Binge eating

Indy51

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Adding to this thread to include a video of a recent Low Carb Down Under lecture on the subject of the Psychology of Food and Overeating that may be of interest:

 
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the_anticarb

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I can be a binge eater at times, and certainly was a lot more when I was younger. I think diabetes makes things very black and white in terms of foods that are 'good' or 'bad'. Even with all the complications I've had I can still sometimes binge. I've found a mixture of reactions from health care professionals, some seem unable to get their head around the fact that someone can have diabetes AND an eating disorder, and have chastised me others have been more sympathetic. This is going back a few years hopefully attitudes have softened now. In the past I have just been termed a 'non compliant patient' and left to get on with it.

For me the only thing that will really stop a binge is cutting out carbs, even if just for a short period to get some control before bringing the healthy ones back in again. I do find all junk food/ sugar/ processed carbs to be addictive. I can easily trick myself into letting go of my control for 'just one day' which can turn into weeks if for example it is christmas or I'm on holiday. Then I just feel so guilty that I'm damaging my body that I can usually shock myself back into control.

I've come to the conclusion that (processed) carbs are the bane of my life, and that I'm much better off without them. Not so much because of the blood sugar raising potential, I can inject for that, but because of the loss of control/addiction aspect.
I do get fed up of not being able to eat the same as everyone else sometimes though.

Good luck hope you can find some support, the DWED site is very good.
 
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Kyi

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I agree with Carbs being highly addictive. Not just the sweet ones either. Often I find I want more food if I have eaten carbs and I am always hungry for more after a few hours. Since cutting off the carbs I have found I have not binged once. I have thought about it but grabbed some fresh veg (a couple of carrot sticks) or a pepperoni stick. It stops the cravings. When I look back at what I ate I have usually gone over the 100gs Im happy eating 50gs carbs per day.
 
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CRPetersen

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Type 2
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I'm a serial binge eater. Have been for 6 years since I was diagnosed with type 1. Was also diagnosed with depression that year too.

Has anyone else experienced this and any advice as to how to overcome? I'm at my wits end. Frustrated with myself and just can't get it together.
I'm also a binge eater...or similar to a recovering alcoholic, I am a recovering binge eater. Also like an alcoholic I will always be a recovering binge eater. I have had to do things very differently but lost 115 lbs and have kept it off for over 4 years. It hasn't been easy, but it is doable. I have also been clinically depressed and am still on a low dosage of an antidepressant. I walk a lot, that helps a lot. I keep a very specific plan to deal with the binge eating and that works for me. If I can help, let me know.
 
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the_anticarb

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I am a binger, diabetes makes it worse as it's so black and white with food. What I do is avoid carbs in the day and then if I want a pig-out in the evening I bolus for it and as it's at the end of the day it means I've not wasted the whole day and I won't be chasing my tail with my blood sugar all day long.
Occasionally I will get a big puddingy thing and eat that with some choc.
I think so long as you take extra insulin and check your bgs a couple of hours later you are ok to do this maybe not all the time though!
 
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th3l0dg3

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What an interesting thread........I'm type 2 and a lifelong carb binger........that is until I hit 22st and started to have all sorts of problems eg see-sawing BGs and fatty liver. My GP pointed me in the direction of the Harcombe diet which aims to re-adjust gut flora and in particular yeast, as sceptical as ever I did some reading around and there is a big research effort into the role of gut flora driving appetite. The gut flora of thin people differs from fat the most common being a predominance of yeast in the latter.

So 12 months on of following this regime (and a vastly increased exercise programme) I am now at 15.5 stone and dropping.....but most importantly my cravings have disappeared.....I can not eat biscuits and that whole french stick with butter.
I still eat hugely well, high protein low carb but with lots of natural yoghurt......now if I could only find a cure for the cheese addiction too..
 
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zebs

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Pump
Haha. Cheese addiction. The only cure that I ve found is to cut it out and the cravings will go. But its the hardest thing to give up. My guts are much more comfortable as a result too. I ve resisted it for so many years...I love cheese. This harcombe diet looks interesting.
 
