Reddit reviews Brain over Binge: Why I Was Bulimic, Why Conventional Therapy Didn't Work, and How I Recovered for Good

I'm a 22 y/o male, was bulimic for 10 years, but have been recovered for over a year. Highly recommend reading Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hansen if you haven't. My ED stopped almost immediately, after I read her book. Might not be everyone's cup of tea, but that shift in perspective was all it took for me. Best of luck!

There is also a lot of buzz going on about the concept of "mindful eating", which relies on recognizing cravings as a natural reaction of an addicted brain that you don't have to act on, rather than being forced to battle them with willpower (which often fails). There is some good research behind this idea too.

Brain Over Binge was a pretty good lay person introduction to this.

Read Brain Over Binge. It's got the best, most useful, practical, and empowering approach I've found. It basically says this: the urge to binge is not something you can control -- but giving into the urge and actually binging is entirely in your hands. I mean, literally.

There is nothing making your hand reach for food and put it in your mouth. Don't be a victim, and do not let people tell you that you are a victim. You are not. You can stop. It's a matter of rerouting some neural pathways is all (granted, that still takes a lot of work, but at least there's hope with this approach!)

I completely understand. I’ll have a meal with friends, and as we’re signing our checks, I’m already planning which fast food places to stop at on the way home. I revolve my entire life around food. One thing that has been really helpful for me is the book Brain Over Binge. Might be worth checking out. I was desperate and willing to try anything and this book helped a lot.

Not a movie, but I've seen Brain Over Binge listed a lot.

Your post is one of the most uplifiting ones we've gotten. You two are doing great! I don't have time right now for a more lengthy comment, but know that the first 6 weeks of changing a habit are some of the hardest. Mark that 6 weeks on your calendar and keep striving for it. Then, mark the next month, and on and on. Try to take it one day at a time with reachable time goals.

Each and every time you deny an unhealthy habit it helps rewire the brain. A book that many say has helped is Brain over Binge - that's the authors website, and the book is here on Amazon.

You're doing great! Keep it up.

I didn't have full on BED, but I did have periods of time where I would just say F it and overeat. I highly suggest Never Binge Again by Glen Livingston - Kindle edition is free(!!) and Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hansen. She just started a podcast 2 weeks ago also and it's great! Both of Livingston and Hansen use a similar technique and it's very effective in BED and overeating in general.

Have you done your macros yet on the Keto calculator? I'd start there - make sure you set your activity level to sedentary, especially as a woman with PCOS. As you know, it's harder for us to lose but it's possible.

Firstly, great work on admitting it publicly.

This is a very predictable response, but I would strongly recommend this book as soon as possible:

https://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702/

The worst thing you can do right now is start to fight yourself. This book helps ground you as well as teaching you techniques to get back to normal.

The last thing you need is to let the habit get its hooks into you, so the sooner you can try to combat the ER the better. Don't fall into the trap of burying your head in the sand until you're in too deep. It sounds as though you may already be justifying the behaviour in your head 'Well it's not that bad because...' or 'It's not a disorder because...'. But remember, this thinking persists no matter how bad things get. That's part of the reason why the prognosis for anorexia is so poor.

Look into the book "brain over binge." It helped me a lot.

http://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702

Two excellent reads, I highly recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Binge-Eating-Second-Program/dp/1572305614/

https://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1495066465&sr=8-4&keywords=binge+eating

I used both of these during a year long, very successful recovery plan. They both explain some of the science and psychology of bingeing.

For me bingeing is caused by: restricting, weight gain, general over eating, sadness, anger, stress, frustration, boredom. lol fuck me

If you ever wanna talk bingeing, PM me. :)

I would suggest reading this book or listening to it on on audible. I think with what you described above it could be very beneficial.
https://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702/ref=nodl_

Read Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hansen.

It has changed the way I thought about my binge eating and I haven’t done it now in about a month, and I don’t think I’ll go back.

I wish you the best of luck. Actually, fuck luck. You have the power.

https://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702

I highly recommend the book "Brain Over Binge."

http://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702

Hey there OP, you've already gotten a lot of great advice but I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what you've been through and there is truly always hope.

