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What is your binge trigger

Have you ever had a totally out of control eating episode that started innocently enough with:

1 girl scout cookie
1 piece of chocolate
a potato chip
a piece of cinnamon toast.

About once a week I have a totally out of control day where I binge and eat so much fatty, processed foods my stomach hurts. It usually starts with just one little thing that tips me over the edge. I am wondering if there is anyone else who has that experience... and if there is any human way to avoid this.


Tue. Mar 14, 10:24pm

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I have the same problem...

Except w/mine, I noticed that I alternate between salty and sweet. I binge, all in one day, until I am physically ill.

I'll eat Ding Dongs, then find myself looking for salted peanuts, then a chocolate pudding, followed by some potato chips. It's insane.

Any tips?

Tuesday, March 14, 2006, 10:40 PM

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Do not keep those foods around. Want something sweet? Try strawberries and Fat Free Cool Whip. You can binge all day long on those and it is ok. Want something salty? NO CHIPS. The nuts are ok. If you want chips there are some new Fat Free choices to buy. Snack Cakes of any kind are a no no. Most of them just make you want to have another one. When the binges come on do something active. Take a walk, clean house, or just get ONE chip out and put the rest back. Break that chip into little pieces and eat each small piece one at a time. This sounds weird but you will get more of the taste and feel like you ate more of them.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 9:26 AM

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Hershey's Valentine chocolates. For some reason these are the best. Good thing they are all gone. I have no control with them.

Like someone else said, the best advice to not have it in the house. Then if you really want it, go buy the smallest searving they make and only eat that.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 9:48 AM

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This happens to me... I keep all these foods out of my house, and I never, ever binge at home. That really works.

BUT, when I am at my boyfriend's house, I can easily get out of control on all the junk he has. I just gravitate over to the cabinet and Ooohhh, chocolate covered pretzels. I am trying to make a rule that I bring my own food over, make my own dinner and stay out of his pantry.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 9:51 AM

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It wasn't just one trigger for me, it was a million! I couldn't stop thinking about food. I'd practically chew my husbands arm off if he stole one of my french fries. I could eat a whole bag of potato chips or a whole pizza, and a whole box of cookies, easily. People would bring food into work, cookies, donuts, candy, chips & dip, etc. and I'd just eat and eat and eat. Mindlessly. I'd let myself get too hungry, than I would pig out on anything in front of me.

This is what I did to deal with it:

First of all, eliminate it from your conciousness. Don't buy it and skip that aisle at the grocery store. You have to convince your mind that it is bad for you, that it will kill you (because it will!). Think of it as a food allergy. You are ALLERGIC to cake, you have a violent REACTION when you eat potato chips. And truthfully, all those food are POISON to your body, a way for food companies to control you to buy more and keep you fat and depressed so you keep eating and getting fatter and more depressed. You are fighting the MAN!

Then, never let yourself go hungry. Eat every 3 hours, before you even get a craving - snack on veggies & fruit throughout the day in addition to your regular meals. Keep yourself hydrated, constantly drink water & tea. You may still get cravings and get tempted to eat bad things, but it is easier to stop yourself when you are full & hydrated than when you are starving & thirsty.

This has worked for me. It might seem psycho but it works. I don't even think about those foods anymore, because I love the new me more than I love food. I now eat food to live and not live to eat food!

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 2:53 PM

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My problem is anything that is chocolate so I don't buy it. I find I make a bowl of jello put some fresh fruit on it with no fat cool whip sure does the trick. I can eat that and not feel guilty. Something salty I eat popcorn I was never one for chips but love those doritios. I agree with everyone else on here just don't buy it. Out of sight Out of mind.

Have a great day everyone.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 4:00 PM

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I find that when I do the binge thing, my body is usually telling me that I need the nutrient that is in that given food. Yes, even junk food houses vitamins and minerals we need : ) My body knows at the time isnt concerned about the bad effects of the food but is only concerned that that item has what I need from previous programming.

The next time, look up the nutritional content of the food and determine what they have in common from a nutritional standpoint.

For instance, chocolate has the following
"Chocolate is a good source of essential minerals copper, magnesium and calcium"

I try to take a vitamin or eat healthy food that has what I am binging on.

Also, you may want to make sure that you are eating enough. If you had 3 days of eating like a baby rabbit when your former habbit was to eat differently, of course you are going to binge.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 4:31 PM

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Binge food

My binge food is pizza. I tell myself to have only two slices but that ends up to be like 5-6 slices. I love it soooo much.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 4:38 PM

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Pass it on!

