March 09, 2013

How I've stayed binge-free for six months (and counting)...

(I've written an updated version of this post in a series about binge eating in 2016. You can find the first post here.)


Today marks six months of staying binge-free.

The only other time I've gone this long without binge eating was when I went a whole year between 2009-2010. I'm determined to beat that streak! Over the past few years of losing weight and now maintaining my weight, I've learned quite a bit about my body and my mind--I've learned what causes me to binge, how to know if I'm getting dangerously close to a binge, what reaction my body has to a binge, and ways of stopping and/or preventing a binge.

I don't think I will ever consider myself "cured" of binge eating disorder. I think it's something I'll probably struggle with forever, but I'm getting much better at controlling it. I wanted to share some of what I've learned on my blog, in the hopes that some of it may ring a bell with others who struggle with it, also.

First, here are a couple of posts I've written about binge eating before:
Tips that helped me refrain from binge eating between 2009-2010
A candid post about my history with binge eating

I also want to point out that binge eating is not the same as overeating. Not all overeaters are binge eaters. The main difference between the two is psychological--binge eating happens when you lose all control, and you cannot stop eating. It's usually done in secret, accompanied by feelings of shame and remorse. Overeating is something that many people do on occasion--where you just eat more than normal, and feel full; like Thanksgiving dinner, for example. For a binge eater, however, it's not unusual to consume several thousand calories in a very short time span.

Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by (from the proposed DSM-V, due to be released in Spring 2013 (source)):
"Criteria include frequent overeating—at least once a week for three months— combined with lack of control, marked feelings of distress, and are associated with three or more of the following:
  • eating much more rapidly than normal
  • eating until feeling uncomfortably full
  • eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
  • eating alone because of feeling embarrassed by how much one is eating
  • feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty afterward"
 Over the past six months of staying binge-free, I've most certainly overeaten on occasion--but the difference between that and a binge is that I don't lose control. When I'm at a party, or go out to dinner, or something like that, I may eat more than usual and feel too full; but I don't feel guilty, I don't feel ashamed, and I still maintain control of when I stop eating.

I do fight urges to binge pretty frequently, but I've been working though those, and learning quite a bit in the process--which is what I'm hoping may help others, as well. Here are some of those thoughts:

1) I've recognized my binge triggers. There are certain foods that, when in my house, constantly beckon me. I may have good intentions when I buy them, and maybe I'll do okay with them in the house for a little bit, but eventually, I can't get them out of my mind. Those become a problem for me, and I know that I need to get them out of the house.

A few of these things are: Nutella, Biscoff Spread, chocolate chips (except for the mini ones), certain cereals, graham crackers, Teddy Grahams, ice cream and frozen yogurt, marshmallow fluff, and nuts (except for almonds and walnuts). There are more, but those are the biggest triggers.

I've learned that I simply cannot buy those things anymore, because I eventually WILL lose control around them. Other triggers are certain places--my parents' house, the mall, the movie theater, and drug stores are the biggest triggers And certain situations are triggers as well--being home alone at night, having a date night with Jerry, and being on vacation come to mind. Finally, there are moods that may trigger a binge--feeling anxious, stressed (particularly when my kids are fighting and loud), or worried.

As you can see, there are a LOT of triggers; but I've recognized them and acknowledged them, and now I can have a plan for those triggers...

I don't buy my food triggers. I try to avoid going alone to the places that are triggers--if I'm with someone else, I won't binge. I try to have a plan for the situations that cause binge urges--for example, if I'm going to be home alone at night, I try to come up with a project or something I can work on. I can't avoid the moods that cause binge urges, but I've come up with other ways of deal with those moods--which I'll get into below.

2) I've learned to recognize that point where snacking is coming close to transitioning to a binge. This usually happens when I eat a snack, and even though I'm not hungry, I'll go back for another snack. I'm still in control at that point, but after I eat the second snack, I might go back for more. Even though I'm tracking my food, when I start reasoning with myself in my head why it's okay to have yet another snack, I know that I need to stop NOW, before I throw control to the wind. So I've learned that when I keep going back for more and more, even if it's controlled, I need to find something else to do--type a blog post, go for a walk, knit or sew something, clean, whatever--before it turns into a binge.

3) I've learned that when I'm not satisfied with my food, I get binge urges. For example, if I am craving an English muffin with jelly and a bowl of cereal for lunch, I might start reasoning, "Well, you shouldn't have both of those, that's too many carbs" or whatever, and I choose to have eggs and cereal instead of the English muffin. Afterward, I will not feel satisfied at all, and I will go seeking more.

