I keep "almost" writing a post about this but finally got around to it today.

I finally see it in myself - I'm an emotional binge eater. Maybe not to the same extremes as some others, but I can finally see it in myself.

I've been low carb/Paleo for over two and a half years now, and I've been bouncing around the same 40-50 pounds up and down.

I've learned so much in this time, like how to feel good when before I thought feeling like crap was normal. I had considered that I might be a binge eater then dismissed the thought when I read about some other peoples experiences.

But in the last couple of months I've been trying to look objectively at my eating habits, why I go wrong when I start eating crap again, and actually realising that when I start eating sugar and grains (mostly sugar, or the combination of the two), I really do gorge myself for days on end.

And then realise I have to stop, and then the cycle begins anew.

Sometimes I'll manage to stop for a whole month, maybe two, once even managed about six months - but something always sets me back. One bad day or "event" and then I spend a few weeks or months eating everything in a packet in sight again.

And I really finally realise now, that the cause of that is my emotions. I guess it might sound obvious, but the extent of it really didn't occur to me before. Sure, when I've been eating paleo for a while I'm fine - stable, even. But something negative happening can just knock me off course, and I'm reaching for chocolate bars in the shop, without the conscious thought but the FEELING that eating it will make me feel GOOD.

For a split second. And then before I know it I've eaten dozens, over days, to keep that feeling there. And then I wake up feeling like I've been hit by a truck, and that cycle is back to the start again while I try to kick start my eating.

I think I've been trying to quietly truck along, thinking maybe one of these days I will just stick to it, but I've realised I HAVE to face that I can be an out of control emotional eater. And now that I've really looked that truth in the face I can fight it the next time I feel it.

When I'm feeling low, I try and tell myself; Food is FUEL. It will not make you feel better. I've been compiling lists of things to do in my head as alternatives (that don't involve spending money).

Things like; watching my favourite movie, quit working/studying for an hour and go play a game or read a book, take the dog outside! .. and so on.

Anyway, I really felt like I had to get that down in writing, so I can't deny it to myself anymore! All you guys and gals on here who fight this every day, I admire and respect you, and am so proud of you for overcoming it.

I try and remember, every day is day 1!

you found it out and realize it openly and now you can work on fixing it! YOU GO!

food is comfort for us. we use it for every purpose other than being actually hungry. hard to break those habits but you can!!!!

If your stress relief was cigarettes or gambling or drinking you'd be able to see it more clearly, I bet.

That's why I don't think of wheat and sugar as "food." I think of it as POISON.

It helps.

Thats a great breakthrough. Recognising what trigers you gives you the power to take a step back the next time you think about going off plan. Just that little pause can be enough to stop you.

I find with emotional eating that its a vicious circle. You eat because you feel bad then you feel bad because you ate and so on. Its a horrible trap and difficult to get out of.

Best of luck

Do you make low-carb goodies and treat yourself? That helps to keep me from bingeing.

sondora88, thanks for having the courage to face your demons and share it with us

I relate so much to what you're saying! It's hard to stay on track. I was tempted with a lot of bad things the other day... the thought that finally got me to calm down and say no was, I want those things right now... and if I don't get them I'll be a little upset for 5 minutes.

But, if I EAT them, I'll be upset with myself for a week.
That's too high a price for a moment of pleasure.

Sondora, I relate to what you said and am so glad you see clearly enough now to say it. I second what Pollyanna said about keeping low carb snacks with you. Very few people have ever binged on protein and fat. It's sugar and starch that cause a binge event.

After decades of bingeing and nearly two years of successful low carbing I have discovered this truth: it was emotions that lead me to the first bites of sugary-starchy things and it was the insulin rollercoaster that made me helpless and continue to eat into full blown binges. Once I understood that, I found the "cure" was to resist the first bite - which of course is tremendously hard, but at least it's possible. Stopping during a full blown binge is impossible. The sugar/insulin rollercoaster has all the power and it can only wind down when you stop putting food in your mouth - which is often not until you fall asleep, stuffed and disgusted with yourself. Then if you eat sugary-starchy food again when you wake up the rollercoaster starts up again and you're caught in a vicious cycle.

I am surrounded by sugar and starch all day at work and I have a stressful job. Before I understood about the insulin response, I used to eat "a little" of that stuff for comfort and then couldn't stop until I'd made a complete, public, pig of myself. Now I white-knuckle it until the urge for the first bite has passed. And it DOES pass if you don't give into it - guaranteed. Because I won't take the first bite, I havn't had a binge for nearly two years. And not taking the first bite gets easier and easier the more you do it. I hope this is helpful. I wish you great success.

It sure is a tough thing to see in ourselves and when we do, it can free us from a lifetime of destructive behaviors. It is/was surely true for me.

This is a link to a very good article by Mark Sisson on this subject.
I hope that it helps.
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=449725

Oh wow, sorry I didn't see all these responses until now!

Thanks so much, you guys are the best on here. And its so comforting to know that you can all relate to how it feels.

Its seems so glaringly obvious to me now - my emotions were driving my choices in food. Just tonight I've been struggling (for apparently no reason, nothing out of the ordinary has happened) to resist ransacking the cupboards/fridge. It certainly helps that we don't keep "bad" foods in the house anymore. Or at least, not lately.

I saw that article too Judy - it really resonated with me.

And yes. POISON, definitely. If it was cigarettes or booze, I would have clicked to the emotional idea behind it straightaway, particularly as my father is an alcoholic. But since I first made this thread I've been thinking more and more about how I'm really feeling when I get the desire to eat something grain or sugary. And I'm always feeling like I need comforting. Not particularly upset - just feeling on a downer. And its that sneaky, insidious medium-mellow feeling that nudges me towards BAD food.

Have any of you found other ways to reward yourself/make yourselves feel better that don't involve food?

I recently moved into a place with a proper bath instead of just a shower, and treated myself to one, which felt really good. Was just wondering what you guys do for comfort in a positive way.

Thanks again for all the replies you guys, I love you all

I find that doing something creative, using my hands, completely distracts me when sugary starchy carbs get into my head. Painting, writing, sewing, even re-organizing a closet. If it's daytime with good weather, going for a walk instantly changes my mindset.

I work on something creative. Having my book progress is a great feeling!