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Please help me

I'm a 30 year old female. In the past year, I've lost about 100 lbs through healthy eating and exercise. I'm now only 10 lbs from my goal weight of 150. My problem is that lately I've been bingeing. It's been more and more frequent, and most of the time I'm not actually hungry when I do it. I binge on "healthy" foods, but the sheer amount of food I eat is very UNHEALTHY. I haven't seen any gains on the scale yet, but I'm so nervous I'm going to gain the weight back. For those of you who battle binge eating, what has worked for you?

Mon. May 12, 3:29pm

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When are these binges taking place? Are you at home?
My problem is that I am in the house all the time, and I get bored .... and I want to eat. What I have done is stuffed the cupboards with the 100 cal snacks, because soemtimes you just can't stop it, however if you absolutly need to have a "bad" snack, then those mini packs are waiting to save you.
Believe it me, it really helps.

Congrats on the weight loss, you can fight it !!

Monday, May 12, 2008, 3:55 PM

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Have you learned alternative ways of coping with the issues that drove you to gain 100 unhealthy pounds in the first place? That's the usual culprit.

Another possible reason is that maybe you were over-restricting calories recently in your eagerness to get to 150, and bingeing is your body's way of rebelling against the deprivation.

Monday, May 12, 2008, 4:32 PM

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I dont even think it is a matter of over-deprivation. I think this happens with any dieting. We are losing weight and our body/subconsious gets scared that we will lose too much as to not support ourselves so we have spells of over-eating to get back to that slightly overweight place. I also agree boredom and emotional eating will trigger a binge. Yesterday I was on the verge and I had to drive myself to target where I tried on clothes for over an hour (but remarkable restrained from buying) just to be out of the house and busy. I will also take my dog on a walk or go to a laundromat to do laundry (even though I have a washer/dryer at home).

Monday, May 12, 2008, 5:08 PM

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The list

OP you can do it...

here is my advice - write down a list of your biggest bingeing weak spots ( I have eight ! ) - the places and events where you are weak and focus on beating them - share the list with someone you trust if you can - this is effective. I discovered how many weaknessess I have and some common ways to fight each one of them.
My main weaknesses are social eating and weekends, but I have really focused on strategizing on how to beat these and have doubled my weight loss rate as a result.

Go get 'em ! !



Monday, May 12, 2008, 5:26 PM

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OP- when you say binging on healthy foods- what are those foods? There are certain foods you can eat in pretty much any quantity, fiber rich vegetables that fill up the stomach and contain very few calories. Depending on what you are eating you also maybe giving your body much needed doses of nutrients.

Monday, May 12, 2008, 5:45 PM

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OP here...thanks for your support. To answer some of your questions, I tend to binge on the healthy stuff I have around...cereal, nonfat yogurt, natural peanut butter (high in fat, I know). I definitely don't binge on veggies. That wouldn't be such a problem.

I contacted a therapist today to make an appointment. I also made a pact with myself that tomorrow I will stay on plan and not give in to my compulsion. I'm just going to take it day by day and try to figure it all out. It sucks being addicted to food, because we have to eat. Argh!

Monday, May 12, 2008, 10:04 PM

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Help

I use to binge. an you know it is not health get your mind off food take a walk an put mind on other things start hobby just get mind off of it. good luck
Diane from Ohio

Monday, May 12, 2008, 10:17 PM

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What is the difference between binge eating and overeating? I am at the end of 2500 calorie day, feeling bloated but no desire to keep eating. Was this a binge?

Monday, May 12, 2008, 10:39 PM

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Binge eating is more like 2500+ calories in one sitting. It feels out of control. It can almost feel like an out of body experience as you inhale food you don't need or fully register. And it doesn't matter if you're binging on celery or cookies - neither is a good way to use (make that abuse) food. The only upside to bingeing on low calorie food is that the damage is relatively minor in terms of total calories, but it doesn't address the behavior.

Good for you, OP, for seeking out help. I'm sure you'll feel anxiety in the beginning. Resisting the call of food (when you're not hungry) can feel tortuous at times, but it does get easier.

Monday, May 12, 2008, 10:53 PM

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Bingeing has nothing to do with the number of calories you consume - it's the out-of-control feeling you get that you just can't stop yourself. Doesn't matter if it's 400 calories or 4000.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 1:11 AM

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Yes, you could binge on 400 calories of celery or some other low calorie food - as I stated, it's the behavior.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 8:35 AM

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Maybe the cure to binge eating is to nourish the desire for balance, to consciously see, feel the joy, and appreciate the state of balance.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 10:20 AM

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