Hi, I'm new here, I'm 28 and over 20 stone. I have been binge eating since I was a teenager and my weight has been up and down. I had an active job that kept me slim but about 2 years ago I lost it and in the past year I have become inactive, my weight has just shot up. I think I'm around 22-23 stone but my scales don't weigh me anymore so its hard to guess exactly. I find it almost impossible to control myself and I usually eat around 5-8,000 calories a day which has caused me to gain about 10 stone in a year.
I'm not sure what to do, but at this rate I'm probably going to be getting ill soon. What's the most effective treatment for binge eating?
Thanks.
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Jay86
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Hi Jay. Welcome. You should find this forum great for inspiration, support and advice.
There are several of us over 20 stone so you are in good company - and so many more to help and support you.
I urge you to get some scales that will weigh you, you can get some from Argos just check the info for max weights. The reason I say this is that I couldn't face weighing myself for over a month and now I have no idea how much I have truly lost so it is causing me some frustration.
There are definitely people on here who binge eat and I am sure they can offer you some help. I tend to eat too much of the wrong thing and snack too much. I have worked hard on cutting down the snacks and the calorie content of them. So I now have fat free yoghurts, sugar free jelly, weighwatchers mini rolls and fruit, tinned and fresh. You could binge on all that and probably only have 250 calories. I started out usually having about 3 of those snacks a night. Now I usually just have some fruit after my dinner. But it took me about 3 months to get to this stage.
I would suggest you make gradual manageable changes that you will be able to maintain long term. If you love say chocolate then limit it but don't ban it. I used allow myself a 100 cal strip a couple of times a week but now I don't even feel I need this - but of course I do still have it now and again, I'm not a machine
It does take time so you need to be patient and count every lb off as a win!
If you have put on weight quickly hopefully it will come off quite quickly too but you still need to take it steady to maintain it long term.
I have tried binging on stuff with less calories before, but I just don't get full. I tend to overeat on things like pizza and junk food which is the problem. They are like comfort foods.
I'm a bit too embarrassed to see my doctor because I have put on so much weight since I last saw him, and I hate wasting time, but do you think there is much they can do to help?
Definately go check in with your Doctor. They are not there to judge you, they are there to help. You might get an appointment to see the dietian at your Doctors too, Some have a weight loss surgery that you could go to for support and advice.
Hi, my GP has never been that great but then I have been overweight all my adult life so they may have just given up on me.
Since you have put on weight quite quickly and are keen to do something about it hopefully they may be more positive. I believe the NHS does run weight loss groups although the waiting lists can be long.
I do enjoy a bit of junk food myself but try to only have a take away once a week, or something I have been craving. So I usually have a Friday eve off and often have an Indian take away. I find this really helps keep me focussed during the week because I know I will be indulging on a Friday night. I do realise this doesn't work for everyone.
Ultimately you are the only one who can make you lose weight but there is plenty of support available including on this site. My advice, make small manageable changes you can maintain long term.
I drink two litres of water thoughtout the day as that helps. Try to do a little bit of exercise. Do you have any hobbies that you can do to keep your mind off food? I don't think there is any "treatment" such. Not sure if you have seen my post but this week I have lost a total of two stone, still got about eight to lose but I have an app on my phone where I log everything I eat and drink. Yes it is a pain to weigh everything but I can see how many calories I have eaten and it really keeps me in check as to how much I am or have eaten. Can you make adjustments to what you buy or if you find it difficult why not come on here and chat to someone so you don't eat? I'm sure someone will chat to you. Try to make small manageable changes.
I've been where you are. Eating out of control, not being able to stop my binge eating, something that I've battled with my whole adult life! But I felt so unwell last yr from all the weight I was carrying around 20st 7lbs that I finally went to see my dr last October! She was great, she told me to start with just one thing first and then slowly add to that. I have to say that it wasn't until after Christmas that my mind finally caught up and I was able to stick to a new healthy way of eating. I learnt not to deny myself everything but to change my cravings to lower cal or smaller versions. 5 months later and I've lost 3 & 1/2 st! I'm so glad I've done it, I look and feel so much better but don't get me wrong it's still a struggle. What you need is support! I get mine from my dr, a group of friends who report their weekly weigh in's, the encouragement from my work colleagues and this forum! Don't give up Jay, go to your Dr, keep on this forum and soon enough you'll see some good changes.
I have a lot of weight to loose too. I can see many people have commented. I just wanted to suggest some less calorific snacks that I am currently doing that may help you too.
Thin layer of dark melted chocolate on rice crackers.
handful or two of mixed seeds, nuts and berries.
Seaweed sheets (from the Chinese shop).
Young coconut milk (in cans also from Chinese shop). I also use this as a base for green smoothies.
crispy kale leaves, (I use coconut oil rather than another oil)
I have recently started using rocket as a base rather than carbs, for example, stir fry, I add stir fry for me on the plate of rocket than add the noddles for my husband and serve on a plate for him.
I felt the need to binge so I got a pack of crumpets from the freezer, toasted 3 of them spread peanut butter and marmite and put them in the microwave to melt a little cheese on top.
Then I checked this forum as I ate. You know what? My hunger just disappeared! Something to do with the taste left in my mouth? Yes but the key is the right fats are impossible to eat to excess provided you do not allow any SUGAR.
There was a telling moment in a documentary about identical twin doctors on extreme diets for a month. A nutritionist asked one to consume a tablesoonful of double cream milk and the other the same amount of sugar. Neither wanted a second helping. Then she poured the bowl of sugar into the cream and stirred it in.
"If I gave that to you now neither of you would have a problem eating all of it." Was her conclusion.
That was worth more than all the rest of the program.
I advise, search "sugar or fat, which is worse"
But the absolute worst and the probable cause of your rapid weight gain is their combination that is the base of so much Junk food..
Click on my name to view my recent posts if you want more advice.
Hi, wow thank you to everyone who has replied with advice!
I'm still not keen on visiting my doctor yet, they are so busy these days anyway. I have tried not to overeat too much but I keep falling into the same trap of making/ordering too much and making myself finish it, like the thought in my head is I will make less next time but it doesn't seem to happen.
I logged my calories one day this week and it was a big surprising because I tried to behave but found I'd eaten almost 4,500 by about 7pm which really made me realise it's as much the type of foods I eat as the quantities.
I cut a few things from my lunches this week and mostly only drank water and diet coke, but the dinners were still quite bad as I ate with friends and that always makes me go overboard. And I didn't think and went ahead and brought and ate ten donuts a couple of nights ago. It's a little bit of progress I guess.
I'm thinking I should try and follow a set diet for a while so I think more about what I'm eating. Has anyone had any lasting success with diet plans? Seems like everyone I know has just yo yoed with diets.
Hi Jay. small changes makes inspirational changes that stick. Make changes in eating better and not all at once and getting overwhelmed. Get out walking if you like that an workout schedule.
1. Cut your carbs to less than 100g a day, then you’ll be able to control your calories
2. Go get some gp help, they can refer you to an eating clinic for support
3. Things will get better lovely . I went from 12-19 stone very quickly through sporadic binge eating . I’ve lost nearly 4 stone in 15 weeks and am now back in control as long as I don’t touch sugar - it’s like being a good alcoholic.
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