What exactly is binge eating / Am I doing it?

[Guest Peebles]

For some time I've wondered if I binge eat a bit. I find myself about once of twice a month eating a crud load of food, usually at night. I use to be overweight but have cut my weight a lot now and still find that I do this from time to time.

Idk if this really a problem I have or not? My health and weight seems to occur independent of it, even when I was actively loosing weight I was doing this.

Is this binge eating, or am I not even in the right ballpark? Is this more of a spectrum thing and I'm at the lower end of?

Is occasionally eating a crud lot of food fine?

I'm pretty ignorant on this.

[Guest Ky_Ki]

If you are eating large amounts of food while feeling not in control it's binging. However at least as far as the DSM is concerned it needs to be happening several times a week for it to be considered a disorder. I'd encourage you too look up the symptoms of b. e. d. Online. However, just because you don't meet the clinical definition don't feel helpless-the DSM is not very good about accommodating natural variation.

[VickySGV]

The big question is do you control it, or does it control you? You say you do it every once in a while but do you feel you must do it to retain control of something in your life when you feel out of control, or do you just like to abdicate control for a while and indulge? I am diabetic and every now and then if I am not careful, I get low blood sugar and when that happens I pig out before I even catch on to what's happening. What do you know about your blood glucose levels? Are they OK, or you just do not know??

The people I would go see in order of importance, 1) your doctor, and 2) Overeaters Anonymous. OA is a support group for people with hard to control eating problems that is patterned on a 12 Step program for recovery. Even if you do not have an addictive relationship with food, just hearing what has happened to them may give you a better clue to what is going on in your life, and it could prevent problems in the future. You are concerned from your post, so I will be the last to tell you to just ignore it. When it is bothering someone, well, it is bothering them!!

[Guest Peebles]

The big question is do you control it, or does it control you?

Both? Like if I exert a good amount of mental effort I can stop myself from doing it when I get the urge. However there are times when I completely loose control, I've eaten entire packages of cold cuts in one sitting, only realizing what I just did the next day when my family asks where the hell did their lunches for tomorrow go.

Sometimes I'm kinda apathetic to it even, like "I'm gonna eat a crap load of food, but I deserve it" after having a crappy week or doing a lot of work.

I probably should ask my doctors about it, although I can't say I'm enthusiastic about any 12 step program.

What do you know about your blood glucose levels?

I'm at an elevated level but I'm not at pre-diabetes. Last time I checked I was in the mid 80s after fasting.

[Charlize]

I don't know why you are turning your back on 12 step groups. I owe my life to one of them. Perhaps if you decide you have a problem you might just want to look a bit harder.

I found i had a problem, reached out to those who shared that problem and was given a way out of a problem i could not control. I was powerless over alcohol. You may find that you are powerless over food.

Hugs,

Charlize

[VickySGV]

My suggestion on OA was just a way to get you to a place where other people talk openly about food issues and that you could use to get a gauge on yourself. Not every group is for everybody, even those that really need the program. I did not mean to hit a nerve there, sorry. Even in my AA groups I do not try to "convert" anyone to "The ONE TRUE" way of doing the job.

My concern was that YOU were concerned about the behavior. I see no reason to twist your arm into one course of action or another. Even with Diabetes, certain food items do "disappear into combat" for me at times. A full blown Binge Eater will take out a whole Death By Chocolate cake at a sitting on a consistent basis that gets worse and more frequent over time. Your health seems otherwise good so I think you really need to look at why you are worried instead of just what you are doing. For me, making a resolution to face my GD, and taking steps to effectively live with it calmed the worries and made my life possible and enjoyable. Not every one needs to go to the level I have to find the relief from stress, but it was my way.

[Guest Ky_Ki]

It sounds to me that you are engaging in binging behavior but it hasn't become frequent enough to fully become a disorder yet. But the fact that you are doing it, don't want to do it, hiding it, are presumably bothered by it, all point to it being binging. The good news is that catching it and stopping it now will be much easier than if you wait and let it get worse - I've been in that eat an entire cake or gallon of ice cream every few days place and its not one you want to go to.

For me what has helped is therapy with a therapist that specializes in eating disorders as well as very deep inteospection as to why exactly I binge in the first place. Figuring out why you're doing what you're doing is (and admitting you have a problem but that its not necessarily your fault) is key to getting any further. And there's many reasons one can binge: there's the standard emotional reasons-escape, sadness, happiness, hopelessness, comfort, as well as more complicated emotions-and there's also the very real biochemical factors involving brain chemistry, addiction, blood sugar, dopamine and such that can complicate and motivate binging.

Personally 12 step programs rub me the wrong way, but they do help a lot of people. If you can't afford a therapist I would suggest to really just try to pay attention to yourself when a binge happens and try to see what you're feeling and hopefully over time you might be able to come to a realization over what things prompt a binge. Most importantly, and I know this is difficult, self shaming gets you nowhere.

