Intermittent fasting keeps triggering my binge eating
I keep trying intermittent fasting because it sounds simple, but the longer I go without eating, the more intense the cravings get. By the time my eating window starts, I’m not making calm choices anymore. I eat quickly, keep going even when I’m uncomfortable, and then feel ashamed afterward.
The frustrating part is that I can follow the schedule for a few days and convince myself it’s working. Then one stressful day or a bad night of sleep throws everything off, and I end up bingeing. Restricting the next day only seems to keep the cycle going.
I’m starting to think regular meals might be safer for me than long fasting periods, even though part of me still wants the control that fasting seems to offer. Has anyone found a way to move away from intermittent fasting without feeling like they’re giving up?
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William, the part about restricting the next day keeping the cycle going is something I had to take seriously. The one practical change that helped me was setting three eating times and treating them as appointments, even after a binge. No “making up for it” by skipping breakfast.
I kept the meals fairly ordinary and added a planned snack if there was a long gap. It felt like giving up control at first, but the urgency around food gradually eased. A therapist or dietitian who understands binge eating could help too, since fasting may be acting as a trigger rather than a solution.
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The “treating them as appointments” idea makes a lot of sense. I’ve found that removing the daily negotiation helps, especially after eating more than I intended. Otherwise I can turn one difficult evening into a whole day of punishment.
For me, keeping an easy breakfast ready was a small but useful step. Nothing elaborate, just something I could eat without making decisions first. The consistency felt uncomfortable initially, but it took some of the urgency out of the next meal.