Before I started body trim I used to binge up to 4 times a week. All the stress in my life would pile up and I would need something so desperately to make me feel better, and that something was food.
Once, I remember ordering the Super Variety Bucket from KFC and eating it all myself in the space of 1 hour. I was so disgusted with myself that I went to try and purge it, but I've never had a good gag reflex. So after half an hour of trying, I broke down crying. Ironically, I ended up feeling worse afterwards than I did before.
For me, the key to stop my binges has been small, frequent high protein meals that keep me fuller for longer and making sure I'm always doing something that day. remember, idle hands are the devils play things! In this case, the devil is food
You just have to keep reinforcing to yourself exactly how BAD you're going to feel afterwards and try and find alternatives to binging like going shopping, or reading a book, or just getting out of the house.
Once you take back that control over your mind and just TELL IT NO!.. you'll be surprised at how accomplished and happy you'll feel
Good luck!!

^^THIS^^

Conquer is also not the word I would use. But I do have it under control (for the most part.) That is not to say that I don't occasionally overeat, because I do (occasionally!) - the trick for me is that word: OCCASIONALLY.

My binging goes back to the day I got my baby teeth & got a hold of solid foods! For me, learning to control my binge eating has more to do with simply counting calories (my chosen method of weight loss). It also has to do with watching those portion sizes, choosing healthier foods overall, and paying attention to my "stomach hunger" while learning to ignore my "brain hunger". And I agree with others here who have touted SUGAR as the main demon. The more sugary (processed!) foods I eat, the more I want. And once I start those, it's nearly impossible to stop, until it's too late (i.e. feeling over-stuffed like I'm about to explode and yet STILL wanting more!!)

I don't think I'll ever "conquer" this. Rather, it is an on-going process, something I do daily, meal-by-meal. I liken my binge eating to a sleeping dragon. Don't taunt it!!! And for crying out loud -Don't poke it!!! Please, for the love of myself, just let that dragon sleep!

As someone who has only recently realized that I could define what I was doing as binge-eating, I can say that realization is much of the key for me. Addictive behavior is a norm for me, it can be food, alcohol, shopping, etc. I can control one behavior, but it usually comes out in another form. As I get a good handle on my eating behavior, but drink too much, or I get a handle on food, alcohol, and start spending money.
Mine is overall addictive behavior, but I will say that reading posts here and getting support from other sources has been key in controlling many of these things. I will always have these tendencies as they are comforting to me (in the short term) but for long term recovery, I have found that positive self talk and affirmations, as well as a good support group are tremendously helpful.
Every day is a new day, and I do believe in the "one day at a time" way of thinking. It is very easy to give in to the behaviors that bring the instant comfort, I think the key is to be patient with yourself and ask yourself the "why" questions before giving in to the binge.
It has helped tremendously just to be able to read some of the posts on this site and realize that there are other people who deal with these things.

I think I was one of the lucky ones. I used to have a problem with binging and purging, on and off from 16 - 25 or so. With time it slowly started getting better. I can't remember the last time (I'm 30 now). I guess you could say I grew out of it.

Or I replaced the impulse with cigarrettes, which I then had to quit a year ago completely! That one still haunts me and wants to make its appearance back in my life.

Occasionally I overeat - I take portions that are bigger than I need. But, I don't have the feeling like I could split in two if I try bending over.

Unna-I was asking my mom, who quit smoking about 15 years ago, how long it was until she stopped wanting a cigarette. Her answer.."Oh, I still want one almost every day." And she just shrugged.

I think binging is so similar. And alcoholism, in that respect....

No matter how long its been, it will always haunt you, and you'll always get urges.

lol, that sounds really dark and depressing. More like..its always something that will pop into our heads from time to time.

Hello to all!
I am happy to say that I have conquered binge eating and you made me realize that just now... coz as far as I remember I have not donethat for many months. but let me tell you that I was a binge eater and a big one and I really didn't know about it. worst of all, as I was eating junk and gaining weight my husband would not allow me to have anything junk whenever we went out ... so I started eating when he was not around. we would have terrible fights when he would find the wrappers from the mcdonalds at our home. this made situation worse
but things changed when we moved. because I was so addicted to mcdonalds that I thought I cant live with it. but at our new place, the nearest store has some problems going on so they don't home deliver. yay! at first I was like oh no! but that actually helped me break the addiction. we go out now and eat delicious things but I am not even slightly attracted to mcdonalds. have not eaten their food for months.
other thing that helped was eating enough calories, can't survive on 1200. makes me cranky and is a surefire way of binge for me. so I keep myself full just enough and drink plenty of water.
one thing more.. you think it is difficult.... it is not ! trust me on this! I used to cry my heart out but you know what at that time I was just searching for ways to stop it and not doing anything about it. but once that happened .... it just became very easy! just start on your journey... keep yourself full and stay away from junk... it is addicting. most important thing - DO NOT DEPRIVE YOURSELF! eat healthier whenever given a chance but dont eat whatever is not providing you the nutrition that you deserve. I still eat an occasional chocolate like I ate today but am in general happy coz I ate proper breakfast like fruits and wholewheat bread with coriander chutney and a healthy lunch and now off to a healthy dinner. sorry for rambling but just wanted to help as I have been there!

