Posts about binging and bloating - eating disorder recovery

Three of the most comment questions i get about are weight gain, bloating and binging in recovery, so i thought i would make a little post with some advice/links to posts about bloating and binging in recovery.

Bloating happens and if it doesnt go away for months it might be due to something else rather than just your body and digestive system getting used to food and eating again and beginning to work normally again.

And binging can happen, for different reasons and if it begins to happen too often, then you need to seek help for it and talk to someone about the binging so that it doesnt turn into something very serious and/or worse. However if the binging is just due to that fact that you arent eating enough then often it can help to just follow a meal plan and eat more for your meals.

You can read more posts and advie about binging  HERE and HERE

And bloating: HERE and HERE

Help! I binged! What do I do now?!

First, know your binge. What caused it? How could you have better handled it? What alternatives are there to bingeing? What KIND of binge was it?

Subjective vs. Objective Binges

• 3 Tips to Eat “Normally” Again
• Brain Over Binge: How I Stopped Acting on Urges
• Alternatives to Bingeing
• 10 Strategies for Overcoming Binge Eating
• Advantage/Disadvantage Chart for Unhealthy Behaviors Printout

Now if you is you DO binge… because it does happen from time to time in recovery… here are 20 reasons not to hate yourself after a binge [x].

And here are some other posts that may help you after a binge:

• Binge Recovery
• How to Recovery from A Food Binge: 10 Steps to Feel Better
• How to Recover from an Unplanned Binge

Bloating in recovery:

• Recovery Problem: Bloating, Indigestion and Feeling Too Full

Anorexia to bulimia (masterpost)

Going from anorexia to bulimia is something slightly Taboo to talk about... you pretend it doesnt happen. The person who is sick doesnt want to admit that they went from full control, barely eating anything to suddenly not being able to stop their binges. People around you pretend it doesnt happen, or they dont know... they are just happy that you are eating again. But not knowing what happens behind closed doors.

However this is something i want to bring up, that going from anorexia to bulimia is NOT uncommon. It happen and with more people than 1.

When you are so restrictive, and starve your body all it does is scream for energy... it wants food but you deny it that. Food is one of the basic things we need to survive and without it or minimal food we dont last long.

  Eventually there comes a point when you feel you cant be so restrictive, you are just too hungry and so you eat something and suddenly you cant stop. It goes from 2 slices of bread to 6 cheese sandiwches & 3 bowls of cereal with milk followed by 2 handfuls of dried fruit.

   The anxiety over this overwhelming binge, this uncontrollable thing gives you so much anxiety that you purge to get rid of the guilt and the food..

   and then you might begin restricting the next day, to keep from binging. But restriction just leads to more binging and purging and the cycle continues.

 Ive been there, ive been through that phase. The restriction, uncontrollable binging due to hunger and then purging from the guilt. Only to restrict the next day.

If you go through this phase or go from anorexia to bulimia DONT feel ashamed. I know its tough, its tough mentally as its going from complete control (or what you feel is contrlól, though not really) to absaloutly no control and huge binges.

 Talk to someone. This is my best advice... thigns CAN get better, but going form one ED to another isnt good. Just like going from anorexia to orthorexia, its just changing weird eating habits.

  

The binging happens because your body is so starved of energy. It just wants food. You can find yourself binging on high carb or high energy foods... i binged on cheese sandwiches, cereal and dry fruit as i had begun restricting and cutting carbs from my diet. Which WASNT good.

Returning to a meal plan can really help you, as it structurres up your eating habits. You eat several times a day and you know when and what to eat. And to keep away from binging.

   For me, i had to get rid of the foods i binged on for a while and then slowly return them into my diet. But i felt i couldnt eat them in a normal amount.

   For some, they prefer to have those types of foods as more staple items in  their diet so that they DONT binge on them later, and others need to cut their binging foods fomro their diet completely. So find what works for you.

Also finding distractions wehn you feel you will binge... go out for a walk, talk to someone, do something with your hands or soemthing to get you using your brain such as maths or sudoku? :)

TALK to someone. Eat regularly and DONT restrict certain food groups, that wont helop you, Also making sure you eat enough. These things will help to stop the binging.

Dont feel ashamed or embarrassed, this is in your head, but also binging is physical if you have gone from restrictive eating. Your body and mind are starving, and then it goes from being starving to just not being able to control the binges, that you binge just because.

Dont get trapped in different eating disorders, instead fight to break free. I broke free from anorexia, my binging & purging phase and even from my exercise addiction. (and of course self harm and depression as well). I am free from all of that, it took years of struggle and years of recovery but now i am healthy, happy and free. And YOU can do it as well.

   

Just ask for help and support and fight the voice in your head!!!!

