Overeating to excess

  • I feel like I have weeks that I do really well, and then I have these periods of time where I just binge, binge, binge and eat all the food that I can like I'm storing up for winter. I don't feel good after it either-I feel bloated, guilty, greasy and gross. Sometimes when I'm doing it I can recognize that I'm going way overboard and I just can't stop-or don't seem to want to.

    I've realized over time that I binge eat more often when I'm stressed, and ironically also when I'm doing well with my weight loss (self sabotage thing). This past weekend I did a 5k and hit my 7% goal... then I start eating and haven't stopped. I don't know how some people pick smaller portions and do fine-or pick healthy food all the time. I do enjoy healthy food (Im a vegetarian so I enjoy fruits and vegetables), but I feel trapped in these bad patterns sometimes. I've had terrible eating habits since I was a child and I don't know how to be healthy and not overeat.
  • You mentioned several times that you "eat healthy" and "do good" for a while... but what does that mean? Are you being overly restrictive with your food choices and your calories? Eating TOO well in that regard can most definitely set you up for a binge.
  • I understand the binges!!! But you CAN learn to control it. First of all, may I suggest you read The Beck Diet Solution. It's not a "diet" but rather learning to create & apply habits that will replace the current bad habits you suffer from.

    Quote: ...I have these periods of time where I just binge, binge, binge and eat all the food that I can... I don't feel good after it either-I feel bloated, guilty, greasy and gross. Sometimes when I'm doing it I can recognize that I'm going way overboard and I just can't stop-or don't seem to want to.
    Hint: NOTE HOW YOU FEEL. You said you feel bloated, guilty, greasy & gross. That is NOT a good feeling. When you catch yourself in the process of a binge, remind yourself - SAY IT OUT LOUD! - "if I continue with this binge I am going to feel bloated, guilty, greasy, and gross! Do I WANT to feel that way? DO I????"

    Also, when you feel that weird need to binge, try doing it in front of a mirror. WATCH YOURSELF EAT. Sometimes that alone is enough to make me stop.

    Quote:
    I've realized over time that I binge eat more often when I'm stressed, and ironically also when I'm doing well with my weight loss (self sabotage thing).
    This is your inner self speaking loud & clear to you. WHEN you are stressed. Try to find other ways to cope with your stress. Yoga, perhaps? Kick-boxing? Find a quiet place in the middle of a forest & scream out loud for as long as you need? Stress is a killer! - we all experience stress to some degree or another, but there ARE ways to deal with it that do not include food. Remember: FOOD IS FOR SUSTENANCE. We need it to live. We do NOT need it to calm our nerves. (that's what liquor is for, LOL... just kidd'n!!!)

    Quote:
    ... I've had terrible eating habits since I was a child and I don't know how to be healthy and not overeat.
    Then it's TIME TO LEARN. Again, I strongly suggest reading The Beck Diet Solution. It will help you to teach yourself coping strategies and techniques to strengthen your mind against the onslaught of food demons.

    Good luck to you! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!
  • I used to overeat as well-because of physical and emotional reasons. I found that it was my way of dealing with distress. I would try to explore different possible causes of your overeating-I found for me it was because I was eating processed food that made me want more, and because I was just unhappy in general and food made me feel better.

    I remember I had a plate of brownies and I told this girl that I wished that they weren't there because I was eating all of them and didn't like them that much. She asked me "Why don't you just stop?" and I thought "Uh...how?" I stop asking myself How. I just don't overthink it and just do - I just force myself to stop-either by eating up to a certain amount or if its a food that I know I can't stop and isn't doing anything good for my body- just cutting that food out. It SUCKED. But then after awhile, it gets better. Me in the past would probably find my current way of eating and activity agonizing, but for the most part, its managable now.
  • Something else to consider, binges can often be prompted by nutritional deficiencies. You say you are vegetarian, how is your diet in terms of amino acids and protein consumption? What types of food are you binging on? Before going to the weak willed/stress eating answer, it might be prudent to make sure there isn't a genuine physiological reason why you're doing this cycle over and over.