Binge eating: Why do I do this to myself?

The title pretty much sums it all up. I am not fat. I don't consider myself fat, and honestly, I have zero desire to lose weight.
The thing is, I eat massive portions. Even when I stick to about 1,800 calories—which, based on my math, is exactly where my weight just stays totally stagnant—I still struggle. I eat three meals a day, but I don't actually stop eating when I feel full or satisfied. Instead, I find myself thinking things like, "Oh, come on, it’s not even that much," or "I might as well get full now so I don't end up feeling ravenous later."
I guess I should mention that late at night, usually after 9 PM, I rarely eat anything, even if I'm feeling abnormally hungry. During the day, though, I'm rarely ever truly "hungry" in the traditional sense; more often than not, I start getting the shakes—maybe some kind of hypoglycemic shock?—and I know it's happening because it kicks in about two or three hours after a meal if I haven't eaten something substantial.
I realize I'm probably overtaxing my digestive system. I don't really do snacks or smaller meals during the day, partly because I'm juggling a ton of homeopathic remedies that I have to take three or four times a day—some half an hour before eating, some an hour before... it's a whole complicated ordeal.
Another reason I avoid snacking is this nagging fear that if I start, I won't be able to control it, and I'll end up five pounds heavier because I know myself well enough to know I'd just graze constantly.
When I sit down for those three main meals, I'm actually quite happy and content; it's just that sometimes I definitely overdo it on the volume (even if the calories stay the same). And there is absolutely no way I'm skipping a meal; I just need to eat every four or five hours to function like a normal person.

So, why am I overeating like this, and how can I actually fix it?

velvetwolf92 said:The title pretty much sums it up. I am not fat. I don't consider myself fat, and I have zero desire to lose weight.
I just eat massive portions. I stay right around 1800 calories, which is what I've figured out keeps me at my current weight. I stick to three meals a day. The thing is, I don't stop eating when I actually feel full or satisfied. Instead, I just tell myself stuff like, "Oh, come on, it’s not even that much," or "I better stuff my face now so I’m not starving later."
That said, late at night—usually after 9 PM—I rarely eat anything, even if I'm feeling insanely hungry. During the day, though, I'm rarely ever truly hungry; instead, I start getting the shakes (maybe a hypoglycemic crash?), and I know it happens about 2-3 hours after a meal if I haven't eaten something substantial.
I realize I'm probably overloading my digestive system. I stopped snacking between meals partly because I'm taking a bunch of homeopathic remedies that I have to take 3 or 4 times a day—some half an hour before food, some an hour before... It's a whole ordeal.
Another reason I avoid snacking is that I'm terrified of losing control and ending up five pounds heavier because I know myself—if I start grazing, I won't be able to stop.
Honestly, when I stick to those three meals, I’m perfectly happy and content; it's just that sometimes I overdo it on the volume (even if the calories stay the same). And there is absolutely no way I'm skipping a meal—I need to eat every 4 or 5 hours just to function like a normal human being.

So, why am I bingeing on volume, and how do I make it stop?

If I'm reading this correctly...

You're saying you go overboard on the amount but not the actual calories? That sounds physically impossible to me unless you're basically drinking a gallon of water with every meal.😁

You say you're hitting about 1800 calories a day, which is totally normal, and you say you function fine that way... so why are you even stressing out about it? 🙄

Find a hobby or something and try to get over this food obsession.

It really all comes down to what you’re putting on your plate. Like, vegetables have such incredibly low calorie counts—for instance, you could probably scarf down a whole pound of carrots and only hit about 410 calories, or a massive pound of salad would barely be 130. I don't really go to those kinds of extremes myself since I try to maintain some sort of balance, but just as an example.

The thing is, I find myself eating even when I'm completely stuffed, even when my stomach actually hurts, because I just know that if I don't finish everything I prepared, my calorie count will be too low and I'll end up starving or even start shaking and stuff like that.

Yeah, okay, I realize I'm obsessed with it, but I honestly don't know how to make it stop. And it's not like anyone around me thinks this looks like an issue, even though it pretty much torments me most of the time—well, maybe not always, but usually when I'm feeling okay, it doesn't bother me quite as much.

I get that what you eat matters, but I honestly don't see why you're stressing out so much about this. If you're just constantly overstuffing your stomach, that’s obviously going to be an issue.