Binge eating - all or nothing thinking

Restrictive to binging answer

If you struggle with binge eating

What is binge eating/bulimia and how to recover

Binge eating masterpost

Helpful posts for eating disorder recovery

How to stop binging

How to stop purging

How to stop purging & my personal experience

Chances of developing another eating disorder/changing disorder

OSFED - eating disorder not otherwise specified

10 steps to bulimia recovery work book

Advice posts about binging

Binge foods - answer

I have the problem that I have often binges on different foods types. Does it really help to cut out this foods from your meal plan? In my case that would mean to cut out a lot. It would really limit my meal plan to mostly vegetables, grains and legumes. As food is not really the problem when you have an eating disorder and as it makes this types of food even more a fear food I thought it's better to include it here and there.

Well it depends on what type of binging you have and why you binge. If you binge on all types of food and its a regular thing and you cant control it. Then its binge eating disorder or you binge on all types of food due to restrictive eating and your body is so starved. When it comes to this, where you seem to binge on everything then cutting out food wont help because you will be left with only certain foods. But like you wrote, food isnt the problem here. Its something else. Either that you arent eating enough regularly. Or you are stressed, its due to emotions etc so then you need to find out why you binge and how you can solve that problem. And try distractive methods to stop the binging instead of just cutting out the food.

For me i binged because i wasnt eating enough during the day and eating next to no carbohydrates apart from in my binges. And my binge foods were very specific. I didnt just crave anything and its not like i ate some yoghurt and suddenly i ate the whole carton. But it was specific food like granola, bread, rice pudding, dried fruit. I could take a handful of nuts and be fine but if i ate like a tsp raisins it triggered something in my brain and i couldnt stop eating. It was the same with bread or granola. So for me, i had to cut those foods out because i couldnt eat them in a controlled manor. I even found myself standing by the kitchen pantry and eating granola right out of the box after a small breakfast one day and i couldnt stop myself, even when the voice in my head told me that i wasnt hungry and i didnt know why i was eating the granola. It was pretty much then i realised i had to get my binges under control.

I think you should definitely include the binge foods in your diet and try to learn to eat them in normal portions.
  However if its certain foods like crisps, salted nuts, cheeseburgers etc that you specifically crave then look and see if there is a certain vitamin or mineral in the food that you crave. As it might be the actual vitamin or mineral you want instead of the actual food. For example if you need more salt in your diet you can find yourself craving things like crisps, really salty sandwiches, salt sticks, salted pickles etc etc
   And if its things like chocolate, crisps, cakes etc that you cant eat without binging. Then buying them in mini packs or just eating them with others is a good way to find balance with them and eat them in normal amounts.

For some people they find that some foods they binge on so much and cant control themselves that they actually cant eat the food anymore. But i think its good to learn self control and to figure out what is it that makes you eat so much of a certain food. (Do remember though that things like crisps have added ingredients in them that MAKE you eat more, its an addictive substance that can make it hard to stop eating them once you begin.)

I hope this answers your question :)


Binging masterpost
Do you struggle with binge eating

What is binge eating/bulimia and how to recover

Binging is not eating an extra portion after dinner.

Binging is not taking another snack after you just ate a snack because you werent satisfied.

Binging is not having a day where you eat loads because you are super hungry - and you shouldnt feel guilt after these types of days because sometimes you just need extra energy.

Binging is not eating the amount your body needs whether that is 2000kcal a day or 4000kcal a day

Binging is not eating a 3 course meal.

Binging is not eat both pizza and chocolate in one day.

Binging is not going through extreme hunger - often during recovery.


Binging is a lack of control. A mental hunger and binges are often triggered by emotions, memories or stress. A binge is when you eat a large quantity of food (roughly 2500+ kcal in one "session") in one go... and a binge can last anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours where the person eats and eats and eats until uncomfortably full.


Despite what people say, binging is not because a person has a lack of self control, but it is a mental illness. Something is triggered in the brain, just like when a person is so scared of eating one potatoe that they cry, scream and do anything possible to avoid eating that potatoe. It isnt rational behaviour, it is like the rational part of the mind is turned off and there is this voice in your head controlling you. And it is the same for binging.... though then its just that you want food.

Binging can often be done in secret as you dont want people to know how much you have eaten and some even plan their binges. They can even buy the food in preperation, knowing that they will binge on the food.

When you binge there is no control, you forget what moderation or control is... you just keep putting food in your mouth even if you dont like the food or even feel hungry.

If a person just binges and doesnt compensate then they suffer from binge eating disorder.But if they binge and then purge, use diuretics or laxatives or overexercise then they suffer from bulimia, where they try to purge the food (in different ways) from their system.


Whether you compensate or not binge eating is not good and stresses the body and mind extremely. I have gone through binge eating (bulimia as i purged afterwards) and it was incredibly tough to break free from. Because food is everywhere.... just like when you recover from restrictive eating, you need to learn to find balance with food. Unlike with alcoholics who can cut alcohol completely from their lives, even if its tough... when you suffer from an eating disorder you cant just cut food from your life. It is everywhere and you need it everyday, but you need it in the right amount. Too much isnt good and too little isnt good either, but its that golden line of balance which is hard to achieve.

