anybody beaten binge eating disorder and/or bulimia?...trying to like me?..i'm only on the 3rd lesson of the program--will those on eating and obsessive thoughts help with this?

If you find out how to stop binge eating, I'd like to know, too. I just started the program and I'm reading in the book how I'm supposed to chart how I'm going to eliminate sugar from my diet. Unfortunately with someone like me, it isn't that simple. I'll be fine one minute and the next, my brain tells me that I HAVE to have something sugary and/or carb loaded to eaT. I will obsess over it and fight it but ALWAYS lose in the end. How am I supposed to just suddenly stop eating sugar when I've tried over and over and over again but am completely powerless over the craving, urge, need - whatever you want to call it - to eat.

susan- giving up sugar is REALLY HARD for some of us. what you may want to try is not deprivation, but instead limit your quantity. when you reach for a twinkie, eat half and save the rest for later. measure out 1 cup of potato chips in a measuring cup. NEVER eat straight from the container of ANYTHING because you have no concept of how much you've eaten that way. like all things, learning to give up sugar is a PROCESS

phoenix-i've always had issues about eating linked to my anxiety. recently i've lost most of my appetite, so when i do feel like eating, i try to eat as much as possible in a short amount of time to "make up for" all the time i can't eat. then i usually get sick from eating so much in a short amount of time. clearly this IS NOT working for me. i've only just started week 4 of the program, but i am trying to apply what i'm learning to my eating habits. when i eat, i eat slowly and positive talk my way through it. it may seem silly to think "this bowl of pasta can't hurt me. it is feeding my body and giving me nourishment" at first, but it seems to help. this also keeps me concious of what i'm eating and how much so i don't over-eat or binge.

Hope I was helpful good luck

man, i'm just glad to hear UNDERSTANDING... i am obsessed, completely--some days are better than others, but the good never lasts that long.... oh, and i WISH i could lose my appetite! it doesnt' matter if i'm nauseous and ready to throw up--i'm ALWAYS ready to EAT! (ALL stomach pain, including my chronic constipation, in my mind begs for food,...and usually food does help, if only emotionally) ...i'm gonna buy a book called "eating in the light of the moon" full of metaphors and imagery focusing on these problems--maybe the thoughts'll be enough, along with this program to help *shrug*.... let's please keep the thoughts and ideas flowing!!

i have depessed and suffering from anxiety attack for about 2 months now and taking lexapro and xanax for it. before i was taking comfort in food i was binge eating and then making myself throwup so that i would not gain the extra calories and it made me feel. butj then i would feel ashamed of myself. but it did not help with pain i was feeling it only made it worse. but then i had a real bad attack and i could not drive or even work and go out in public. so i went to the doctor and got on medicine. and i ordered the course and i am on lesson 3. i also have just started the coaching part too. but when i had my attack, my eating habits just changed very dramaticlly. i quit caffie cold turkey. and no sugar and no salt. and i have started exercising and what i eat is not very much. i drink water alot and i have lost 20 pounds in 1 month. which is not normal and very healthy. i went for my 1 month checkup and my doctor said that i was improving and keep up the work that i am doing as long as it is healthy. drinking water, eating fruit and vegatables and exercising and taking vitamins and calorie intake no less than 1200 per day. i am also still taking the lexapro which has helped me. i am now working again and going out in public and i am driving just to certain places right now. but as long as i continue with the coaching and the course and healthy attitude and living i will get better. just hang in there it will get better. do not let food take over your life and loose yourself. it did me and i went through hell and back. and i am still trying to fight with the food addiction. it is just like any addiction, there is no cure, it is something that we will have to fight with the rest of our life. but with the right help i know that we can beat it.

sorry so long but had to get this off my mind.

any comments. i hope this helps someone.

I often would try to be "good" and not eat breakfast and lunch but would binge at dinner. I would still be hungry and eat at night before bedtime, hoping a full stomach would help me fall asleep. I too was chronically constipated (I can't believe I'm telling this to anyone). I had other health warning signs that started to popup. So a few months ago, I got tired of outgrowing my pants and this endless cycle. So, I made a direction change that netted me a loss of 50 lbs in about 8 weeks.

I found that eating carbs from fruit and veggies filled me up, but didn't go to my waste. For dinner, I ate what I wanted and simply reduced my portion so that I was never too full. I try to avoid bread and sugar products, but if I really want something, I eat just a little. I totally eliminated caffeine. I drink only water and decafe tea. I used drink tons of coffee but I don't miss that at all. To aid in the constipation and in having a full stomach at bedtime, I eat FiberOne cereal, by General Mills. It's only 60 calories and has (14 grams) 57% of your daily fiber in just 1/2 cup. It tastes pretty good, too. So, I kill several birds with one stone. If I eat something sweet, I eat just a few (like chocolate kisses). I don't deprive myself of it, so I haven't noticed a strong urge to go back to my negative eating habits. I've augmented this with a little exercise.

