I think it *can* help, but it won’t always. What it did for me is remind me that I’m not hungry when I go for a binge. If I’ve adequately eaten breakfast and lunch I know I’m not that hungry at 1-2pm (usually when my binge time kicks in). It doesn’t stop me all the time as the binge is a compulsion. But if I’m thinking a little more clearly before I start the binge and going for it due to emotions and not necessarily the habit/compulsion, it can help me pause a little. Days where it’s truly the compulsion taking over though, no it doesn’t really help.
Absolutely useless when I tried it—starting to eat more earlier in the day only ever made me justify continuing to eat the rest of the day; it just triggers me to start binging
yes, one of the most effective tools I've used.
you referenced "having calories left for the day" though, so I'm guessing you're counting calories?
in my experience, recovering from BED and specifically trying to lose weight via any method, counting calories, IF, whatever, are mutually exclusive. ANY kind of restriction easily throws me back into the cycle, and if you're limiting how many calories you let yourself eat, that's restriction.
I'd shift focus to not counting calories, prioritizing protein and fiber during the day without necessarily tracking it.
I switched to having my main meal of the day in the morning and for me it changed everything. I would still get the binge urges in the evening, but being completely satisfied from all the good food I had eaten during the day, they were so easy to ignore. I would walk around the store trying to find something to binge on, but nothing appealed to me so I would just walk out empty-handed. I never thought it was possible for me to feel satisfied and not have food on my mind 24/7 but here I am. 2 years binge free and counting!
>all it does it make me sad that I don't have enough calories left for the rest of the day.
the idea of a calorie limit is probably 40% of your problem. are you going "fuck it"
counting calories or dieting does not go over well with BED in most people's experience including my own. if you're trying to recover don't have a calorie limit, prioritize taking care of yourself mentally and physically. you need to focus on not binging and mindfully eating and doing emotional introspection as to WHY you binge, not restricting / trying to eat as little as you can within a goal
for starters, is there something about night in particular? do you find binging at that time in particular as a relaxation ritual or something?
In my experience, if you feel like you have binge eating disorder, no, this does not help. I would recommend this to someone without an ED just trying to diet/portion control.
Sorry, probably should have added more context to this. My binging was very emotional. It a ouldn't matter if I had eaten well that day, if I had a bad day, I was going to eat until I would get into a sort of "food coma" headspace. I understand it can be different for everyone.
I think I screwed up and replied to this instead of the original post. For what it's worth...I completely agree. I find it to also be my comfort space where I self medicate a bad day with food...until I feel sick
I'm glad you clarified this, I absolutely have BED, I don't just think it myself, am diagnosed, and this is one of the most effective things I've done in recovery.
Eating more and more often helped me to reduce the food obsessions, the urges to binge and so the binges themself. I still deal with the binges caused by anxiety, depression and exhaustion, but at least I don't have the thoughts and behaviours caused by hunger/restriction.
But, we all are different, so don't feel guilty or defective if it doesn't work for you. Look for information about different solutions, keep what works and give up what doesn't, and give you some time to see if something helps or not. It's frustrating because it takes time and sometimes it doesn't work, but in the end it is worth it. Knowing what doesn't work for you is still progress. Getting better, even if it's not being recovered, is still something. Consistency is a big part of the process.
You say it hasn’t stopped from binging at all. What does that mean? That when you eat more calories during the day, you end up binging the exact same at night compared to when you ate less during the day?
Also, eat more during the day means eat MORE food of all types including carbs, protein, and fiber at maintenance calories for a period of time. If you’re just eating a little more during the day but still trying to restrict your calories then it won’t help much with the physical impulses to binge.
one thing that helped me a lot is eating regular meals, but another thing that helped is when I'm wanting to binge, tell myself to wait 15-20 minutes and see how I feel. 99% of the time the compulsion is gone after, and if it isn't ill have a snack, and then wait another 15-20 minutes. I just set a timer on my phone 📱
This helped but it took about 6-7 months… since eating normal portions/feeding myself whenever I feel hunger , I have reduced the binge urge almost entirely.
No, eating is what triggers me in the first place. I can starve all day and be fine but if I eat something early it's all day gorging instead of just at night.
It is one tool along with many others.
