Llama

Do you get why you have the urge to binge? Is it just hormonal or stress or a combo of things lately? I hope the exercise pays off and you have a nice gentle period this time. I agree with Cate - take good care of you and your body for us (and for you)!
 
This might be a stupid question, but would it be helpful to deliberately eat excess kcals (when compared to your usual daily baseline), but in nutritious or mostly nutritious foods, before your period or in times of stress (and whatever situations trigger your binges)?

I understand that psychologically it's very different to slam down sugar (or alcohol in my case) and fats, because those are the things that our "lizard brains" are programmed to crave in times of stress and peril, but for me personally the best way to prevent a binge is to hork down a big portion of something high in fibre and nutrients even if I also add something to it that satiates the lizard brain. For example, a bean and pasta portion with a mountain of grated cheese and an extra splash of oil is probably still better for me and my caloric intake than skimping on the cheese and not feeling satiated enough to be able to stop the binge?

Also, what is the sensation(s) you mainly seek from a binge? If it's fullness, it might help to bargain with the desire to binge, f.e. "OK I'll give in but only after I have eaten two bananas", so the bananas increase satiety and might make the binge a bit less uncontrollable. If it's the feeling of relaxation or release from anxiety like it usually is for me, it might help to pay attention to the surroundings of the binge (I do this a lot); making the space pleasantly lit, wearing comfy clothes, possibly taking a shower so you feel refreshed before starting to eat? Sometimes I binge because I get too exhausted of being a "goody two shoes", so it also helps me to remind myself that there are no demon foods, moderation is possible even if it weren't possible for me right now in this moment.

I hope I didn't come across as rude or a know-it-all, just spitballing what kinds of things seem to work for me, copy or ignore as you feel fit. I know for sure that unadressed hunger and going too low on kcals is my number one binge trigger, so that's always something to keep in mind especially as your lifestyle is so active.
 
Thanks all :grouphug: I don't really know why I started binging again. At this point hormones likely play a role but not last week when I started. Unless I'm back to where I was as a teen when I'd usually alternate betweem a merely awful period one month and an absolutely horrendous one the next. I'll read back tomorrow and try to pinpoint it. What made me feel better today (despite overdosing on icecream and chocolate) was doing my homework for Turkish class, the procrastination of which was definitely getting to me. I don't know why I did it either given that I was so enthusiastic about it last week.
I hope I didn't come across as rude or a know-it-all,
Not at all! I recognize most of what you describe. I'll give it some more thought tomorrow after the sugar cloud lifts.
 
PMS is awful. I used to crave Mars Bars something chronic. To this day I just wouldn't have them in the house, just in case. Can you take something to stop the sugar cravings, LaMa? I used to take evening primrose. When I started on that strict diet years ago I took a Blackmore's sugar balance pill. I'm not sure that either actually worked though. Do you take a magnesium supplement? I had a quick look & found an interesting site. What a funny name- https://www.floliving.com/the-best-food-and-supplements-for-pms/
 
What made me feel better today (despite overdosing on icecream and chocolate) was doing my homework for Turkish class, the procrastination of which was definitely getting to me. I don't know why I did it either given that I was so enthusiastic about it last week.
It's funny--I procrastinate practicing piano all the time. And then when I finally get myself to sit down to it I really enjoy it. But then I procrastinate on it again the next day and the next etc...
 
My buddy this evening: Count von Count. Say it with me:
Bir! Iki! Üç! Dört! HAHAHAHA!
Beş! Altı! Yedi! Sekiz! Dokuz! On! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!
I'm going to count ALL the reps in Turkish for a week. Thankfully we never do more than 20 :p (And after ten it's just onbir, oniki, onüç...)
 
Also: was just trying to do my breathing exercises before bed (which I'd skipped for the past couple of days) and while it felt good physically the heightened awareness of my body made me anxious mentally. Don't know what that means but I guess it's a data point so it belongs here.
 
Ooh. Turkish does sound quite difficult.
I have trouble thinking about what to say on my in-breath. The out-breath is always easy. Maybe I'll try "just breathe in deeply, now let it all go."
Hope you get a good night's sleep, LaMa xo
 
Also: was just trying to do my breathing exercises before bed (which I'd skipped for the past couple of days) and while it felt good physically it made me anxious mentally. Don't know what that means but I guess it's a data point so it belongs here.
Sometimes breathing exercises, meditation and the like can bring out stress or anxiety or memories that are usually clouded by everyday hustle and buzz. If this persists, it might be smart to take a break from these kinds of exercises for a while; at least this is what my two most recent psychotherapists have told me. If unpleasant feelings and sensations occur, try doing something that grounds you in the moment - holding a heavy object in you hand, smelling a perfume or a spice, opening a window, drinking a glass of water - anything that you can use to safely bring yourself back to this moment. You are in control and safe is the idea.

