Young Calorie Counters

I'm 17 and just started ASU as a junior, I transfered from a community college and now live with my bestfriend/roommate instead of my family.  I lost ten pounds last semester because I was dating, now that we've broken up I put it all back on....I'm always anxious (from school) and lonely because my roommate is gone a lot. I'm usually a very fun and happy person, so I hide these feelings from my friends. Whenever I'm at home I completely binge eat, don't stop eating at all pretty much. I used to only eat 1500 calories a day last semester but now it's like 3200!! I count every single calorie. I'm 5'9 and weigh 146, I'm really unhappy about it. please help!

I can not motivate myself to stop binging.

I know what it is like to binge. I did it most of my life and am very much an emotional eater. I deal with my feelings by stuffing my face, and its not an easy thing to stop.  I do have a few suggestions, but they are not easy to follow (at least not for me when I feel my lowest, but if you try, it can help).

1. Keep a daily log of everything you eat, including your binges. Keeping track makes you aware of what you are doing and if you stop to think, it may help you stop those binges.

2. find a hobby you enjoy. Walks,  knitting, reading, something that you can enjoy that will get you away from food. Its not easy, but keeping busy helps me.

3. as hard as it may be, bring friends in on this. Or come to the site and post in your journal when you feel a binge coming on. Its all about being aware of what you are doing.

 I am bad for it too. I am not hungry but feel "bad" so stuff myself then feel ill after wards. Its not easy to stop, but it can be done. Just take it one step at a time. Self awareness is key!!

I hope this helps and good luck. If you like, use me as a support, email me any time and I will try to help as I am sure many others will too!!

 

Don't stay in your room! This might be difficult, but if you distract yourself, it can go a long way.

For instance, I like to write. I'll take my laptop out to a park or something and write. I'm not typically as self motivated to write when I'm sitting alone in my room feeling lonely and sad and thinking about everything I should be doing. (This also works for homework. Doing homework out of my room seems to help a lot! Even if I go somewhere like Panera, where there are lots of people and lots of food, I'll sit down with a nice salad or sandwich on sourdough and feel a lot better about the general state of my life than if I'm alone wolfing down a bag of chips and won't be so tempted for their muffins...)

Other things you can try to get out of the house and distract you from eating: Visit the student center, go to bookstores, join a gym and do gym classes (you'll never be more motivated to work out then when other people are doing better than you and you look very lame in comparison), get your iPod and walk around campus, take an extracurricular class like painting or knitting at Michaels, etc.

And don't, don't walk down the soda/snack food aisle at the grocery store!!!! (I made this mistake too many times to count. I now just don't even look at that aisle...) 

thanks so much I'll try all of these tips

 

I woke up at 7:30, it's 10:30 now...I am at 1800 calories. this is the worst I've ever done, I can not believe it....I will try all these tips bcuz I'm spirally out of control and I really think they might help.

I really do believe keeping yourself occupied is the best thing you can do for yourself. But it's also not the end of the world if you screw up once and again. You can't change immediately. Be nice to yourself. You're still a good person. You're still taller than me and weight less!!! =)

*hug*

I know how hard it is. Another suggestion is planning. I am an avid planner. The night before, plan your meals for the day including snacks and take everything into account. Plan activities if you dont have classes and dont let your self go hungry. Eat when you need to but plan it out, it mayhelp. Have a free day? Go out to expolore a book store or small shop you heard abouat. The walk will keep you busy and be great to burn off calories. Keep busy, its hard, I know, but once you get into  a routine for a few days, it will be easier. Just never give up!! You are a wonderful, beautiful person and never for get that, but keeping busy and planning is a good thing. Oh and if you store junk in your house or room, clean it out and dump it! Harder to eat it if its not there!!

Join a club. ASU has clubs of every shape and idea. Go hang out at the MU, SRC, Library. Don't stay in your room. I defiantly second the planning in advance as well. I plan the night before my meals and snacks so that I can get my lunch and snacks ready to take to school (I'm at ASU as well) or to work.

 

On a side note, what community college did you attend? What are you majoring in?

 I'm a math major on my last semester yeah!

I have struggled with binging so much too.  Keeping busy and planning help me a lot.  I also find that if it is not in the house, I won't go out to the store to buy it when I get a craving.  Keep lots of fruits and veggies around and snack on them.  I have found that it is a lot easier to resist buying chips and sweets when I'm in the store than it is to resist eating them at home. 

I dont have any advice, as Im a binger too, I just sent you a personal message.