You might want to look into some books on food addiction- eating an entire box of cereal is more than a person needs (obviously you know that). Then starving for hours till you binge again is NOT healthy.

What you should have done is eat a balanced breakfast with protein so you wouldn't have gotten so hungry at work.

I read this book: Conquering your food addiction and it helped me SOOO much. I actually read it twice! I didn't follow the diet plan or anything- but it helped me psychologically understand why I was eating the way I did. It only cost me $3 for the book with shipping so it's definitely affordable.

Also you sound like you aren't carrying any food with you so you are eating what's around- I suggest starting to carry snacks and eating small meals more often.

Tonight eat a light meal (don't leave more then 3-4 hours in between meals and snacks) and drink plenty of water. Tomorrow eat a good breakfast with protein, take snacks and lunch with you, and anytime the craving monster rears it's ugly head remember how you felt after each time you got out of control and overate.

A nutritionist might be able to help you also if you are unsure what to eat.

Hiya; okay, okay...
first of all breathe

I've been through this, I really have, so I hope that my advice can help you
It does sound like you have an addiction to eating, but so many people do, and it's fixable. I think what needs working on is your frame of mine, the way you think. I can see that you've already lost weight, so try using that as a motivation; when the cravings kick in, remind yourself of how well you're doing, and ask yourself "Do I really need this peice of food? Do I want to lose the hard work I've done?"
I think for some people, it's best to go cold turkey. If you know that one piece of chocolate will set you off, steer clear of chocolate. I haven't had any in a month, and after about a week I simply stopped craving it Cold turkey isn't for anyone, but for me it works very well

Try following Bee's advice and taking a look at some books

It's very interesting that the concept of food addiction was raised here. I do know that with other addictions, such as substance abuse/alcoholism....you have to totally stop the substance/behavior and then with time, it becomes easier and easier.....the more time you put between you and the former substance/behavior. But it's all or none....you have to totally stop the substance....but it's tricky with food...because we can't just stop eating.

I am a BIG believer in "carbs make you constantly hungry and craving", esp. simple carbs (white flour and sugar). While you certainly cannot eliminate food altogether, you can eliminate this category of food and basically eat a totally "clean" diet. By doing this....you're not swimming upstream quite so much. I mean, to me, eating these carbs is like trying to stay off alcohol but still working in a bar. You can do it....but why make it so darn difficult? I think Beerab gave some great suggestions on how to cut the problem off at the pass.

There are many here who do low-calorie diets and are able to eat simple carbs/sweets/chocolate in moderation. My assumption is that they have not verged over into the true food addiction as much as others have. For instance, just because many women become very involved with dieting...it does not mean they have an eating disorder. It has to do with just how far the obsession/compulsion and the behavior goes....into the uncontrollable territory.

For me....there's a physiologic component (remedied by doing low carb/Atkins) and then a behavioral/obsessive compulsive component. I know that most of the time, my thinking went...."well, I just ate a very forbidden food (chocolate) so I might as well go whole hog and have a ton of it and totally satisfy the craving and then go back into my being uber strict mode". If I was "bad"...I might as well take advantage of it and be really bad...and then discipline myself. There was no such thing as portion control for me most of the time. I had to cut those foods out altogether.
Also...with the eating of the entire box of cereal....studying is often not very fun....so one feels compelled to add something fun (like eating robotically) while doing it....just to make it a little bit fun. Because if you stop it, you're just stuck with the "not fun" studying....and who wants that?

I also agree that reading up on food addiction would be great. Another suggestion would be to read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes....which explains why eating simple carbs makes it extremely difficult to control your appetite, physiologically. It would be great to understand this from both a behavioral and a physiologic angle, IMO.

deena

While you may have eaten a lot of food your body still needs nutrients. Why not have a nice salad or maybe a fruit smoothie? Give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs. Remember, tomorrow is always a new day to start fresh.

I haven't written anything on here for awhile, and I've been lurking quite a bit, but I just had to comment because it's like you wrote exactly what I'm feeling. I'm not sure I have any helpful advice to give, but I just wanted to let you know that you're certainly not alone in feeling this way. My last binge was on Thursday and I felt awful about it, but not awful at the same time. Awful physically but apathetic emotionally. Scared me too! The worst parts about my binges are they are so secretive, no one knows they're happening except for me. Sometimes I think if I were able to talk to some while I'm having a bad day or mid-binge, then I might be able to stop. I think I need to start getting on here more, but I'm not always around my computer.

