I find it much easier to stay on track when I do not have access to unhealthy food. Stock up on veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, etc. and toss the stuff you know you shouldn't be eating.

Also, if you plan what you are going to eat in advance it makes avioding cheetos and brownies more managable. If you do feel a binge coming on occupy youself somehow... paint your nails, read, go on a walk, do a puzzle or whatever helps.

It's hard, we all have these feelings but they get easier to deal with over time.

If you put your mind to it you can do it!

Did you notice all those things are full of carbs? Maybe you have an addiction to carbs like I do. I start binging on them as soon as I tell myself I can't have them anymore, and/or I am stressed. My body goes crazy and it's all I can think about until I have them. And then I can't stop. This can go on for days with me.

I know I need to eat more protein and stay away from carbs for awhile so I can get over this compulsive addictive behavior toward them. I need to get them out of my system. I'm treating it like an addiction to nicotine or alcohol. It is very hard. But I know it's the only way I can stop craving them.

Heidi

I agree. I just don't keep it in the house. If it's here, I want to eat it. So I don't allow junk food. My hubby is supportive. I keep lots of fresh veggies and fruit. Also whole grain cereal and skim milk. If I have the urge to binge, I try and eat healthy stuff.

You're not alone!

I started to binge as a teen too. Since you still relatively young, it is probably harder to control what food is in the house since you probably don't buy it. Talk to whomever does and tell them not to buy so much so you won't be tempted. If they do, make sure they are lower calorie versions-baked lays for chips, 100 calorie pack snacks, ranch flavored mini rice cakes instead of doritos, etc. If you make food, try to substitute what you can. For mac and cheese, I use skim milk, smart balance butter (1.5 tbs), baby squash (gerbers-i know its weird but it makes it thicker, its healthy and you can't taste it). THen I throw out half of the cheese powder. If you over eat that, it isn't so bad. You can even get a little bit of 2% shred cheddar and add it in.

Good luck with that and drink lots of water, it fills you up. Set smaller goals and don't beat yourself up to restart the guilt/binge cycle. No matter what I bet you'll look amazing for prom anyway

Neveragain--

I totally feel your pain and struggle. Something that I've tried was using a timer. If I wanted to keep eating everything in sight, I would set my timer for 10 minutes and do something like check Facebook and after the 10 mins, I've usually calmed down.

Other tactics I've tried include putting on a favorite song and dancing for a minute, it really lifts your mood, it distracts you, and relives you from the boredom that may be causing you to overeat.

There's also the drinking water (or having gum)--although I'd still use a timer to create more of a time delay.

After the 10 mins, if you still want more, tell yourself you can have a little. Put some cheetos in a smaller snack size bag of Ziplocs and put the big bag away. That way you don't feel like you're punishing yourself--you waited the 10 mins and still chose to continue, but during the 10 mins you reduced the portion size A LOT.

For me, it's about tricking myself into being better (in the beginning stages at least). After you get your body accustomed to smaller portions, less guilt, less binges, and the like, you will be able to stop tricking yourself because you're more in control of the situation.

I hope you find a method that works for you. All the best!

I am now at my biggest weight, I have an effective way to lost my weight, eat more fruit instand Velveeta mac and cheese when you are hungry.Don't lose hope.

I agree with keeping the food out of your house, but since you are so young Im assuming someone else is purchasing the food for your home. I had to remove all the unhealthy stuff out of my home so I could stay on track, but since you can not do that I would try to find some sort of distraction. When you want to eat get out of the house, maybe walk around the block a few times, call a friend, anything that would take your mind off the food. For me chewing gum has been a great way to keep my mouth busy. I dont know about anyone else but after I work out I dont want to eat, I feel so good all I want to do is drink water. So I think walking around the block would be a really good distraction.
The Most Important thing I learned at WW was this: You will have bad days, everyone has bad days but dont beat yourself up about it, just try to do better the next day. Dont give up! You can do it! It wont be easy but you can do it. one small step at a time.

Hello all, I'm a binger too...I usually have no problem with this of course until I'm stressed...and it's usually only after I've been doing well...I'm in school for nursing..so I am well versed on the chemical reactions of food..

for me food is a control issue....I struggeled with both anorexia nervosa and bulemia nervosa...

Occasionally I DO still binge...and make myself sick from it..which happens naturally because I don't eat a lot of junk food--so it genuinely makes me ill! .I never thought to time myself...that is so odd...

I noticed today when I binged..I was extremely thirsty and stressed...my trigger food was milk chocolate, but before that...it was kettle cooked potato chips...I made myself stop with the chips...

then when the milk chocolate incident happened...I couldn't..I was so mad I got started I just wanted to eat the rest of the chocolate..and GET RID OF IT...but my thought process was all wrong...

I was actually thirsty...but didn't want to drink my tea because I was almost out and didn't want to have to make more...(green tea/honey sweetened)

and then I was annoyed...

and then just looking in the fridge annoyed me...
when you are stressed it is natural to crave fats and sweets because the body goes into glycolysis and gluconeogenesis...basically anything and everything sugar and fat is used to make stress hormones...

particularly when you are fatigued in your adrenal glands...

I learned alot from the book "carbohydrate addict's diet". I have some trigger foods that I hate depriving myself from them..but I can't eat them at all..

puff pastries
striped shortbread cookies
ice cream
milk chocolate

I love health food..so if I stay away from those things...I do very well on a diet!