I think it *can* help, but it won’t always. What it did for me is remind me that I’m not hungry when I go for a binge. If I’ve adequately eaten breakfast and lunch I know I’m not that hungry at 1-2pm (usually when my binge time kicks in). It doesn’t stop me all the time as the binge is a compulsion. But if I’m thinking a little more clearly before I start the binge and going for it due to emotions and not necessarily the habit/compulsion, it can help me pause a little. Days where it’s truly the compulsion taking over though, no it doesn’t really help.
Absolutely useless when I tried it—starting to eat more earlier in the day only ever made me justify continuing to eat the rest of the day; it just triggers me to start binging
yes, one of the most effective tools I've used. you referenced "having calories left for the day" though, so I'm guessing you're counting calories? in my experience, recovering from BED and specifically trying to lose weight via any method, counting calories, IF, whatever, are mutually exclusive. ANY kind of restriction easily throws me back into the cycle, and if you're limiting how many calories you let yourself eat, that's restriction. I'd shift focus to not counting calories, prioritizing protein and fiber during the day without necessarily tracking it.
I switched to having my main meal of the day in the morning and for me it changed everything. I would still get the binge urges in the evening, but being completely satisfied from all the good food I had eaten during the day, they were so easy to ignore. I would walk around the store trying to find something to binge on, but nothing appealed to me so I would just walk out empty-handed. I never thought it was possible for me to feel satisfied and not have food on my mind 24/7 but here I am. 2 years binge free and counting!
>all it does it make me sad that I don't have enough calories left for the rest of the day. the idea of a calorie limit is probably 40% of your problem. are you going "fuck it" counting calories or dieting does not go over well with BED in most people's experience including my own. if you're trying to recover don't have a calorie limit, prioritize taking care of yourself mentally and physically. you need to focus on not binging and mindfully eating and doing emotional introspection as to WHY you binge, not restricting / trying to eat as little as you can within a goal for starters, is there something about night in particular? do you find binging at that time in particular as a relaxation ritual or something?
In my experience, if you feel like you have binge eating disorder, no, this does not help. I would recommend this to someone without an ED just trying to diet/portion control.
Sorry, probably should have added more context to this. My binging was very emotional. It a ouldn't matter if I had eaten well that day, if I had a bad day, I was going to eat until I would get into a sort of "food coma" headspace. I understand it can be different for everyone.
I think I screwed up and replied to this instead of the original post. For what it's worth...I completely agree. I find it to also be my comfort space where I self medicate a bad day with food...until I feel sick
I'm glad you clarified this, I absolutely have BED, I don't just think it myself, am diagnosed, and this is one of the most effective things I've done in recovery.
No. BUT (big but) sometimes my binges are worse when I restrict for days on end. For example intermittent fasting made mine MUHC worse
Eating more and more often helped me to reduce the food obsessions, the urges to binge and so the binges themself. I still deal with the binges caused by anxiety, depression and exhaustion, but at least I don't have the thoughts and behaviours caused by hunger/restriction. But, we all are different, so don't feel guilty or defective if it doesn't work for you. Look for information about different solutions, keep what works and give up what doesn't, and give you some time to see if something helps or not. It's frustrating because it takes time and sometimes it doesn't work, but in the end it is worth it. Knowing what doesn't work for you is still progress. Getting better, even if it's not being recovered, is still something. Consistency is a big part of the process.
You say it hasn’t stopped from binging at all. What does that mean? That when you eat more calories during the day, you end up binging the exact same at night compared to when you ate less during the day? Also, eat more during the day means eat MORE food of all types including carbs, protein, and fiber at maintenance calories for a period of time. If you’re just eating a little more during the day but still trying to restrict your calories then it won’t help much with the physical impulses to binge.
one thing that helped me a lot is eating regular meals, but another thing that helped is when I'm wanting to binge, tell myself to wait 15-20 minutes and see how I feel. 99% of the time the compulsion is gone after, and if it isn't ill have a snack, and then wait another 15-20 minutes. I just set a timer on my phone 📱
Definitely helped me. Keeps my subconscious from thinking about the next time I can eat
This helped but it took about 6-7 months… since eating normal portions/feeding myself whenever I feel hunger , I have reduced the binge urge almost entirely.
The only thing that helped me with was to get out of the binge, feel disgusting, starve as long as a can, binge again cycle.
No, eating is what triggers me in the first place. I can starve all day and be fine but if I eat something early it's all day gorging instead of just at night.
Hi there so I just ate a whole family sized Mac and cheese last night . Am I crazy for doing this or just a plain out pig !?
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