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Binge Eating

PreOptMegs

By PreOptMegs
in Related Issues & Disorders

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PreOptMegs Explorer
PreOptMegs
Posted

I was just wondering if binge eating is prevalent among people who must follow a gluten-free diet. I find that if I am ever surrounded by food I CAN eat, I tend to over eat...

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  • Replies 64
  • Created
  • Last Reply
GlutenFreeAl Contributor
GlutenFreeAl
Posted

I've been binging quite a bit lately. I go in cycles. I feel crappy, don't eat much for a few days, feel better, then eat EVERYTHING in sight.

Unfortunately, eating so much makes me want to puke. When will I learn? <_<

ianm Apprentice
ianm
Posted

I used to be a binge eater both pre and post gluten-free but not anymore. My body has reached a point where I can only eat just so much. If I go beyond that point I pay a steep price. It took time and discipline but I overcame it. For me I changed my attitude from living to eat to eating to live.

Nancym Enthusiast
Nancym
Posted

Oddly enough, I think it was gluten that was causing my binges, that and milk. Intolerant to both. Since I've been on SCD I haven't binged at all. Well, I did overeat on nuts, but I didn't binge!

key Contributor
key
Posted

Before gluten-free I used to eat more then I should at times, but hated being full or should I say stuffed. ONce I got married about 8 years ago, I hate overeating. I don't do it at all. I also have that motto. I eat to live, not live to eat! It is a very good one to follow. I know it is easier said sometimes, but I just don't like feeling gross, so I don't overeat.

MOnica

PreOptMegs Explorer
PreOptMegs
Posted
  • Author

When I was strictly following SCD, I never had those crazy cravings. I mean, sure I would treat myself to raisins, cheese, and PB, but now that I have introduced gluten-free "junk" food into my diet (M&Ms, ice cream, cheetos...) I seem to be losing control. I am vowing to stop it because food isn't worth it!!

danikali Enthusiast
danikali
Posted

Well I've noticed that some days, I'm okay and can have a normal amount of food. But after about 3 days like that, my appetite is enourmous and I'm craving anything sweet, creamy, chocolate, etc. I hate it because it seems like I am never satisfied on these days. I've never had this feeling so bad until I went gluten-free. I don't know what it is. Maybe I am still going through gluten withdrawl and I want something like real bread, or cereal bars that I used to eat.........or maybe because when I would eat gluten, just a little bit would make my stomach blow up like a balloon so I would feel gross and stop ASAP, and now that this doesn't happen anymore, my body doesn't know when to stop?.........who knows, but it can't be good to keep this up!

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aljf Apprentice
aljf
Posted

just adding my 2 cents: i too binge!

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted
Well I've noticed that some days, I'm okay and can have a normal amount of food. But after about 3 days like that, my appetite is enourmous and I'm craving anything sweet, creamy, chocolate, etc. I hate it because it seems like I am never satisfied on these days. I've never had this feeling so bad until I went gluten-free. I don't know what it is.

That is how it is with me! I feel like I need to eat--especially in the afternoon hours (even after lunch!) I thought it was just me :huh:

Guest Viola
Guest Viola
Posted

Some days I too have trouble with being hungry all day, and craving sweet stuff, but have solved the problem for the most part by keeping a big bowl of air popped popcorn handy.

jenvan Collaborator
jenvan
Posted

I eat the urge to stuff face on sweets during that time of the month :) For me, if I ever get the urge, it is at least sometimes hormonal..

MACE Rookie
MACE
Posted

I use to have lots of binges before gluten free. Now I find I do not want nearly as much to eat or that I want to eat as often. If I do mess up and get some gluten it seems to set me off again and then I go on binges again. I believe the gluten was making me want more food and not the right kinds of foods.

codetalker Contributor
codetalker
Posted

Yes, but only at dinner time.

jkmunchkin Rising Star
jkmunchkin
Posted

I've always joked that I am like a dog; if you put food infront of me I will just keep eating. I probably don't eat as much now as I did pre-dx, but only because I can't eat everything and anything that is in sight. I've always been really thin and have never seen physical consequences to what I ate. And I basically always felt sick if I at a little or a lot, so I went with a lot. Although I never really ate a lot at once. I kinda just eat continually throughout the day but get full quickly at each sitting... but 20 minutes later I'm ready to eat more.

So yes I am and always have been a binge eater.

WGibs Apprentice
WGibs
Posted

When I first went gluten-free, I was feeling munchy all the time, but that was because I was just cutting out gluten foods and hadn't figured out what to replace them with. A big part of fighting the munchies for me is getting enough protein.

That said, I do have those days when I'm just insatiable...usually around that time of the month, and in that case it's usually a very genuine sensation of hunger, not just that anxious desire to eat. Before I was gluten-free, it was more anxious, chocolate-driven cravings.

The biggest difference for me in this area is that I have to be much more careful to eat frequently enough. The few times I've gone too long, I had major blood sugar crashes that lasted a few hours after I got food into my system. That didn't used to happen at all.

hez Enthusiast
hez
Posted

I can't say I am a binge eater but I think I hoard food :ph34r: When I got my dx I started hoarding food. I just thought it was my mind trying to deal with the limitations of the diet. When I would find food that was gluten-free (usually junk food) I would buy it up. It made me feel good knowing there was food in the cupboard that was mine. I still have a bag of Fritos that are about five months old :P

Hez

Guest Viola
Guest Viola
Posted
I've always joked that I am like a dog; if you put food infront of me I will just keep eating. I probably don't eat as much now as I did pre-dx, but only because I can't eat everything and anything that is in sight. I've always been really thin and have never seen physical consequences to what I ate. And I basically always felt sick if I at a little or a lot, so I went with a lot. Although I never really ate a lot at once. I kinda just eat continually throughout the day but get full quickly at each sitting... but 20 minutes later I'm ready to eat more.

