Hey, new here. I'm 19, and I can't seem to stop binge eating! I used to be buff and skinny for like a year, but then I started emotional eating out of stress at age 16ish and I went from a muscular 112 (probably too thin) to 132 in about 10 months. I finally tried crash dieting last year and got way down to 109 (stupid, stupid and definitely underweight), and my hair was falling out and I stopped menstruating for several months. My folks took me to an eating disorder clinic, and there they made me gain a bunch of weight without giving me any control or say or even a scale for tracking. They finally told me I was at my goal weight, but I couldn't stop binge eating and I just kept gaining! I finally weighed myself on someone else's scale and was devastated to see the number 130! I got so distressed I've just kept steadily eating and gaining weight, and now I've got cellulite, stretch marks, I can't fit into any of my clothes, and I'm rather unhappy. I want to lose weight, but I can't seem to get a handle on this binge eating! Plus, I'm so embarrassed and discouraged now that I feel like I need to just hide in a closet so no one can see what a disgusting mess I've become. :P Grrr! Any encouragement for me? What should I do?! Thanx you!!! <3

Hi and welcome to 3FC.

You've come to the best place on the net for support, advice and inspiration.

Good luck with your goals.

Hugs
Michelle

It sound like you are learning the hardest lesson of all...moderation. You don't want to overeat but as you have seen undereating is aweful too. I wish you the best of luck and just remember your health professional is always there for advice if you need it.
Melody

Lily, Welcome! You will find great support here. I know where you are coming from with the binge eating. I hate the moment when I am sitting there thinking, "I am so full it is uncomfortable, why did I do this to myself" All while continuing to eat. That is when I feel trapped in my own body. Like a little me inside is screaming STOP but the outside me just ignores it and keeps eating. One thing that has started to help me is 1) getting a bowl or plate of a specific amount of what I want to eat and that is all I get! or 2) if I really just want to munch for no reason I find 0 cal stuff to munch on so I can continue to eat as much as I want but without all the guilt. You will find a method that works for you! Good luck!

I am a big-time bing eater too! I lose all my weight and binge it right back on. I finally am pretty much down to my goal, though I would love to lose 2 more pounds.

I think it would be helpful if you found a trully reasonable goal weight. You are my same height. I personally can not get below 130. I have tried and it just doesn't happen!

Your goal weight may be different because of your frame size and body shape or whatever, but I would guess somewhere between 125 and 135 would be very reasonable.

And as for the binge eating - it is tricky! For me, I am a night-time binger and zero calorie food doesn't cut it. I want junk food! Some things that have been helping me are the 100-200 calorie bags of popcorn (I try to eat it one piece at a time so it lasts), sipping on crystal light (even though I am not a fan or advocate of artificial sweetener - it has got to be better than downing 3000 calories of junk food), saving a 100 calories or m&m's or chocolate chips (I like the little pieces so I can put them in my mouth one at a time).

If I catch myself mid-binge, I am trying really hard to stop myself. I try to tell myself that I haven't completely blown it yet but if I keep it up I will.

Another thing that might help with night binging is brushing your teeth before it starts. Eating after brushing isn't so tempting.

You can do this! Just start with some exercise and some small realistic goals! I'm rootin' for ya!

Hello ladies!
Thank you all for your input and encouragement! <3 I greatly appreciate all of your words! I've found that binging is my biggest life problem, and not one that I feel comfortable sharing with any of my friends. This means that I am sorely lacking in encouragement from others. Thank you all for your help!

Melody, yes, I am an extreme person in many aspects of my life, and balance is a key quality that I lack but must develop!

KayNicole, I wish I could assume that I'll never have reason to use your advice, but knowing my tendency to relapse and thinking realistically, I will try your strategies! And I totally relate to that little me inside screaming "STOP!" but I just ignore it!!

greenfishgirl, I am small-boned according to online stuff I find, and my best guess is that I'm on the bigger side of small... I stayed right around the 120's for most of my teen years until I started the binging, so my goal weight should probably be something like 126 or 127? Not totally sure, but that seems about right. However, I'm sure we'd all love to be as small as we possibly can and still be healthy, and I'm thinking for me that's 120 or 122.... =D We'll see. I've learned my lesson now in drastic weight loss measures! NOT a good idea!! I will try the popcorn and controlled portions thing!! Thanks! Congrats on making your goal weight!

Thanks so much, peoples!!!!

Thanks you for the post.
Hi guys, Im a newbie. Nice to join this forum.

You'll find nothing but support here. Keep posting on your good and not so good days, and you'll find lots of people cheering you on. Good luck!

Hey Lily. You can determine your ideal weight by using calculators that you can find via a search engine. They usually give you a range of weights that are healthy. You can also calculate your BMI and go from there. Good luck!

Dhani

Dhani, Thanks. I have looked at stuff like that. My favorite one I've found is "Better Ideal Weight Body Calculations." It won't let me post the link, but you could see it as the first link if you typed that into google. According to this site I should be between 114 and 150. Huge range!! But it also narrows it more (but doesn't specifically "recommend" these) to 119-133 or 126. So I'll shoot for 126 probably and see if I want to safely go any lower!

Helen, hi! Welcome! Make sure you make your own post too so more people see it