When you have suffered from restrictive eating it does happen that you turn to binge eating because your body is so starved... but it is more likely to happen if you are still very restrictive during recovery, if you dont allow your body the food it needs. Eventually your mind and body will just scream for food and once you eat something a little "more" then its like something is triggered in your brain and you think.... might as well eat everything in sight. It can also happen if you decide to gain weight and "recover" super quickly and you just eat everything, then you dont learn balance or moderation, but also you go frmo one extreme to the other which can shock the body.

The best thing if you are recovering from a restrictive eating disorder is to follow a meal plan where you increase calories over time. And if you feel very hungry then increase your portions and add in snacks or bigger snacks. Dont be afraid to eat more, but it shouldnt swap over to where you end up losing control and just eat everything in sight either.


And if you recover from binge eating or bulimia my best advice is to one REACH OUT FOR HELP. It is a mental illness and nothing you need to feel ashamed about, food has become a problem and you need help to find balance. Because people who suffer from bulimia or binge eating disorder can be normal weight (usually those who compensate manage to maintain their weight) there are thousands of people who arent diagnosed because they dont dare speak up. Infact i think bulimia is more common than anorexia, though that is counting what is estimated about the people who dont reach out for help. Because they maintain their weight and it is very secretive people might not notice it and so it is up to the individual to reach out for help.

Second is to try to follow a meal plan and also to write down your thoughts and what you are thinking, especially when you feel like binging. There is something that triggers the binge and it is good to know what it is.

Third is distractions and someone to talk to. When you feel like binging or compensating it is like a fly in the room, it keeps bothering you until you get super irritated and get up and try to smack the fly... but in this case, you get so irritated and it is so hard to stand against those feeelings of wanting to binge that you just do it anyway, even if you know how awful you will feel afterwards. But you need to remember how awful you will feel afterwards and remind yourself that after each binge and/Or purging session you tell yourself "never again" but yet you do it again.... but you need to remind yourself how you wont do it again. How you need to let that irritation take its course, because it will pass and you will realise that you feel a little stronger because you didnt do what the ED told you to. It is about being stronger than your eating disorder, and in most cases distractions are a good idea as they got your mind off of what your ED wants you to do.

Know that you are not alone in your struggles and you can get help, you should never feel embarrassed about suffering from an eating disorder. No matter if its restrictive, binging, bulimia, orthorexia etc it is better to get help as soon as possible so that you dont waste years of your life in a hell-type-state-of-living.

I have many posts about binging, bulimia, purging etc in THIS TAG . So if you find that these relate to you and you need help maybe look at some of those posts.

Stay strong and know you can get through this.

Tips on how to finish a meal and move on

I was asked if I had any tips on how to finish a meal and move on. And I have a few tips and distractions because when I was restricting and eating gave me anxiety and guilt it was like i couldn't move on from my last meal because I had so much anxiety and guilt over what u had eaten and would sit and feel awful. But then when I went through my binging period I couldn't move on from my meal because I never felt satisfied,I still felt hungry, or mental hungry with cravings anyway. And I would sit and just want more food even though I knew I physically didn't need it, because it wasn't extreme hunger, it was actual binging.  So below are some tips and distractions on how to move on from your meal.

1) drink a glass of water/cup of tea or coffee etc after your meal. This is to signify that the meal is over. This tip is helpful if you struggle with binging and can't quite stop your meal, then you need some type of marker.

2) have something planned after a meal. If there is a certain meal time that gives you alot of anxiety or makes you more likely to binge then have something planned such as going for a walk, meeting a friend, doing something with your parents or your partner, going go a club etc this means that you are distracted and your thoughts shouldn't control/affect you as much.

3) Write,  draw, study, do sudoku or word crosses etc something which gets your thoughts on other things. It stops you from just thinking about food, whether it's guilt of because you mentally want more (though physically you know that you don't need more)

4) leave the house/don't be around food. If you see/smell food it is more likely to cause you guilt or make you crave more. So leaving the house and not being around food should get your thoughts on other things.

5) talk to a friend/family/partner after eating and if you can. Avoid talking about food, instead talk about other things. Your focus shouldn't be on what you just ate, but on other things.  On life.... studies, work, gossip (?? Only joking, don't spread gossip or rumors) etc

6) think rationally. Of course, this means thinking about what you ate which is basically the opposite of what you should do when you want to move on from your last meal. But basically think about how silly it is that you are feeling anxious or guilty. Think about how you ate a normal portion/portion your body needed and so you don't need to eat more. But also if you struggle with binging,if you go back for more will it trigger a binge and you can't stop eating? Isn't it better to try to satisfy yourself with the meal you just had and move on. And if you suffer with guilt or anxiety, realise that what you ate was energy,  fuel so you can live life. Nothing to feel anxious or guilty over, not even if it was a fear food or you ate more than normal. Instead, think you nourished your body and now it has energy which is positive.

