I read something somewhere - kind of a ripoff of a physics law.... "For every diet, there is an equal and opposite binge".

I know that sounds like an incongruous thing to post on a website called 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet! But I think it's really talking about overly restrictive diets (and starving). You get so hungry, that you can't help but binge.

I also read someplace that scientists can easily induce binge eating in mice - simply starve them for a bit, then present them with unlimited food. Voila - instant binge eating!!

I know it's not easy - the binge monster is definitely one of my mortal enemies too. But my best advice to you is to eat more, and avoid, at all costs, getting hungry. I'm sure that sounds scary, because you're afraid that once you start eating, you won't be able to stop. But hey, brown-bagging it to school is a great opportunity. You can plan out a healthy lunch when you're feeling strong, then don't take any $$ to school. There you have it, instant portion control.

Personally, though I'd like to drop some weight, I'm trying to do it through cutting back portions and making better choices. I've learned, over the years, that I simply can't diet. It leads to bingeing, every time, and I strongly suspect that if I had never dieted, I never would have ended up as a binger. I'm doing much better these days (though this past week wasn't great, due to it being my birthday), because I finally realized, after years of trial and error, that I won't get my weight down until I stop bingeing, once and for all. And I won't stop bingeing until I give up restrictive dieting.