Now, I think about what it is that I really want, and I eat it. Even if it's not balanced, or it's too "whatever" in the eyes of everyone else, I choose what will satisfy ME--because that will stop me from binge eating.

4) Something that helps me to be more satisfied with each meal is that I eat a variety of foods within that meal. Rather than, say, a bowl of pasta with sauce for lunch, I would choose to have soup, AND toast with peanut butter, AND grapes, AND an orange. Having that variety of tastes and textures appeals to my senses more, and makes me feel very satisfied.



5) I eat treats very frequently--but I don't have leftovers. If I want ice cream, I'll go to McDonald's and get a vanilla cone and eat it on the way home. I feel totally happy with it! But if I were to buy ice cream from the grocery store and have a small portion at home, that container of ice cream would start beckoning me constantly until the whole thing was gone. I can't bake a batch of cookies at home, because I will binge on the batch--but I can go to Mrs. Fields and buy a really indulgent cookie and fit it into my plan. Once it's gone, it's gone, and I am satisfied.

I've also found a few treats that I AM okay with keeping in the house, and they don't beckon me. For example, dark chocolate Dove Promises. I eat one of those every single night with a glass of red wine, and I look forward to that all day. But for some reason, they don't beckon me from the pantry, so I'm fine with having them in the house. 

6) I quit worrying about what "everyone else" says is the right diet--"don't eat too many carbs", "eat tons of protein", "don't eat processed foods", "eat vegetables with every meal", "don't eat anything with corn syrup", etc, etc, etc. Sure, I would love to eat an "ideal" diet--but that's not realistic for me, and it would surely lead to a binge (as it has dozens of times in the past).

I do what works for ME--I eat the healthy foods that I enjoy, and skip the ones I don't. If certain processed foods help me to stay in control of my binge eating, then I have made peace with eating them (Fiber One bars, for example, help curb a chocolate craving--they're very processed, but I don't care, because they help keep me from binge eating). I know that eating a Fiber One bar is much better than a binge of pizza, ice cream, and Oreos (a common binge for me in the past).

7) I work for my "big" indulgences. I can fit a McD's ice cream cone into my daily diet without problem. But some treats are very caloric, and I have to work for them! So on my long run days, I'll get something that I've really been craving. Lately, it's been a cookie sandwich from Mrs. Fields--it's 23 PointsPlus, which is a LOT to spend on one small item. So when I run 12 miles, I've earned it--and I eat it, savoring every bite, and I don't feel one bit guilty for it.

Sometimes during the week, when I feel a binge urge, I make a mental note that I can have something really indulgent on Friday--my long run day--and it helps me to make it through the week.


8) I've learned that I used to use one little sentence to give up control and binge in the past--and that sentence was, "Just this once, and then I'll get on track for good." I used to tell myself that ALL the time. If I had Nutella in the house, for example, I would say, "I'll just eat it all now and get it out of the house, then I'll never buy it again and I'll get back on track tomorrow."

THAT IS A LIE. I know that now. I've learned that if I try to reason with myself over a food item, then I have to get rid of it, or it will inevitably lead to a binge. That happened to me recently with a jar of Nutella. I thought I could stay in control with it, and have it around. But one day, I found myself taking more and more spoonfuls (counting the PP's, and still maintaining control), and soon I thought, "I should just eat the rest now, and then it will be gone. I won't have to think about it anymore." As soon as I found myself saying those words, I realized that I was dangerously close to a binge. I allowed myself to take one more spoonful, and before I ate that spoonful, I put dish soap in the rest of the jar and threw it away. And I knew that I couldn't buy it again.



9) I eat all of my weekly PointsPlus and all of my activity PointsPlus, which makes Weight Watchers work for ME. If I tried to eat just my target PP every day, I would have quit and binged a long time ago. Having those extra PP gives me leniency to be able to eat treats and things that make eating enjoyable for me.

10) I've built a routine, and having a routine has helped tremendously with staying binge-free. I eat breakfast at around 7:00, lunch at around 11:00, snack at 2 or 3:00, dinner at 4:00, snack at 6 or 7:00 and my wine/chocolate at 8:00. Sometimes, just knowing that I'm going to have my next meal or snack soon helps me to make it through a binge urge. I tell myself, "I just have to make it another hour--what can I do for an hour?" and I might go for a walk, or read blogs, or clean out a closet, or something like that.