If you ever need to talk feel free to pm me-this is something I've been struggling with for years and only have recently begun to conquer. You're not alone in the struggle.

[Guest cerise]

I like OA , especially after finding the right group. I drag myself out of bed on sat and drive across town to a meeting that starts at 9.

I have a diff profile and like taking about the solution.

I stopped going 2 times in the last year and started up again this last time with the new group.

For me it works and how I got there was making a list of things that were most imp to me at another 12 step workshop.

My Health was # 1

[Guest Peebles]

I am already seeing a therapist so I will bring it up at the next time I meet her.

I guess even if its not a full blown disorder, its still a good idea to deal with it before it becomes a problem. Plus its probably what's keeping me from loosing that last 10 pounds (I'm right on the edge of not being overweight anymore).

For me what has helped is therapy with a therapist that specializes in eating disorders as well as very deep inteospection as to why exactly I binge in the first place. Figuring out why you're doing what you're doing is (and admitting you have a problem but that its not necessarily your fault) is key to getting any further. And there's many reasons one can binge: there's the standard emotional reasons-escape, sadness, happiness, hopelessness, comfort, as well as more complicated emotions-and there's also the very real biochemical factors involving brain chemistry, addiction, blood sugar, dopamine and such that can complicate and motivate binging.

I'll try to contemplate all of this more, before I kinda just went with the hunger, not really thinking about why I am doing it.

Most importantly, and I know this is difficult, self shaming gets you nowhere.

Ok, I mean its kinda obvious but I didn't really think about that until now. Its kinda been instilled on me to be shamed about it as my family gets peed when it happens.

---

There's a few reasons why I am wary of any 12 step programs. I'd rather not get into an argument about it, but one of the biggest reasons is I have no belief in any higher power. Or at least, I am my own higher power.

[Guest Ky_Ki]

Yeah the higher power thing is a problem for me as well-at least I i don't want to "surrender" to one and let them control my life. I know that's not what 12 steps are about but it's always how I interpret it.

With self shaming - the thing that's taken me forever to believe and I still have trouble with - is realizing the problem isn't with ME, I'm an okay person that's been going through all sorts of things that have to find an outlet somehow. And those factors are the problem not me my inherent self. You might not be there yet - but it's best to not either.

Just make sure you're therapist has some background in eating disorders - most do these days - but just in case, you don't want the simplistic "just use more willpower, eat less, exercise more" mantra drilled into you. That doesn't help.

[Guest Peebles]

Just make sure you're therapist has some background in eating disorders - most do these days - but just in case, you don't want the simplistic "just use more willpower, eat less, exercise more" mantra drilled into you. That doesn't help.

I'm pretty sure she does, one of the people at the trans-group she runs has / had bulimia or anorexia and she's also her therapist. (I can never got those two straight)

[Guest Ky_Ki]

Just make sure you're therapist has some background in eating disorders - most do these days - but just in case, you don't want the simplistic "just use more willpower, eat less, exercise more" mantra drilled into you. That doesn't help.

I'm pretty sure she does, one of the people at the trans-group she runs has / had bulimia or anorexia and she's also her therapist. (I can never got those two straight)

They're very similar. Biggest difference is bulimia involves binging and purging the food from your body - anorexia usually involves restriction

[Guest cerise]

Sometimes both.

[Guest Carla_Davis]

Hi Peebles

This link from EDReferral.com about Binge Eating may be of some help to you.

Binge Eating Disorder

http://www.edreferral.com/binge_eating_disorder.htm

Please also note “Diagnostic Criteria: DSM-IV”, “Some Warning Signs”, “Some medical consequences”, and “Treatment Options.”

Finally, you may want to take a Free OnLine screening test for eating disorder by NEDA. (National Eating Disorders Association)

Welcome to NEDA’s free and confidential screening for eating disorders. This quiz is designed to help you determine if it’s time to seek professional help. At the end you will have a chance to speak with a volunteer or visit our website for more information. This screening is NOT an official diagnosis of an eating disorder. Please contact a treatment professional to receive an official diagnosis.

http://screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/neda

On the second screen after selecting your age, you can also select “Male, Female, Transgender, or other” as your gender identity.

I hope that this information is helpful for you.

Enjoy the Holiday’s.

Stay Well,

Hugs,

Carla

[ciel]

well, what are you eating? depending on how calorie dense your food is, you could be undereating or overeating.

let's say that you eat 2kg of grilled pork sausage, that's 6780 calories, now if you eat 2kg of tesco pasta, you will get 3600 calories, if you really wanted to, you could even eat 10 000, to 20 000 calories by eating really fatty meat, but the point is that you may want to try eating more calorie dense foods, and if that doesn't work then just get less calories dense foods and EAT more!

as long as it's healthy stuff like grains, fruits and vegetables it shouldn't really be a concern.