Binge

[radb500]

Stopped eating sugar two weeks ago and thought I'd got it under control, so today bought a fruit loaf and have been binging on it all day :/ also had three profiteroles - does anyone else binge and how do they deal with it?

[Lorraine-Mary]

Thank you for your post, I can relate to this, very helpful.

[OlsBean in reply to Lorraine-Mary]

It's just Spam Lorraine-Mary, Healthsidekick they do it all the time, look at ceecee45's history all they have done is reply to post advertising their website since joining last week. No doubt their account will be removed and they will create yet another Spammy Account to Spam us all with.

[lynnefibreart in reply to OlsBean]

I would agree, it is spam, its just to get you to join up.

I have binges and found that the technique of talking to myself in the mirror, praising myself and telling myself I am worth it and don't need to binge does help sometimes. Sometimes you have to have a binge now and then but always put it behind you and get back on a healthy eating plan. A day or even a week of binging is a tiny part of the rest of your life. Try to find something you like to do to fill in the times you binge.

I hope this helps

Lynne

[nhs2015]

Oh this hurt. Cravings are little gremlins really. Week 4 of the guide gives you a run down on cravings and how to deal with it. I have food cravings too now and again and follow their advices. I often have a cup of peppermint tea instead, or two or three.... Sometimes I may have just a little bit and count it as part of my calorie intake.

Don't worry too much about your binge. At least it was contained. You did the lot at once. It happened and you are over it. Start afresh tomorrow.

Look at your overweight pictures. This is a very good incentive for me.

You will do it because you can do it.

[alex7ra]

I had a binge at the weekend. On Monday I did a fast day, I had some fruit and unsweetened yoghurt for breakfast. A salad for lunch and eggs on toast for dinner. This has completely put me on the right track and I ate well yesterday and am looking forward to this week.

One of the problems you may have is that you had "given up" sugar; the more we know we can't have something the more we want it. Perhaps you should allow yourself occasional treats!

[radb500 in reply to alex7ra]

Yeah thats why I decided to try having a sweet treat, trouble is I didn't just have one. Guess I need to work on my will power. One thing good though is that the sugar made me feel ill a lot earlier than normal so it wasn't as big a binge as what it would have been before

[nhs2015 in reply to radb500]

I read somewhere that sugar addiction takes a week to get rid of. I believe sugar brings on weight and probably causes sore joints. Fasting can make people binge. NHS guide recommends not to fast but to eat regular meals and it makes sense somehow. Do reduce your calories intake if you somehow went overboard on one meal but make sure you have regular meals. What you are leaning is good healthy eating habits which should help you for the future. It is that simple.

[djas]

This is strange i know but it works for me, if i'm going to binge i put out on the side all the food i would eat then i go and have a nice relaxing bath then when i come back down i look at the pile of food on the side then i add up the approx amount the food would cost and put that money in a jar. At the end of all this the craving has passed, i smell nice and clean and iv'e got some money saved up for some new clothes for when i'm smaller.

[radb500 in reply to djas]

Oooh I like that idea, would show me just how much I was going to eat as well and that might put me off

[djas in reply to radb500]

It works for me but it doesn't have to be a bath it could be a walk or read a book for a while just something to distract you for 20 mins or so then you come back and think all that food would be gone now and you would be angry with yourself for eating it.

[Hairyman]

Fact 1/ Sugar is addictive.

Fact 2/ Refined sugar will damage your arteries.

Fact 3/ Damaged Arteries lead to Blood clots forming.

Fact 4/ Blood clots cause heart attacks.

Fact 5/ When you look at food you know is high in sugar content Think POISON and shudder.

Yes I have binged too and it's not the end of the world. If you are counting calories you just adjust downwards the next few days input to put it right.

Try the 5:2 plan, works for me, also there are many articles about the damage sugar does, read one every day till you get the picture.

[Candystripe]

Just maybe the 5:2 diet would suit you better if you find you can't cope with the binging. It's where you survive on minimal calories for 2 days and eat normally for three (within moderation of course!)