Since you mentioned you're eating huge volumes, I'm guessing it's mostly low-calorie stuff, like tons of veggies or whatever.
Honestly, maybe try cutting back on those massive salads that just bloat you up without actually making you feel full. You need to eat things that actually stick to your ribs for a while—maybe grab a little more chicken, some beans, or some whole grains instead.

I went through this phase where I was absolutely obsessed with counting every single calorie, and it was driving me insane. I finally got my life together once I stopped obsessing over the numbers and just started eating real food—you know, ditching the mindless snacking and the candy bars... and actually listening to my stomach instead of just eating with my eyes. 😁

Thanks, Christina, for getting back to me and for the solid advice. I used to be completely obsessed with calorie counting myself, though I wouldn't say I am anymore—I still track them, but it’s not this all-consuming fixation. In other words, I can actually go out to eat somewhere without immediately spiraling into a mental calculation of how many calories are in the dish, checking the grain content, guessing the weight, and doing math in my head (yeah, I really did used to do that), but now I just look at something and think, "Well, this is definitely loaded with calories," laugh it off, and just dig in. It’s not like I do that every single day, so I figure having an occasional indulgence with some "unhealthy" food isn't going to kill me.
I deal with quite a few digestive issues, and I’m pretty certain that overstuffing myself plays a huge part in that, since my stomach really wasn't built to handle massive amounts of food all at once.

I suppose my biggest struggle is just that I don't know how to be moderate; I haven't figured out how to find that middle ground. I tend to swing from one extreme to the other, and honestly, that can feel pretty overwhelming sometimes.

Well, velvetwolf92, I can't help but wonder if the real issue here is that you aren't eating more frequently throughout the day, which leaves you feeling so ravenous that you end up overindulging during those three main meals.
It’s actually something I struggle with myself whenever I miss a snack between my bigger meals; by the time I finally get home, I find myself eating so much that I can barely breathe, which really isn't ideal, so I try my best to have something small to tide me over...
Eating more often certainly won't cause you to gain weight—if anything, you'll probably feel much better and avoid that heavy, overstuffed sensation entirely.
In my opinion, it really is as simple as that 😉

Lisa Barrett22 said:Find a hobby and get over this food obsession.

The only right way.
But it isn't that simple. You actually want to dwell on it.
To analyze, to tackle "that little issue of yours"—because that’s how it works.
Everything else that's "troubling" you—though perhaps you don't even realize what it is yet, since you haven't fully processed it... 😉 You're just sweeping it under the rug.
You’re just using your diet as a distraction to avoid tackling your actual issues.
Get moving. Find some decent literature, do a bit of reading on this and similar topics. Eventually, you'll realize what's happening, and over time, the situation will shift—and you'll be the one to thank yourself for it.
It all comes down to you and the effort you’re willing to put in. Make it a point to get some exercise in three or four times a week, and maybe pick up one or two new hobbies to fill the gaps.
In a few months, you'll be fine. In a year, you'll be okay. Until then—just hang in there.
Focus on something else.
👋

velvetwolf92 said:The title pretty much sums it all up. I’m not overweight. I don't see myself that way, and I have zero desire to lose weight.
I just eat massive portions. I stay right around 1,800 calories, which seems to be my maintenance level, but the volume is huge. I stick to three meals a day. The problem is, I don't actually stop eating when I feel full. Instead, I find myself thinking, "Eh, it's not that much," or "I might as well get stuffed now so I'm not starving later."
That said, I rarely eat anything late at night—usually nothing after 9 PM—even if I'm feeling incredibly hungry. During the day, I don't really get those intense hunger pangs either; instead, I start getting the shakes (maybe a blood sugar crash?), which usually happens about 2 or 3 hours after a meal if I haven't had something substantial.
I realize I'm probably overworking my digestive system. I stopped snacking between meals partly because I'm taking a bunch of homeopathic remedies that require strict timing—some 30 minutes before a meal, some an hour before... it's a whole production.
Another reason I avoid snacking is that I'm terrified of losing control. If I start grazing, I know I'll end up five pounds heavier because I can't help myself once I start.
When I stick to my three meals, I'm actually quite happy and content; I just tend to go overboard on the portion sizes (even if the calories stay the same). And there's no way I'd ever skip a meal—I definitely need to eat every 4 or 5 hours just to function normally.