I've found that if I stray from my routine too much, I start getting binge urges. For example, if I'm out running errands in the morning and don't get home until 12:30, I'm STARVING for lunch by then. So it's hard not to shovel in food as soon as I get home, and the rest of the day feels "off" for me.

11) I have a go-to snack for when I'm not hungry, but I just feel like snacking. For me, this happens to be grapes. I adore grapes, and they are 0 PointsPlus. I eat them every day, at least once or twice a day. I think having this go-to snack helps me to stay on plan when I'm feeling binge-y.



12) Tea has been a lifesaver. I like to make a big mug of hot tea after breakfast and again in the afternoon. It just kind of reminds me that I've already eaten, so I know I'm not hungry, and there is no need for me to think about eating at the moment. Sipping the tea makes it last for a while, and the dessert teas that I bought from David's Tea are amazing!

Wow, I didn't realize this was going to turn into such a long post! Everyone struggling with binge eating obviously needs to find things that work for them, but these things have helped me to get through the past six months of staying binge-free. The longer I go without a binge, the more I learn about myself, and the more confident I get that I can maintain this weight loss!


59 comments:

  1. Congrats on being binge free!! That is awesome! I also really appreciate you sharing this since this is something I struggle with as well (especially lately). I know you can break your old record of being binge free!!

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  2. Congratulations on reaching six months! Your blog is my favorite. I look forward to reading what you have been up to for the day. I love your approach to WW. I have done the program on and off for years. I used to hoard the extra and activity points like they were gold. No more. I'm eating! It took reading about your perspective to get me to eat more and trust the process that the weight will come off.

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  3. Wow Katie - very powerful. You either just wrote a chapter on Bingeing for your book or you wrote an excellent WW Leader meeting discussion on Bingeing. Honestly I haven't read of someone else and their struggles with the emotions and triggers of bingeing. I too, have triggers when I go home to my parents house and didn't make the connection until I read an earlier post of yours. The isolation and shame can be broken through with a plan and strategy as you so thoughtfully shared. For those readers who are on their journey of health and weight loss it's so important to understand the challenges of maintenance and to have a vision and plan long after the compliments and celebration of weight loss have faded. That is the hard part. To read how you embrace and eat all of your earned points and not cut calories to maintain your weight loss is a healthy balance indeed. Great post tonight!

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  4. Love this post! I think I could become a tea drinker. Do you add sweetner at all? Im a coffee drinker but trying to cut back because I add too much sugar or sweetened & fattening creamer. There are some herbal teas I like with a bit of honey. The dessert ones from Davids looks reallllllly good though!

    I will be using your tips! Thanks!

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    1. Renee - I am also a converted coffee/fattening creamer drinker; I've found the David's dessert teas with Truvia and non-sweetened vanilla almond milk is a-ma-zing! (I think Katie also uses real sugar and half-and-half, possibly? I think she posted something about it in a David's tea post...?) Also check out her "favorite things" page for a great tea brewer! :)
      Good luck!

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  5. Thank you so much for writing this! I swear I could have written it myself, because my binge triggers are many of the same things. I also can't allow certain foods in the house because I know I will lose control with them. I sometimes eat "odd" meals, but like you, when I eat what I want I feel satisfied with a smaller amount of food. One morning I had a bad cravings for grits with some buttered toast. Not the healthiest breakfast, but I wanted it, and thought, "Geez, that's a lot of carbs and not any protein." So, I ate eggs, and 2 hours later was snacking over and over trying to fill some sort of need for something else. Today we went out to lunch and I had an extra hush puppy. I felt bad for a second, but then I realized I constantly punish myself for every little bite of food and I need to stop doing that, because that leads me to feel bad and eat more. So what, I ate ONE extra hush puppy. I also like to keep busy with things to take my mind off eating. This week I reorganized a bunch of areas in my house. This is something that relaxes me. Anyway, I just think what you said makes a ton of sense. I actually thought about you today because I ran a 5k for my kids' school, and I placed 6th in my age group and met my goal of running a 5k in under 30 minutes. :)

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  6. Great post. 3,4,5, & 8 are the truest ones for me! And 1 too, I guess (Oreos and Nutella for sure!)