I don't do this programme, I prefer calorie counting but if you contact "gingernuts" through this site, she will be able give you more information. Alternatively look it up online. Good luck.

[radb500 in reply to Candystripe]

I think I prefer calorie counting too the 5:2 diet doesn't sound especially healthy, think I will use maybe having to move to it as motivation to stick better to my calorie counting

[TerriHopkins]

Try to not buy it in the first place so you can’t be tempted. I have pots of jelly in my cupboard so if I am desperate I have something 'nice' that isn't too fattening. I also try to drink fruit tea to feel fuller but really empathise as I am struggling at the moment so glad I am not alone!! Keep reading your goal and get out of the kitchen unless you need to be in there so away from temptation!!

[radb500]

Sounds like very good advice Terri, thanks I was very near the kitchen all day as I was working from home on my dissertation yesterday- I'm going to make sure I go into uni from now on (will also help with my productivity. And definitely yes to not buying it- that's what I had been doing but then I decided to see if I could trust my self- I couldn't. So I think I'll just take the binge as a lesson learned and plod on. May invest in some fruit teas too are there any flavors you recommend?

[OlsBean]

I used to be prolific binger myself but I would binge on the loaf (and some) in one sitting and then feel guilty about it and try to compensate with meal skipping or exercise, which is bad cycle to get into.

Eating it throughout the day is probably not classic binging, so the solution might not be to use classic anti binging methods. It might be that you've simply reduced your sugar intake too quickly/drastically and the withdrawal is driving the craving for certain foods. The obvious solution would have been to not purchase the Fruit Loaf in the first place but that's like Horse > Stable Gate , but maybe reducing temptation by identifying and removing Danger Foods until the cold turkey passes may help. Maybe try introducing some more complex carbohydrate into your diet that will hopefully keep your Blood Sugar more stable, like Porridge Oats for example, also make sure you are not allowing yourself to get to hungry, prevented by ensuring that you eat enough Fat and Protein.

*As a side note, personally I would not recommend anyone that has binging issues do 5:2 until they have addressed those issues as there is a real chance they will overcompensate on non fast days.

Good Luck

[callum19]

Charity mind do sessions of relaxation techniques and drop in sessions I think they charge A yearly membership where I live they charge 10 a year which is reasobable.

Otherwise speak to your gp ask for a referral to mental health they will have specialist in it. I binge when I'm hurting Nd the way I came round it was I realised if I carried in it would hurt my loved ones more and I loved them more than a binge on takeaways which nearly 4 years my habits gone completely It's hard but you can do it

If I can stop the binge I promise you will get there stay strong having a piece of cake us ok.

This week I've bought scones. But when I have a binge before it happens now I will show my sister my online śhopping cart

[elliebath Maintainer]

I ate healthily for the first six months of my 'diet' / healthy eating. Then towards christmas indulged in alcohol and the odd mince pie . Although I counted the calories so didn't gain weight. Then the new year wasnt too bad, alomost at target weight by march...then Easter chocolate omg hard to resist! Im actually now at my target Bmi 22, and for past 3 wks am maintaining. But I know sugar is not good for me, but if I can still keep the weight off Im inclined to let myself have one or two items a week without self punishment. Its up to you if you choose to totally deny sugar or accommodate a little into your new, slim, lifestyle! Good luck.

[eeek1110]

I find cake. chocolate, sweets, etc. give me a high and then I NEED more sugar so it starts me off again. The realization that I was addicted to sugar is helping me. A lot of it is habit so it might take a bit more time then you realize to break it. Be strong!

[Penel]

It took me several goes to break my sugar addiction. Don't give up. I used to watch the clock to space out my sugar hits and eat things like dried raisins.

Make sure you don't let yourself get too hungry.

It took a few weeks to get over the addiction, but the cravings did go away and now I can have the occasional slice of cake without wanting to binge.