So yes I am and always have been a binge eater.

This is how I am as well, but I prefer to lable it as grazing ... you know, eating a little at a time several times a day. :lol:

jkmunchkin Rising Star
jkmunchkin
Posted
This is how I am as well, but I prefer to lable it as grazing ... you know, eating a little at a time several times a day. :lol:

LOL!!! We have an extensive cafeteria at work with all sorts of stations (stir fry, salad bar, sushi, omlettes, sandwiches, grill, international table, etc). Whenever I go down there I always say I'm gonna go graze.

PreOptMegs Explorer
PreOptMegs
Posted
  • Author

How many of you guys would consider yourself overweight, or are not happy about your weight because of your new eating habits after going gluten-free?

I definately agree with hoarding.... If I see M&Ms, they are mine!!!!!!!

Guest Viola
Guest Viola
Posted

I have become a little over weight in the last couple of years, but I don't really chock it up to my bad eating habits ... at least not entirely. I started gaining weight after I developed Costocontritis, which limits my physical activities and therefore I am not burning as many callories as I used to. :rolleyes: But having a hard time getting those few pounds back off :(

  • 2 weeks later...
water-nymph Newbie
water-nymph
Posted
How many of you guys would consider yourself overweight, or are not happy about your weight because of your new eating habits after going gluten-free?

Ugh, I am disgusted with myself. When I started the gluten-free diet, I started treating myself to sugary things, which I had perviously cut out of my diet. I think I've gained about 5-10 lbs. Not much, but when you have pre-existing depression and warped body-image standards.. Well, you get it.

Sorry, I'm having a moment. :blink:

About binge eating - I used to binge on pasta and bread products before going gluten-free. I just never got full when eating pasta. Tinkyada's rice pasta fills me up now, so I eat less... Still binging on tortilla chips.

I'm cutting the sugary snacks out of my diet and taking up the exercising again..

  • 2 weeks later...
burdee Enthusiast
burdee
Posted

I've read and observed that binge eating is common among ANYONE (not just celiacs) who feel deprived by weight loss diets or health related (celiac) restrictions. When I first was diagnosed with celiac disease, I feared I would return to binge eating, which I used during years of dieting to control weight ... yeah, viscious circle there. So I found gluten-free SUBSTITUTES for every regular (gluten) food I previously ate. That helped me think 'substitute' and feel better, rather than 'restrict' and feel deprived. My dairy and soy intolerance diagnoses challenged me even more to find SUBSTITUTES to prevent deprivation.

Also lifestyle deprivation (all work and no play, etc.) influence people to give themselves too much food, when not hungry (BINGES), rather than change their living habits. Our society's 'always be productive and useful' mentality discourages people from 'taking care of themselves' in any ways except eating. So they work too long, miss sleep and exercise, but NEVER miss snacks and meals. If anyone struggles with deprivation related bingeing, whether from lifestyle habits or dietary restrictions, I suggest you visit my website for those committed to recovery from disordered eating habits (starving, bingeing, purging, etc.) at Open Original Shared Link We learn to eat naturally and mindfully by obeying our body cues of hunger and satisfaction and listening to our emotional/physical needs for other things besides food.

BURDEE

zip2play Apprentice
zip2play
Posted
I definately agree with hoarding.... If I see M&Ms, they are mine!!!!!!!

That is me! Before Gluten Free, I rarely ate sugar. I just wouldn't allow myself it! Now, since there are so many other things I can't have. I eat sugar daily. I started on 01/09/06 and I am the same weight as I was. But that was a good 10 or 15 pounds more than it should be!

Monica

penguin Community Regular
penguin
Posted

I really don't like chocolate, and yet, since I started gluten-free two weeks ago, I'm eating tons of it! :o

(Actually, its only been like, a tub of kozy shack pudding, 2 little bags of m&m's and a 3 musketeers bar, but that is usually the amount of chocolate I eat in a year.)

I'm really hypoglycemic, so I'm generally afraid of anything but a side of beef before noon, but now since I went gluten-free I can eat a bowl of puffins in the morning and go on my merry way! :)

I used to binge a lot, then in college I started getting sick a lot and just didn't eat as much. And I was convinced dorm food was killing me. I'm a snack throughout the day kind of person.

I've always been pretty heavy, went from 225 to 170 my first year in college but I never knew how. Hmm, I wonder... :huh:

I binge on some things, like rotel (regional thing, velveeta and a can of rotel until good and melty) is rotel gluten-free?, ritz crackers (not anymore), and sour patch kids :D

zakismom Newbie
zakismom
Posted

I've gained some weight but I'm still in the normal range and my clothes still fit. It doesn't help that I think about food all the time. I have to plan every meal away from the house (which usually means bringing my own) and therefore have to shop in advance and have extra food laying around. My weaknesses are potato chips-have to buy the smallest bag because I eat them all- and macaroni and cheese(Tinkyada of course.)

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