After all, breathing exercises require quite a lot of a sense of safety to work properly especially if done lying down and/or eyes closed. And if there's any "huffing and puffing" included, or a lot of controlling the airflow, it can trick our lizard brain into thinking that air is running out or that the situation is not safe, even though it is. (I tend to get a mild panic attack every time I run to a bus or a train, and I have quit all "relaxation exercises" because they just tend to make me dissociate lol. Of course they can be wonderful for some people so I'm not bashing those at all.)

Take care!
 
I have trouble thinking about what to say on my in-breath.
I never thought to add words to my breathing but I'll try it if I have trouble again tonight.
Sometimes breathing exercises, meditation and the like can bring out stress or anxiety or memories that are usually clouded by everyday hustle and buzz.
True, of course, and something we're taught to pay attention to in patients. Usually when I'm anxious I just can't really get into the exercise so it felt weird to fall in and feel like I kept falling.
And if there's any "huffing and puffing" included, or a lot of controlling the airflow, it can trick our lizard brain into thinking that air is running out or that the situation is not safe
Heh, there's a DS9 episode where Bashir is trying to teach an unwilling Major Kira a huffin' & puffin' meditation method and just listening to him made me feel stabby :rotflmao: If I have the energy for that kind of stuff I'll just go to the gym for my hormone balancing needs.

Made it to the strength room at work today. Still binging but at least I'm moving as well. Went to the gym for a bit of cardio after dinner (if you can call 400g of chocolate dinner) and I'm definitely feeling better for it. Family exercise in the morning and a short hike with a friend later.
 
Sometimes I feel like our brains are wired differently. I told my brain today, 'I want to be really fat', and I didn't eat one chocolate bar from the box all day.

Maybe you should tell yourself that you love bingeing and see how that works out? Make what you can of the weekend, regardless.
 
I did, and I binged 🙈 But I also had a very nice walk in the sunshine (I once again managed a slight sunburn - on November 6th!) and I made a lovely pot of chicken soup with the skin and bones of the rotisserie chicken I bought, picked clean, and froze the meat of this morning. My first try making chicken soup from scratch and I´m really happy with the result. Will try never to waste a chicken carcass again!
 
I agree with Floater, if the breathing exercises are giving you weird feelings, maybe hold off on those. Sometimes I imagine breathing in what I really need (like a feeling of safety) and I breathe out negative emotions or stress. That's cool you used the left overs from your chicken to make soup. Do you think the binging and the anxiety go together, or just a coincidence?
 
Chicken soup from scratch is the best!
It sure is and it was so much simpler than I'd expected.
if the breathing exercises are giving you weird feelings, maybe hold off on those.
It was only the one time, thankfully.
Do you think the binging and the anxiety go together, or just a coincidence?
I do binge more when I get anxious but of course it's not the only reason. I haven't been particularly anxious lately (other than that one time). I think the past couple of days I've been binging because I was binging. The binging was nice (despite messing up my stomach) and it was easier to give in and keep going than to get back on track. Especially since once I binge a couple of days in a row I have a lot less energy. Absent drag an object in motion tends to stay in motion but an object that's at a standstill can be hard to get moving. So I need energy to get back to doing the things that'll give me energy. Does that make sense? Seeing my friend helped, walking in the sunshine helped, making something new (soup) and having it succeed helped. Booking my flight for Christmas helped. (Fingers crossed they won't close the borders again...) Getting up and going outside or doing chores will probably help. So... I'll try to do well today. Find the balance between doing enough and resting enough. It's a thin line sometimes.
 
Feeling meh. First I´m having a stupidly heavy flow day today and second my stomach is still feeling off from having binged for several days in a row. I did do some sensible things but I can definitely feel the pull of the binge right now. I´ll go for a short walk to get a bit of sun and try to come up with a food plan that includes enough delicious stuff but won´t prolong my binge streak.
 
Take care! Hormone hell is no joke. :grouphug:
 
Back
Top