The Binge Eater's Group Support Journal page 8

[PHaselow]

Hey guys,
So I am looking for some help.

-I can not recall the last time I went a whole week with out a binge. Does any one have advise on how to get back on track?

I know all the stuff I need to know but I can not seem to follow it. I am exhausted, feel depressed, and need relief. As a college student feeling this way is not going to fly.

I know if I can just get a good week under my belt that things could start to flow more normally.

- also I am really interested in what some of you have said about smoothies. Every now and then I buy one and it makes my stomach and body feel really good. Does any one have a good healthy recipe so I can make my own??

My mom knows about my problem but I don't think any one can really understand unless they have felt this themselves. Any suggestions would really be appreciated

For me, I cannot eat my trigger foods: chocolate, gluten, nut butters, sugars (processed and others like honey, maple syrup, coconut). If I do, I need to be OUT of the house and busy for several hours afterwards. If I eat it in the morning, my day is then driven by the fight to control a binge. I don't know how much of it is physical and how much is emotional (guilt about 'cheating')?

I've learned I do better to avoid breakfast, like I said in another post. Smoothies do not do it for me; I think there is something about the liquid meal that throws me off. I'll be honest and say I haven't really tried them as a meal replacement. I did juice for a bit and found that helpful. I might go back to that... in my head I hope vegetable juicing won't feel like a cheat while a smoothie always does. Psychological battle in my own mind. Rats.

I lived through college and binge eating. I took it a step further and was also bulimic and an exercise freak to counteract the binge (to the point of skipping an EXAM). I know the emotional and physical fatigue.

Try zinc supplementation to see if it helps curb appetite. It is thought that zinc affects the body's production of leptin (protein hormone that regulates metabolism and weight and helps give you that 'full' feeling). In addition, being zinc deficient can deaden your taste buds. If you can taste your food better maybe it will be more satisfying? That last statement I pulled out of my rear. Zinc can also help those with anorexia. It is a great mineral that our crappy farming techniques have seriously depleted from our soil and food.

I'd take 20mgs/day for at least 3 months. It takes time for the body's cellular store to increase.

You are right, the longer you go without a binge the more normal your life with begin to flow! If you live at home, ask your mother to not buy the foods that trigger you (even if it is the short term). If you live in the dorms, don't have that food around. If you buy the food you binge on, don't carry money; especially on the days you feel stressed to binge. Don't let yourself get too hungry, either. Maybe you can carry some NONsweet snack like beef jerky or a small bag of nuts?

Good luck to you.

[freedom.please]

Thank you demuralist & PHaselow, I really appreciate your suggestions and support.

Demuralist- your recipe looks good, I will have to try it, I have thought about getting whey protein for a while but always seem to end up walking by it
PHaselow - I am going to get some Zinc and see what happens, also I really like your idea about not carrying money on bad days because when my binges first started it was all about vending machines. I think I am going to have to make some home made beef jerky now

Honestly, this was all very helpful. Hopefully I can start fresh today and keep it going!
-being binge free is just stringing a lot of those "great" days together

[demuralist]

I don't always use the whey, I switch around using egg whites, cottage cheese, greek yogurt and whey. The whey that I get I order online because it is just whey, nothing else added except less than 1% soy lecithin as a stabilizer. It is pretty low priced as far as whey goes. Has no smell or flavor so I can use it with any flavor smoothie I like. The last few days I have just been making a strawberry or blueberry shake in the morning (no veggies) and a pumpkin latte (pumpkin as the only veg) in the afternoon. I like the flavors better.

[PHaselow]

Thank you demuralist & PHaselow, I really appreciate your suggestions and support.

Demuralist- your recipe looks good, I will have to try it, I have thought about getting whey protein for a while but always seem to end up walking by it
PHaselow - I am going to get some Zinc and see what happens, also I really like your idea about not carrying money on bad days because when my binges first started it was all about vending machines. I think I am going to have to make some home made beef jerky now

Honestly, this was all very helpful. Hopefully I can start fresh today and keep it going!
-being binge free is just stringing a lot of those "great" days together

Keep us posted! You can do this...

[freedom.please]

Things were going decently well, a few minor slip ups here and there but nothing to have a big impact.

Today was a very busy day and I did not have time to eat regular meals. I managed to pick up a small bag of beef jerky for breakfast and some cottage cheese for lunch. I was really on the go. Dinner came and I made an awesome pork chop and had some left over potato leek soup plus a side salad

---Then it all went wrong, from ice cream to popcorn to oatmeal and bagels.... I regret that they were even in my kitchen
--- I figured up I ate about 3,500 cals today total ... not the worst one ever

I am not really sure what I am suppose to do when tomorrow comes. I probably will not be hungry in the A.M. Should I eat regularly or try to do a little extra to work it off?

It is really disappointing as I felt so amazing yesterday, I ate well and got some fantastic exercise! I felt at peace with my body. I don't know what went wrong today...

[Pebbles67]

Hi freedom, I would try to eat a small breakfast. For me regular meals are key.

[demuralist]

I do best if I just try to figure out why it happened, and then move on like it never happened. You can't undo it with anything you do today, you can just learn from it. Doing extra to work it off feels like punishment and what you likely need is nurturing not punishment. So do something good for yourself and let it go.

[PHaselow]

Things were going decently well, a few minor slip ups here and there but nothing to have a big impact.

Today was a very busy day and I did not have time to eat regular meals. I managed to pick up a small bag of beef jerky for breakfast and some cottage cheese for lunch. I was really on the go. Dinner came and I made an awesome pork chop and had some left over potato leek soup plus a side salad

---Then it all went wrong, from ice cream to popcorn to oatmeal and bagels.... I regret that they were even in my kitchen
--- I figured up I ate about 3,500 cals today total ... not the worst one ever

I am not really sure what I am suppose to do when tomorrow comes. I probably will not be hungry in the A.M. Should I eat regularly or try to do a little extra to work it off?

It is really disappointing as I felt so amazing yesterday, I ate well and got some fantastic exercise! I felt at peace with my body. I don't know what went wrong today...

Don't beat yourself up. This is all a process. Next time you will have more good days in between the bad ones and even more the next time...

If you typically eat regular meals, then eat a small breakfast at the time you normally eat breakfast. Don't try to restrict yourself out of punishment. If you aren't hungry, make it super small. For me, I would fast, but I fast every morning (I don't eat breakfast; never really have). Probably best to stick to your routine but just eat a bit less.

The goal is intuitive eating. Eating when you are hungry and recognizing when you are not hungry. Why we binge, especially when we are feeling GOOD, is beyond me! I do the same.

[freedom.please]

Tonight I inhaled take home Chinese food (large serving) and a whole pint of ice cream. Fail. a solid 3500 cal. today

I thought of this thread and how you have all helped before. Things have been going decent, just a long day at work and bad choices this evening. - still working on intuitive eating, not being compulsive, avoiding trigger foods, ect.

I was surprised to see no one has posted on the wall for a while. Hope this means every one is doing well!

[Pebbles67]

Hey Freedom,

In the last month, I have started eating High Fat, Moderate Protein, Low Carb. (The Eat Moar Fat Protocol) I have not had 1 binge in the 2 weeks since I went all in.

Come Join us if you are interested.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/thread73597.html