So far, the only thing I've found that works for me, that stops a binge, is planning out what I'm going to eat the rest of the day and sticking to it. When I'm on plan, I normally eat on a schedule and I write everything down. When I binge, I'm eating 24/7 and writing nothing down. However, on Thursday, I binged in the morning, but then came on here, read some posts and decided to take back control of my day. So, I looked at the time (it was around noon) and planned out the rest of my day as if the morning had never happened. I ate my lunch, snacks, and dinner as if I'd spent the morning on plan. It shook me out of the "gotta eat constantly the rest of the day" mode. I had a plan. Of course, I realize this may be easier said then done...but I figure it's a strategy to try. On Thursday, coming on 3FC helped me stop myself. That seems to be the hardest part...stopping ourselves. I wish I had a guaranteed method to do that!

But, I also wanted to say that you posting your problem has helped me. I think you're very brave and it's inspiring to see people admit their problems and feelings and seek help. I've spent the last couple months keeping everything to myself and that's certainly not working. So, I'm going to try to be more like you (and the others who come here!) and post more often!

Keep trying...start over...that's one step in the right direction!

I am glad to hear that you felt better and that you decided to do something with therapy and journaling, HOORAY for YOU!

Glad you are better, I know exactly how you feel. Because I often times overindulge in junk food, I stopped buying it. However I found myself bingeing on CHOCOLATE...

I can eat two king size Hershey with almonds in one sitting. I'm not a lover of food, but junk I adore. I've tried to stop cold turkey. I'm able to with all junk outside of chocolate....

It's an ongoing battle. In the midst of your bingeing don't beat yourself up too much, there's always tomorrow to recommit.

Glad you're feeling better, and that you're going to talk to someone. That is a very positive move!

In the future when you binge like that, you have to forgive yourself, and get back on track. Skipping meals will only lead to more binging. I know, it's tempting to think that it will make up for a bad behavior, but it won't. Seriously, you need to lighten up on yourself! Negative thoughts, feelings, punishing yourself, guilt... they all lead to overeating. Here's a hug, maybe it will help.

I agree with a lot of the posts; you are NOT alone!!! I've had that same experience hundreds of times and it stinks! I do find that "punishing" myself by starving the next day isn't a good idea because it's setting myself up for a fall. I would still try to eat the next meal; you could just make it smaller if you're not feeling like eating a lot. At least you won't feel deprived of a meal. I'm glad to hear you've come out on the other side a little happier. Hang in there!

I don't see that anyone has brought up blood sugar. I'm prediabetic, so I'm tuned in to that. Alarm bells were ringing before I hit past the first few sentences. Too much space between meals, no mention of protein food or fat food to stabalize blood sugar. It's all carb "quick blood sugar drop fix" stuff.

Also, it's all sweet stuff for the most part. From an emotional eating perspective, sweets/comfort foods points to "heart hunger" and the need for nurture. How's that area of your life right now?

Look at your day:

• Last night I went through a whole box of cereal (time? 10 PM? Midnight?)
  
• I didn't eat anything until 11am this morning. (There you go. You got on the blood sugar roller coaster. What did you eat?)
  
• Once the afternoon hit I started going nuts. Ate some dark chocolate at work that a coworker had. (2 PM? 3 PM)
  
• Then once I got off work (5 PM? 6 PM?) I walked 3 blocks to the baskin robbins for a hot fudge sundae because I was craving.
  
• walking home -- 2 chocolate cookies, I bought a twix too.

Don't skip meals. Try to eat every 4 hours or so, and have protein/fat included in the meal.

See if the library has "The Sugar Solution" from Prevention for you to borrow.

GL!
A.

This is essentially the science behind what I was trying to say. Skipping meals is NEVER a good idea! If you still feel full from the night before, or think you're full from the night before, find something to nibble on, preferably something low on the glycemic index. An apple, granola bar, some carrots... whatever works for you. But letting your blood sugar drop will send you into crave mode.

This may be the worst advice ever, but when I was on a low carb diet in the past and my blood suger seemed to dip, but I didn't want to eat anything, I would take a few dinner mints and let them melt in my mouth. You know the kind you get when you leave a restaurant - they are pastel colors and melt in your mouth. That brought my blood sugar up, but didn't fill me up. Again, it may not be sound advice, but even those with diabetes take sugar pills sometimes to regulate levels so it can't be too harmful.