Help me stop binge eating?

Some years ago, not too long, I had a lean body build and to me…looking back at my Facebook photos when I started college and other photos, I looked handsome indeed. Then, I got terribly sick, and I ended up in the hospital for some time. When I got out, I felt healthier…sure…but I started to gain weight. I started to gain weight rapidly, my face, my belly, my neck was expanding. I tried eating healthier, and running and all that, but the weight just can’t come off up to this day. I look at myself in the mirror and in my mind I feel horrible. I said to myself years ago that I would not end up fat and with a big belly like my father and my uncles, but it happened and I was going crazy. I was a handsome guy, with six packs that everyone including the college girlfriends that I hanged out with used to talk about. My ex-girlfriend who I loved very much, is now dating someone with a big belly and I at least thought the I could have a one up on him by at least having my packs, but alas…I don’t. On top of that everyone in my last year of college class and some members of my family call me “Fat Boy” and they say I look like the “Cool Aid Guy”. Yeah, I am really going through a tough time. Girls I knew are saying to me ” Ha ha, from hero to zero!”. I went crazy for awhile, looking for secret weight loss medicines, looking for pills and other things that would help me get back to where I once was, but up to today I am still looking for it. One morning, I spoke to my mother about the problem, and how depressed I was feeling, and she told me…to think about the most beautiful things that I know in life. Pearls, Jewels, Money. They are all mostly hidden, covered up and it takes a lot of work and patience for these things to be revealed. What she was trying to say is that, the most beautiful and wondrous things in this world are all hidden and lie beneath the surface. So she told me and I am telling you that it doesn’t matter so much about what you look like. You should love every and I mean every part of your body, regardless of how thin or how fat it may be, because underneath all that is true beauty. Your soul, your mind and I don’t know you personally, but I am sure you are a great person, full of potential that just wants to grow and blossom. Just love yourself enough, and you will overcome your binge addiction. Love yourself enough and you would find that treasure that is hidden like all the other treasures of this world. I hope I gave you enough inspiration, for you to stop this problem that is plaguing your life. Don’t be scared that you will end up fat, just eat right and don’t worry because by worrying you will increase the problem. No matter how you end up, that is just on the outside. Dig deep! Look closely! And you will find the treasure that lies beneath all this. Good luck!

@emeraldisles
I wonder if, the YMCA might offer inexpensive counseling for you.
Being fit and thin is an issue I have dealt with my whole life. Since I work out I am always fit and thin. Exercise has give me control over this part of my life. I also eat whole foods and rarely cheat.
I was a chubby child but, exercise has provided me with the ability to always remain thin and fit since my early twenties. I started to understand the power of exercise when I took Yoga as a teen in college.
You are binging because you are stressed out. Perhaps you could get certified as an Aerobics or Yoga teacher. You could than get a part time job teaching and attend at least a community college.
How old are you? There must be counseling available for you in your community for free or for a small charge.
You need to ask your local Social Services for help. The Jewish Broad and YMCA usually offer counseling.
All humans deserve help. Please ask for help from your community. Do not give up. You can prevail. Growing up is a difficult process.

Well sounds like depression, stress and frustration are the underlying causes of emotional eating.

I also attend free things. You might be limited because of travel. But I found a knitting group there’s a book club and hiking group. But really so many options.

Acknowledging it and addressing it in small steps would be the best long term.

However. Short term gum drink a glass of water or tea or something when tempted to eat you can even put a reminder on your fridge door. Something cute funny or sarcastic or goal oriented or just factual.

Weighing yourself everyday and keeping a food journal.

Gum. Buy big packs and justify the two calories by chomping it to bits or grabbing crunchy chewy food like raw broccoli, carrots or celery.

Stay busy. Creative outlets. I do knitting which keeps my hands busy refinish or art deco on occasion write draw or paint. It’s fun to But yourself in projects and sometimes you can sell them or give them as gifts.

Finally find the easiest problem to work on. And create deadlines in small steps.

