I don't get it either, it's so incredibly frustrating. I've been reading a bit about mindful eating, and it seems to be at least a partial solution to binging. One comparison they made in a NY times article about it was that cravings to binge are like crying babies: a mother needs to console and calm down a crying baby, and we must take few moments to breathe, think, rationalize, rather than just going into autopilot and reaching for tubs of ice cream and boxes of pizza. We have to be mindful, not mindless, think about if this food we're about to put into our mouths is going to provide us with health and happiness, or if it is going to just give us no nutrition and endless feelings of guilt. What I find really difficult is when I'm contemplating binging, I can't seem to remember just how awful I feel afterwards. Also we may know that binging is bad, but once you even eat just one thing, it's nearly impossible to stop because of the chemistry of our brains. If you eat anything with carbs/sugar (aka pretty much any processed food at all) then your blood sugar spikes, then drops, leaving you wanting more sugars and carbs. So it is in a sense something in your brain, or rather body, that causes us to be able to continue to eat when we know it's wrong, because our mind may be telling us no, but our body is telling us yes

From what I understand, it has a lot to do with brain chemistry. And psychology. I also go into autopilot, then spend days afterward rebuking myself.

I wonder about that too...that I am thinking about taking Topamax to control the cravings. Topamax is anti-seizure medication...I just know I'm miserable because I lost about 70 or so pounds and gained half of it back in the last year.

I was thinking about trying topamax but i didn't really want my mom finding out and I heard there were serious side effects. Also, I think cravings don't play a big role in my problem because I find myself eating everything, even left overs that I don't like

It drives me nuts...I know it's so wrong, but yet I still do it...I've heard it has to do with brain chemistry, but I'm afraid I'm just finding myself another excuse to allow myself to keep doing it..

I so relate to all of these posts! I have been dealing with binging and compulsive overeating my whole life. I have lost and gained weight more times than I can count. I have just put on a ton of weight from daily binging--multiple times a day. I have been in treatment and on medications for many years for anxiety and depression, which can be related. The bottom line I have learned from therapy, experience and research is, yes, PART of it is brain chemistry, but the other part is a learned behavior than can be minimized with more effort than I honestly have right now. It feels impossible these days, eventhough I feel so ashamed of the way I look and feel. Uggghhhh! I am angry, fruatrated and absolutely miserable, yet I continue down this rotten path for the umpteenth time!!!

I have taken Topamax and it did help with the cravings, but the side effects were horrible. I had major dizziness, and had to stop. And the cravings became bad again. Please bear in mind that I did all of this under doctor supervision.

All I am trying to do is be accountable for my binges. I check in on this site everyday as a reminder of my need to change.

Everyone who has posted, I support you, I hear you, and I feel your pain.

As I'm sure I can speak for all of us...Know that we are here for you too! It's kind of funny, because I so dearly wanted to tell you not to beat yourself up, you are not disgusting! You are dealing with a serious problem the best you can..and then I realized how much of a hypocrite that would make me... because I do and feel the exact same way...argh the frustration

It's like every time I look at my self I say "I'm done. I'm gonna start being healthy" and then the next day of binging passes and I feel even worse about myself. My motivation fades in and out and when it fades out, that's when it gets dangerous for me. I try I think ahead instead of just what I think I want in the moment but it never helps. Idling I can ever get out of this funk considering it has to do with brain chem and what not and that's the scary part for me. I was fine two years ago, idk why I'm not now

You can definitely get out of this funk! We can all get out of it! That's why we're all here..for ourselves and each other! I definitely understand how you feel. You beat yourself up because you swore you would change and then you don't. You just have to remember tomorrow is a new day! You're human, you make mistakes and keep trying

sometimes i feel like ive been bingeing so long i dont know how to get back on track.
help me?

Slowly but surly right? Thank you for all your positive energy

Well Saideh, the first step I took was getting a bunch of motivation quotes and pictures to put up around my room. Then I just try and take it day by day and just focus on eating healthy foods instead of counting calories like crazy. When I feel like I'm going to binge I just try to take a deep breath and really think about how it's going to make me feel and look later. Make sure to always drink water because I find that helps me a lot.

That's exsctly what i do too. i can't stand to admit how many calories i eat while bingeing so i just say screw it and down as much as i can

Hey All!
This is a very interesting thread, and as a master's level student in mental health counseling, I can verify that there are many studies that show compulsive eating (AKA Binging) at the time of craving trigger the same parts of the brain that heroine addicts' brain triggers when they are craving the drug. Jacqueline - you hit the nail on the head when you said that craving particular foods aren't exactly what triggers your bingeing. Evidence in research shows that it is the ACT of eating that is triggered and there is not a lot of relationship to how tasty or distasteful that the food is that we end up eating. (HOWEVER - certain foods can trigger craving for similar foods, i.e. sweets/salty/high fat).
I have struggled with emotional beingeing for a long time, and am finally making progress after understanding the relationship to emotional eating my bingeing has.
I really want to help out other people like me on this journey and would be very proud to support you all through this compulsion.
L.