7) the best tip really is distractions, have things to do. People to talk to or leave the house.  If you just sit around with absolutely nothing to do, then it's easier for your thoughts to control you. Of course you need to be strong enough to deal with the thoughts, not just run from them but having distractions is still a good idea.

I think it's important to note that there are times when your body does need more food.  When you do need to go back for more because you didn't eat enough or because your body needs more energy. But when it comes to binging and a mental craving type of hunger, then you can't listen to that. If you know that what you ate was a normal portion and would fill a normal person and you know that your next meal will be in a few hours then you don't need to go back for more just because your mind is trying to make you.

Binging answer (masterpost)

I do struggle with this whole binging vs anorexia recovery thing! My BMI is healthy according to the numbers, and I have had periods for many years now, but when I was younger I was very underweight at times. I'm not entirely sure I believe that I have really reached what would have been my natural BMI, but the weight all goes on my stomach and I struggle with that, and I have been messing about with my weight for so long that I am not sure I really believe it would ever redistribute "properly". I'm not sure I would even know if it did, because (as some of your posts point out), I'm not sure I know what a normal healthy body looks like. You have an exceptionally slim, highly fit figure, but we're not all going to look like that I know I never would, but the media never offers normal healthy people. It's hard to know if I am a binge eater or an anorexic or both, and what health would really be like. I know I have an unhealthy relationship to food & body, but I find it really hard to know even what I am aiming for or how. It's hard to know when I need to listen to my body about eating and when I don't. I'm not sure whether my metabolism is healthy or not, it might be slow now after not eating sensibly for many years. This is a really complicated business!
But don't worry if you can't answer this! You don't need to fix my problems! And they're not that serious -- I've muddled on for a long time and it's fine.



Hello, I am so sorry that you are struggling and been struggling for so long. It's tough when you have had a messed up relationship to food for a while. I can't diagnose you and the binging could be for many different reasons. It could be anorexia with binging episodes because of the restriction or it could be binge eating disorder with restriction to compensate. It depends which you do more of. But I would highly suggest you go to a doctor and a dietitian to get help.

 The first step you can do is to 1) know your triggers for either binging or restricting and Ty to overcome those. And 2).make a food journal for a week or two... think rationally, are you eating enough or not. And 3) then make a meal plan... do you need to add in a snack somewhere to keep your blood sugar stable? Add in more carbs/protein/fat? When do you binge and does something trigger it? As you can't really trust your bodies signals a meal plan is the best advice. You follow that and eat what it says, whether you ate hungry or not... and even if you want more, stick to the meal plan. It can be tough especially when your signals are everywhere but it does help. I've binged before (though I purged as a way to compensate then) and I could eat 2000-5000kcal in a matter of an 1-3 hours. It was awful and I could not trust my body at all. But returning to meal plan was what helped me. When your body gets the energy and nutrients it needs, then it will be easier for your body to find balance. To go uo/down depending where it feels best. And when the body is stressed and not functioning properly due to the binging and restricting then the weight does go ti the stomach as a sort of protection. But it might redistribute when the body feels safer. When it comes to binging or any eating disorder professional care is advised. Remember that it is your head and your thoughts you need to change as well as your behaviours. With yiur metabolism, when you eat regularly and the body feels safe your metabolism should improve as well, but when you go from eating huge amounts to very little the body is constantly in shock and stress. It doesn't feel safe which messes with your metabolism, hunger, fullness and other things inside the body. So the best is to find balance, which or course is easier said than done. But once again, a meal plan can help!!

Also, you wrote that your problems arent that serious, but to me they do sound serious. An eating disorder is serious, no matter what your weight. Binge eating is a serious eating disorder and nothing to feel ashamed about, not even if you have gone from restrictive to binging. That happens, you are not alone in that, there is help. It also means taking back some form of control. Not so much control that you restrict yourself,  but enough control to keep yourself from binging until binging is no longer a thought in your mind.

Below are some posts about binging which might be useful.

