I've finally been trying to get healthy by exercising and eating right, but I keep getting tripped up by bad binge eating nearly every day. I'll have a breakdown and eat tons of ice cream, croissants, chocolate, etc and I feel really upset after, like I want to punish myself. It's so frustrating.

Do you have any tips on how to get motivated to eat healthy and avoid junk food cravings? (Particularly sugary stuff).

Thanks for your help.

Drinking caffeinated, sugar free drinks helps me stave off cravings for sweets (in moderation.)

As a Mormon I was a chocoholic. As an ex-Mormon, not so much. The moderate coffee and tea I consume balance my sugar intake and other cravings.

Also, exercise in moderation helps increase/boost metabolism, and reduce cravings for carbs. It also burns carbs. If you incorporate a simple walking routine into your daily schedule, you should notice immediate improvement in both appetite and outlook.

Keeping fresh fruits and vegies out to entice you to eat those keeps your focus on making healthier food choices, when reaching for something to snack. They're filling too.

For a real metabolism boost, I like green tea or black tea. It increases energy without having caffeine burnout associated with coffee. The tannins in tea increase seratonin, and it's loaded with anti-oxidants. A win-win beverage when you need a quick fix. Both tannins and theanine are calming. Something tea has that coffee does not.

I know for me, drinking coffee or unsweetened tea hot or iced, has helped me handle sugar cravings. When I was Mormon, I had a pretty bad sweet tooth, but as an ex-Mormon, I'm perfectly content to have a piece of dark chocolate. I also drink far less soda than I did as a Mormon, as I'd rather have water, coffee or tea instead. I'm also more likely to eat some fruit, as I always have some on hand in a bowl on the kitchen counter.

Always replace unhealthy behavior with a healthy one. When you feel like a binge, go for a walk, do yoga, meditate, chew gum, talk. When the urge passes give yourself a good pat on the back.

Also drink water.

HH =)

Look in your local classifieds to see if there's an Overeaters Anonymous in your community.

It's free to join, and so are the meetings. It's a support group that you might find beneficial as you work to overcome binge eating.

I tried going as a young adult in my hometown. Most of the people there were binge eaters. After going a couple of times decided it wasn't what I needed, but it did help me to get a handle on why I like to eat. That was in my former days as a TBM, when about the only vice we were allowed to have was eating.

One thing I took away from the meetings is that food is a necessity, so don't beat yourself up for liking it too well. It isn't like drugs or alcohol. We have to eat. Learning to eat in moderation is a discipline for those with obsessive compulsive personalities.

Give yourself permission to eat whatever you like, in moderation. I'm less inclined to overeat the fewer restrictions I place on myself.

;)

Girl don't feel bad. A lot of us have fought sugar cravings at one point or another. The thing you have to be most concerned about is developing diabetes and a fatty liver. I weighed in at 320 pounds at the beginning of the year. I was miserable. I am a guy. You know woman are a lot harder on themselves then guys are...a man can look in the mirrior, with a big belly and say, "man I still got it", but even then I couldn't dismiss it anymore. I have lost 50 pounds since January 1st and it was easier than I thought. I used a lot of strategies. You're in a mode (like I was), where I would get really hungry, and then eat a lot. Even thinking about restricting myself almost put in a state of panic.

This is what I did. Not saying it's the right way, only way, what you should do, etc - this is what this big guy did:

1) Used Fitnesspal.com to count my daily calories, weigh in, etc.

2) Found my Basal Metabolic Rate, which was around 3000 cals per day. This is the amount of cal's I burn in a day if I were just laying there, with no movement. I then reduced my cal's to 1200 a day to create a cal deficit.

3) Watched my macros closely. 20g of Fat, 50-100g of Carbs

4) Excerices by 30 minutes on the elipical every morning at work, and walked 3 miles per day. Did this in short walks.

5) Used sweet snacks like greek gogurt, stevia, and fresh strawberries OR a strawberry smoothie (water, ice, and lots of stevia).

6) Whatever you do - don't buy Fast Food.

7) Saturday is my free meal day.

good advice - especially the 'free meal day' once a week.

Oh by the way. I should add that I fought cravings for about 2 weeks. It's been four months now, I rarely get sugar cravings anymore, and if I do, it's at night which is easily handled by the smoothie and/or greek yogurt.

Hey by the way I forgot something - I skip breakfast. I don't eat until 12:00pm. This has been the biggest strategy. I used coffee to control my appetite in the morning.