Funny I thought I was the only one who stopped counting calories when I go on a binge...not that I count calories to begin with or at least not a serious calorie count. I try to guesstimate my calories and I try to stay within my boundaries knowing that I will always overeat but not flat out binge. Course I always seem to binge on sweets than regular food but sometimes I do binge on regular food. Argh. God I hate this because I always feel isolated and alone in my binges and problems, when I know logically that I am not alone.

I do this. Just another addictive process. I find I lose control and actually know it but don't care. I am usually at a place od depression and lack of hope so it's self-destructive and I know it but I say, "who cares". Mine is connected to lonliness. I am lonley because I feel fat but that feeling makes me feel that feeling.Such a catch 22.

Yeah I think ice I realized that I would just eat anything is when I would think and try to get myself away from the kitchen. The quote I always think of is "if a craving doesn't come from hunger, food will not help it" I think it's mostly in my mind.
I'm also with you guys, I precisely count my calories all day, maybe too unhealthily, and then once I start binging I couldn't care less. My big problem is when I'm lying in bed at the end of the day actually estimating just how much I ate and it makes me beyond upset. I just try to forgive myself and remember tomorrows another day

I definitely relate to this thread, and counting calories, but not when I binge. I binge on sweet carbs. Daily. Sigh. We are not alone in this fight. On the contrary, millions fight with this disease, and we can all aspire towards recovery. At least that is what I'm telling myself as I sit here feeling fat, hopeless and all alone.

Melina you are definitely not alone in feeling alone, hopeless, and fat. I feel that way all the time even when I was about 35 pounds lighter than I am now. Sigh. Binge eating is definitely a pain because of all the crap that comes with it. : (

One thing I try to do is whenever I'm feeling like I "need" to binge, I grab some baby carrots. They're crunchy and sweet and it lets me trick myself into thinking I'm eating something that I'm "craving" just a suggestion. You're definitely not alone

I bought baby carrots today actual..I'm hoping this works for me! Thanks Jacqueline!

i wanted to binge tonight.. i still kinda do. i went running. and now im eating honeydew melon. so sweet it definitely helps with chocolate cravings!(:

Good for you!(: its the best feeling going to bed an realizing you didn't binge that night. One day at a time

Hey guys! I’m new to the group but I feel like I need some accountability. I have been really stressed out lately due to my student loan payments from grad school coming in as well as preparing for a big board examination I am taking next week. I try so hard to avoid binges, but when I am stressed out I devour food. Before I know it an entire bag or bags sometimes, of food is gone. I go through these binge-then very disciplined cycles and I know it’s unhealthy. I want to live a healthy lifestyle and balance that with treats here and again, but it feels like I’ll always struggle and I’m so sad about that. I guess what I’m asking for is to have someone to check in with to help me, help each other really, stay on track!

today i had 2 servings of honeydew melon, an apple, a bowl of meat,rice, nuts with yogurt on top, and a hot chocolate. but for some reason I'm feeling like i binged.... like just as guilty. does anyone else ever feel that way?

woah that sounds tough, lifeisgood7443. and bingeing on food can definitely be a stress reliever but so can other things. like drinking calming tea, a dance party in your room to pump you up, or a few minutes of mediation. do turn off viewing screens because that can lead to mindless eating. up to 40percent more calories.
and you can check in with us here, everyday or several times a day! (: stay strong.

It's so encouraging to find that i'm not alone in so many of these symptoms. I really am going to try to count calories when/if I start to binge next time to see the damage. Maybe seeing the numbers racking up will at least slow me down.

Since I am having such a rough time of it, I am checking in on this thread today too. I am exhausted from binging. I need a break from myself!!! Uggghhhh!!!!

So question for you guys- Are you able to tell the difference between just bored overeating/bingeing and actually being hungry? It's something I'm having a really hard time with...like today, I'm going to go do laundry at my grandparents because I don't have a washer/dryer at my apartment and I get bored and binge eat all day. Late at night I get, what I think is being hungry but I know I ate earlier and I'm not hungry so I don't know if it's just me wanting to binge..I hope that makes sense :/

Melina- I know exactly how youre feeling. it just takes a lot of time and motivation. i found that i did better with not binging when i had a positive outlook about myself and my body with being helathy.

saideh- i get like that too. i could eat healthy but still feel like i ate too much. now i just think that eating a lot of healthy food is MUCH better than eating a lot of crap like i used to

MotocrossMiss- I have such a hard time with this too. i went online and found some websites for you to look at. hopefully it will help!

