[GotothegymOKAY]

Any tips as to how to stop binging after a long work day?

I'll eat everything in the kitchen, usually about 1000 calories, ON TOP OF the 1500 calories I'll eat during the day. If I don't have junk food, I'll order something. I wake up feeling full, gross, weak and ashamed, and drag myself to the closet to find something "flowy" to wear to work. It's becoming a BAD habit, and honestly, it started when I got my own place a few weeks ago. "I binge because I CAN, oooh this is fun!" Disgusting, I know.

If anyone went through the same thing, please share tips!

Thanks

[lotte]

I'm sort of in this pattern right now.. ate a nutella in 2 days bwaaarrddd

It is really hard to get out of it, and I'm not really sure how to.. but going outside for a walk when I want to eat sort of helps. And exercising in the morning sort of works as well. Tomorrow I'm going to a birthday at 3'O clock with lots of cake and in the evening I'm going to my sisters place for cake. How could that possibly in ANY way end well??

[shutterbugmama84]

Yes, I did this for 8 years and packed on nearly 100lbs doing so.

I'm not sure what has helped me stop this time. I just would rather be thin and healthy and feel good in my clothes than eat that food.

[Tiffkuhn]

I used to have this problem when my husband would go out of town for business. The way I am combatting is now is to just not go home until about 7:30 or 8:00. I go to the gym or walk the 8 miles home if I am being really good. Or I go to a store and try on clothes for fun. Read a book in the park. Really anything that shaves off some of that alone time at home.

Then, when i get home, I turn on the broiler in the oven and put in about 3-4 cups of chopped fresh broccoli and cook for about 10 minutes. Then I eat it all. It is sooooo filling. Then I will eat a few pieces of tofu or chicken (about 4oz). Add in a liter of water and I am filled to the brim. Then it's bedtime.

This is what works for me.

[MauiKai]

I've never tried this myself, but a friend of mine who has a similar problem has solved it by making a rule that if she's going to eat off plan (at home), she'll do it naked. She says this makes her realize that she's got a ways to go, and this binge will only make it worse.

[PreciousMissy]

Originally Posted by MauiKai

I've never tried this myself, but a friend of mine who has a similar problem has solved it by making a rule that if she's going to eat off plan (at home), she'll do it naked. She says this makes her realize that she's got a ways to go, and this binge will only make it worse.

This makes good sense, but it also made me giggle. There's no way I'm sitting on the couch naked eating a piece of cake...which as I see it, is the point of the exercise.

[belovedspirit]

How about finding a way to disrupt your schedule? Maybe work-out right after work, head to the gym or go for a walk, do yoga, etc?

Or start portioning food the day before for the day ahead so you only eat what you've laid out for yourself? This way you can lay out some binge snacks in moderation so you don't feel deprived but not enough so your health/weight efforts will be thwarted.

[TheSecondHalf]

I have a few thoughts on this because this is exactly the kind of thing that lead to my own (very big) weight gain.

First, try not to come home hungry to a kitchen without something FILLING available. Make sandwiches and leave them in the fridge, have fruit pre-cut, make your salad ahead of time - whatever you have to do so that you don't come in RAVENOUS and eat whatever is easy.

And don't come home ravenous. Have a snack, if possible. If you drive home, keep a cooler bag of cut veg, fruit, cheese, water in your car so you can snack and you aren't already in a bad place when you walk in your door.

Take away judgements like "disgusting" - they don't help. Shame isn't a really great motivator. When you find your think of yourself as weak and disgusting, try changing the words to hungry and unprepared. Weak and disgusting are hard to fix, hungry and unprepared are fixable.

I am slooooowly undoing the results of a lifetime of really unfortunate habits and choices. I have a long way to go.

[Mrs Snark]

Really excellent tips, TheSecondHalf!

[PUPMOM5]

Originally Posted by TheSecondHalf

I have a few thoughts on this because this is exactly the kind of thing that lead to my own (very big) weight gain.

First, try not to come home hungry to a kitchen without something FILLING available. Make sandwiches and leave them in the fridge, have fruit pre-cut, make your salad ahead of time - whatever you have to do so that you don't come in RAVENOUS and eat whatever is easy.

And don't come home ravenous. Have a snack, if possible. If you drive home, keep a cooler bag of cut veg, fruit, cheese, water in your car so you can snack and you aren't already in a bad place when you walk in your door.

Take away judgements like "disgusting" - they don't help. Shame isn't a really great motivator. When you find your think of yourself as weak and disgusting, try changing the words to hungry and unprepared. Weak and disgusting are hard to fix, hungry and unprepared are fixable.

I am slooooowly undoing the results of a lifetime of really unfortunate habits and choices. I have a long way to go.

This, this, this.

[TamTam]

Go and take a long hot bubble bath, walk around the neighborhood. Drink a GIANT glass of water.

[Arctic Mama]

I find I like eating big. I just do. So I eat on a plan where I'm able to eat like that without issues. For, it's low carb/whole foods with intermittent fasting. My food choices are healthy and I group them in such a way that I'm eating a satisfying portion of food once or twice a day, with a light snack on either side, if needed. If I'm allowed junk, I overdo it. So my go-to's are all nutritious and on plan, and I schedule my eating so that most of the time it's easy to stay on plan with those choices and still be satisfyingly full by the end.

[MauiKai]

Originally Posted by PreciousMissy

This makes good sense, but it also made me giggle. There's no way I'm sitting on the couch naked eating a piece of cake...which as I see it, is the point of the exercise.

Yep, she says it helps her! She says she can't hide from/ignore her weight problem when it is right there in her face and that her binges have almost gone away, because she can't stand facing herself naked while eating bad things.

But I'm with you, I cannot picture eating cake naked on the couch, haha!

[scood]

I do exactly the same, half the time Im not even hungry. I make a lite jelly every day so it is there. 7 cals

I also divide up Greek yoghurt with half a smoothie cube (banana/Mango) sitting in the middle. When it is time to eat it I just mix the cube and it is creamy. But I watch my calorie intake so I only have about 120gs

I also divide weight watchers fruit into about 5 containers, they work out to about 40 cals per container

I seem to want something late, Because I'm a shift worker, I always have lite milk hot chocolate. I buy Jarrah chocolate and instead of using the one packet, I can get about 4 hot chocolates out of the one packet, I will have 2 cruskets with the tiniest spread of p/butter or promite

So that is 4 things I do, I have about 2 of those options around at one time so I'm not having the same thing all the time.

I'm sure it is just a habit with me. I'm not sure if you would have our brands, I'm an Ozzie

Scood.

[crispin]

Hmm, since it started because of the freedom your independence gives you, maybe replace it with other freedoms solo living grants you?

You could spend time decorating your place exactly as you like it. Maybe collecting art or printing out pictures from online on quality paper and framing them/making a wall collage?

Do you like to cook? You could enjoy having your own kitchen by spending time cooking new/favorite recipes and storing them in the freezer? This may seem like dangerous territory, since it puts delicious food in the house. This really helps me avoid overeating though! I love food so much, that as long as I get to spend some time in its presence , I feel satisfied and feel less of a need to chow down. I may be a weirdo in this way though.