[motivated chickie]

I have binge eating disorder, but sought treatment and am doing better. But I do have binges still.

Now, I am at the maintenance stage and I have fallen into a bad habit. I am supposed to eat 100-200 more calories a day, so that I don't lose more weight. But instead, I eat the same calories & then binge once a week and maintain weight.

This is crazy. This isn't maintenance- I'm making my BED stronger.

Can someone help me with ideas to break this habit?

Thanks.

[elisaannh]

It may help you to average your calories over a week's time. In the real world of eating, we do fluctuate day to day. If the average stays on target, then the day or two that you eat more will not seem like a binge. It is always better to eat more of the healthy foods than hit the junk, so when you feel you need to eat more, have more of what is good for you and your weight should stay stable.

Putting a pause between you and the binge is another technique I like to use. When the urge hits, set a timer (carry one in your purse) for 1 hour. Wait that hour before eating and see if you can't change your mind. Taking a hot bubble bath is another delay tactic. I tell myself I can eat if I just wait for 1 hour. Most of the time, when that hour has passed, I have regained my strength to not eat.

Remind yourself that bingeing will damage your health and body. DO you want to get on with life or stay stuck in the horrible cycle? Maybe now is the time to learn a new hobby or take on a new skill or interest!

[ncuneo]

I don't know...I know this might be the wrong thing to say, but I don't think your plan sounds that unreasonable, at least until you can get your BED under control. I go through phaseS, at one point I went a few months binge free, and now lately I've been binging once a week or so, but still losing. I recently started tracking my binge free days to see how long I can go, kind of like a challenge. I feel like I might never have my binging under control completely and if I want to maintain I'll need to make room for it so to speak. So if that means eating less durning the week so there is room on the weekends then so be it. Obviously this is a slippery slope, but it's not a bad place to start. I think you make want to seek more treatment if you really want to kick the habit all together. I wish I had better advice for you, binging when you're overweight is hard enough, but binging and maintaining is a whole other struggle. I'd say avoid your triggers and start finding other ways to deal with your emotional triggers, easier said than done I know.