Binge Eaters Support group?

[porkscratching]

Hi All

I have read through everyone's post's and can completey related to everything, i have struggled with my weight most of my life and a few years ago i joined weight watchers and nearly lost 3 stone. Then stopped going and rejoined so many times. Then i tried slimming world but never stick to anything. My weight is creeping back up to what it was which is horrendous as i feel like a fat mess. Over the last 2 yrs ive been the happiess ive been in a loong time due to meeting my partner and recently he proposed and im over the moon. But why cant i stop eating? Im eating on the sly and say every week right this is me back on the diet but never stick to it for more than a day ive no will power or modivation in me and its really getting me down. Anyone any suggestions as i dunno what i can do as i never stick to anything and im a big binger.

Angie x

I think you need to find your inner voice - the one that reinforces your self belief - reading between the lines I don't think it's a very positive one right now. You need to change your belief that you don't stick at anything; as long as you think like that you wont - doesn't matter what diet you try. Once you get that breakthrough you'll wonder why you didn't do it ages ago. Good Luck.x

 

[0121gucci]

I think you need to find your inner voice - the one that reinforces your self belief - reading between the lines I don't think it's a very positive one right now. You need to change your belief that you don't stick at anything; as long as you think like that you wont - doesn't matter what diet you try. Once you get that breakthrough you'll wonder why you didn't do it ages ago. Good Luck.x

Hi I'm the same I've lost 4 stone and everyone tells me I look good but no one knows what it's like to be a binge eater unless they been there themselves . I don't know I'm even doing it sometimes I just can't stop eating how do you find your inner voice please help Debbie

 

[Angie3]

Thanks Katherine i think ur right i need to try and be positive and say i will stick to it this time!!! Debbie 4 stone is brilliant and such a achievement well done!

 

[Chubby chick 2023]

My binge food has always been breakfast cereal- I can be doing really well on a diet and then something triggers me, normally feeling deprived, lonely or something upset me and I'll make a special trip to buy a four pint of milk and a box of cereal, usually frosties. I'll then sit at a table and eat the lot. I've done some work in Therapy
On this, and think its because it takes me back to being a child and feeling safe and happy. The repetitive motion of spoon to mouth soothed me and the sugar rush made me euphoric. Now I haven't done this for ages, but I write about it in present tense as, like a drug addict, food issues are always present for me and I think of myself in recovery rather than recovered if that makes sense? I also used to self-harm and consider it all part of the same thing. Food is a wonderful fuel, which I am grateful I have enough of, but it is also a drug IMO- as the chemical and
Hormonal changes it can cause in your body and brain are significant, and the come down side effects unpleasant and long lasting. I definitely believe in talking therapies to work with food issues, as food is something we experience all life long, and understanding where the relationship with it started to become a bit dysfunctional can be so helpful in recovering.

 

[Baby_Cakes]

How have you guys overcome binge eating? I've found several websites and they all seem to recommend journalling, and prevention techniques.

 

[MissAmy]

How have you guys overcome binge eating? I've found several websites and they all seem to recommend journalling, and prevention techniques.

I haven't overcome it.

I'm managing to avoid the physical binge by eating regularly and keeping my energy/sugar levels steady.
If i binge i am trying to do it on healthier foods (baked kale crisps over the weekend) and things that will fill me up and glugging glasses of water.

The mental thing is still there.
I don't want to be ruled by food thinking about it 24/7 but not sure that'll ever change.
Writing a diary wouldn't help me, i understand my reasons as discussed earlier in this thread and scared of going deeper. I'm resigned to the fact i will always be a binge eater - albeit a binge eater in remission.

 

[MissAmy]

I also used to self-harm and consider it all part of the same thing.

I was the same.
But for me it was always about control. Cutting myself put me back in control, and binging is the same. So out of control i feel in control.

Both traits disgust me, and both desperately embarrass me.
I've kicked the self harm, but food abuse is so much harder.

 

[Chubby chick 2023]

Please try not to be embarrassed or disgusted by these habits. I totally get why you would say that but I look at it like its just our mind trying so hard to make us feel better it comes up with random and weird ways of doing it. It's not a failing, any more than my episodes of depression are failings of mine- its just a difference we have which we need to work on. (didn't always think like this but I do now - I refuse to feel disgusted by myself, I am not a murderer nor have I tortured any kittens recently. Nor am I nick clegg . )

 

[MissAmy]

Please try not to be embarrassed or disgusted by these habits. I totally get why you would say that but I look at it like its just our mind trying so hard to make us feel better it comes up with random and weird ways of doing it. It's not a failing, any more than my episodes of depression are failings of mine- its just a difference we have which we need to work on. (didn't always think like this but I do now - I refuse to feel disgusted by myself, I am not a murderer nor have I tortured any kittens recently. Nor am I nick clegg . )

It is embarrassing and disgusting like any nasty habit. I'd rather think like that than accept it, that way I'll strive to change it.

 

[shrinkingannie]

I strongly recommend reading 'brain over binge' it has helped me a great deal!

 

[philly_x]

Hi everyone,

i have to say I am really happy to see a thread like this. I was never diagnosed with a full on binge eating disorder per se, but I did used to binge a lot.. Especially if I'd had a hard day, was stressed, upset... Or even to celebrate a good day! I used to binge in secret until I felt so full, and I actually used to enjoy that feeling after the binge. My binges were smaller than those of someone who would have been diagnosed. My typical binge would be a large pack of crisps and a large pack of chocolate (like share bags if malteasers / minstrels) in secret in my room after eating a huge dinner. I'd say I'm going to "lie down", and I'd always buy food and hide it whenever I had the chance.

