I see a few posts regarding binging here and I can totally relate. Not all who binge are bulemic and throw it up as well. But it's still a problem. I wanted to post my situation separately because I am controlling myself so far, and want to hear from others who are.

I finally realized I have a problem when I started second shift a year ago. I would do all of my binging at night, when I get home from work at 11pm. I'd get home and raid the fridge, grab a ton of food and turn on a movie or read and stuff myself. God forbid I go grocery shopping after work - I'd see all kinds of things to bring home and warm up...I'd be eating on the way home from the grocery store! Donuts or even chicken wings, and I'd be flinging the bones out the window.

As soon as I was stuffed, I'd go to bed. Really horrible. My SO (sig. other) would be asleep because he works the early shift, so I'd be alone to eat as I choose. I'd go to bed feeling stuffed and so guilty, and I'd wake up feeling bloated. I gained a good deal of weight this way. And you know, I never really thought about what I was doing, I'd just do it every other night. I finally realized it...on nights when the SO didn't have to work, he'd be awake and I hated it because I couldn't stuff myself in front of him. That was when it hit me that I had a problem! I told him about it and felt so ashamed.

Well, he left for duty overseas a few weeks ago and I have not binged since. I knew I had to do something once he left or I'd overeat all the time. I joined Weight Watchers and have been successful for the past few weeks. I am really learning to plan my meals, cook every day and eat every couple of hours so I am satisfied. When I get home, I try to go right to bed. If I want a snack, I have veggies or something else light. But since I eat every two hours, I'm not very hungry when I get home. I don't buy trigger foods like light Twinkies because I know I'll eat a ton of them and not have points for the rest of the day.

It's not easy, but I'm doing it. One thing that is helping is having a "free" day. I know some folks frown upon this, but Saturdays after my weigh in, I save the day for a nice meal that I've been craving all week and I do not exercise this day either. I have learned not to binge or overeat during this meal, but it gives me a day to eat a nice meal without feeling guilty about it. Even now, I do a good job of not stuffing myself during that one meal and I eat very light for the rest of the day. Then on Sunday I start my rountine again and stick to the program all week.

Eventually, I'll start logging this meal that I eat on Saturdays with my WW plan, but for right now, I need that day...so when I feel sluggish on Monday, I know that Saturday will come when I don't have to exercise or count points.

Thanks for reading my long story. What is your story and how are you controlling the urge to binge?

CD

Hi CD,
How's it going? Thanks for sharing your story. It helps to know that what happens to me happens to others too. This is a good question. I like the idea of having one free day or free meal each week. It's a good way to cope when you have something to look forward too that's planned and not a random binge. I basically try to distract myself like waiting 20 minutes or leaving the room. I also avoid buying those dreaded trigger foods But of course this doesn't always work. On the Something Fishy website they have helpful coping suggestions and I really liked one called the Coping Bank. Basically you decorate a shoebox then "deposit" affirmations, pictures, or comforting things that you can "withdraw" to support you during those stressful times. I think it's a great idea and might make one myself. I figure anything that might help is worth the effort. Anyone tried something similar?

Since there is so much focus on food regardless of the diet I am on, I end up dreaming about food. This doesn't happen if I'm overweight and just eating whatever, whenever, and as much as I want. I find that when I'm trying to go to sleep I will start thinking about what I CAN eat tomorrow and what the points will be. Sometimes just to shut the damn voices down, I end up bingeing late at night as well. You are so right that this is the absolute worst thing to do when trying to maintain or lose weight.
It helps me go to sleep though. I fight it as much as possible, but it is a constant battle. Just wanted you to know that you aren't alone. Good luck!

Thanks Kylie! Good luck to you too. Let me know if you come across any other ways to cope. Going to sleep earlier certainly does help me at night. Keep fighting

It's sad, but I often end up thinking about what I can eat "tomorrow" and calculating points, etc.