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  7. I really appreciate you shedding light on this issue and sharing your tips for success. I was bulimic for several years and although I have been fortunate to make great progress in this area, I still occasionally fall off the wagon (though not to the extreme that I used to,thankfully!) it's funny how certain foods can be problematic and how we have to come up with strategies for not going crazy with them?! For a long time I wished that I could just wake up and eat like a "normal" person; wishing for that didn't help anything and I made NO progress with bingeing or purging until I acknowledged that my relationship with food wasn't normal and I needed to work around my own handicaps. Sorry for the novel haha! I just really enjoy your blog and willingness to discuss sensitive issues on a personal level.

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  8. Love this post! Many of us can relate so, appreciate your sharing those great tips!

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  9. I get all of this! Nutella is the worst. I've said the same thing about just finishing it off so it wouldn't be here. Cookies too. Thank you for sharing so much. I'm still " writing" my story. Not there yet. :)

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  10. This is a great post, 6 months binge-free is really something! Have you read the book Brain Over Binge? Amazing book written for bulimia but helpful in overcoming all binge eating.

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  11. Congratulations on your binge free streak!

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  12. Congrats on being binge free :)

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  13. Congrats on staying binge free for so long, and thanks for three post! I struggle with binge eating, and it's nice to know there is hope!

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  14. So proud of your binge- free streak! I appreciate your honesty and candor about a struggle so many of us battle. Food can have so much control over us if we let it. Thanks for helping me recognize the triggers!

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  15. I am bookmarking this page... because I know I will need to read it often. Thank you!

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  16. Incredibly proud of you :) I'm hoping my streak continues after Baby is born. Having his health as a priority has helped me stay focused (and having him press up on my stomach and reduce how much I can eat helps too :P haha), but I'm a little worried about when I am back "on my own." You are a continual source of inspiration!

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  17. Thank you for sharing this Katie, I (and many others no doubt) appreciate it.

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  18. Katie, you speak to the every heart of me!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you. The reason why I LOVE this blog is because you are so honest with yourself and you are a mom of two boys like me, and from reading is post, I see you also sew like I do! So much in common....One day, I want to be at my goal weight like you too...another thing we'll have in common!

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  19. Thank you so much for sharing this post. I truly felt like I was reading my own words. I too am a binge eater. It started in college and has now become something I do when I'm tired and stressed and of course always in secret. I was just discussing nutella with my husband and how it was nothing for me to down an entire jar with a spoon. Thank you for your blog. I just re-started WW a month ago for the 4th time and hope this is the time I make lifetime (40-50 lb loss). Your blog is an inspiration.

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  20. So great tips and advices. Thanks for posting these!

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  21. Thank you for sharing! I'm on day 5 binge free - inspired to make it 6 months!

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  22. HWow--Very informative, helpful and personal blog. I don't think I have binge disorder, but lately I find myself going into the kitchen for way too many snacks. I like your idea of just not buying that stuff that tempts me and will try to be stronger at the grocery store. I was wondering, are you still doing the vegetarian thing? Or was that just a challenge to yourself that had a set time frame and ended?

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  23. Congrats Katie! Marshmallows and Nutella are major triggers for me also. I can't even be around donuts. They are my favorite.

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  24. Amazing post, thank you!! My husband was trying to be nice so he bought me a package of chewy chips o'hoy cookies...I could not leave those alone! I knew when he showed them to me that I would be thinking about them all the time. I ate 3/4 of the package in 4 days...it will be a long time before I get those again.

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  25. Thank you for this post! I am slowly identifying my triggers and finding strategies that work for me, too. I appreciate you posting about this topic every so often - it reminds me that I'm not the only one. :)

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  26. this is such a great post Katie, thank you! I've struggles with binging for a long time and I've recently realized that Friday evenings (when I'm alone) are a huge trigger for me and something I need to work on. Thanks for the tips!

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  27. It's encouraging that you don't "eat clean." I admire people that do it, but I have no desire to. I like to eat healthier and make better choices, but still get my treats in, just like you. For me, that is the only way losing weight and keeping weight off works.

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  28. Great advice! I totally know that feeling when "just a little more" turns into a binge feeling.

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  29. I wish I kept better track of things like you do Katie! Like I'd know when my real "runniversary" was if I had it written down somewhere instead of just "March." I'm envious of your scrupulous record keeping and your binge streak! I'm so glad you have it all figured out for you. It IS important that we not compare ourselves in anything we do, like running and nutrition. We can tweak things as we improve...