Don’t overshare your problems while interviewing or volunteering. Talk to people in the fields your interested in. Interview them. You might be able to do this over the phone or by email. Look a little into their career tell then you’d like to learn more about their story and their job.

Just a few random ideas pick one lot two or make your own.

Problems are overwhelming when always looking at the big picture. Not to say they aren’t a big deal. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate. But they can be overcome. And keep in touch. Let us know how it goes.

Eating too much is not bad to your body but fact is that you should have to take a good & healthy meal. As much you will eat its double you should have to workout.

Thanks, I know my mom and dad have compulsive eating issues and have both struggled with the weight big, big time. I fear I’m heading down that path, and it just disgusts me. Yes I am vain, and yeah I love to work out, but I don’t want to overexercise either, because I went on a binge. That’s not healthy at all, and just leads to injury. I don’t mind working out for a couple hours one day, an hour the next, maybe an hour and a half another day, etc, and mixing it up, but it’s so frustrating. I swear to goodness I can remember sneaking food as a kid, and I still do it sometimes, like food was used a s a reward for me( I’m half Italian), and it completely ruins your life, it really does, instead of dealing with emotions or problems without turning to food. I have had times I cry because the cravings are so bad and the desire is so strong. I hate being compulsive. I know all this info about nutrition and fitness and can practice it sometimes, but sometimes I feel like what’s the use, mostly everyone I know or am related to is overweight, not chubby but big, and it’s depressing, and everyone has these weight related health issues, and is just really negative. My dad knows I have an eating disorder, binge eating, and he compunds the problem. I found out he’s a cross dresser and has basically lied to my mom and me my whole life, and is one of the most selfish guys on the planet. I wonder if that’s one reason I struggle so much with this. He goes on these vacations and out to eat all the time, and then says he has no money. He tells me he’ll help me with something, but then he doesn’t follow through, like for instance I’m trying to get into cycling outdoors, and I talked to my grandmother about getting a bike and an indoor bike trainer so I could mimic the spin classes I take. Well then he says he’ll help me learn to cycle outdoors so I can sprint and get my cardio in, and that he’ll split the cost with my grandmother. Well and behold, we go to get the bike, and he goes off like a moron, and she ends up paying for the whole bike and the bike trainer. He sends her checks and she uses some of the money to pay for my YMCA membership because she knows I’m serious about swimming, the classes, and the machines with my running, and because I get depressed when I don’t get to exercise. I literally get high off it sometimes. I can’t even get a driver’s license. There’s no car, and I’m stuck. There’s my mom’s car and his, and he’s like ecstatic for me to join the military so he’s off the hook and doesn’t have to pay a single dime. I looked into doing it even part time, and there’s no way I would last on my antidepressants. So I looked into City Year, AmeriCorps, and even doing a beauty pageant, but there’s no money. I looked into modeling, and again no support and no money.

The army. You don’t need ANYTHING for the army. Just hide your depression. You may not be depressed at all, just SUPRESSED and FRUSTRATED. The army gives you a good basis, some money to build off from, a place to live, good opportunities. Kinda stucks with WWIII around the corner, but there are always ways around that. :)

If that doesn’t sound appealing, get a couple part time jobs, rent a room somewhere. If you are SERIOUS about school, go to a trade school. You don’t need money down, just your parents to sign off that you are not their dependent if you are under 23(3?) (unless they’ve changed it). I went through the same exact thing growing up. I’ve had a hard life, STILL am having a hard life (got pregnant at 20 by a loser), but it’s getting much much better now that I can look back and see where I could have changed things (I’m 31 now).

P.S. – birth control is your friend, finish college before you have a baby, and pick a good man who can support your family before you even THINK about not using b.c.!! :)

Well I’m gay and asexual so I don’t have to worry about that, and I swear I would shoot someone if they tried to rape me, and I wouldn’t take it lying down. Having a kid I don’t want is the last thing I need. I don’t find guys attractive at all. That’s another problem I don’t need, and the women in my family get fat and stay fat when they have kids like the idea of community service. I really don’t like children, I don’t want anything bad to happen to them, but that’s me.