My biggest problem in weight loss is will power... it kills me every time... ill have great results for like 2 weeks and one night.... after a great day of eating right.... the carbs will call... and then they'll call again, and again, and again.. sometimes i end up consuming at least a days worth of food .. 1-2 hrs... but when i binge i don't purge witch i mean purging isn't a good thing but needless to say i dont do it. so its just food that sits ... when im not strictly dieting i binge nightly i know that was the cause of my weight coming back... and the cause of me not getting it all off the first time. anyways my question is Has anyone else done or do this and what are some ways to stop it... if anyone knows... i feel like i've tried everything... from crafts to sleeping to not being at home... that actually worked not being at home.. but i cant do that every night sooo.... any suggestions

I've read in various books about how moods and emotions effect your apapetite.. especially for carbs ( like you said ). If you feel kinda blah or low at night, there are some supplements that reduce cravings for things like sugars and carbs. (5-htp) Its all natural and slightly raises your seritonin ( the chemical in your brain that makes you happy ) When seritonin levels are up, your body doesnt crave sugar and bad carbs so much, when it's low ( for a lot of people in the evenings ( your body craves those bad things)
If you aren't into supplements and don't have time to work out, I find reading or calling someone to chat helps. talking online or on the phone about healthy livings gives me a relaity check and helps me stay away from night munchies..

good luck! I know your pain hunny!!

Kristen, have you checked out the Chicks in Control area, yet? There are many fine ladies & gents going through similar things that may have some wonderful advice for you about binging and how to break the pattern.

Hey Kristen, I totally feel what you are going through. I could have written your opening post! I am trying to figure out the answer to that question too. I am wondering if being accountable to someone would help me? Let me know how things are going for you and what works!

Hey Kristen - I totally get what you're going through! I used to binge a lot because I was bored and left alone in the house, or because I was sad/depressed - I was able to get more control over the binge eating once I got on anti-depressants - but it (obviously) didn't go completely away.
I started WW recently and (when I remember to) I try to track - which helps because it does hold you accountable to your eating. Also, if I find myself searching the cabinets for food I'll make myself hot tea, or grab a giant glass of water. Sometimes I'll just go for a walk around the block just to get out of the house - or do something mundane like painting nails (really hard to reach into the bag of chips when you have wet nails!). Right now I've taken up knitting again - if both my hands are occupied knitting I'm less likely to go search for food to eat!
I hope you find something that works!!!

I'm sorry you're struggling, I'm sure all of us can relate at one point in another in our journies. I'm not actually a binge eater right now.. but have been in the past! I noticed it most when I was sad, or maybe when I was really bored. Oddly enough, what actually helped me the most (to prevent them) was getting online and looking at before/after pics of people who have lost weight. Or my own past "thin" photos from before I had my daughter/got married. It made me realize my priorities and what I wanted... and the urge for that night went away.

Good luck!

I have been the same way in the past... I would come home from work, sit on the couch, flip on the TV, and munch away my evening. It was a way to relax and unwind. Hobbies helped me a little, but really what is helping is that I am exploring the emotions behind it. Why I was doing it - what I was feeling. I also tracked my WW pts. and when I was done for the day, I would just sit there and not eat anymore. I would tell myself, taht was it, I was done for the day, end of story. After a few months now, I find that I think about it A LOT less. I can sit and watch TV and relax and unwind without munching. I also make sure to have a big healthy dinner with lots of veggies so I am not actually hungry in the evenings. If a case of the muchies hits me bad, I pop a bag of 94% FF or Lite Butter microwavable popcorn.

I have bought motivational books, scribbled in my journal, and listened to meditation tapes, all to help myself out of this cycle... and it is DEFINATELY helping.

I also spend a lot of time focusing on how I FEEL. How good I feel when I eat healthy, how good I feel when I exercise, etc.

When I get the munchies I try to have an instant lowcal soup in a cup or a bowl of oatmeal porridge. Or maybe keep grated carrot in the fridge, it goes really sweet overnight, and it's even healthy

ah binging. I don't know of any surefire ways to stop it, but it certainly is possible. I for the most part have eliminated it. personally I do the following:

1 I try and keep my kitchen stocked with only low calorie snack-type foods. This way, even if I do succumb the kitchen is stocked with sugar free jello (10 calories), light n fit yogurt(60 calories or less I think), fat free hot dogs (40 calories), fiber one cereal (60 calories a serving), 50 calorie tortillas from la tortilla factory, fruit, veggies, etc...its hard to do a lot of damage if you go crazy and eat 5 things but it only adds 200-300 calories to your daily total.

2. I second the nail polish thing. Also, brush your teeth, floss, mouthwash, whitening strips, the whole business til your teeth sparkle. Or give yourself a face mask of some sort that takes awhile to dry, basically something to make you feel a bit awkward trying to eat. Bonus you'll end up with great nails, teeth, skin, whatever it is you were working on.

3. water, make yourself drink a big glass of it if you get cravings, it will fill you up and maybe distract yourself from the urge for a bit. Or maybe drink something like hot tea, where it takes you awhile to finish.

4. try and deal with whatever is causing your urge. if you're bored, maybe find something to do during the evenings to keep yourself occupied. if stressed, find ways to relax, reading always is a treat for me so if I'm stressed I pick up a favorite book and lose myself in it. Whatever it is, find a healthier way to cope that works for you.

5. I found that after 8 pm was the worst time for me to get cravings, so I set a 'no food after 8' policy. I know that theres nothing truly stopping me from breaking the rule, but just setting an official limit does help sometimes.

I did yesterday. the question I guess I have is what diet are you on? or what type I mean.