I want to echo everyone who said it's like alcoholism- I'll never not have the binge eating behaviours in my brain. I have learned alternate behaviours and hardly ever overeat to the point of feeling like I'm going to burst anymore. I consider this a great accomplishment. It's taken probably 3 years of consistent work to get here.

Personally I had to separate breaking the binge cycle from dieting. I was a candy monster, eating up to a pound a day. Finally at age 45 I went cold turkey on eating candy. I know some folks say after a short time of not eating a trigger food, they no longer crave it. Not me. I fought, fought, fought the urge to eat even a bite of candy and ate everything else in great quantities to stop myself from caving. But 4 years later I finally felt confident that the candy monster could be controlled and then started the weight loss.

I have to tell you, it was pretty darn discouraging to not lose a single ounce by giving up all that candy, but I know I could have not lost 100 lbs. 4 years later if I was still eating it.

I've had my ups and downs but I have to say that cutting out sugar from my life has definitely modified that behavior greatly. I notice now if I have any sort of sugar I completely lose it and I can only equate it with an addiction really. Once I have it I look for more and that leads to a binge shortly thereafter. So just recognizing my trigger foods has been a huge step in overcoming these binges.

I'm also an emotional binger so therapy has worked for me in this case. I have learned to be a friend to myself instead of my worst enemy. It is amazing how much well you do when you treat yourself well and become your own cheerleader. You have to have the right mindset and positive thinking to push you every day. If you have a lot of issues to deal with and these are an underlying cause of over eating or emotional eating, dealing with them and confronting them is the first step to changing your life. You can't treat only the symptoms, you have to treat the disease. Binging is a symptom of my issues and ignoring that for decades shows in every inch of my body. It's funny how something so secretive or what seems to be so, is actually out there for the world to see. Doesn't matter how baggy my blouse is-my issues are clearly displayed for everyone to see.

This month has been specially hard because it is the season to binge on sweets and glorious meals. I can't say I did very well but I at least can say I can now see my patterns. This has allowed me to regain some control where before I lived in a daze. Just taking it one day at a time.

I wouldn't use the word conquered either, although I do refer to myself as a former binger. At first, I just made the decision to stop. Then as the years went by, I got better & better at it; esp in the last few years, when I tackled my emotional-response eating.

I guess I have learned to cope with and/ respond better to difficult people and life situations. I do think that I will have to be ever-mindful though, becuz life continually throws stressors our way each day ...

I wish I had. I'm still having these amazing cravings. Recently, it's been pizza. I want a spicy pizza! It's starchy, cheesy and spicy. But I've not had one since last year. And if I get it, I'll get sides, and some sort of dessert (maybe). I've decided to start the new year by seeing how long I can go without chocolate. I am a chocoholic. A real chocoholic! I love that stuff more than anything. It was rare that I would go a day without some type of chocolate. But I would give up every year for lent, just to prove I could. Although, usually my birthday fell in between, so I'd take that day off and make up the day. I'm getting better. But I'm not where I'd really like to be yet.

I went two straight years without binging and thought I had fixed it. But then a whole huge amount of stress hit and the same time and I found out that I did not have the coping skills.

I will never be cured, but am hoping that I can at least regain control.

I can't say I'm 100% better, but ever since the end of December, I have felt just so much stronger. I've found myself eating when I'm hungry, not at the alotted meal time like I usually do (eating because I want to).

I feel like I'm able to say "No" now, whereas before I would say to myself "Don't do this, you're going to regret it", then do it anyway.

I started binging maybe 2 1/2 years ago, though, sometimes it would be really bad and other times I would feel more in control.
I spent about a year and a half not eating enough, obsessed with losing weight, so that is what caused my problems...

But I feel like I've really made major improvements. I can bake granola and only eat a little bit!

Binging, for me, is completely related to lack of sleep and eating sugar. If I don't sleep well, I make bad food choices and if (and they will be) I choose sugary or salty simple carbs, that will lead to a binge. Without a doubt. If I eat clean and get enough sleep, I will not binge. I haven't had a binge in a very long time. So much so, that I don't count myself as a binger. It's been well overe ahead. Maybe 2 years since I've binged.

I don't think I'd used "conquered." More like manage. And my biggest help is chanting "resist once at the store, then I don't have to resist a hundred times at home."

Some foods just trigger me, and that is that. Not having them in the house is the only thing that works for me not to binge. That and giving up baking.

A.