I have actually found that I don't need breakfast and often skip it...I don't buy into the whole "most important meal of the day" thing. But if I do eat, I'll have one egg or a very small bowl of unsweetened cereal. Or maybe a glass of tomato juice.

I don't crave sugar anymore (it's been years) so that isn't a problem for me. But I understand it can be for others.

For lunch I may have 5 ounces of chicken breast. Yup, I grab a $.99 can of the stuff, crack it open and put a little tabasco on it, I'm good to go. Maybe a Greek yogurt in the afternoon.

It's about what works for the person. For me it's maybe a small avocado, or a small package of crackers, or even a bean tostada. But it's one thing and I can be satisfied.

The first couple days are a little difficult, at times, if I'm coming back on the diet, but then it gets easier and I don't mind. It's harder when I travel for work and there are all meals provided, then I eat a bit more. But I also exercise about four times a week and it can be pretty intensive.

The bottom line is that as you've already mentioned, it's the amount of calories you take in vs. the amount you are expending. I often have 800 calorie days and the pounds drop off pretty fast. Vitamins and other supplements help to ensure that my hair doesn't end up falling out, lol.

I slipped up last year and gained more than a few pounds. So I did my little diet/exercise combo and lost 20 pounds in 21 days in July. And I've kept it off.

Same here bro...for lunch everyday, I eat 5-6 ounces of chicken breast from the can. Sometimes on a plate of spinach or kale greens, but mostly just hot sauce. Sometimes I do a can of pink salmon, and then I have to put salsa on that. Yeah, I've had 800-900 cal days too - don't mean to, but probably a few per month. One's metabolism can slow down (i.e. weight loss) if the cal count goes <1000 per day to often I think for a male. I have found that protein is my friend...keeps me from getting hungry. I bet your lunch lasts you 4-5 hours - does me anyway. If I get hungry at work, I throw a small handful of almonds and raisins plus a quart of water...good to go until dinner.

^^ Exactly.

Yes, I've heard that about metabolisms slowing down with too few calories, but...I play basketball for an hour (about 3-4 times a week) and sometimes run on the treadmill (not far, lol, like a mile or two) and do some weights on a weekly basis. My theory is that my metabolism _can't_ slow down that much; I'm expending energy--either resting or active--and it's forced to find some fuel to make up for it all. Some from what I eat, some from fat. The trick is to *try* to find the balance so it's not coming from muscle.

Everyone is different and what works for one person won't work for another. And metabolisms are different.

Side note: I'm reminded of a professor at a Kansas university that did a study....he ate only nacho chips and Twinkies. BUT ONLY about 1000 calories a day. After a couple months he lost something like 25 pounds and his good cholesterol went up, the bad cholesterol went down. Not a good way to live nor sustainable but shows that calorie counts do matter.

Your theory is correct...lifting weights increases metabolism (i.e. BMR - from what I've read).

Don't forget fresh fruit and nuts. If you can find quality stuff it's like candy. We just cut up a pineapple and I can't eat just one piece...got...to...have...more...

There's also that silly old thing of brushing your teeth if you get a craving; just a tiny dab of toothpaste on the brush and a quick token scrub will make your mouth think something's happening.

It seems to me that you have two separate problems -- What you are eating (nutrition,) and the amount that you are eating.

I would tackle the amount of food first. Ask yourself, why are you eating well past the point of hunger? Is it for comfort, entertainment, to quell anxiety, etc.? Once you figure out the root cause, you can replace eating excessively with another activity that meets your specific need or needs.


The nutritional problem is easier to solve. You have to form a new habit, but it's easier to do that than you might think.

I've lost almost 25 pounds from it and the weight is still slowly coming off. Keeping a food diary has helped me understand when my cravings are likely to hit and help me enjoy the foods and drinks I love without too much overindulgence.

Do you think it's possible you might have yeast overgrowth? I notice when I crave a lot of sugar, it's because yeast in my system wants to be fed (this is according to doctors who helped with some issues). I take a probiotic daily, eat lots of Greek yogurt with live cultures, and am now turned on to Kombucha. It may not work for you, but it has helped keep sugar cravings in check. I still have sweets, but only crave them around PMS time.

Salt, on the other hand, is a problem. I LOVE chips and crackers and cheese and all that stuff. I allow myself one or two bags of chips a month and try to limit the crackers, but I have cheese almost everyday in small portions. One of the best ways, IMNSHO and experience, is to keep the junk out of the house for the first few months and find healthier replacements. Instead of ice cream, have some sorbet. Instead of double chocolate chip cookies, get some mini Hershey's dark nuggets or kisses and keep them in the freezer so they last longer.