My biggest binge trigger is boredom. When I don't HAVE to be doing anything in particular or I'm vegging in front of the TV my mind just naturally wanders to food. Happily, the first lesson I learned on this new and final journey down the scale is that if it's not in the house then I can't eat it. That is one of the best lessons I've learned and I strongly encourage all of you to purge your house of anything you should not be eating. And if you should not be eating it then your family should not be eating it either. Don't you wish your parents had taught you to eat mostly fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy snacks and to stay away from high-fat, processed foods? If we had all learned that as children we may not have the weight issues we've got now. So pass on that great healthy eating habit to those you love most!

Best wishes!
Trish

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 5:20 PM

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When I'm stressed, I crave salt, so Wheat Thins and Triscuits are my two addictions!
Beth

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 5:40 PM

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OP

to all of you - thanks to all the people who admitted to the same problem. Thanks to all of you who gave good advice - especially the 2:53pm poster. That was excellent advice.

I will definitely try to wrap my mind around the suggestions. Just wondering - has anyone tried cognitive behaviour therapy, hypnosis or anything else like that?

Thanks again, everyone!

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 9:07 PM

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Easter candy for me is the most brutal!

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 9:24 PM

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OMG! cadbury mini eggs are my favorite! i hate spring because i know i have those pretty purple bags to avoid at the grocery store, at the pharmacy, at walmart EVERYWHERE!!!

another year round binge trigger for me is my girlfriends-for whatever reason, when i am with friends, having a good time it is way to easy to "allow" myself just one more of EVERYTHING!!

Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 11:54 PM

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when I was single and living alone, I couldn't keep anything sweet in the house. one, because it was so tempting, and two, because once I started, I wouldn't stop until it was gone! there was a time i was eating a pint of icecream every night while watching tv... the good stuff too! ben and jerrys, or haagen daz. Sure, sometimes I'd try getting sorbet, thinking it wasn't as bad... but that comes in a larger container... and I still couldn't stop until it was gone! pkg of cookies.. no problem, I'd eat them all. bag of chocolate... forget it!
now I'm living with my partner, and I do so much better. we actually have a whole stash of sweets. I think in part its psychological... I don't want my partner to see me gorging on junkfood, so I don't eat the way I used to. I still have to be very careful, because it is hard to stop once I get going. chocolate is especially diffiicult for me. it's like they say in all the 12 step groups... one day at a time! LOL "today I will not binge on junk food". I do allow myself sweets, and desserts, but within reason now. I pay attention to calories and serving size... and as of right now, there is no icecream in the house! LOL

Thursday, March 16, 2006, 6:37 AM

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Trish... what a great point...
Don't you wish your parents had taught you to eat mostly fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy snacks and to stay away from high-fat, processed foods?

growing up we ALWAYS had tons of junk in the house. fresh baked goods, a drawer full of store bought junk, bags and bags of chips, crackers, cookies, freezer full of icecream...
it was all comfort food... eat sweets and forget about the stresses of the day. kids bugging you, give them something sweet. they can't talk if they're eating twinkies. LOL such horrible patterns.

Thursday, March 16, 2006, 6:43 AM

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luckily, my parents rarely kept junk food in the house. My parents are Chinese and the Chinese diet is mostly fresh fruits & veggies, and the sweets are barely even sweet compared to American standards...

I AM a salt craver, though. I think it's because I don't cook with much salt...

One thing-- My hubby & I tried to eliminate MSG and things that are possible sources of MSG from our diet. (i.e. possible sources such as: textured vegetable protein, Natural flavors, Natura _____ Flavor, Soy products (a natural MSG carrier), carrageenan, etc.-- you can find many listings of MSG sources online)

We found several things when doing this... 1) you are forced to stay away from most, if not all processed foods... 2) your taste buds tend to change to notice things that carry MSG... 3) you don't crave the junk, because MSG causes you to crave them more 4) your body may react very differently to foods that contain MSG (i.e. I would get headeache or just feel yucky)...

maybe that would help!

Definitely, get rid of your trigger foods. It is far easier not to binge if it's not in the house!

Thursday, March 16, 2006, 10:27 AM

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Nuts, especially cashews, and tortilla chips.

Thursday, March 16, 2006, 8:39 PM

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I think my triggers are really emotional. We had to put my cat down last weekend and every time I think about him I want to EAT. I just stopped a week long binge over that today. Really though, food isn't solving any problems so I just have to stop the gut reaction of saddness = eating.

