Expert: Leigh-Anne - 9/7/2004

Question
I do not suffer from Bulimia. I have never made myself vomit.

I just want to get to the root of an issue that I have - I binge a lot. I am not overweight, probably because I exercise daily. I am 5 feet tall and 108 pounds.

I frequently *binge* on food. The food I binge on are not sweets or anything like that - just normal foods - pastas, breads, salads, sandwiches - anything. I generally eat pretty healthy. I am a strict vegetarian. However, often times when I am not hungry - I cant stop thinking about food and I know that I am not hungry but I'll eat and eat and my plate will be clear in a minute. I will suffer physically from this - it puts me to sleep for hours and hours, and I can feel it in my body the next day. If I have plans, and  I have binged, I will cancel my plans because I feel crappy emotionally and physically from this.

For example, I binged last night at about 5:00 p.m. and it is 7:00 p.m. now the next day and I still havent eaten anything! It has been 26 hours since I've last eaten. I don't want to eat. When I binge - no one is ever around to witness it. I think it may be something emotional/mental, but I am unsure.

However, I do not feel it is significant enough to bring it to the attenion of a professional doctor.

I used to obsess about my weight and weigh myself at least 10 times a day but I have slowly snapped myself out of that.

If you could offer *ANY* type of advice in order for me to gain any control or more insight, I would appreciate it very much.

Thanks,
Nikki.

Answer
People who binge eat have problems controlling their appetite and end up eating non-stop until eating is interrupted. Many things such as stress, depression, loneliness, or anger can trigger binge eating. Food is used as a way of dealing with issues other than hunger.
During a binge, 10,000 to 20,000 calories can be consumed throughout the day. Binges usually consist of foods like cookies, candy, chips, ice cream, and many other high calorie foods. Binges are often done in secret. After a binge, many of the feelings that caused the binge, like stress, may have subsided only to be replaced with feelings of guilt and lack of self-control.



To help control binge eating:


-eat only at established meal times
-avoid keeping foods around that may trigger binge eating
-avoid fad or very restrictive diets and
-keep a food diary and log to assess what prompted the binge

Binge eating can be difficult to control because many people turn to food as a way of dealing with their feelings. Keeping a food diary is beneficial in identifying the feelings that trigger binge eating as well as what kinds of foods are consumed during a binge. Strategies can then be developed to reduce the urge to binge.


you can visit this site for more information on binge eating disorder:

http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/binge;jsessionid=BNTGO3UJNXC3MCTYAITC4EQ

My personal opinion is that you are most likely not getting satisfied with your current diet. I feel your pain!!! I am a strict vegan, and when I binge I eat foods that I suaully restrict myself from, or that I know are more filling than what I usually eat (i.e. ice cream, breads, pastas, etc.) I guess what I'm saying is that maybe you need to add something back into your diet so that you are more satisfied and maybe that would help suppress those cravings. I think that having set meal/snack times would help too. Although, when you have the cravings it's hard to stop them. Try to keep limited supplies of those foods you like to binge on in your house. That way when you do binge you don't have as much to binge on. Jounral writing is a good idea, but you may already know what triggers your binges. I guess you need to identify those triggers and try to talk yourself through it. Getting the support of other people is a good idea, even if it is only an online forum or chat room.

Howver, people with binge eating disorder still need professional help at times. Don't be embarrased to bring it up to your physician the next time you go into the office.

Leigh-Anne