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  30. I get so excited when I see you post about binging. I value your insight so much. I didn't realize many of my triggers until you listed them. Wow. I also knew already that one of the biggest triggers for me is when my husband starts overeating...I can't call it a binge for him but he will open a bag of something and just sit there and eat the whole bag of it. When he does this (especially if its something we are sharing) I start getting that panicy out of control feeling.... so I always remind him to "not bring binging into the house" I feel bad because he doesn't have the problem, I do. Its weird because if I am out some where and see other people do it it doesn't bother me as much. But seeing him in our house devour a bag of doritos makes me want to binge. Can you relate?

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  32. Thank you so much for this post. I have been having A LOT of trouble with binging, especially over the last few months and it has really hindered my weightloss. There is hope!

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  33. Hi, I have been reading your blog for a while now and very rarely comment. This is an eye opening post for me. After reading this post I realize that I have my binge moments. Like when I get stressed, my children are bickering. Also, things I can't cook are rice and grits. I will eat it all until the pot is clean and afterwards I feel so guilty. I once had to put water in a sweet potato pie because I couldnt' stop going back. I am at the stage of trying to control it, but before I know anything I have gotten up and demolished a food item within minutes.

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  34. What a great post! Congratulations and thanks for sharing!! I find it so inspiring that you've managed to be binge-free for so long. I didn't realise really until you wrote it out, but I struggle with this too - somehow I thought it was just normal, but I know it's a problem. I'm one of those "skinny" girls, that doesn't "need" to lose weight. So a lot of times I feel I can't share this with people without getting one of "those" looks - sorry quote crazy here. I'm only on 4 days since my last binge, but reading this has really helped. It helps to know I'm not alone. Thanks!

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  35. Your post inspired mine! http://www.g0ss.com/2013/03/i-think-it-goes-without-saying.html

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  36. What a great post! Very enlightening and really helped me feel some insight into my own bingeing vs. over eating behaviors

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  37. i struggle with binge eating and do some of the same things as you. i reason with myself and say i should just finish somehting to get it out of the house too. havent been binge free for long. but i hope to change that! thanks for this post!

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  38. Congratulations, Katie!! Awesome post! I think this is very helpful for a lot of us to read!

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  39. I have been an avid reader of your blog since you were posting on the other site but I rarely note or comment. I just wanted to say THANK YOU for this post.

    I have been doing my usual thing of being good for a couple of months and then falling off the wagon, after losing over a stone since Christmas I have eaten terribly over the past two weeks, every day I have intended to start back 'tomorrow / once all the bad food has been used up'. This morning I was already talking myself out of being good, bargaining with myself for certain foods - that carrot cake left over from the weekend etc. However, after reading your account I have managed to get back on track so far for the day. Thank you again x

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  40. Hi Katie,
    I love how honest and genuine you are in your posts about eating. I struggle with compulsive eating behaviors. I think of many of your tips on how to avoid binges when I feel myself wanting to binge or compulsively eat. I'm SO inspired by you and your words mean a lot to me. Thanks for continuing to write about this.

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  41. Congratulations on your success, Katie, and I really appreciate your candor and awesome advice. I have struggled incredibly with binge eating over the years, and felt myself nodding my head at a lot of what you wrote because I KNOW how it feels and I relate to it a lot. Thank you so much for a wonderful post.

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  42. I love your posts like this. Honest, and very easy to relate to. I struggle daily and truly appreciate your reflections- your success as well as struggles are so inspiring to me. Thank you! :)

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  43. Katie, I am basically in tears right now. At the beginning of this year I made a commitment to getting healthier, including watching my portion sizes and getting more active. I've been doing Jillian Michael's 30DS and running on the treadmill. I'm currently a student and living long distance from my husband, and about two weeks ago everything just sort of fell apart. I took one day off from my normal running schedule, and instead of just taking the day off from exercising and eating like my "new" normal, I totally binged. I realize now that it had been at least two and a half months since I had done that, because I basically ate everything I could think of that night even though I wasn't hungry anymore. I felt awful. And since that day I've been in a downward spiral and basically destroyed all of the work that I've done over the last two months. I'm ashamed, embarrassed, and just feel awful. But your post has shown me that I'm not the only person who does this sometimes, I'm not the only one who struggles with this. So tonight when I get home I'm doing exactly what you did with that Nutella - I'm throwing away the trigger foods and restocking my pantry with fruits and veggies. I totally succumb to the "if I just eat it all it will be gone" mentality, and it needs to stop now. Thank you for the inspiration to do that :)

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  44. I just wanted to leave a belated note and thank you for this post. It has been tremendously helpful! I feel really good and in control for the first time in a while--thanks to you!