It sounds like you may be struggling with BED. Many of us have been through the same sorts of thing - I developed BED from being denied anything salty or sugary or delicious as a kid, so that when I DID get my hands on it I went nuts, and that continued into my adulthood. I had a lot of shame and guilt around anything that tasted good.

Binge eating disorder is real and is a fucking bitch to deal with. We feel ya.

I'd like to recommend not JUST focusing on your calories but also working to tackle your bingeing. Because even if you take the weight off, it can come back easily if you don't have some tools to help you with binge urges. I once lost over 100lbs in my teen years; and gained it all back because despite that I had NO coping mechanisms to use when I had binge urges.

I've been successfully treating my BED with concepts from the book Brain Over Binge. My bingeing is a lot less frequent and much more under control now, even when I do binge, its usually not that bad. I also used the website Rational Recovery, and replaced the words "alcohol" with "food" and "drinking" with "bingeing." I realized I was/am addicted to food, and it can be helpful to read and research things involving addiction. Some concepts that have helped people quit smoking, drugs, or drinking, can also help with food addiction.

Here is the Amazon link to the book

Here is the website to Rational Recovery

Here are some Youtube videos that might help

Another

There are TONS more Youtube videos out there on this topic, and a wealth of advice, information and tips to read and research. There's a good chance you will find something that works for you!

I can't guarantee your binge eating will go away forever (I still have my moments), but it could improve enough for you to live a better life.

I have Brain over Binge on my list after seeing it recommended here and on loseit a few times. Maybe someone who's read it can chime in with a review!

Edit: nope

> I have a history of deep depression, eating disorders and many other self destructive habits.

Yup. That's me, too. All of it. Also a 24/F.

Regular, vigorous exercise is by far the best "cure." I've tried many medications and treatments over the past decade and my life transformed several months ago when I started exercising.

Part of the trick was finding a type of exercise that I truly enjoy (biking). I also do Insanity workouts, but they get kind of boring (they can be monotonous). Thinking of joining a gym to keep me motivated on cold and rainy days.

Not sure what ED you struggle with, but try reading Brain Over Binge if it's relevant. I found it very helpful.

Edit: Exercise has also helped me to truly want to respect my body and has helped deter ED urges or behaviors. I value my strength and physical ability more than temporarily gratifying self-destruction.

I've seen people recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702

I hope this doesn't get lost, but please look into the book called Brain Over Binge. I have dealt with binge eating for years, tried therapy, read self-help books, etc, and nothing has given me the clarity to see my binge eating for what it really was besides this book.

Me too! Have you read Brain over Binge yet? Her concepts worked for me, although sometimes I still choose to ignore them and conscientiously choose to binge.

https://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702

Oh, and I always recommend checking out Brain Over Binge for folks like me who may be fighting that particular battle. Give it a shot!

I agree with the others about seeking professional help. I think you also may be interested to read the book Brain Over Binge. The author discusses her struggles with over eating and subsequent recovery from binge eating/bulimia. I had some problems with self control (not full out binge eating disorder) and I feel that I greatly benefitted from reading what she had to say. Someone on this sub suggested it to me and I downloaded it to my iPad right away and read it within a few days!

I can't recommend Brain Over Binge highly enough. It's the only thing that's worked for me after over a decade of binge eating.

Hey have you read Brain Over Binge? I thought it was pretty helpful. https://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702

I seriously think it's a terrible idea. It just leads to even worse binges when you do break the fast.

I used to have a serious binge eating problem myself, what helping me tremendously was this book.

Read the reviews on this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702

Just know that there is hope.

https://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702

never read it, but I intend to

http://www.amazon.de/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702/ref=sr_1_1/279-1882819-9691824?ie=UTF8&qid=1457932940&sr=8-1&keywords=brain+over+binge

Shaming does absolutely nothing for "health" (which so many average to unhealthy thin people obsess over when it comes to fat people) and only encourages eating disorders. I'm stressing only.

