Re: Evening binging getting worse

[Guest guest]

,

I'm not sure what you consider to be a binge. But, I have a similar problem in that I tend to eat way too much in the evenings. I'll eat dinner but then I want "more", particularly sweets i.e. ice cream and/or chocolate. I am in the process of working with Gillian, our moderator for this group, who is an IE coach in trying to figure it out. I have been working on eating a more substatial breakfast (meaning more protein) and more of a meal for lunch. It used to be that I would bring a few snacks to work and just snack my way through the day. In being willing to experiment I have figured out that I definately need more protein for breakfast (or oatmeal carries me through really well) and I have to have a balance at lunch time, meaning I can't really snack my throught the day otherwise I end up not feeling satisfied throughout the day and then I am searching for food to satisfy my in the evenings. I also think the evenings are a let down time for me and I have used food for years to "relax" and wind down the day - some people use alcohol, I happen to use food. And, I have to be careful of just plopping in front of the TV and of letting myself get "bored". I have recently picked back up my cross stitching and that keeps my hands busy and something to focus on other than "food". Hope my experience can give you some insight.

--Alana

-------------- Original message --------------

I could really use some input on this. Every year at this time I seem to really have a hard time with binging in the evenings. I mean it is a problem year round but definitely worse between January and April. I wish I could figure out what is causing it. Sometimes I think it may be fatigue and so I have tried getting more sleep or taking a nap in the afternoon but it doesn't seem to help. I have also thought it could be triggered by the stress of my kids and husband in the evening but if so I'm not sure how to get around that (I've tried some stress relief methods but none made a difference). I also tried taking WelButrin starting in November as I had read it could help with binge eating (plus I sometimes suffer from depression)- however I have not seen any change with it. The only other thing I can think of is I eat very little during the day but I am afraid to eat more during the day for fear that if it didn't help the evenin

g binges go away then I would only end up gaining even MORE.It seems this same thing happens every single winter and I end up getting so depressed. I usually eat a normal dinner and then about an hour later I have intense sugar cravings and then I eat junk all evening long....usually chocolate. I've tried every supplement I could think of, journaling, etc. I'm at my wits end. Any ideas? I keep feeling like if I could just get through ONE evening it would maybe be the start of breaking this cycle but no matter how good my intentions are I fail. I'd really appreciate your input. Thanks,

[Guest guest]

>

> I could really use some input on this. ... The only other thing I

can think of is I eat

> very little during the day but I am afraid to eat more during the

day

> for fear that if it didn't help the evening binges go away then I

> would only end up gaining even MORE.

> It seems this same thing happens every single winter and I end up

> getting so depressed. I usually eat a normal dinner and then about

an

> hour later I have intense sugar cravings and then I eat junk all

> evening long....usually chocolate. I've tried every supplement I

> could think of, journaling, etc. I'm at my wits end. Any ideas? I

> keep feeling like if I could just get through ONE evening it would

> maybe be the start of breaking this cycle but no matter how good my

> intentions are I fail. I'd really appreciate your input. Thanks,

>

>

, first off, is it a hungry feeling at all, or do you recognise

you are sufficiently full but just not *satisfied* in the evenings?

Several suggestions:

1) I think maybe having your food better spread out during the day

might help - particularly if you are effectively restricting during

the day because you are afraid of overeating at night. Perhaps that

restriction through the day sets you up (both physically and

psychologically) to break out in the evening.

2) Are you eating sufficient protein and fat, which are more

satiating? Doesn't really matter what kind, but nutritional balance

might possibly having something to do with it? Don't avoid fat

because you may be afraid of it - it's very useful stuff. If it's

winter over there and it's cold, maybe your body is trying to tell

you something - listen.

3) Try not to beat yourself up over eating chocolate. Don't give it

more power than it deserves. Treat yourself to the very best

chocolate you can find/afford - and *savour* it. Have your own

wicked way with it, slowly - really appreciate it - without feeling

guilty. If you're not hungry and just want something nice to enjoy,

then make sure you *enjoy* it. And have it in plentiful supply so

you don't have to " finish it off " in one hit.

Best of luck.

Sigi

[Guest guest]

– What stands out about your

post is that this happens mainly January-April – the Winter months. My

Naturopath is very supportive of letting the body determine what it needs, and

he says that in the Winter it is only natural for the body to need more food.

We also need warming foods, and more of them! Soups, creamy dishes, potatoes,

meats, chocolate!

I try to just go with that, and know that

when the Winter changes to Spring, I will intuitively shift to lighter, more

cleansing foods. Eating with the seasons is a wonderful way to listen to what

your body needs/wants.

And I totally hear your frustration!

Good luck with your insights – hope this

helped put another spin on it!

Nyna

..

[Guest guest]

:

First, you need to relax. Just relax about the whole thing.

The more you beat yourself up, the worse it's going to get.

Second, try eating a bit more during the day before you totally

dismiss it. Don't set yourself up for failure with your thoughts.

If I make sense.

To be honest with you, I sometimes wonder if some people are just

hungrier at night?

One of the many diet books I read suggested that ancient warriors ate

sparsely during the day and ate more at night. That's the diet that

got me too lean.