Friday, March 17, 2006, 1:16 AM

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binge

i lost alot of weight and i dont know why i did it i was 6"6 and was 94 pounds all i ate was all bran crereal in the morning and apple and a tiny dinner..then at the end of school i started to binge and feel discusting i kept doing it like every few days and got to about 120 in the summer i looked great and i dident ever want to be so skinny again then it all started i got in the habbit of bingeing...i do it in the summer a bit but i still looked good and then around halloween and christmas and still after i got in the habbit of doing it once a week im freeking out i think its cuz i eat like 900 calories a day and then once a week if i eat like a muffin i dont want to stop is this really bad will i get really fat

Thursday, February 14, 2008, 9:20 PM

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chips!

Friday, February 15, 2008, 12:21 AM

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To the 9:20 poster, no wonder you binge if you're only eating 900 cals a day. You must be hungry! Try filling up more on healthy foods (whole grains, lean protein, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables), add in a few healthy snacks, and you probably won't feel the need to binge any more. If you're not overweight, you probably need at least 1600-1800 cals/day.

Friday, February 15, 2008, 5:29 AM

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I'm like that the week before my period, or if I'm stressed and/or really tired. It doesn't help that my period will be here next week, and we have cheese cake at work (my absolute favorite!), chocolate covered almonds, etc. I've allowed myself to cheat this week, but I'm also making sure I'm exercising! Salty is also my weakness (had to have olives the other night!), which I don't normally like...one thing that sometimes helps me, though, is I bought some Stash decaf chocolate hazelnut tea. Believe it or not, it tastes great!

Friday, February 15, 2008, 11:36 AM

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cereal or trail mix! I cant stop myself.

Friday, February 15, 2008, 11:52 AM

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Marijuana

Friday, February 15, 2008, 12:07 PM

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that "can't put a finger on it" feeling

Like Trish, boredom is a trigger...also that "can't put a finger on it" what ever "IT" happens to be angst. I find myself in the kitchen cabinets looking for something because I have that grinding lost feeling. Binging never feeds it either...maybe just dulls it.

It's interesting, these are not acute emotions...more un-nameable feelings. I hate to be in that place. When I know what I am feeling usually I am fine because I am feeling it. Binging is like treating numbness with more numbness.

I try to get to the feelings before the food...the oh god I am there again...and I try to comfort myself with something like a walk in the sunshine, a warm bath with a new bar of wonderful soap, a call to a friend (or email). Sometimes I need to draw or knit or sew....or listen to good music. Sometimes writing does it.

Recognition is key...then good follow up.

Sometimes I am just really tired.

Friday, February 15, 2008, 12:34 PM

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I am the same way as 1:16 poster. it's all emotional. Stress, sadness, anything can trigger a binge. Then, it takes a real willpower to stop.

Friday, February 15, 2008, 1:14 PM

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I binge when I'm anxious, bored or stressed. It's like I need something to calm my jitters. Then I just feel guilty. In high school and university I was bulimic but I've cut that out since I've been married and had children (13 years). I still panic after I've eaten too much, but if I wait it out, it goes away. For me, I love Kraft Dinner, muffins, bread, etc. I find that kind of food so immediately soothing (and then ultimately stressful, because of the guilt). It's a never-ending cycle. My idea of Heaven is a huge mall ( I love to shop, another addiction of mine...) with a HUGE food court where I can eat whatever I want and not gain weight.

Friday, February 15, 2008, 10:22 PM

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follow up

Thanks for your advice..but I'v gotten in the habbit of eating 800-900 calories a day sometimes way less like today iv only ate maybe 330 and i know thats bad but it's becuase I binged yesterday and when i binge i added up the caloreis its only about 2000 calories and thats everything all together sometimes less like around 1800 and then thoughout the week i eat all bran in the morning an apple potine bar or pita and hummus and a small dinner i think im going to cut out junk all together but people in my family eat it and its there so if i grab a small cookie and im all alone i binge and its not all the time its just once a week or like 3 times a month and i used to eat barley anything but im 6"6 1/2 and im 125 lbs

Friday, February 15, 2008, 11:01 PM

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Here are my binge triggers:

1. regret
2. procrastination
3. guilt
4. not feeling worthy
5. fight with hubby ("I'll get you back!" yeah, right. I get ME back!)
6. self loathing
7. setting impossible goals instead of baby steps
8. really feeling my low self esteem

It's never about the food for me. I can binge on any kind of food, even ones I don't really like. It's always about the feelings.

Saturday, February 16, 2008, 5:43 PM

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agree with the previous poster. it's never about the food for me, too. sadness, anxiety, stress... ugh. in terms of food - whatever is there, goes in.

Saturday, February 16, 2008, 11:25 PM

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How To Stop Emotional Eating, Night Eating and Mindless Snacking

new PEERtrainer article:

Link

Friday, June 19, 2009, 12:58 PM

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