My doc told me to try going to bed slightly hungry instead of eating anything at all..that way I'll be ravenous in the morning and I can start a fresh day that way. I don't tend to binge during the day, only at night for some reason.

"The freaks come out at night!"

CD

My problem is at night, too. I don't usually have trouble any other time but 7 PM comes around and there I am with a lot of nervous energy and usually spend it on eating.

Your posts have inspired me to try harder and that tomorrow is another day. I have been off work due to disability and have been binging out of control on Halloween candy for 3 weeks now. I ahve gained about 10 pounds and I am facing having to quit a job I really like. I know that eating is a response , but I can't seem to want to stop. Thanks for letting me vent

Hi guys. I sorta had a binge last week. I went totally off program. I know it's silly, but I thought to myself, I'm going to overeat...I want MEAT and I'm going to do it.

So I thought of the "best" way to do this...so on my way home from work I got a 10 piece plain wings from Domino's pizza. They are only 1pt apiece on weight watchers...although I was over my point limit, I ate all of the wings like I knew I would...but at least I knew exactly how many pts I was eating and could make it up the rest of the week.

And what did I do right after I ate all the wings? I went right to bed.


That was Thursday night. Needless to say, Saturday morning I had a .6 gain at the scale! Arrgh. I'm learning.

CD

Yesterday was day #3 for me on my new diet and exercise plan and I slipped already. I could blame my husband because he brought the junk food home for me, but I can only blame myself for putting it in my mouth!

But "blame" is the wrong word. I have food issues, I know it, and I've just got to deal with them the best way I know how. A coping mechanism I try to use when I crave something is to talk to someone. I either tell my husband, call my best friend, or get on IM and message someone that "I really want some chocolate right now!". They all know to completely change the subject to get my mind off of food, and withing about 20 minutes, I feel better.

I have to get myself past the obsessing phase before I can really work on stoping the bingeging! I messed up yesterday, but today is a new day and I'm going to do better. I am so glad to know I am not alone in my struggle and can come here for support!

JohnnieAnn

JohnnieAnne,

When you binged last night were you stressing about something?

You said that you have food issues as I do to. But for me I have found a direct link between my emotional state and my eating. If I'm stressed out about something or depressed look out because I'm going to eat. I've really been talking to myself and almost reasoning withmyself. I tell myself that eating this....piece of cake...with not make my stress any better it will only make things worse because then I have guilt over the food. I dont know. You might want to try this. Since I have been doing this I am feeling so much better about myself. For me right now I feel that I have the power over the food and the food doesn't have to power over me.

Maybe this is something that you can try.

Yes, I eat when I'm stressed. But then again, I eat when I'm lonely, I eat when I'm sad, I eat when I'm bored. . . . I think you get the picture.

I have been trying to reason with myself, as suggested by my counselor. I have a mantra that I tell myself (I even say it out loud sometimes!) when I feel like I want to eat but know I don't need to. I have been doing better, but when those Suzie Q's were around, I just kinda gave in. I need to be stronger and try a little harder.

Day by day! Geez, sometimes hour by hour and minute by minute! But I'm doing my best to beat my bingeing!

Johnnie

Ugh, I can relate with all of this - I have had B.E.D. for years now, and it comes and goes for long periods of time; I will go for like 2 years, no urge to really binge aside from PMS sort of thing, and then I go through a period of about 2 years where I am overweight and bingeing uncontrollably. Needless to say, I own an impressive set of stretch marks from the rapid loss/gain pattern, and right now I am very overweight. Actually, I am fighting the urge to binge as I type this! I live with a female roommate, who has a preteen daughter, and both of them have the same problem, especially her daughter. She is constantly rummaging through the fridge and cupboards, and is always hungry no matter how much we feed her, and it really rubs off! I was doing okay until she began to whine that she was hungry, and now I am almost sitting on my hands! I don't know what to do; this thing seems to stay until it wants to leave me alone for a while and there is nothing I can do about it - it is so frustrating! I am glad I found this place!