Bindge eating

Question
 Sometimes I just eat and eat, I can't stop myself.  Somtimes it's after I've had an emotional day and somtimes nothing is even wrong.  I don't throw up after or anything but I am gaining weight.  After I eat I feel sick and just hate myself.  How can I controll my eating in a healthy mannor and stop eating uncontrolably.  
 Also if I eat a lot one day I don't eat the next, and I can go not eating just fine. But once I start eating agian, theres no stoping me.  I hate not to eat one day, because I know it lowers your metabolizm but its the olny way I see fit for going all out the day before.
 Thanks for any help you can offer.


Answer
I've sooo been there!  Sometimes I still get awfully close to going over the edge, but my 'tricks' have worked for the last five years and my weight has stayed the lowest ever!

First, honestly (you know this, I'm sure) you need to understand what is making you feel "empty" inside.  Often we are trying to fill emotional needs.  Many of us have suffered abuses in our early life and are trying to soothe it (self medicate with food).  
When we crave 'comfort foods' such as puddings, ice cream, potatoes, meatloaf, chocolate, etc., it's a craving for love, security, warmth, nurturing and safety.
When we crave salty, sour or crunchy foods (chips, hard candy, nuts, ice chips, etc.) it's usually because we're frustrated or angry and need an outlet.
   It will take a professional or at least a group setting in a self help program to REALLY expose the sources of your emptyness/pain and ways to face it, deal with it, heal it.
    By finding an overeaters group or bulimia support group (even though you may not purge, by self-starvation on some days, it IS an eating disorder) - you can really begin to get to the root, and thus destroy this weed that takes over your life (and I DO know that this has become a HUGE part of your life).

Secondly, until you find the source, you can treat the symptoms (overeating) by distraction.  Put something in your hands and keep it there!  Really!  Take up painting, even it's by numbers, or on a larger scale (like painting rooms!); start refinishing furniture; learn to knit.  Just do something that involves BOTH hands and keeps your mind busy.  I've tried making quilts, wall hangings, done EVERY kind of painting, crafts, work with miniatures (I've built entire miniature cities) - it's not just fun, but it's productive.  You can SEE results (even if not very good ones - like my quilt!).  
If you can get OUT - then leave the house.  Volunteer for something you've just been talking about, like animal causes, political events, environmental needs, whatever.  

Make some rules for yourself that you just refuse to break: NO eating in the car or at any desk;  NO eating in the bedroom or in front of a t.v.  This pretty much means you have to be in the kitchen or dining room.  Good enough, but go further and make the rule that you MUST put whatever you're going to eat in a dish.  Yup.  I've measured out "ONE serving size" of potato chips, popcorn, you name it....and put in a dish, sat down at the table and enjoyed every last crumb of it!  I just convinced myself that there was no more than what I had in front of me...and it worked!

Finally - NEVER skip a meal, NEVER skip a day of eating.  You will absolutely cause your body to GAIN weight this way!

Check my site for exactly how I lost all my weight and have kept it off without dieting or denying myself what I like, for more than 5 years now.  
My site is free.  No sales, no promotions, no gimmicks, no signing in...just honest, for real, and for right now!

http://www.geocities.com/thereverend1investigates/

Let me know how you do.  You CAN do this.  If I can, believe me, you can!  

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