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hellenjoy

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I'm a serial binge eater. Have been for 6 years since I was diagnosed with type 1. Was also diagnosed with depression that year too.

Has anyone else experienced this and any advice as to how to overcome? I'm at my wits end. Frustrated with myself and just can't get it together.

Yes indeed I have Samantha. I have type 2 diabetes diagnosed 3 1/2 yrs ago and I also suffer with depression on and off. I have a very stressful job ( social worker) and had been under severe stress for some time and medicating myself with food probably for a couple of years before diagnosis. Didn't have the normal thirst and no other real signs that were specific to diabetes. Off work with stress and severe depression so I thought my symptoms of tiredness and lack of concentration etc were to do with that.

Anyway even after diagnosis and despite my best efforts I still couldn't manage to avoid what I now know are my trigger foods, even though I knew they were probably killing me. ( bread, sugary foods, chocolate etc ) I was clearly addicted to fat and sugar!
A friend told me about Overeaters Anonymous and I realised I am indeed a compulsive eater.. I go to OA meetings and it has really helped me enormously though it took me a long time to accept I was indeed "powerless" over some foods and wasn't just being "greedy" Phew what a relief!

Take a look.. http://www.oagb.org.uk/do-i-have-a-problem-with-food/

Ps. I also have coronary heart disease now , diagnosed a yr ago and had one artery completely stented & still couldn't maintain a healthier diet.

PPS. Today I got my latest HBA1C results - 51 ( down from 69 last April ) Cholesterol 4.3 ( non fasting and down from 5.4 last April which was fasting )
 
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samantha13

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Yes indeed I have Samantha. I have type 2 diabetes diagnosed 3 1/2 yrs ago and I also suffer with depression on and off. I have a very stressful job ( social worker) and had been under severe stress for some time and medicating myself with food probably for a couple of years before diagnosis. Didn't have the normal thirst and no other real signs that were specific to diabetes. Off work with stress and severe depression so I thought my symptoms of tiredness and lack of concentration etc were to do with that.

Anyway even after diagnosis and despite my best efforts I still couldn't manage to avoid what I now know are my trigger foods, even though I knew they were probably killing me. ( bread, sugary foods, chocolate etc ) I was clearly addicted to fat and sugar!
A friend told me about Overeaters Anonymous and I realised I am indeed a compulsive eater.. I go to OA meetings and it has really helped me enormously though it took me a long time to accept I was indeed "powerless" over some foods and wasn't just being "greedy" Phew what a relief!

Take a look.. http://www.oagb.org.uk/do-i-have-a-problem-with-food/

Ps. I also have coronary heart disease now , diagnosed a yr ago and had one artery completely stented & still couldn't maintain a healthier diet.

PPS. Today I got my latest HBA1C results - 51 ( down from 69 last April ) Cholesterol 4.3 ( non fasting and down from 5.4 last April which was fasting )
That is fantastic that you are doing so well! I will definitely look into that link. I didn't know such group existed!

I'm a nurse in a dementia unit and the stress was sending my bg into the 20s regularly. My gp has signed me off with stress and now my bg's are spot on and have coped better with only 1 binge. How I'll cope when I goback is another matter
 

AndBreathe

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I reversed my Type 2
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That is fantastic that you are doing so well! I will definitely look into that link. I didn't know such group existed!

I'm a nurse in a dementia unit and the stress was sending my bg into the 20s regularly. My gp has signed me off with stress and now my bg's are spot on and have coped better with only 1 binge. How I'll cope when I goback is another matter

Samantha, frustrating though it may seem, I would urge you to see that as a massive breakthrough, in that you can identify your stressor(s) and the impact.

Next steps, maybe to make a list of the stressful situations you find yourself in, then you can perhaps begin to consider either coping strategies, or if there are any ways of reducing their impact (aside from necessarily changing your job).

When it comes to stress, we all have different coping mechanisms and different crutches we lean upon. For you it seem binge eating is very much in that mix, whereas for someone else it might be alcohol (not suggesting you make the switch!), or having a walk during your meal break.

When I worked, in a proper job, latterly I worked part of the time from home, but the rest of it with significant (2+ hours in each direction), but actually I came to really quite like the drives home. In summer, if I timed it right, I could see some fab countryside, and I had a couple of hours to unwind in the car, on my own, before I had to rejoin the rest of the world in leisure mode.