If you struggle with binge eating
Binge eating recovery plan
How to stop binging
Focusing too much on food
Binge eating / trigger foods
Binging and gaining weight after weight restoration
Restrictive to binging
Anorexia to bulimia
Overeating/binging


When it comes to an eating disorder though, the advice in the posts can be helpful and a kickstart, but i do believe that you should try to get proffessional help. Even if you dont believe that you are that sick, or that you are a normal weight so dont need help, i believe it can be helpful. Atleast going to a dietician, to get a meal plan made for you and your bodies needs :)

Helpful posts for eating disorder recovery - MASTERPOST

I have recently gotten alot of emails regarding food... what to eat, how much, how much is ok to eat, about extreme hunger, binging, how many calories to eat etc etc

And instead of having to reply individually to all of those emails with the same questions i thought i would link to loads of my old posts regarding some of these topics so that you might find the advice there :)

But first thing:
1) There should be a gradual increase of calories during recovery i.e eating low calories wont help you
2) There is a difference between extreme hunger and binging. It can be hard to tell the difference but its good to try to figure it out because binging is NOT good and that is not healthy either. Even during weight gain you shouldnt be binging, you should be eating a certain amount in meals throughout the day. Not uncontrolled binges.
3) Yes you can eat more chocolate/candy/ice cream/crisps etc in recovery
4) Dont be afraid of calories or calorie increases, they are HELPING YOU. Its energy which your body needs. If you need to gain weight then INCREASING your calories is going to do you alot of good.
5) Eating 1500kcal a day and running for an hour a day while trying to gain weight is going to mess things up for you. REST while in recovery until you are close to your healthy weight.
6) Your body should find it's healthy set point if you have been doing things in a healthy way. I.e not restricting but still gaining weight and not binging. If you keep gaining weight despite having reached a healthy weight then go to a doctor or dietician.
7)I recommend EVEYRONE to go to a dietician to help get a meal plan made for THEM and THEIR bodies needs. Dont copy what i ate in recovery, the meals plan are posted as a way to show you how much and what i ate but that was for MY bodies needs.



I can not answer every question individually as i get so mnay questions each day and most of them are very similar. But i have spent HOURS writing posts about different topics and all the posts below arent even all of them but i have spent an hour making this post and finding all my previous posts. So PLEASE do look here for information!! And feel free to share this post or let me know if you found this post useful :):)
  And i hope it helps!!!

Metabolism and calories in recovery
Maintaining weight at a low calorie intake
Metabolism after an eating disorder
Calorie intake in recovery
Increasing my calories
Why you shouldnt exercise while in recovery
Why/how i stopped counting calories
Calorie counting - how to stop
Eating in recovery

Is counting calories and weighing yourself necessary in recovery?
Portion sizes, hunger and exercise in recovery
How to focus less on food
Stop focusing on what to eat/Not eat
Focusing too much on food
Will the thoughts ever go away - thinking about food all the time
Dont compare your eating to anyone elses

How to eat enough while on a budget
Water intake
My meals from half recovery vs. recovered
Catching a stomach virus while in recovery


Eating intuitively - masterpost
Intuitive eating
Hunger and fullness - Mando method
How to eat after recovery
Getting your period back after recovery
MASTERPOST of extreme hunger& hunger and fullness
Emotional eating vs. extreme hunger
Overeating because its delicious


How to stop binging
Is secret eating ok?
How to stop purging
Anxiety while food shopping
Binge eating/trigger foods
Binging and gaining weight after weight restoration
Restrictive to binging
Anorexia to bulimia

Disordered eating times
Eating even though others arent hungry (i.e while in a group)
Tips for when you lose your appetite
What to do when your family/friends are dieting around you
Eating in public
Eating more than others
Panic when eating
Food is not a test - you cant cheat
Eating without guilt
Is sugar bad?


Hunger after recovery
Fear of continuing to gain weight after weight restoration
Healthy set point
Eating normal foods
How to eat on your own

Listening to your body and knowing what to eat
Food is not numbers and labels
Freedom from calories, weight and obsessiveness 


MY meal plans in recovery

How to stop binging

Hi Izzy. I've gotten better from my bulimia, that turned into anorexia, about a year ago. But now I'm struggling with binge eating. I can't stop myself from eating so much food. I am aware at what I'm doing and yet I can't stop. I keep thinking, 'screw it, just eat and start over tomorrow', but that tomorrow keeps turning into everyday and it's making me want to go back to a restrictive lifestyle. It makes me feel uncomfortable under my skin and want to lose everything I've gained. I really need your help. I know you're not a doctor, but I know you've experienced this at some point. I just want your advice, any ideas on how to stop and to fight those urges. 

Thank you. 

Binging happens for many reasons however what i have found from my own experience and from reading other peoples stories is that it is most often mental, if its not due to hormones or extreme hunger (often from a lack of food for a period of time, so then when your body finally gets food it just wants more and more. And if this happens for a short period of time its ok, its a natural response however extreme hunger shouldnt turn into an everyday binge as that isnt good or healthy for the body either.)

From your message it sounds like your binging is mental, though i dont know what else is going on in your life... if you are actually eating enough during the day? Are you sleeping enough? Eating enough carbs? Are you stressed? All those things can lead to binging or overeating. But where you are going wrong is thinking... I'll start tomorrow. I have already ruined today. So then you keep binging and over eating for the rest of the day because you think tomorrow will be different, but then the same thing happens and its and it becomes a negative spiral of.... Ill change tomorrow but then nothing changes and you get anxiety and feel guilty which can often lead to more binging as you feel worthless and a failure.

