Ok so today was suppose to be my 4th day without bingeing and I started out so strong! But this evening I don't know what happened, all I know is that it started with peanut butter and jelly toast and ended with Kellogg waffles. I can't figure out why I can't stop bingeing, I know what I am doing while I am doing it, but can't make myself stop. Now I feel fat, bloated, stuffed, and very upset/angry with myself.
Just when I start to think that I'm back on track and in control I fall of the wagon and jump on the binge train.
I feel hopeless, I want to lose these 10-15 lbs, but can't be successful if I keep bingeing!!! Why oh why can't I control myself when it comes to eating!!
Why can't I be "normal" around food.....

Kelly

Kelly, I'm reading Bob Greene's The Best Life Diet and he talks about the hormones that make us want to eat. There is a hormone that makes us feel full and one that makes us feel hungry. He says that everyone's body is kind of programmed to have a particular "set point" where your body is comfortable with its body fat percentage. If you start to lose weight and go under that comfort zone, that hormone that triggers the hunger feeling is alerted and so you feel the need to eat and eat and eat to get back to where you started from. I've experienced this many, many times in my life and I thought I was just crazy for thinking my body was trying to return to its status quo, but that is exactly what's been going on.

Greene says we can "reset" our "set point" with exercise, so try adding some cardiovascular exercise into your routine. Or, maybe, it's enough to know that the reason you're feeling hungry is that your body is triggering the release of that hormone and you'll be able to get past that feeling.

This *just* happened to me last night. I got that munchie feeling, found a pudding cup and ate it and was looking for something else when I realized what was going on. I was able to stop myself because I understood what was happening. The hunger was good because it meant I've gone under that "set point" and may be on my way to establishing one that's a little bit lower.

Hope that helps!

Kara

How do you normally react when you eat peanut butter and jelly toast?

I wouldn't be able to eat either jam or bread as both are a 'red' trigger food for me. Anything sugary like that sends me off craving more and more and it is very easy for it to slip into a downward spiral and cause a huge binge. Could this be the case for you?

Don't feel too bad, this is a change to learn. Try to look at how you felt before you binged and after. It took me a long time for it to 'click' that binging didn't help.

I've not been able to find out why I'm not normal about food, but I've come to the point now where I have accept that. I know that I can't eat normally and have given up trying. I can only follow my own 'plan' of abstainence.

You can loose the weight you want to, just get back on track and draw a line under the overeating. Every day is a new day - just focus on now. One day at a time

Hi, Kelly....check out "Anatomy of a Food Addiction". It will change the way you look at binging. It did for me.

This isn't a case of "I like to eat and binge and gourge myself until I'm silly and sad and angry." This is about your body's chemistry. It just puts everything in to perspective.

Once you compare the bingeing to alcohol addiction it all makes sense.

Take care!
Jenn

Yes, the definately are very similar.

I've tried so many diets, pills, all sorts to try and loose weight and control my eating. It was only after being sober for 7 months that I thought that maybe I could tackle my binge eating in the same way I'm tackling my alcohol addiction.