Reminding myself that bingeing won't help!
 

Ah! I am so overwhelmed and tired and want to shovel a whole pan of brownies into my belly... I'm 6 weeks into nursing school while still working and planning my wedding- all things I LOVE and am happy about but sometimes it's just too much and for some reason part of me thinks that I can just numb my anxiety with food... But I am NOT going to give in. I'm committing right now to report back to this post tomorrow. :) food is not going to solve any of my problems… It's just going to make me not fit in my wedding dress!

Great that you came here to post and help you focus your thoughts. I hope you made it through alright.

You go! I personally try and remind myself of the feeling after binging - not satisfied at all, and pretty guilty. I'm trying to replace it for other good treatments to myself, so maybe you could try these if you're feeling stressed! They're some of my personal options but of course there's probably much more (:

- spa day (or just a lot of body cream and a long shower and nail polish haha)
- day out kayaking with friends
- warm blankets + tea + movie night
- a meal at my fave (healthy) restaurant
- drawing (I can get so caught up in this)
- reading

It's not much for now, but I try to always add to the list in case most of the things seem really meh :P

Actually binging does help or we wouldn't be doing it for as long as we have. Binging is not borne out of weakness, it is not a character flaw. It is a primal instinct to fulfill a need that you don't know how to fulfill otherwise. I always try to remember to attend to my basic physical needs like:

Sleep - if I'm my getting enough sleep I tend to not have enough energy for exercise and tiredness makes me reach for heavy foods

Pain management - tired sore muscles, an achy back from spending too much time on the computer, headaches, tightness from stress and anxiety can really hinder my nutritional choices.

Hunger and thirst - you'd be surprised how many people mistake thirst for hunger so stay hydrated! Also, make sure your diet isn't restrictive in a way that makes you fall apart at the sight of a cookie.

Emotional needs - these can be complex. I can't tell you how much self imposed stress I take on just to avoid confrontation. Anger, boredom, loneliness, stress, fear, frustration are all very real emotions that need to be addressed, you can't comfort them with donuts... Well you can, but is it effective? Identify your emotions and find real and effective ways to address them.

And always be kind to yourself. Don't best yourself up for binging, it comes from a desire to nurture yourself and that is a good thing! We just need better ways to nurture ourselves and the binging does reduce!

Maybe you should consider that perhaps you aren't binge eating to solve your problems.

Perhaps you only binge because you get really strong, uncomfortable urges to binge. Urges that might be your brain's natural reaction to restricting food.

We all know that binge eating makes no sense and doesn't help anything. But many of us still do it regardless of that fact which means there must be something driving it that isn't our own logical minds, but another aspect of our minds that runs automatically and without our conscious awareness (the part that activates urges and compulsions to carry out behaviors in order to protect our survival OR behaviors that have simply become habitual. binge eating is one such behavior that falls under both categories.)

I agree with this. I'm trying to figure out what drives me to binge. I don't do it often these days, but when I do, the quantities are epic (4,000 to 5,000 cals in one sitting). I see my binges as a kind of rebellion against being moderate, balanced, health-minded, and all these "sensible" attributes. I also find gourmet eating an enjoyable pastime (I never binge on junk, always high-quality if also high-calorie foods) and don't seem to get full on normal quantities. I'm trying to figure out whether I can somehow change my mindset so I lose my psychological need for periodic bouts of unrestrained eating.