The first thing i am going to say is that this type of binging is actually Very common, unfortunatly. Alot of people have the mindset that if they eat chocolate or eat more than they had planned then suddenly everything is ruined so you might as well just keep eating everything. But think like this.... So what if you ate more, whether it was because the food tasted really good or because you were more hungry - its ok to eat more. But when you think that you have messed up your day and keep overeating, its THERE that you go wrong. Not the initial extra portion or 1 or 2 rows of chocolate. See food as fuel and know that eating a little extra somedays wont make  a difference.

The reason you can feel so uncomfortable is that 1) It is physically uncomfortable to binge, to overeat and feel like you cant stop it. But also 2) Because you get feelings of guilt and feeling like a failure. But you ARENT a failure. However you do need to try to stop the binges which you can do in a number of different ways.

1) Dont restrict. Make sure to eat enough and regular meals throughout the day.

2) Drink water and tea and coffee throughout the day, sipping on lemon water or other fruit water can be great.

3) Eat foods that fill you up i.e fiber and protein rich foods but for some people they find that foods with healthy fats fill them up most - and DONT forget about your carb intake. This is important and often people binge because they arent eating enough carbs, and your body craves carbohydrates.

4) Write down your thoughts when you feel out of control, when you find yourself standing in the kitchen eating right out of the cereal box or just eating and you cant stop yourself. Its like you go into a trance, but break free from that trance. Distract yourself.

5) After binging DONT purge or restrict. Instead drink some water, write down how you are feeling and what caused you to binge. Instead of feeling self hate do something kind towards yourself. Maybe put on a face mask or do some yoga or paint your nails, or just listen to some music and try to change your thoughts from negative and destructive ones to more positive ones.

6) Dont feel ashamed or embarrassed, but do ask for help and seek support if you feel that you cant manage to overcome this on your own.

7) Try not to stress, find a way to relax in daily life and cope with your emotions.

8) Know whether its actual hunger or just boredom or your mind tricking you.

Most important is to remember that if you over eat you havent ruined everything, just dont think that you have ruined everything and keep overeating. 

Overeating because its delicious

Ive gotten asked recently about binging/overeating on food, just because its delicious. I think this is a fear that many people have and especially during recovery... you think that if you begin eating and allowing yourself to eat things like chocolate, ice cream, cookies etc that you wont be able to stop yourself and you'll just keep eating and eating.
   I cant answer whether that will or wont happen, because you could go through a stage of extreme hunger where you just want to eat everything but as you get closer to your normal weight then your body shouldnt feel so deprived and so you shouldnt feel the need to binge every time you eat something that has sugar in it.

But also there could be a reason why you are overeating/binging on a certain food. It could be your bodies way of telling you that you need more carbs or energy or fat. Though of course, it is possible to overeat just because food is so delicious.
  I am pretty sure most people have done it/do it. I do anyway.... sometimes i make pancakes for 4 people and i eat 75% of it. Or i buy one of those big Marabous biscuits with the intention to share with my sister and i end up eating 80% of it at once. It happens, that food is delicious. Sometimes it is harder to stop yourself from eating the whole thing but you dont need to feel bad over that.  However if it becomes a regular thing where as soon as you have one bite of chocolate or one cookie or a handful of crisps and suddenly you cant stop yourself from eating everything and finishing the whole package, then i think you should ask yourself  why you cant eat balanced or moderately when it comes to that type of food.
  Some foods can be trigger foods though, for example back in 2012 and even 2013 if we ever bought a big back of salted nuts there was a 99% chance that i would eat the whole bag or atleast 80% of it at once... just because i couldnt stop myself. The reason being it was soo good, it was addictive, but also i think my body needed more energy. Now i no longer feel the need to eat 200g salted cashews just because we have it at home, though of course it is very easy to take one handful, then another and then another. But i can atleast stop myself after say the 3rd handful!!

If there are some foods which are just so delicious that you want to eat it all, well allow yourself to eat alot of it, but also be conscious and know that you dont need to eat it all at once....

For some people they are too strict with themselves in everyday life so then once they go to a party or go somewhere else to eat then they go all out because for them its black or white thinking. Its all or nothing. And that type of thinking is very dangerous when it comes to food and eating... i used to think that way before as well, but it lead to binging.... when you tell yourself that you can only eat something if you are somewhere else, you cant eat it even if you are craving it.... but then you give in and you eat a cookie and suddenly you think, well.... ive screwed up so then you eat the whole package of cookies, you eat a tub of ice cream followed by a bag of chocolate... just because you ate one cookie? Food is not black and white... wouldnt it have been better if you ate that cookie because you craved it, maybe took another one if thats what you wanted or you were just satisfied with one cookie... and then you move on with your life. You dont mess up your diet or your life because you eat something different.

