel horrible-to feel normal.

I think I remember reading a study once that said that food addiction is just as hard as being addicted to hard drugs. So, that totally makes sense! I guess that makes me feel a little better about how long I've been struggling with this.

ladykahlo, thanks for the advice. I think I'll look into getting some better rewards/unwinding things when I'm feeling stressed out. I hadn't even really thought about the reward part of it. But, you're right, it's probably a comfort or enjoyment thing. Thanks!

[Kscott]

I think that anyone that has fought the battle of the bulge can relate to your comment. I myself gained 25 pounds over the last several years just from mindless eating. IOW--I certainly wasn't hungry but enjoyed all the snacks after dinner time. I could make it through the day just fine--but for some reason I got into a habit of snacking a little here and there after dinner. Maybe out of boredom I did it--or possibly a reward I gave myself after accomplishing some posts on the internet? At any rate it turned into a nasty--unhealthy habit that was and still is a very hard habit to break.

I also think that Cortisol in our stomachs is kind of like an unnecessary alarm clock that goes off which actually sends out a reward to our brain when we eat--kind of like a drug affect. If we can get control over that it would be wonderful.

What I do now, is force myself to ignore that little feeling that says it's time to snack, and have started an exercise program. Over the last year I have taken off 15 pounds and have 10 pounds to go before I am comfortable with my weight. Sometimes I go to exercise class at night and that insures that I won't be snacking. I think distraction works the best, maybe take a walk around the block, something that keeps you busy, and eventually it will get easier and easier to stop the binge eating.

[ubergirl]

Yes, a lot of time I feel bored when I'm binging. Sometimes, I know that I'm not going to stop until I finish something, and I feel like I am sort of forcing myself to finish even though I also can't stop. I don't ENJOY food when I'm binging, except for maybe the first few bites.

[the shiv]

Do you have a ritual about it? I used to do that. I'd often even have a shower and do my hair and put on nice clothes, and find a film or tv show to watch before I phoned in my enormous takeaway. Like I was doing things to make myself feel better to counterbalance the guilt and disgust I'd feel after the binge was over, I felt sick, and I was still sad I'd run out of binge food. Then I'd promptly clean up the evidence (even when I lived alone!) and promise myself I'd start the diet on Monday (why Monday? What's so special about Mondays?). It wasn't just the food I was clinging onto, it was the whole big ritual. I attempted a binge after I started intuitive eating, but as the guilt was gone it didn't really work... I'd say that feeling bored with it is a good thing! Like "oh really... this again?? Yawn..."

Sounds to me like you might have broken part of the cycle! Now try and break the rest, a bit at a time. It is a habit, and habits take time and perseverance to change. Either way, boredom sounds much better than guilt! You may well have loosened the shackles a bit - whatever you're doing, keep it up!

[Skyra]

Originally Posted by the shiv

Sounds to me like you might have broken part of the cycle! Now try and break the rest, a bit at a time. It is a habit, and habits take time and perseverance to change. Either way, boredom sounds much better than guilt! You may well have loosened the shackles a bit - whatever you're doing, keep it up!

I haven't thought of it that way before! You have totally inspired & motivated me, thanks!! It's great to feel like even though I'm not perfect and I haven't reached all my goals, that I've made a lot of progress without even realizing it...

[KittyKatFan]

I always feel good at the start of a binge. I feel downright giddy when I know I am going to start eating uncontrollably. The first few mouthfuls are pure bliss.

I hear experts saying that you are getting full when the current bite doesn't taste as good as the first bite. Sadly for me, I don't reach that point for a long time. And when I do, I'm either full to the point where I am physically sick and can't swallow another bite, or I will switch to a different food that does taste delicious and new.

My problem is that I eat and eat until I feel physically horrible, but then I continue to eat. Then I feel physically awful for days: typically a stomach ache for a day, then bloating and water weight that literally causes me leg cramps when I walk or bend over.

[sweetandspicy]

I have often joked that over-eating is just like being addicted to drugs. Where chocolate is my drug and Betty Crocker is my supplier.

I have tried every diet ever advertised, I get on exercise kicks and do well for awhile but just like an addict I want that instant fix, for the pounds to melt away and everything to get better

I know that is not possible. I spend so much time reading and worrying about it, That I just have to make up my mind and do.

I am going through a divorce so that is a trigger, my kids are all so then and even my two oldest are trying to gain weight I just wish I could pass my excess onto them.

It is tough knowing I eat less than everyone in the house and still gain gain gain.

As I mentioned before chocolate is my weakness. I think I can not live without it. Somehow i have been conditioned to believe that anything can be made better with ice cream ( not the low fat stuff either).

I of course started a new diet today, it being Monday and all, but I am going to stick with it as best I can. I am hopefully because you can have chocolate in moderation. I just need to condition my brain that moderation in a bite or two not an enitire basket of easter candy. (like i have any easter candy left! ha)

[Hoopty]

Usually, once I start I don't stop until I have absolutely nothing left. I can eat a whole pack of Entenmann's Donuts (the chocolate variety is my absolute favorite) plus a pint of Ben&Jerry's plus a whole chocolate bar plus everything else until nothing. is. left.

What causes me to start in the first place:
1) sadness and depression
2) happiness and joy
3) boredom

In that exact order. I usually don't get sick from it but sometimes I eat so much that once I'm done and all the food has settled down in my belly, I start to feel super nauseous. If it's sadness that caused the binging then I feel like absolute cr*p and regret eating over 3000 cal in junk food. If I ate out of happiness then I don't care and sleep great and go on with life as if nothing ever happened.
When it's TOM (I suffer from PMDD) then I'm obviously more likely to binge. It's actually that time right now and I'm very proud to say that I've only eaten junk one time so far and I was able to stop myself. Don't buy anything "bad" in the first place. That is usually my problem, too.
Today, I went to the grocery store and they had a pack of 6 cupcakes (3 chocolate, 3 vanilla) on sale. I've been eyeing those forever since they're super delicious and super high in calories lol (the whole pack has a whooping 1320 cal.). So I asked myself - do you really want to eat an extra 1320 calories and ruin your goals for the day? How are you gonna feel when you go back to the gym and think "man, I feel so great working out right now, why did I eat 6 cupcakes yesterday?". Think about it - 1320 calories, is it really worth all the regret you're going to deal with afterwards? What else could you get that could satisfy your sweet tooth right now? So I waved them bye and picked up a pineapple greek yogurt instead, saved 1170 calories and felt so much better when I got home. I drank a hot cup of tea, enjoyed my yogurt and I'm excited for my weigh-in.

Try not to restrict yourself too much from eating sweets. Have a little bit every now and then you won't feel super deprived. I eat something sweet about every 2 to 3 days. It's usually a Milky Way bar (240 cal) or something else that I can pick up at the check-out.

[Ksyrahsirah]

Hi all this is my first post here. This forum seems to fit my problem the best. I'm really struggling. I have gained almost 15 pounds in 6 months and leave on a cruise vacation in 2 weeks and my summer clothes don't fit me. But I eat anyway. I'm having a really hard time understanding why. I'm writing this from bed after eating about 15 Fannie may candies. I used to work out all the time and do triathlons but now all I want to do is sit and eat. And I'm so very uncomfortable. I hope being part of a support group here will help me snap out of this.