Can anyone who has or is recovering from binge disorder help me?

[ChasingPavements]

Hey guys,

I've been struggling with binge eating disorder for more than a year now and i have been trying to put an end to it but have only gained more weight. i feel like i am on a constant diet that always fails because I screw it up by bingeing.

I just wanted to know if anyone who has recovered or is recovering has any good tips that have helped you overcome this problem. i would really appreciate it.

-Amanda

[Mob Boss]

I don't have this type of eating disorder, but I did find tips and know of a few already that might help on your road to recovery.

• Sort out emotions - Most binges are a result of finding comfort through food because you have emotional needs that are unmet. Try writing problems that you are facing and troubles you're having in a journal.

• Eat - Eat a healthy meal at an appropriate time rather than depriving yourself. The more you tell yourself "No, I can't eat", the more you're going to want and the more frequent the binge episodes will be. Eating a healthy meal is better than depriving then bingeing.

• Use a timer - Whenever you feel the urge to binge, set a time for 30 minutes and tell yourself "Okay, when the time is up I can eat something". 90% of the time you'll have talked yourself out of it, sorted emotional problems, or simply forgotten about the urge completely.

• The apple test - I saw this on the Dr. Oz show and felt it was relevant and helpful for this kind of disorder. It's a test to decipher actually being hungry or just wanting food, bored, worried, etc. The apple test is where you ask yourself "Am I hungry enough to eat an apple?" If you answer "yes", you are truly hungry. If you answer "no", the hunger isn't hunger at all; it's emotionally fueled eating.

Good luck. I know firsthand the tight grip eating disorders can have on us, and I hope you're on a fast road to recovery.

[Mortal Coil]

I don't have BED but I do have binging tendencies, so here's my two cents:

One thing I've tried that works pretty well is to count to 100 while taking a sip of water in between each number. I couldn't even make it to 70!
Another thing is to have a kind of list where you put a check next to every hour you go without binging. For instance...
8-9am: check
9-10am: check
etc.
When you do eat something, it helps to put a small amount in a tupperware, take it OUT of the room, and eat that there.

Hope I helped! You really do deserve recovery.

[ChasingPavements]

Thank you Mortal Coil and Illicitus :) i will try out these tips and see if it works. I have never heard of them before but they sound great!

[georgiamay]

I don't have BED, but I've had problems with binging and purging and just binging as seperate issues (if that makes any sense).

One thing I would suggest would be to plan your meals out the night before. Decide what you're going to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and what snacks you're going to have.
Don't have "binge food" in the house, and if you need to go to the shop, only take the amount you need with you so you won't be tempted to buy food you'll binge on later.
Eat everything slowly. Concentrate on chewing every mouthful until it's a mush before you swollow. The slower you eat the fuller you feel.
It would also help to work out what causes you to binge. Whenever you have the urge, make a note of what it was the made you feel that way, and either avoid those situations or find a new way to deal with it.
If all else fails and you get to the point where you really need to binge, eat something really light but really filling, like rice cakes. Only have these foods in the house, try and stay away from the foods you tend to binge on the most.
When you get the urge you could go for a walk or drink a pint of water, but only with sips. It takes ages and takes your mind off of things.

Hope this helps :)

[HeartCoreHannah]

Coming from someone who has struggled with BED, it is good to plan out your meals like georgiamay said.

But if you fail, don't let it discourage you. You have to keep working toward getting better. If you give up, you'll be controlled by it for the rest of your life. Also, don't worry too much about your weight. Whether it be what you're gaining or what you're losing. Focus on getting your eating habits under control then take your weight into consideration.

If you ever want to talk, you can message me. I know a lot about this and I think I can help you.
I wish you the best of luck. Stay strong. <3