[spow]

*I am posting this in the anorexia section instead of the binge-eating section because my diagnosis is anorexia (or EDNOS)*

Do any of you have days when it seems like all you want is crap food? Maybe cookies and ice cream if you have a sweet tooth, or chips and cheese and things like that if you're into salty food?

I have days like that. Sometimes it is entire days, sometimes it's just part of the day. I have a sweet tooth so it's always sweet things that I want.

I go through most days trying to 'watch my calories' but I do eat a reasonable amount. In my recovery, I am trying to eat 3 bigger meals a day with snacks in between if I can stomach it. I almost always have some dessert after dinner.

But on days like today, I just want cookies or chocolate or ice cream all day. I can't seem to get the thoughts of eating the sweet stuff out of my head so I just go ahead and eat it. Sometimes I feel guilty afterwards and make myself sick, sometimes I think that I don't care and go on stuffing my face.

How do you deal with days like this? I just had some crap instead of having a proper meal for lunch, then felt guilty and threw up a little. Now I want more food!

Through the course of my ED, I have lost the ability to eat sweet things in moderation. If I open a packet of anything, I'll finish it within half a day, if not an hour!

[Travelinglady]

Although I don't have an eating disorder, I certainly have times when I just want to eat junk food. Thoughts off hand to try to keep these urges in control? Well, maybe buy junk food that also has some healthy things in it--like cheese crackers, frozen yogurt, granola, healthier cereals that can be snacked on, etc. Eat slowly.

[spow]

That's half the problem: eating slowly. And the other half of the problem is stopping at a reasonable amount instead of, say, a packet of cookies or a pint of ice cream.

[nicole84]

I had a day like this today and it ended up in a b/p. I've been in a pretty bad cycle though, but on the 'healthier' days I seem to cope better.

Honestly I can't seem to stop those craving days, sometimes exercise can help. Some of the meds I take increase hunger which makes it worse argh. It'd be so much easier if our bodies only wanted good food in us, and smaller sized meals. I'm not much help, but I can relate.

[spow]

Being able to relate is helpful enough

Lately I've been trying to think of how awful it feels when I've overeaten and how the discomfort makes me unable to do much except lie down. Then I think about how awful it feels to make myself throw up and the horrible taste of the 'yummy food' mixed with stomach acids. That can sometimes be enough to prevent me from bingeing. But on days when there is an emotional reason behind bingeing, this doesn't really work. I just think "What the hell. Everything sucks anyway".

[nicole84]

Originally Posted by spow

Being able to relate is helpful enough

Lately I've been trying to think of how awful it feels when I've overeaten and how the discomfort makes me unable to do much except lie down. Then I think about how awful it feels to make myself throw up and the horrible taste of the 'yummy food' mixed with stomach acids. That can sometimes be enough to prevent me from bingeing. But on days when there is an emotional reason behind bingeing, this doesn't really work. I just think "What the hell. Everything sucks anyway".

I need to take your advice here. Throwing up is horrible, and the foods taste so wrong coming up so why we do it just doesn't make sense. Nature of the beast I guess. I've been going through a rough cycle though, at least you're trying to get better. I'd like to get out of this rut, bring on the pdoc in a few weeks.

[spow]

You know what doesn't make sense? Anorexia and many EDs are about weight control and fear of weight gain. Yet we do many things that contradict that, for example bingeing and calorie restriction that puts our bodies in 'hamster mode'.

I'm trying to get better, yes. But my husband just got told that he will be unemployed after July this year. So I don't think I can continue with my therapy sessions. At €100 per session, it's beyond affordable. I'm going to have to try to do this without a therapist.

[nicole84]

Originally Posted by spow

You know what doesn't make sense? Anorexia and many EDs are about weight control and fear of weight gain. Yet we do many things that contradict that, for example bingeing and calorie restriction that puts our bodies in 'hamster mode'.

I'm trying to get better, yes. But my husband just got told that he will be unemployed after July this year. So I don't think I can continue with my therapy sessions. At €100 per session, it's beyond affordable. I'm going to have to try to do this without a therapist.

So very true. I've been gaining from this b/p cycle. And restriction puts us into starvation. Really can't win...