Have you binged?

[QUOTE=Knifegill;1077231]
I agree with this line of reasoning. However, the alcoholic can quit drinking, while the eater must instead detach emotion from the food, so that the food is simply utilitarian, right? But, whether alcoholic or not, tipsy is tipsy and hammered is hammered. As an alcoholic, free of twelve-step rhetoric and pity-parties to date, I can tell you that if I drank a beer today, I would not be binging or indulging in addiction. Nor would said one beer cancel my eight years of sober living. Because sobriety isn't in the absence of alcohol, it's in pursuing a wholesome life. On that same note, a binger should feel free to consume large amounts of food once the emotional tie is broken. But that's not what I see happening.

Recovery has been exploited into a money-making pseudo-church. Instead of actually healing people, they are roped in and strung along in a sort of pity-disco where they each take a turn dancing and everybody claps along. I got out after one year, because I was recovered. How dare I, right? All better, no longer an alcoholic, not dependent on AA for life? You mean it WORKED?! You should have seen these guys spaz out at the last meeting I went to, when I told them I wasn't coming back anymore. They were like, "No, you'll relapse! You need us!" Bwah-hah-hah. Not. A. Sucker.[/QUOTE]

I'm totally with you on this, and respect.

I draw a distinction between overeating and binging. I overate last night - and all I felt was a twinge of "uhhhhh - I overdid it". Binging induces a very different set of thoughts, emotions and reactions which are obsessive in nature. It's part of a cycle, not a one off.

Ideally yes - someone with a recovered ED would overeat every now and again without spiralling into the cycle of addiction. In an ideal world any recovered addict would be able to overindulge without it becoming a habit. But you don't see too many former alcoholics getting hammered a few times a year, nor would you have people telling them that they should be able to do that.

[QUOTE=Neckhammer;1077232]LOL....

I mean who didn't like WWF back when it was cool... but, I'm talking schoolastic and collegiate type. The rules are a bit different. No hitting in the heads with chairs and such. ;)[/QUOTE]

Did you have a cool name though - and a costume, or a special move??

Wait - was your name Neckhammer???

[QUOTE=Knifegill;1077247]I guess that's one of strengths of being on the autism spectrum. I'm good at erasing myself and starting over. The absolution in my mind can be activated like a depth charge, everything changes suddenly.[/QUOTE]
I'm the same way. I try not to f*ck up, but when I do, I can go on a fast for a day or two and then erase my mind and start over with my diet. Autism actually has a few legitimate advantages, even if most people don't get it (you would if you lived with it!).

I'm not saying Autism is a bed of roses of course. :)

And yes, I think it actually helped me transition to primal eating faster than most people do. I was able to use my autistic laser-like focus to truly hone in on eliminating the crappy foods quickly and to get into the gym and start working out. It probably took me less of an adjustment period because my focus was so single-minded and rapid until my body had adjusted.

How can one tell the difference between bingeing and overeating? I sometimes eat alot. I mean maybe 5000(?) calories in one day. For me that's triggered by hormones somehow, because only happens for a day or two during pms week.
I usually start my binge day normally and then in the afternoon it's like something inside snaps and I get ravenous. Then the more I eat, the hungrier I get.

Most people use the word binge wrongly; true binges last for days, weeks, sometimes months. I use it wrongly (and knowingly) all the time too when I usually just mean I stuffed myself silly for a meal or "snack" or day and now I feel like puking (from the discomfort of being overfull).

Ah, the ante is upped.

[QUOTE=Graycat;1077273]How can one tell the difference between bingeing and overeating? I sometimes eat alot. I mean maybe 5000(?) calories in one day. For me that's triggered by hormones somehow, because only happens for a day or two during pms week.
I usually start my binge day normally and then in the afternoon it's like something inside snaps and I get ravenous. Then the more I eat, the hungrier I get.[/QUOTE]

I'm not an expert on eating disorders and this may be completely off base but the way I look at it is this: If you eat 1000 calories or 5000 or 10000 it doesn't matter if you are in control. If you sit down and say, "Today I will eat 12 pieces of fried chicken, a gallon of ice cream, 2 dozen donuts, and oh, a diet coke for lunch and a whole side of beef for dinner." Then you over ate (went over the calories you need). That is not a binge. That is a decision. If you eat 2 slices of pizza and say, 'Eh, lets have another." That is not binging (IMHO).

Binging comes in when you totally lack that control. You do not want to eat the whole tub of ice cream or the whole pizza but due to emotional reasons, self-punishment, sadness, wtf ever reasons you do it anyway. Then you eat some more, and some more. Then you feel really bad afterwards. I don't mean "Oh, my stomach hurts; I ate too much" bad. I mean, "OMFG I am such a worthless person who has no self-control and will always be a fat POS, worthless, lump of crap" kind of bad.