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/650204846/Are-you-hungry-thirsty-or-just-bored.html?pg=all

http://www.livestrong.com/article/512246-how-to-tell-the-difference-between-real-hunger-emotional-hunger/

http://life.familyeducation.com/foods/nutrition-and-diet/44294.html

Thanks Dman and Jacqueline! I will definitely look at those sites..and yeah that's the hardest thing, yesterday I hung out with my sister and did my coupon and freebie websites, found things to keep me busy and while I did overeat a little bit..I wasn't hiding or bingeing so that felt good :) I know I really need to work on overeating in general and slowing down when I eat so that's a big thing I'm working on..

The TV is the worst, being home alone I resort to TV to keep me company..I have a job interview today, wish me luck :) Hoping finding a job again will help boost my confidence and keep me busy, keep my mind away from bingeing

Wow what a coincidence, I had one today too. I hope that a job will keep me busy enough after dinner for no more binging.

Right! Good luck! I hope it went well! I found out my job would be commission though, which I'm really not wanting..guess I'll keep looking :)

I'm looking for a job too. It's funny how unemployment is a double-edged sword for bingeing - more time at home but no job-related stress. Good luck with the job search!

Well I just got back to my computer from a walk and am wondering if anyone can relate to the fact that walking doesn't reduce stress or is relaxing. I feel frustrated because I thought walking was suppose to help with stress. I find it more stressful than relaxing as I feel it's just more work I have to do to maintain my weight, which is at fat level. It doesn't seem to be helping me lose weight and I am feeling some knee pains. I just wondering if anyone can relate.

I can completely relate. Some days after I binge I take my dog for a walk but it just makes me because it doesn't feel like it is helping me feel better at all

I know for me walking only helps relax me when I'm with another friend, someone I can vent to or just talk and forget about the stress...maybe that would help?

Usually I am alone when I walk. I tried walking with a couple of coworkers but some always end up stopping at Target to shop...so I'm not getting the full 15 minutes or so walking in. Course I'm not going their speed either which is faster than I normally can go. Hopefully I can find someone else to walk with but I don't know if I would vent with them because most of the time I walk during work hours.

Thanks for the idea though MotorcrossMiss because I'm thinking that would definitely help me relax...talking with a friend.

Also, when I'm walking or doing any type of workout, if i don't clear my mind, it doesn't work. Sometimes I am so upset about something that I don't focus, and that's exhausting and frustrating. Sometimes I have to force myself to stop thinking for a while.

yeah i agree. for me walking is only stress relieving when im walking with a friend. plus time passes by quicker. although when i walk alone, which is often, i have destination so it feels a lot better. i'll go to the library and get some good books. books can also distract you from bingeing because if you get one of those that you just cant put down, you wont want to get up to prepare food in the kitchen... unless you are very hungry.

I can totally relate. I have months when I do extremely well, eating healthy, no cravings or triggers to binge, but once I slip up and eat something sweet, or if I'm going through a particularly emotional time, my battle begins, and it could last for months before something in me clicks again.

I quit drinking alcohol 12 1/2 years ago yesterday, but my alcoholic behavior never went away, it just switched from alcohol to sweets/food. I'm working on trying to get myself back out of this black hole, I'm going to make a list of what worked before. See if I can avoid certain foods, or situations. When I find something that works for me, I will share it with all of you. We have to keep trying every single day.

rjulia- well congrats on 12 1/2 years! that's a huge accomplishment!!!
It's good that you know your triggers I know that definitely helps me!

Angel- I would totally try finding other people to walk with..they shouldn't leave you behind like that! That would just make me feel worse about myself! Definitely, doesn't sound like the right group..maybe you can invite someone to start coming with you? Even if it's just once a week?

Melina- I have the same problem! I just keep working out until I clear my mind, or our gym has a sauna..so I'll go in there and relax for a bit while still sweating it off

Saideh- That's a really good idea...I think maybe this summer I'll make that my goal..I live ohhhh 4-5 miles away..I think I'll make that my goal to walk there and back at least once a week!!

saideh - that's a good idea, the goal of walking to a destination, which i do try to do. Mostly I just wish walking would help me clear my mind. Sometimes it helps if I walk on a treadmill at the gym because I'm so busy trying not to fall of the machine but not always.

Motocross Miss - No I don't suppose it is very nice that my coworkers walk so fast they leave me behind. I suppose that they are use to walking at the rate the go and just expect me to keep up. I'm not the fastest walker in the world so I do understand. But I will try asking one of my co-workers to see if she is willing to go for a walk once a week with me.

After I workout or get even a little exercise. And I'm still feeling upset or frustrated, I just think "we'll I'm still upset but now im upset with 200 calories less" working out makes you feel happy from the endorphins, so just go in with a positive mind set and it will be harder to be upset

Haha I'm always afraid I'm going to fall off the treadmill! and Jacqueline that is a good way to think about it! I never thought of that..I'll put it in my notes of motivational tips lol

You guys are awesome and I thank you all for the support!!

I could use a lot of support today, my friends. It's been an awful day of binging. Ugghh. My stomach, my weight, my emotions, all awful.

I would be inspired to read about any successes today. I am feeling downright disgusting.