I've been all over the spectrum. I was an overweight pre-teen turned a teenager with an eating disorder (bulimia) which led me to lose weight- but also to therapy and anti-anxiety medication at 15. I recovered and gained a lot of weight back, which my college self worked hard to get off. It became extreme and I was doing 80 minutes of cardio on top of biking to work and eating ~1200 calories a day (while being unable to cope and eating 3000 calories a sitting because I was just so damn hungry) to keep myself at 117 pounds. I then got into weight-lifting, turned my obsession over calories into macros, which was just as unhealthy. I even became a manager at a gym I was so obsessed. Now graduated, in therapy and on medication again, I don't count calories and sit at a healthy ~130lbs without going to bed hungry or spending my life on a treadmill. I eat healthy, workout 5-6 times a week, but I'm 100% a part of the anti-diet and body positive movement.

Please note, then nowhere in my journey have I ever been unhealthy. I've had a gym membership since 14. At 180 pounds I didn't have any health concerns, and the most unhealthy behaviors I've done was puking up my food or binging because of my hunger when I was (surprise!) trying to diet.

You can say that my story is "different" but it's not. My parents and peers had the same mentality you did as I was growing up. I remember vividly my dad yelling at me that if I didn't stop being "lazy" that I would be (and I quote) "300 pounds and absolutely disgusting." Telling anyone this, especially children who are extremely more likely to develop an eating disorder if they diet because their brains aren't matured enough to handle what's basically a famine, is dangerous.

With any movement, there's going to be extremes. So much of the body-positive movement works to fight against stories like mine - a healthy teenager wanting to lose ~10 pounds because then they'll be "beautiful" turning into a lifelong struggle with food. If allowing fat people to just exist as fat people and be okay with their body angers you, seek help and look internally. Also, If you want to throw stones however, look at the health and fitness movement and the bullshit they promote as well.

Also: Any minor on here wishing to lose weight (especially if it's vanity pounds) please read the book Brain over Binge and know that you can have a healthier lifestyle without dieting or starving yourself.

This helped me understand and overcome my binging. Hope it helps.

https://smile.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1523929290&sr=8-1&keywords=Brain+over+binge

Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful for you. I still have a lot of "baggage" to work through, a lot of issues to resolve and heal but this was a good start. Congratulations on your one year of sobriety! That reminds me of another book I've heard about. I'm in the middle of reading a book called Brain Over Binge written by a woman who overcame her binge eating disorder. I'm using it as a starting point in dealing with my own food and eating issues. In it she talks about reading the book called Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey, which is what helped her finally kick her binge eating problem after years of therapy doing nothing. It's actually a book about addiction recovery and just by chance she happened to try looking at books about addiction recovery in the bookstore instead of eating disorder books. This is the one she picked up. It talked about drugs and alcohol addiction but she just simply replaced that with the word "food" in her mind as she read it and it clicked for her. It talks about making a clear distinct separation in your mind and recognizing that the urge to engage in using the substance is coming from the primitive survival brain (same with things like anxiety which does have its place), but that it's the conscious human brain that is choosing to actually follow through and give in to the urge again. The primitive brain does not have the power to make you actually act. It's a bit more complex than that and she explained it better but she was able to take that knowledge and apply it to her eating disorder. I'm trying to use that and apply it to my anxiety.

Also, if you aren't familiar with this yet, you may want to try /r/raisedbynarcissists. I don't really have any experience dealing with that but it sounds like you're on the right track. You may also want to explore Childhood Emotional Neglect and what happens when we don't get that love and emotional support that we need as children as we are learning to navigate the world. It's about exploring emotional literacy and emotional intelligence, recognizing our feelings and knowing what to do with them in a healthy positive way (i.e. handling them properly instead of using drugs, sex, food, alcohol, things like that to cope). I'm slowly exploring that myself (for me it's food and learning how to communicate better). We need to work at connecting the dots with how we behave as adults to our past, recognizing that, understanding how that affects our behaviour, and resolving those feelings. Good luck!

http://www.amazon.com/Brain-over-Binge-Conventional-Recovered/dp/0984481702/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Yes, but this is merely restating their problem with much more words. OP clearly states that they have a problematic binge/purge pattern going on, telling them "you are stuck in an unhealthy pattern, you need to change it!" is kind of useless, IMHO.

OP: read Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hansen. It's life-changing.

Edit: added link to book.