kathryn
Cathlete
> Sometimes when I get home from a meeting at
>midnight I'll eat half a box of cookies, a couple of donuts &
>a bag of chips--like I'm cramming 6 hours worth of eating into
>one.
I think processed carbs like these are the most common foods to binge on, and part of the reason is that they are nutrient and fiber poor, so even after eating a large quantity, the body isn't satisfied.
Not having these foods in the house is one step to avoid binging. And that starts at the grocery store. I find that if I go to the grocery store when I'm hungry, suddenly that big bag of chips looks good to me, even though I may regret getting it later. And when it's around, I eat it.
It helps me to have some healthy snacks in my car (like Larabars) so that if I do start getting tempted at the grocery store, I can tell myself that I have something better waiting for me in the car.
It's hard to 'binge' on salads and veggies.
>midnight I'll eat half a box of cookies, a couple of donuts &
>a bag of chips--like I'm cramming 6 hours worth of eating into
>one.
I think processed carbs like these are the most common foods to binge on, and part of the reason is that they are nutrient and fiber poor, so even after eating a large quantity, the body isn't satisfied.
Not having these foods in the house is one step to avoid binging. And that starts at the grocery store. I find that if I go to the grocery store when I'm hungry, suddenly that big bag of chips looks good to me, even though I may regret getting it later. And when it's around, I eat it.
It helps me to have some healthy snacks in my car (like Larabars) so that if I do start getting tempted at the grocery store, I can tell myself that I have something better waiting for me in the car.
It's hard to 'binge' on salads and veggies.
I controlled my bingeing with several strategies. I figured out the number of calories that I could eat to maintain my weight and ate them every day. I found that choosing low calorie foods allowed me to eat a ton of food. Volume is something that helps me feel satiated. I also limited my choices, so that I didn't need to think about what I was going to eat so much. I basically created my own eating plan that consisted of 3 meals and 2 snacks of low-calorie healthy foods that I liked. I looked forward to eating these foods every day, so was less inclined to eat others. I also buy those individually wrapped squares of Ghiradelli chocolate(dark) and eat about 4 throughout the day. They are very satisfying and have increased my HDL(the good kind) by 30 points! I am writing a book here, but I think at first you just need to develop a plan of eating that works for you. Also, changing your routine during the times you binge can help. Start a project at home or do yoga at night (which is very painful if your stomach is full!) and definitely keep trigger foods far from your kitchen. Sugar-free gum works wonders also. I hope these scattered thoughts help. Feel free to email me if I can help in any way. I struggled with bulimia for four years and have had it under control now for over three years. You can definitely win this battle!