But back to the main topic... overeating because food is delicious, yes it can happen. The best thing is to be conscious of when you eat it and why you eat it..... do you really need to eat 5 slices of cake or is it enough with just 1 or 2? Make sure to eat enough during the day and regular meals. But also see if it something that is triggering you to eat so much... it could be your bodies signals, it could just be the taste but it could also be something else.... But that is something YOU need to figure out.

How to stop purging

I got asked to write a post about purging and how to stop. And i've sat here blank for the past while. I used to purge daily, after every meal i ate. And after being admitted to hospital, purging was one of the things which i returned to quickest. I.e, once i had permissions, if i had eaten i would purge. 
   But it was also one of the quickest habits i got rid of. Because really, nobody wants to purge. Its not a nice feeling, even if you convince yourself that it is, that you are riding yourself of calories and food, but what i have learnt is that really you're still consuming calories anyway, because the breaking down of food begins in the mouth. So really you are just hurting yourself even more.
   There was a time, back in 2012 when i was very stressed with school and ate too little and i ended up having binging cycles, and the anxiety was so strong that i purged. And this cycle continued for more than a month. But i decided to do something about the situation and not let it get worse, and instead returned to my meal plan.
  So by eating regular, and enough that stoppped my binging and in turn, stopped me from purging.

 But because purging was one of the habits i was able to stop quickest, and its been more than a year since i last purged, i dont have so much advice on how to stop. But of course, i still want to help and i found this great article, so you can read it (below) and hopefully it will help you :)

SOURCE:http://waragainsteatingdisorder.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/10-ways-to-stop-purging-after-meals/

Vomiting after eating is the most common form of purging for people with bulimia. However, there are also other forms of purging such as abusing laxatives, over-exercising, diet pills, diuretics and fasting for periods of time.

Some people use only one means of getting rid of food while others use a combination of methods. The ultimate goal of these methods is to rid the body of calories consumed and prevent weight gain.

Unfortunately, these habits are neither effective nor healthy and can wreak havoc on your body, causing long-term complications or even death. The habit of purging is a very strong one. In order to stop, you will probably need some help. Most people can’t recover alone. I know that my own recovery never would have happened without the right support. If you are currently suffering from bulimia and need to stop purging, here are some tips to help you get started.

1. Understand that purging doesn’t help maintain a lower weight.

People who vomit after meals are making an attempt to reverse the calories consumed and avoid weight gain, or even lose weight. The result is exactly the opposite. Research shows that people who binged then vomited still retained 1,000 to 1,200 calories after throwing up.

Even if you feel ‘empty’ after vomiting, you are probably dehydrated, which can lead to more binge urges and salt cravings.

Also, as your body responds to the food you have eaten, it releases insulin. When you throw up the contents of your stomach, there is now too much insulin in your body. This leads to more sugar cravings!

If you abuse laxatives to get rid of calories, then you need to understand how ineffective that is. Absorption occurs high in the digestive system. Laxatives empty the lower section. Any weight loss you may feel is only due to dehydration. The same goes for diuretics, which actually worsen water retention in the long-run.

Over-exercise is another method used to reduce the calories of a binge. Excessive exercise actually increases the appetite, which increases the likelihood of a binge. There are also many risks involved, such as muscle injuries and vitamin deficiencies.

Diet pills and fasting are also used, but again are ineffective. Diet pills put you at risk for heart problems as they often contain high levels of caffeine. Fasting only leads to more binging.

These methods of purging are not only ineffective, but are dangerous. Once your body has gone into starvation mode, it holds onto calories more effectively than ever. The same goes for dehydration. When you are chronically dehydrated, your body retains water which leads to bloating- the opposite effect of what you’re trying to achieve!

2. Talk to someone.

Because so many people suffer in silence, researchers do not have an accurate percentage of who successfully recovers alone. I can tell you from experience that it is nearly impossible, and was certainly impossible for me to recover by myself!

Finding support is a great first step to changing your habits once and for all.Not only can a ‘support buddy’ provide accountability, but they can be there for you during your crucial moments. The Bulimia Help Community is full of people who can offer support.

If you need additional guidance, check out the Bulimia Help Coaching Program. Here you can find experienced coaches who have actually recovered from bulimia and can provide insight and support.

Regardless of who you confide in, be sure you aren’t trying to stop purging alone. The isolation of bulimia can increase feelings of loneliness and frustration. It doesn’t take weakness to ask for help, it takes true strength!

3. Adopt a structured eating plan.

Chaotic eating can lead directly to binging and purging. Structured eating helps to rebalance the body and provide a consistent amount of food. This helps to reduce and end purging because it weakens binge urges. With smaller, weaker binges the desire to get rid of the food also decreases, making it easier to resist.