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  45. Binge eating is such a shameful habit, not many people own up to it but i think a great deal of people do it. I myself have struggled with binge eating all my life and although i go for periods of time without doing it i always do eventually fall off the wagon. Your post has some great advice and i will use some of your pointers.

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  46. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  47. Very helpful post, Katie! I could really identify with a couple of the things you said that happen to you. Thanks for your ideas and solutions.

    Dede

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  48. Thanks for this post! I've read your binging post before, and anything else you've said on the subject. I'm having a hard time recently. I buy treats for "other people" then end up being the only one who eats them. I'm thinking it's time to throw that stuff out! Thank you! Kelsey

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  49. I just want to say a big thank you for posting this. I have problems with binge eating as well, and a huge trigger for me is being home alone at night, like I was last night. I was sitting here at my office yesterday afternoon, after a somewhat stressful day, daydreaming about all the foods I could go buy and gorge myself on when I got home, but in my mind, there was a tiny voice saying, "But I know that will make me feel terrible. You've been binge-free for so long and doing well on the diet/exercise front, don't give in." However, the compulsion to binge felt stronger, and I felt weak against it. (I often think this must be what it is like to be a drug addict, knowing you have a choice but feeling like you are unable to make the choice not to use.) I remembered that you had written this post, which I read a few days ago, and I thought maybe re-reading it would help me get focused. It did. Thank you. I did not binge last night!

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  50. This is so inspiring and incredible! Thanks so much for being so open and sharing your thoughts. I can relate to SO MUCH of what you said, and have "talked myself out of a binge" many times. It's such a tough battle, but winning it feels SO good.
    Congratulations!!

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  51. Katie - thank you so much. I lost you on Spark and one of my friends just forwarded this to me so it's a refreshing breeze to see you're still doing so well! I've been having a horrible time with my binges recently. Life has just gotten too stressful and devoid of ANY schedule that I can adhere to and I've been binging again at least twice a week. It's making me feel sick - physically and mentally. Just reading this puts it into so much perspective. I have EXACTLY the same trigger foods as you, exactly the same timing issues and exactly the same excuse "Just eat it all now and start again tomorrow". I hate not being able to buy things, but the fact of the matter exists that if and when I do, they won't make it to the cupboard. I needed to read this. And now I'm subscribed again so I can keep reading your awesome posts! Hugs! Jenn

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  52. We have EXACTLY the same trigger foods. Unfortunately, I also binge out on PB, so I'm thinking of trying PB2 (it's the ease of just dipping my finger in the jar that really gets me). Thanks for sharing - My goal every day is to binge less and enjoy food more!

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  53. AnonymousJuly 30, 2013

    I really enjoyed reading this. Thanks for sharing.

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  54. thank you for writing this post, it is very helpful to read this. I am just starting to work out what my triggers are. I am so full of food and well, poo, that I don't want to put more food into me, but I have noticed lately that if I eat because I "should" or because its there, or whatever reason or habit I have for eating when I am not actually hungry, (or am hungry for comfort, company... a life...) then it will trigger a binge. my binges are not the rapid mouth stuffing things that I have read about. I am an only child, (48) and us only children tend to eat slowly. so I binge slowwwwly.. but once started, it does not stop and I frequently eat past the point of pain. I am not very active, so eating lots of small meals acts only as a binge trigger for me, as it all becomes one continuous meal. when I was active, and not carrying 30 extra kilos on a short, tiny frame, I could out eat my husband. but not now.
    so there it is. it used to be that eating before I got hungry prevented a binge, but that was because I would go too low in blood sugar. now eating before I am physically hungry triggers an insatiable demand for more and more and more. I never felt like a meal was complete,, it always needed a little something else to complete it.

    it is a struggle and people who don't understand... don't understand. lucky them!

    I suspect that everyone is fat for a different reason. it is most certainly not one size fits all. (pardon the pun.)

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  55. i'm wondering how you handle being around binge trigger foods when you're staying in other people's homes? i find i do alright when i'm in my own home, because i only keep "safe" trigger-free food around, but when i'm in other people's homes i really struggle. any suggestions?

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    1. Well, when I binge, I don't binge in front of other people (unless it's Jerry...). So, if I was staying at someone else's house, even if they had binge trigger foods, it probably wouldn't be an issue for me. That's a tough question! Chances are, the person whose house you are staying in is close to you, so maybe you could explain the situation to them, and they could help you out?

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