I started hypnotherapy for weight loss, hoping to tackle the problem and have a healthier relationship with food..... And omg it has worked!! it's literally like a bloody miracle!! I still eat too much, finish everything on my plate, pick when I'm no hungry and have all those other bad habits... But I've 100% stopped binge eating, which was the most disordered behaviour i had so i'm so thrilled. I plan to work on the other bad habits later. I'm doing SW now because i think i finally have the level of control to do soI sometimes and thoughts and urges but they aren't strong enough to send me out of control like they used to be, I can just say no to myself now.

The psychologist I worked with told me that I had what would be called an Eating Disorder not otherwise specified... According to the diagnostic manual they use it's basically disordered eating that doesn't fit into any of the bigger more clear cut categories (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating etc.). I think it's important for people to be aware that this is a 'thing', you don't have to be diagnosed with a particular eating disorder to be eating disordered. Something like emotional eating could also come into that category. Sadly there is virtually no help for those of us who struggle with unclear disordered eating.... I guess a lot of people could scrap the term and call it "greed". Who knows really!! But hypnotherapy has really helped me so far, I'd recommend it to anyone! x

 

[Tracymc72]

All the time, and a lot of it is secretively. Not good, at april 2012 i had lost stone and half. Now its virtually all back on. I binge eat at least three days a week.

 

[Tracymc72]

Thats what my binges consist of to, large packet crisps and couple bars of choc.

 

[philly_x]

I has real thoughts about binging today.... I had the worst day at work, and probably the worst day I've had since I stopped binging... I managed to do a pseudo binge of my dinner without my 1/3 super free veg (on SW), a HIFI bar (HEB) and a pack of baked stars (4 syns). Definite downsize from before, and it has kind of passed now

 

[lottiebird]

Hi all, I have just spotted this thread! I have had issues with binge eating since I was a child.

I actually just started at a support group on Friday. It was just amazing to hear from people who do the same things I do. I really hope to tackle my binge eating for once and for all.

Gonna go back and catch up on your posts now

 

[fatplop]

Reading this thread is absolutely amazing. I've only recently come to terms with the fact that I'm a binge eater, and I still don't really know what triggers it. Sometimes I genuinely feel like I can't control myself and that I'm not in charge of my own mind, I'll just eat anything in sight and in vast quantities just because I get the urge to eat and eat and eat. When I've tried to speak to people about it in the past they just look at me like I'm being dramatic.

Right now, the weekend is the worst part for me. I'm in my fourth week of Diet Chef at the moment and haven't had a slip up so far, but every weekend up to now I've felt the urge to binge eat so much. I know I need to tackle my problems instead of just shoving them away because sooner or later they'll all get on top of me again! Does anyone have any tips for how to control that urge? Like, does any one do anything to get rid of that feeling and not giving into it when they get it?

Also, I really want to go to my doctor to get some help about binge eating but I feel like they'd just laugh at me. Is it worth speaking to them about it?

Hi there. Yes it is worth speaking to your doctor about it. You can say you really feel you have an eating disorder and want help. It can be difficult to be refered to an eating disorder clinic but if you push you should be sent to one. The waiting lists are high though. I am on a waiting list and have been told it is one year at least before I will be seen. I know how you feel about weekends being worse as I feel the same. I really want to binge now. I am doing slimming world and have already gone over my syns as it is.

 

[Kira]

Very interesting and helpful thread. Not sure what category I fall into to but I do binge on and off. I can eat normally then turn to food and binge. When I eat "normal" foods they are healthy good qualify food as i enjoy cooking when I binge I turn to high calorific and unhealthy foods. Mostly savoury. However I have not binged for a few weeks as I made the decision not to after reading a download book from a site called brainoverbinge.com recommended by Annie Annie. So far this has helped me to stick to SnS and I am on day 49 today. I have lost just over a stone. I never had a binge problem until a few years ago around 2006 I think I developed the bingeing and the addiction to having more food than I needed. I have always been cyncial about self help groups therapy etc because they simply weren't for me. I felt the same about brainoverbinge even whilst reading it but it is helping. I also dip in to Gillian Riley, Beck and Spangles and they make sense at different times. However CBT is not for me right now but the decision to stop bingeing has come from the brain over binge book that gave a different take on why some of us binge and how we can stop.

I think I will always have the tendency to binge and I will have to address it the rest of my life.

 

[lottiebird]

I have been struggling, I had a binge last night I had been at the hospital visiting my grandmother, and she was in tears, so I came home in tears. I totally comfort ate. Pizza and chocolate

Back on it today, but frustrated because all I ate last night is enough to wipe out any weightloss this week before I even start! I am determined to stay in control until my weigh in and saturday.

Although I am still fat and have a long way to go, I am definitely less unhappy with my weight than when I started, and I think this is a part of why I am struggling more the past few weeks. I don't feel as desperate as I did. But the bottom line is I DO want to keep losing. I want to achieve my goals and make myself proud. I always pack things in half way through, and I don't want to keep doing this to myself.

 

[fatplop]

Hi Lottiebird. I can totally understand why you binged. You were clearly upset over your grandmother being in hospital. I am unable to get weighed Thursday and have not been sticking to it. Today I kept eating cake and biscuits although I really felt bad and still do. You say you are still fat but you have done so well to lose what you have and you weigh much less then me so well done.

 

[lottiebird]

Hi Lottiebird. I can totally understand why you binged. You were clearly upset over your grandmother being in hospital. I am unable to get weighed Thursday and have not been sticking to it. Today I kept eating cake and biscuits although I really felt bad and still do. You say you are still fat but you have done so well to lose what you have and you weigh much less then me so well done.

Thanks for your reply fatplop What plan are you on? Tonight I have had a bad headache, but thankfully my husband stepped in and cooked me a slimming world friendly curry