So, why am I overeating like this, and how do I make it stop?

Next time you're about to absolutely gorge yourself like that, just think about people in developing nations who are literally starving... I bet that'll kill your appetite instantly.

velvetwolf92 said:So, why am I overeating, and how do I actually stop?

Honestly, the eating part isn't really the core issue—I mean, you have to eat just to function, right? The real struggle is more about systemic stuff—getting the body to reset, making sure the nutrition is actually balanced, staying active, breathing correctly, fixing your posture, and all that other good stuff. It’s a holistic thing.

Look, I don't want to scare you, but what you’re describing sounds exactly like an eating disorder. Believe me, I've been there myself 😢 It sounds like binge eating disorder, and honestly, it feels like there might be some other disordered patterns mixed in there too. 😘

It isn't some impossible mountain to climb, but let's be real—these are serious issues that can really mess with your life if left unchecked. Getting ahead of this is a smart move because you'll find that tackling this helps resolve so many other things that you wouldn't even realize were connected to food, trust me 😉

Here is a helpful link for you http://www.renfrewcenter.com/eating-...overeating.asp , and beyond that, feel free to do your own research—just search for keywords like compulsive overeating and eating disorders.

Hang in there! I can't write you a novel right now since I'm busy chasing a tiny baby around, so I can't give you a massive breakdown, but I know I’ve posted about my own experience on here before, so if you have the time, maybe go back and dig through my old threads...

Stay strong; I really hope you get this sorted out soon—the fact that you're actually aware of it is a huge first step.

By the way, (forgive my bluntness here) it’s actually a pretty bad sign when someone talks about their meals strictly in terms of "I ate 1,800 calories"... you know, it's not just the calories themselves that dictate weight (trust me on that...), and everyone's metabolic engine runs differently. One person eats the same amount and uses it all for fuel and health, while another is still starving... At the end of the day, food should be a pleasure, not something you're constantly locked in a desperate war with.

Sandra Moore, spot on 👍

velvetwolf92 said:I think my biggest hurdle is just... well, I don't do "moderate." Finding that middle ground? It’s practically non-existent for me. I tend to swing from one extreme to the other—all or nothing, you know?—and honestly, it can be pretty exhausting sometimes.

Well, I suppose it's my turn to join in with a little sermon of my own! 🙄 😁
Look, you are much better off eating five times a day and actually feeling satisfied than trying to squeeze everything into three meals and spending the rest of your afternoon daydreaming about snacks. A bowl of lettuce or some steamed veggies just isn't going to cut it when it comes to satiety. You need fats—real fats—to send that signal to your brain saying, "Hey, we're good here!" Plus, those healthy fats are essential for hormone synthesis and building up your cell membranes. And let's not forget protein; you absolutely need meat to maintain your muscle mass.
And, like Sandra Moore mentioned—food should be a genuine pleasure (or at least it ought to be!).
So, here is a little something from my side of the fence too: 😁 http://www.drsears.com/drsearspages/

Let's dive into some American media 😁

Betty Rivera14 said:let's stick to reading American content 😁

If you’d just take a closer look—really dig in there—you’d see that dr. Gredelj is basically just running an ad campaign for those books of hers! I actually ended up grabbing one myself, but honestly? dr. Sears breaks everything down so thoroughly on his own website that you don't even need to spend a dime. There's really no need to go out and buy anything at all.

I honestly have no clue... I'll admit that.

Betty Rivera14 said:I honestly haven't the slightest clue... I'll be the first to admit it!

😁 Well, that’s just what you get for not being an English speaker—it’s practically a rule of life! 😬 (And besides, you’re really stepping on my toes here... 🙄 😁 )

Then I’m clearly not even speaking the same language... I haven't laid eyes on either of those sites.

Betty Rivera14 said:In that case, I don't even speak English... I haven't looked at either of those websites.

😂 So what exactly are you doing here then? Just waiting around for your lunch to finish cooking?

You’re being quite perceptive 😁

magic said:You're just being 😁

Actually, no—I am simply famished! 😬 And I haven't even managed to defrost the fish yet. 😢 Nor the vegetables. Honestly, all I have is this cold, half-eaten slice of pizza staring back at me.