Of course, as someone said earlier (sorry I have a shitty memory) it is not about quantity of food it is about feelings. I have read some binges here and said, "Oh, she ate lunch." But the amount is not the issue. The guilt and lack of control is the issue. As such, I would say if you have eaten too much and said, "Eh, that was not a good idea. Lets not do that again my stomach hurts." - you over ate. If you sit in your room crying because you stuffed yourself (even if it is with 3 apples) that just might be a binge.

Edit, oh, and Pinkie Pie is or is not my favorite pony.

[QUOTE=canio6;1077313]

Binging comes in when you totally lack that control. You do not want to eat the whole tub of ice cream or the whole pizza but due to emotional reasons, self-punishment, sadness, wtf ever reasons you do it anyway. Then you eat some more, and some more. Then you feel really bad afterwards. I don't mean "Oh, my stomach hurts; I ate too much" bad. I mean, "OMFG I am such a worthless person who has no self-control and will always be a fat POS, worthless, lump of crap" kind of bad. [/QUOTE]

Oh this... so much this. When I say a binge, this is what I am referring to. ^

For me it typically involves a large quantity of food as well, of course. For someone suffering anorexia, it may involve a single jolly rancher. Let me give an example.

I will be sitting there, casually watching netflix or playing WoW or working. Suddenly I will feel ... something, I know not what. I will be filled with a need to consume. I want PIZZA. I must have it. Right now. "No, self," I says "Getting pizza right now is a bad idea, you have good food around the house and you aren't even hungry." But before I know it, shoes are on, purse is in hand, I'm in my car driving to little ceaser's. The whole way there, I will berate myself "Why the hell are you doing this, what is wrong with you, you can't eat like this anymore." And this internal monologue will continue all the while as I park, smile at the pizza clerk, get my food, take it home. Then... I open the box. I eat the first slice in about 10 seconds. The bites are swallowed before even being chewed. I cram it in my mouth as fast as possible. I "kirby" it, in fact. The entire pizza could be gone in mere minutes. While I am inhaling this massive wad of processed carbs, I feel... released. Free. Good. It tastes SO GOOD and it feels SO GOOD to be eating this. Then it ends. The pizza is gone. I sit there, looking at the empty box. I feel self hate, I feel ashamed. I hide the box in the trash can under another bag so my roomie does not see it. I tell myself I am disgusting, that I will never be unfat. I am worthless and tragic and most of all, STUPID, and weak for being unable to control myself.

This is what binging is to me. It's a complete loss of control, a mad scramble, a desperate, scary, thing.

Yes I did it for over 12 years. Stuffing myself stupid to the point of wanting to throw up (but not).
When I first went primal I still did it occasionally but not as much food as before. But once I went HFLC I did not get that urge, and I have not since. I can't say I am 100% "cured" but I feel pretty good about food now, it doesn't rule me, like it used to.

[QUOTE=canio6;1077313]I'm not an expert on eating disorders and this may be completely off base but the way I look at it is this: If you eat 1000 calories or 5000 or 10000 it doesn't matter if you are in control. If you sit down and say, "Today I will eat 12 pieces of fried chicken, a gallon of ice cream, 2 dozen donuts, and oh, a diet coke for lunch and a whole side of beef for dinner." Then you over ate (went over the calories you need). That is not a binge. That is a decision. If you eat 2 slices of pizza and say, 'Eh, lets have another." That is not binging (IMHO).

[B]Binging comes in when you totally lack that control. You do not want to eat the whole tub of ice cream or the whole pizza but due to emotional reasons, self-punishment, sadness, wtf ever reasons you do it anyway. Then you eat some more, and some more. Then you feel really bad afterwards. I don't mean "Oh, my stomach hurts; I ate too much" bad. I mean, "OMFG I am such a worthless person who has no self-control and will always be a fat POS, worthless, lump of crap" kind of bad.[/B]

Of course, as someone said earlier (sorry I have a shitty memory) it is not about quantity of food it is about feelings. I have read some binges here and said, "Oh, she ate lunch." But the amount is not the issue. The guilt and lack of control is the issue. As such, I would say if you have eaten too much and said, "Eh, that was not a good idea. Lets not do that again my stomach hurts." - you over ate. If you sit in your room crying because you stuffed yourself (even if it is with 3 apples) that just might be a binge.

Edit, oh, and Pinkie Pie is or is not my favorite pony.[/QUOTE]

This is exactly how I would feel.
All emotions would set it off. And yes it could last for days. I would go for drives so my children would sleep, then go through drivethrus. I rarely ever let them see me eat that way.