There may be some small, simple things you can do to take the edge off things at least. Good luck with it.
 
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hellenjoy

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Type of diabetes
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That is fantastic that you are doing so well! I will definitely look into that link. I didn't know such group existed!

I'm a nurse in a dementia unit and the stress was sending my bg into the 20s regularly. My gp has signed me off with stress and now my bg's are spot on and have coped better with only 1 binge. How I'll cope when I goback is another matter

I didn't know OA existed either ! I worked in specialist dementia unit for 10 yrs Samantha so I know how hard that is..

I meditate most mornings now, before I get up. If you've got a smart phone or a tablet you can get an app called "Insight Timer" lots of guided meditations .. some very short ( can be done in a min! ) and some longer.. worth a look.

Good luck!
 
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ladybird64

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I knew about it, have even considered it, but it's not for me. I know that many find it supportive and if it helps, then that is really great, we all have to find our own way.
Regarding abstinence for those with compulsive eating issues, that's a lot harder. Simply put, we need food to survive so it cannot be abstained from. Yes, the cakes/crisps/sweets/ stuff can, but if that were the only foods that cause problems, then it might work - but they're not. Eating more than is necessary will affect anyone, and that can be a part of where the problem lies for some. It is complex, but I'd agree that if there are particular "trigger foods", they are best left alone completely.
 

Kathryn321

Active Member
Messages
25
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
Try healthy meal prep? I found I would binge eat on rubbish when I was rushing around at work and needed something quick or at home on my own and didn't feel like cooking something. I started cooking big portions of chicken, peppers onion etc or having food from the previous night to warm up - I find having something ready to eat that's healthy ish stops me eating as much chocolate, buns crisps. (I still find I need to eat the unhealthy stuff when BG levels are low)
 
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samantha13

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So after 3 weeks I've caved and binged on loads of carbs. Just feeling the pressure of life. High anxiety for some reason today. At least I've cleared the house of all binge inducing ****
 

Lindy1706

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282
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
We have all been there @samantha13 what you have to do now is not beat yourself up about it and send yourself on a spiral of what I call "Eating cause I Ate".....Make your next meal carb friendly and then take it one meal at a time.

The Harcombe diet is excellent and her Phase I is a fantastic cravings buster.

Take care of yourself x
 
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samantha13

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That's a great way to look at it. I don't have to continue with this binge....

Thanks I will definitely look into the harcombe diet xxx
 
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paula.nolan42

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Anyway even after diagnosis and despite my best efforts I still couldn't manage to avoid what I now know are my trigger foods, even though I knew they were probably killing me. ( bread, sugary foods, chocolate etc ) I was clearly addicted to fat and sugar!
A friend told me about Overeaters Anonymous and I realised I am indeed a compulsive eater.. I go to OA meetings and it has really helped me enormously though it took me a long time to accept I was indeed "powerless" over some foods and wasn't just being "greedy" Phew what a relief!

Take a look.. http://www.oagb.org.uk/do-i-have-a-problem-with-food/
Hi @hellenjoy I am interested to know more about OA, I found the website a couple of weeks ago when I went on a serious food binge after my LCHF challenge.

Are you in the UK?
 

kazzers

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62
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
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not feeling healthy and in tip top condition
I do it sometimes after work. I do an odd thing where I buy a big bag of marshmallows or jelly babies, eat half then throw the other half in the bin? Seriously odd I've thought but it's obviously guilt accrued after a long time, and temptation/frustration/shame so thank you all for bring so brave and honest. Xx

I do that too @conniecar !! I thought that was just me !!
 
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paula.nolan42

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I've been to the cinema 3 times this weekend, I've binged in a big way on popcorn.
 

ladybird64

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I did the same last week Paula, so don't feel bad, we beat ourselves up enough. I'm looking at alternative methods (some may say extreme) to get a handle on controlling my binging and helping to lose some weight again.

Its good we can share these things here without judgement, I've been too ashamed to update my own thread in the weight loss section. Good thread Samantha xx