Why not try working with your natural inclinations as well?

Make yourself a real dinner at night. Why not? If you prefer to eat

little snacks during the day, do so and make the night meal something

you really like or that is a little more substantial.

Don't be afraid to eat a little more at night. That's diet industry

BS that you'll gain weight.

I don't know if any of this helped or not, but I'll just end with a

big ol' hug.

Oh, and no more DEFEATIST thoughts? Okay?!

>

> I could really use some input on this. Every year at this time I

seem

> to really have a hard time with binging in the evenings. I mean it

is

> a problem year round but definitely worse between January and

April.

> I wish I could figure out what is causing it. Sometimes I think it

> may be fatigue and so I have tried getting more sleep or taking a

nap

> in the afternoon but it doesn't seem to help. I have also thought

it

> could be triggered by the stress of my kids and husband in the

evening

> but if so I'm not sure how to get around that (I've tried some

stress

> relief methods but none made a difference). I also tried taking

> WelButrin starting in November as I had read it could help with

binge

> eating (plus I sometimes suffer from depression)- however I have

not

> seen any change with it. The only other thing I can think of is I

eat

> very little during the day but I am afraid to eat more during the

day

> for fear that if it didn't help the evening binges go away then I

> would only end up gaining even MORE.

> It seems this same thing happens every single winter and I end up

> getting so depressed. I usually eat a normal dinner and then about

an

> hour later I have intense sugar cravings and then I eat junk all

> evening long....usually chocolate. I've tried every supplement I

> could think of, journaling, etc. I'm at my wits end. Any ideas? I

> keep feeling like if I could just get through ONE evening it would

> maybe be the start of breaking this cycle but no matter how good my

> intentions are I fail. I'd really appreciate your input. Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

, the first thing that popped into my head is 'amount of (sun)

light'. Winter = shorter days and this could be affecting/adding to

your depression? Eating in response to being depressed is probably

more common than we want to think about.

Katcha

>

> I could really use some input on this. Every year at this time I seem

> to really have a hard time with binging in the evenings. I mean it is

> a problem year round but definitely worse between January and April.

> I wish I could figure out what is causing it. Sometimes I think it

> may be fatigue and so I have tried getting more sleep or taking a nap

> in the afternoon but it doesn't seem to help. I have also thought it

> could be triggered by the stress of my kids and husband in the evening

> but if so I'm not sure how to get around that (I've tried some stress

> relief methods but none made a difference). I also tried taking

> WelButrin starting in November as I had read it could help with binge

> eating (plus I sometimes suffer from depression)- however I have not

> seen any change with it. The only other thing I can think of is I eat

> very little during the day but I am afraid to eat more during the day

> for fear that if it didn't help the evening binges go away then I

> would only end up gaining even MORE.

> It seems this same thing happens every single winter and I end up

> getting so depressed. I usually eat a normal dinner and then about an

> hour later I have intense sugar cravings and then I eat junk all

> evening long....usually chocolate. I've tried every supplement I

> could think of, journaling, etc. I'm at my wits end. Any ideas? I

> keep feeling like if I could just get through ONE evening it would

> maybe be the start of breaking this cycle but no matter how good my

> intentions are I fail. I'd really appreciate your input. Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

I could have written this. Even my signature is the same (my name is !). Except for the husband and kids part...I'm single. I had my evening binging under control before Christmas but now it is back. About 8 every evening I start cruising the cupboards and it's always junk I want. Chocolate, chips, etc.... I had started not eating in front of the tv several months ago. But then it started feeling like a rule so I started allowing myself to eat in front of the tv again. I'm thinking about doing that again because if I take away the tv and actually sit down and eat...the urge to eat goes away. But then I get mad or sad because I love to sit down with a bag of chips and watch tv. I've been doing it all my life and it's really hard to stop. And if I don't have chips it's crackers or chocolate or cheese or rice cakes or any combo of the

above. I'll find something to sit down and inhale. begemans wrote: I could really use some input on this. Every year at this time I seem to really have a hard time with binging in the evenings. I mean it is a problem year round but definitely worse between January and April. I wish I could figure out what is causing it. Sometimes I think it may be fatigue and so I have tried getting more sleep or taking a nap in the afternoon but it doesn't seem to help. I have also thought it could be

triggered by the stress of my kids and husband in the evening but if so I'm not sure how to get around that (I've tried some stress relief methods but none made a difference). I also tried taking WelButrin starting in November as I had read it could help with binge eating (plus I sometimes suffer from depression)- however I have not seen any change with it. The only other thing I can think of is I eat very little during the day but I am afraid to eat more during the day for fear that if it didn't help the evening binges go away then I would only end up gaining even MORE.It seems this same thing happens every single winter and I end up getting so depressed. I usually eat a normal dinner and then about an hour later I have intense sugar cravings and then I eat junk all evening long....usually chocolate. I've tried every supplement I could think of, journaling, etc. I'm at my wits end. Any ideas? I keep feeling like if I

could just get through ONE evening it would maybe be the start of breaking this cycle but no matter how good my intentions are I fail. I'd really appreciate your input. Thanks,

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