Plan your snacks out and portion for the week. Because I'm a busy person running from school to work to various gigs, I have to eat on the go a lot. I always keep snack cheese (I like the Sargento lower calorie ones), unsalted nut mixes, cut up fruits and veggies, homemade Ranch made with Greek yogurt in place of most of the mayo, granola bars (be careful, they can be really high in calories and it adds up) and crunchy mixins to add into my yogurt. Portion is the key here.

Don't forget to exercise for 30 minutes everyday and if you get a really bad craving, go for a walk or find something to do like cleaning to occupy your mind until the craving goes away. If it's still there, allow yourself a small treat. Go easy on yourself, we all have off days. Always have a bottle of iced water with you. It helps!

ETA: Try having a protein rich breakfast with whole grains. I eat an English muffin with a sausage patty or turkey, tomato, thinly sliced cheese, and egg, spinach and a little mayo every day with a banana or yogurt cup. It keeps me full until later in the day and you can change it up with things you like.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2017 05:21PM by Itzpapalotl.

+1 What Itzpapalotl says.

A protein-loaded breakfast keeps me from overeating, for the entire day! A sugary breakfast with orange juice, white toast and jam, or pancakes and syrup, throws me down into a "sugar crash", and I crave sugar for the rest of the day. I do not eat cereal for the same reason. Even oatmeal is so quickly absorbed by the body, that it acts like sugar.

I use the "CalorieKing" app to count calories. I can NOT diet. If I try to go on a diet, get so hungry and feel so deprived, that I actually GAIN weight. I use the calorie numbers as a way of keeping track of what I eat, and that is all. I'm not strict. Many days, I don't eat enough, which is not good, so I have an extra bedtime snack. If I don't eat enough, my body overcompensates by overeating, to try to balance things out, I guess. An 800 calorie day would be followed by a 2100 calorie day, for me.

Keep your blood sugar stable, by eating every 3 1/2 hours, at least. It will drop if you starve yourself, skip a meal, or postpone a meal too long. It will stay stable if you eat protein, and lots of fiber. Fiber helps metabolize sugar.

I use fruit as a treat, or as a crutch if I'm craving something sweet, but I eat it late in the day or at night.

I'm addicted to sugar, so you might not have to do the drastic things I've done, to stay off of it. Sugar makes me very hungry! Sugar hunger is more intense than regular hunger. Do you sometimes feel shaky? Is your hunger "urgent"? When I'm off of sugar, I can postpone meals (not recommended), if I'm traveling, or in a business meeting, and can't get any food. I don't feel like I'm dying of starvation, the way sugar makes you feel.

Sorry to say, that I have to give up sugar completely. Of course, there are hidden sugars in just about everything, and in fruits, but I stay away from added sugar, candy, and other junk food. The only way I can stop sugar binges is to not to even begin to eat sugar. My sugar craving is worst about 5 minutes after having some, and I have to have more, immediately. If I get a craving (usually by seeing someone else enjoying a sweet) I just wait 20 minutes, and the craving goes away by itself. Or, I just go ahead and eat a real meal, instead.

I can't have sugary treats visible in the house. I make the kids keep them hidden in their own cupboard. The first line of battle is at the grocery store. Don't buy that stuff in the first place.

Try tasting everything! I love to do this, and it works for me! If you have one bite of a cupcake, you know how it tastes. You don't need to burden your intestines and bloodstream and teeth with the rest of the gooey thing. Go ahead and have a piece of birthday cake and ice cream, but take one bite of each, and leave your plate somewhere. Don't deprive yourself of the fun.

Stop beating yourself up! Even in the middle of a binge, you can stop eating. Wait for your next meal, then congratulate yourself for eating something healthy.

I got tired of hating myself, tired of the "sugar lows", so I gave it up, cold turkey. Immediately, I slept better. The third day of cold turkey, I got a headache. The fourth day, I had body aches. Advil took care of these symptoms. By the sixth day, it was over. I feel so much better off of sugar! Curious, I weighed myself at a friend's house, and I had lost 7 pounds! A lot of that was water weight, but, still....

The above has helped me fight cravings as well. 6 small meals with adequate protein helped me get through the "withdrawal" of carbs. I slept better too. For me it seems to be a matter of keeping my blood sugar stable so cravings don't happen. If I can get through a couple of weeks, the cravings diminish to a point they are easily handled. Interestingly, some foods still induce strong carb cravings. Pizza and diet soda for sure! I've started drinking a couple of liters of water most days and drink flavored sparking water. Unfortunately it seems what works for one doesn't necessarily work for all. Some trial and error is probably necessary. Keep going...Don't give up! Feel so much better eating more healthy!