I still want to lose another 10 pounds, but the binge eating has stopped. I've gotten pretty good at stopping the urge before it overwhelms me.

thank you ben and julie for your comments, really.... i can be really good and comfortable like that for awhile, then, slowly but surely, a simple little indulgence will turn into a binge--sometimes i handle them, sometimes i don't, so i'm always anxious with sweets that i'll lose control..... i know i can't cut out ALL sweets, but they are definite triggers---a lot is based outta guilt, and i have noticed i tend to read this into my constipation, cause it makes me feel fat and "bleh" (you know)... besides that, when you already feel "full" it's so hard to monitor true hunger... if i'm hungry and eating when i'm already this "full" (of crap, no less ;P), how do i know when to stop? then the emotional hunger, compulsion and guilt kicks in

*sigh* it's like, if this, this and this could fall in line (biology and psychology, more or less), i could be "normal," but nothin ever works out that long....and in the end it's just easier to eat than use all my energy tryin not to =S i was feelin so good and thin a couple days ago, then yesterday, somewhere in there i began to sink--i've taken a few laxatives with no true results just yet, and i keep eating cause that's what i do to disract myself from the discomfort it causes compacted in my colon!! ugh!!..... so much i could say...

Cole,

That was a nice post. Like others here, I have my problems with eating sugar. It's a difficult habit to break. I've done it in the past and felt so much better. Unfortunately, I'm having a hard time finding my way back to healthy eating. Somehow, I've confused anxious feelings with hunger feelings and am hard pressed to recognize the difference.
I agree with your suggestion to eat slower, practice portion control, and pay attention to how your food input affects your mental and physical output.

quote:

Originally posted by cole2458:
susan- giving up sugar is REALLY HARD for some of us. what you may want to try is not deprivation, but instead limit your quantity. when you reach for a twinkie, eat half and save the rest for later. measure out 1 cup of potato chips in a measuring cup. NEVER eat straight from the container of ANYTHING because you have no concept of how much you've eaten that way. like all things, learning to give up sugar is a PROCESS

phoenix-i've always had issues about eating linked to my anxiety. recently i've lost most of my appetite, so when i do feel like eating, i try to eat as much as possible in a short amount of time to "make up for" all the time i can't eat. then i usually get sick from eating so much in a short amount of time. clearly this IS NOT working for me. i've only just started week 4 of the program, but i am trying to apply what i'm learning to my eating habits. when i eat, i eat slowly and positive talk my way through it. it may seem silly to think "this bowl of pasta can't hurt me. it is feeding my body and giving me nourishment" at first, but it seems to help. this also keeps me concious of what i'm eating and how much so i don't over-eat or binge.

Hope I was helpful good luck

Congratulations, Ben,

Having tried just about every 'diet' known to man, I know how hard it is to eat right. I know I have more energy, less pain, and feel better in general when I eat right. My problem is finding time to prepare 'healthy food' so it's available when I get a craving. I hope I can use you as a role model in finding my way back to good health. Thanks for the post.

quote:

Originally posted by DEC$Ben:
I often would try to be "good" and not eat breakfast and lunch but would binge at dinner. I would still be hungry and eat at night before bedtime, hoping a full stomach would help me fall asleep. I too was chronically constipated (I can't believe I'm telling this to anyone). I had other health warning signs that started to popup. So a few months ago, I got tired of outgrowing my pants and this endless cycle. So, I made a direction change that netted me a loss of 50 lbs in about 8 weeks.

I found that eating carbs from fruit and veggies filled me up, but didn't go to my waste. For dinner, I ate what I wanted and simply reduced my portion so that I was never too full. I try to avoid bread and sugar products, but if I really want something, I eat just a little. I totally eliminated caffeine. I drink only water and decafe tea. I used drink tons of coffee but I don't miss that at all. To aid in the constipation and in having a full stomach at bedtime, I eat FiberOne cereal, by General Mills. It's only 60 calories and has (14 grams) 57% of your daily fiber in just 1/2 cup. It tastes pretty good, too. So, I kill several birds with one stone. If I eat something sweet, I eat just a few (like chocolate kisses). I don't deprive myself of it, so I haven't noticed a strong urge to go back to my negative eating habits. I've augmented this with a little exercise.

I still want to lose another 10 pounds, but the binge eating has stopped. I've gotten pretty good at stopping the urge before it overwhelms me.

congrats on taking better care of yourself. Be sure to recognize your accomplishments.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by julierav4:
i have depessed and suffering from anxiety attack for about 2 months now

DEC$Ben, that is really wonderful!! Congratulations!! You inspire me!

Binge eating and eating unhealthy when stressed is a big problem for me, too...and I do mean a BIG problem! I really don't want to stay at this weight, it is so unhealthy, particularly as I'm getting older.

I drive myself crazy because I know that I feel so much better when I eat nutritiously.

Jeri