For me (meaning what I do, not what I define a binge as)....it would be eating almost an entire box of cookies or ice cream in the later evening (when I always got intense sugar cravings). However, I never let it get to the point of wanting to throw up. I DID eat past the point of actually feeling hungry for them/it but not to the point of making myself that sick. I have rarely eaten what I would consider massive quantities of food....but have eaten a LOT of calories in one sitting, as those cookie calories can add up pretty darn fast.

However, on low carb WOE's, all the sugar cravings and eating of boxes of cookies and ice cream has been totally gone. Have had NO sugar since August and don't even miss it. And it's been in the house and I disregarded it without a problem. I feel I must physically be a true carb addict.

But, from an analytical perspective (worked as a nurse for years), because it's been extremely interesting reading everyone's different experiences here with this issue.....I have come to the conclusion that binge behavior is much like drug addiction. Both would be classified as obsessive-compulsive disorders....which can be extremely difficult to control. And ones who do not have this particular addiction can in no way comprehend it. It's extremely difficult to understand obsessive-compulsive disorders.

But like drug-addiction, I believe there is also a physical component involved. With drugs, the person increases (astronomically) their number of receptor so that the body actually craves the drugs. And with binge eating, I believe that carbs possibly play a huge role...probably to varying degrees (a great deal for me personally) but the combo of obsession/compulsion disorder and alteration in physiology caused by certain foods we eat....makes it EXTREMELY difficult to try and control and conquer this.

BUT....there are 1) lots of therapists who specialize in OCD disorders and can help a great deal with CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) and also, with drug addiction, the longer the person stays off drugs, the easier it becomes because the obsession/compulsion actually does fade and almost disappear with time....if you can allow enough time to pass without engaging in the behavior/activity.

I tend to feel very badly for those who seem to blame their binging on "eating their emotions" or on solely emotional reasons...because I think they're being too hard on themselves. Drug addicts are known for reaching for drugs during stress and becoming unable to deal with stress/emotions without them. But I suspect that this is a SYMPTOM of having the obsession/compulsion of the behavior.....not the actual cause of it. I think that spending time evaluating and thinking of ways to deal with stress/emotions would not be wasted by any means, but don't think it's the corner stone of effectively controlling this. I think that dealing with it from an OCD disorder perspective and also an actual physiologic perspective would be the best way to go.

Just my own thoughts.

deena