I found that hypnosis helps me. I bought a book, called I Can Make You Thin, by Paul McKenna. I pretty well ignore the book and listen to the cd everyday for about 15-20 minutes. Over time, I have lost about 40-50 lbs.

It is the only thing that worked for me. I knew that hunger wasn't the problem, I just like eating. I started several years ago, and still listen every now and then. The cd helped me want less food. He throws in encouragement to exercise. It is also very relaxing.

https://www.amazon.com/Can-Make-You-Thin-Revolutionary/dp/1402765711

PS Edit to add--I second the focus on protein. It is satisfying, and helps curb cravings.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2017 06:08PM by liesarenotuseful.

There's a place here called Positive Changes that focuses on hypnosis for weight loss. It's a chain at least covering the western states. It could be elsewhere too. It makes sense, because it does start with what you're thinking. My thoughts are what make me take that first bite of sugar when I really want to be eating healthily. Only after that first bite do my sugar/carb cravings kick in and make me eat beyond being full.

I agree with the previous suggestion to take probiotics. We need the proper bacteria in our guts to break food down enough that we can absorb the nutrients. If we don't get enough nutrients, our body sends cravings for certain foods that have the nutrients it is lacking. For that reason I also suggest taking a good multi vitamin.

The most important thing is knowing that you're human and humans love sugar. We ALL eat more than we should on occasion, so don't beat yourself up for it. Learn why you took that first bite or gain some other knowledge from it, then it served an educational purpose and you don't have to feel guilty for it. This is important because many of us eat to comfort and assuage our negative feelings. If we feel guilty or bad, what do we do? Eat! So DON'T feel guilty!

Good luck!

Oh, mentioned before, but easy--when you have a craving just drink a small glass of water all at once.

Your body says: "OK, never mind."

Tbe bane of my existence. ...

Watching My 600 lb Life is enough of a 'shock treatment' for me to keep from eating beyond the 'comfort' stage.

Mostly I binge eat from stress and have for many years. All it take is one on S M full of unreasonable demands and I am of to the races. I know what causes it. I know I should stop it. But it is still a serious problem. the only time I can combat the issue is when I force myself to be ALWAYS on the alert. Good luck in solving your issues.

Perhaps this is more complicated than the average person who over indulges from time to time. Only an expert can be sure, but perhaps you should Google "Binge eating disorder."

When I diet, I use a few psychological aids.

---- If there is something I don't want to eat I have to 'visualize' that food mixed with motor oil or something very unappetizing on it. That will make that food not a temptation.

---- If I get an urge to eat and want to put it off I would try 'tapping the urge' off and suspend that urge for hours.

---- I would also try to tell myself after I eat, even a small meal, oh I am really full and satisfied. I cannot possibly get any more food down me.

---- Similar to above, I would try to drink a lot either tea or water to keep you feeling full or eat unlimited amounts of 'good' salads, vegetables, etc. versus foods that will cause you to gain a lot of weight. I would also do guided meditations on weight loss (like self hypnosis).

Good luck!

I have no trouble at all with binge eating. In fact, I think I have mastered it. Once I stopped at my favorite bakery on the way home from work and bought a German Chocolate Cake. When I got home I ate it once slice at a time until it was gone. That took about twenty minutes. When I was done I had a very strong urge to go and buy another one. I managed not to, but it was difficult.

I don't know if it is stress, or I just didn't get that chemical body part that tells you to be satisfied, or food is just so good, but I have bouts like that. Once I started, I just didn't stop.

I tried substituting fruits, nuts, and anything considered a healthy treat. But in the end, they were substitutes and did nothing for my cravings. An apple is not a Cheesecake and never will be. I did make a list of all the healthy and mostly savory foods I love and try to get those first.

What worked for me first of all is I realized I was just another sugar addict courtesy of the American food industry. They use sugar the same way the Drug Cartel wields cocaine. Many of our parents found that very useful. I watched my sister hand a three year old a can of coke. However the food industry is even more effective than the cartel as sugar does not carry the stigma of drugs--tho it should-- and it fulfills a need for taming our anxieties and making up for failures in other parts of our lives. You can always count on food, but I decided I did not want to be just another user making our food industry richer than even the drug lords.

My solution was what I call the "Don't Buy It Diet." I quit kidding myself that I could buy a bag of cookies or chips and only have a few a day. The bag was always gone within twenty minutes--my magic number. I don't keep the sugar treats around.