4. Stick to your ‘safe’ foods at first.

Most people with eating disorders have food lists. These lists can include ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ foods. When unsafe foods are eaten, the desire to throw up after eating may arise for fear of gaining weight. By sticking to foods you are comfortable eating when you begin structured eating, you may not feel the need to get rid of the calories.

When foods that are considered to be fattening are eaten, the desire to make yourself sick, abuse laxatives or get rid of it in some way may be overwhelming and nearly impossible to resist.

As structured eating progresses and you become more comfortable having food in your body, you can gradually introduce things that have been off limits in the past. It is important you get used to feeling food in your stomach. Once you are accustomed to eating regularly from your ‘safe’ list, take it slowly by adding new types of meals and snacks as you are comfortable.

5. Practice a delay.

A very effective habit-changing practice is to delay purging until you can resist it entirely. The first time you practice this, try to delay the purge by just five minutes. Once you are successful with that, increase your time to ten minutes, then twenty, then thirty. Increase your delay time until you can completely resist. Don’t worry if you aren’t able to do this at first, it takes lots of time and practice.

Helpful Hint: While practicing a delay, be sure and distract yourself in some way so that you aren’t just watching the clock!

6. Keep a recovery journal.

Journaling is very helpful for many reasons. It gives you a sacred place to write your inner most thoughts and feelings about food, anxiety, stress or whatever triggers you.It also gives you a place to keep positive recovery thoughts and motivation such as moments of success and inspirational quotes for when you most need them. And possibly the most beneficial part of a recovery journal is the insight it gives.

You have the chance to review your thoughts and feelings once you have calmed down or are in a better mood. That is when you can rationalize and decide what was really triggering and how you can best handle it in the future. Tracking progress as well as relapses can show you exactly where your strengths and weaknesses are.

7. Analyze your pattern.

Review your recovery journal often. Even if you only write in bullet points or a few sentences at the end of the day, look over it again. Try to decide what is helping and what isn’t.

Your journal gives you the chance to decode your binge and purge cycles and see where things are most challenging. Review the successes as much as the failures. Examine what helped you succeed and focus on how to keep going!

8. Celebrate every bit of success.

During recovery it can be easy to focus on failure instead of success. Try shifting your focus and celebrating each accomplishment, no matter how big or small.

So you successfully postponed purging for five minutes? Great job!

Don’t focus on the fact that you still purged, focus on the positive changes you are making! You didn’t develop this habit overnight, and it won’t go away that quickly either.

Be patient and maintain a positive outlook as you go. It will be much more helpful than beating yourself up. You can keep a list of accomplishments in your recovery journal. This way you can review them if you are feeling down.

Remember, the journey of recovery is long and consists of many small steps. Celebrate each accomplishment as you go!

9. Take it one day at a time.

Some people keep track of how many days they can go without a relapse. Others do not. Regardless of whether you count the days, keep things simple. Focus only on today. Don’t dwell on yesterday. Release the anxiety about tomorrow. Recovery happens in the moment, which is where your attention should be.

For my personal recovery, I counted days. Looking back I think it did more harm than good. My advice to others is not to keep track. If you do, try to do like I did and just exclude relapses from your list.

For example if I relapsed on day 50, I would start over the next day as day 50 instead of going back to day 1. This keeps you from being so down on yourself.

10. Understand the risks.

The more knowledge you have about the effects, the more empowered you are in order to change your mindset and your habits. If you ignore the possible consequences like I did for many years, it can be very shocking to do the research.

The more you know, the better informed your decision to stop will be. Although your recovery should not be fear-based, you may find more motivation in knowing what the dangers are. According to the US National Library of Medicine, the following can result from purging:

• Hair loss and brittle fingernails.
• Cavities or gum infections
• Broken blood vessels in the eyes.
• Irritated or infected sinuses.
• Skin rashes and acne.
• Swollen or infected glands.
• Overall swollen appearance of the face, particularly the cheeks.
• Irritation or damage to the lining of the stomach and esophagus.
• Hypokalemia (low potassium) which can result in abnormal heart rhythms, fatigue, constipation and muscular damage
• Amenorrhea (irregular periods)
• Edema (swelling) of the body due to water retention and dehydration
• Russell’s Sign- visible scars and calluses on the hands

If you have experienced any of these, you should see a doctor for a full check-up. The earlier you start recovery, the fewer long-term affects you may experience. It’s never too late to make positive changes for your emotional and physical health.

As someone who has made a full recovery from bulimia, I know the challenges you face in accepting food without trying to get rid of the calories.

I hope you find these 10 tips to be practical and helpful. I once believed that vomiting and diet pills helped maintain a low weight, but I was wrong.

I now live a life free from bulimia, and you can too!

Don’t wait any longer to stop binging and purging once and for all! The journey of recovery can start today.

You deserve to be happy and healthy.

By Coach Jen 

Jen Kneabel is a Recovery Coach at bulimiahelp.org. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and is experienced in using a variety of therapeutic interventions.