I noticed after staying off the sugar for a while, I really didn't like the super sugary stuff anymore when I did indulge. I only went for higher end treats and looked forward to having them on a Friday when I allowed myself. Setting a time ahead of when I would have something helped a lot.

It also helps to realize it isn't just the obvious foods that are the triggers. Don't even get me started on Prego or Ragu compared to the truly Italian sauces without the sugar.

And, for me, the glass of water or cup of coffee when I'm having the cravings, works most of the time.

ROFL Me too. Except my cake of choice was carrot or just a white sheet cake with buttercream frosting.

I also agree with you that sugar in every damned thing you buy is the problem. It causes some malfunction in some of our systems.

I'm convinced that people who eat a small dessert and are satisfied don't feel the same vicious cravings that those of us that eat the entire cake and end up hungrier than before we ate a single bite feel.

Like you said, it's some trigger or an inappropriate insulin response or something like that wrong with our systems that keeps demanding we eat more sugar. The people who say all you have to do is exercise a little control have certainly never felt that type of craving.

Realizing that it's my body that's failing me has helped me immensely. I no longer feel guilt or like I'm just weak because I know there's something wrong with my body. I can treat it like a disease and don't feel too deprived that I can't have dessert every day because diabetics can't either, and lots of people can't eat gluten or too much protein or whatever due to malfunctioning organs, so it's really not unfair that I can't either.

I've had to eliminate sugar and sweeteners of any type and highly refined carbs from my diet most of the time. I now usually have my eating under control until I choose to eat a dessert. I still binge on sugar on the rare occasion but I can go back to eating healthy the next day and avoid bingeing again until the next time I make the decision to have sweets.

Oh great. Now I have a craving for Carrot Cake. Did you really have to bring that Up? Haha. And there is a place a mile from here that has the best in the world.

Love what your response. Really nice to connect with those who understand. I have kept myself healthy and at a good weight, but I have known since I was a kid that I was different. I went to a friends house once when I was about twelve and they had two pies on the counter,half eaten--from the day before! I was like, How could that be? You have left over pie? You didn't eat it all? What is wrong with you people? And one of them was banana cream! Who does that?

Lula Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've finally been trying to get healthy by
> exercising and eating right, but I keep getting
> tripped up by bad binge eating nearly every day.

The first and second parts of this statement don't match. I don't want to sound mean, but it looks like you're not being honest with yourself. I would suggest to reflect on possible underlying causes for your behaviour, maybe even get some professional help (from a psychologist, I mean).

99.99% of everything that is written on nutrition is BS. There is no scientific basis for any of it. Focus on feeling good about yourself and your eating habits will probably improve as well.

She said she's been TRYING. Completely honest. :-D

I highly highly highly recommend the books by Geneen Roth. One of them is called BREAKING FREE FROM EMOTIONAL EATING. I love the audiobook of hers called WHEN FOOD IS FOOD AND LOVE IS LOVE: A STEP-BY-STEP SPIRITUAL PROGRAM TO BREAK FREE FROM EMOTIONAL EATING. (When she says spiritual, she means it in the way of mindfulness, etc.) Here's a snippet from the back of the cover: "WHEN FOOD IS FOOD AND LOVE IS LOVE is the culmination of Roth's work with hundreds of thousands of people on food, eating, and the many hungers of our hearts. Here, she shares her newest updated program to help you reach your natural weight and satisfy all your hungers--physical, emotional, and spiritual."

I got her books and audiobook program at my public library.

I feel your pain. I also struggle with binge eating. There is one trick I've found can help me get thru the urge.

I started thinking about how binging is such a fleeting pleasure. Once the food has been consumed, which is quit enjoyable, the guilt and regret and physical illness set in.

Try as I might to resist my cravings, they can become overwhelming until I give in and satisfy them. So I decided, instead of trying to resist them, why not embrace them? Wallow in them even. Take the time to sit back, close my eyes, and imagine, in great detail, consuming all the food I am craving. I imagine the smell, the taste, taking a bite, chewing and swallowing. I keep it up until I've "eaten" my fill.

By indulging the craving, I can feel satisfied enough to get past it, without all the guilt!

Hope this can help. Hang in there!

At the time I discovered LDS was a cult, my stress level was off the charts. My body broke down with GERD. GERD and me mother's dementia has become my teacher in managing illnesses and trying to lI've in balance.

Wise insights have been shared here. Bottom line, all choices seems to be a journey in learning how to love ourselves in healthy ways. We are worth loving. Acceptance, patience and self kindness helps reality checking.