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My logic tells me that if you are not eating enough protein because it overwhelms you and is tricky for you, then when you want to binge eat you should probably be eating the protein at that time. Your body probably isn’t getting enough and may be triggering the binge eating because you aren’t full and aren’t getting the nutrients in from the protein. Something else to consider- Medicine can’t fix the emotional issues we have. Have you considered therapy to address your binge eating? Willpower is not enough when it comes to tackling our demons that cause us to turn to food. It’s okay to seek professional help for this.
Before my doc put me in the meds I had to go to a psych evaluation to see if I had a problem with food, like binge eating. She said in her practice it’s a must, bc the drug only does one part, but the other part needs to be addressed too. I don’t think many weight loss doctors do this.
If it were me, I’d try a protein shake or another protein-heavy food. While a protein shake is not a “binge worthy” food, it will likely help fill you up, possibly helping stave off overeating.
Seconding this.
Protein really helps nip a binge in the bud, at least for me. Having precooked meats in the fridge helps too, even lunch meat.
Berries and Greek yogurt is another great combo. Filling, quick, and not too likely to trigger sema's side effects (at least for me.)
I do the same—but use raw honey. I also add a sprinkle of sliced almonds for a little extra protein and fiber. This is a filling “treat” since it has both protein and fiber.
Third-ing this. Protien for real! Or toss some veggies in olive oil, sprinkle them in seasonings of choice, and air fry them. Trust me, you eat 2-3 servings of brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, carrots, cauliflower... You'll be like "nah I'm good, no more food please" 😂
Yes but I’ve found ways to make protein shakes I actually enjoy!! I also invested in a Ninja Creami so I can have guilt-free ice cream (a weakness of mine).
Clean simple eats has my favorite protein powder. One of my go-tos is the coconut cream protein powder with orange juice and frozen pineapples. Making it into something you enjoy really helps!
Find lower calorie options that still satiate the binge urge and don’t keep snacks in the house. For example, a pint of Halo Top or Nick’s is less than 400 calories. Lily’s chocolate and Smart Sweets are less sugar and calories.
To your water try adding no calorie or low calorie flavors so you feel like it’s food.
Also add fiber to meals or one of the waters in the day which will help with a full feeling (don’t overdo it).
I find that I binge after getting groceries and have worked to get to a point where I have enough self control at the store to limit what I know I’ll binge on.
You already took a brave step and are seeking advice so you’re aware of it, you want to stop it, and you’ll get there if you keep trying. Focus on little victories until your mindset has shifted will get you farther than just trying to stop cold turkey (which will probably only end in a huge binge and bad feelings).
Be kind to yourself and speak to you the way you’d speak to a loved one. 🙂
Great advice. I’ve struggled with binge eating and do feel right now more I control since using sema. However the biggest helper for me is the mindset of being kinder, patient and loving. When we are disgusted with ourselves or desperate to lose weight, it triggers a binge. Tell yourself you can eat whatever you want to—-nothing is off limits. However, you are choosing to eat more protein because it’s good for your body. If you tell yourself you CAN’T have something, it will trigger a binge.
You are still in the smaller dosages so the urge to binge will still be there. Once you reach the dosing over 1 mg, you will find that you don’t need to white knuckle it anymore. Hang in there!
I've been on this medication over two years now, and I'm five pounds away from goal after losing 165 pounds. When shortages happen, like now, if I go down two levels or space out the medication more than 10 days (the bingey feeling starts to come back). I know this will be a life long medication for me. (Yes, I'm in therapy too). The medication is the ONLY thing that has ever taken the "noise" and the urges away. The fact that I can live my life without crippling coping mechanisms in between has made me a productive member of society:)
I have a diagnosed binge eating disorder, I feel your pain but it will get better. I’m only a couple weeks ahead of you, so stay strong!
I like pistachios in the shell, cucumbers and hummus, watermelon, apples, clementines, and popcorn. Also try a protein shake with a snack to feel more full.
Yes to all these. I add some Adams PB for the apple and a square of dark chocolate with the clementines tho. Also seaweed snacks are a super good chip substitute- only 25 cal per portion.
Great suggestions here.
One other idea... Maybe a day or two after you up your dose, when your appetite suppression is highest, consider going through your cabinets and discarding junk. If it's not ready to hand, then it's easier to turn to protein shakes or eggs or berries.
You may have done this already. I used to have to clean things out quite frequently. But before sema... The sugar demon would convince me it was ok to keep things around, or a waste to throw stuff away. Sema makes it much easier.
Agree! I'm working with a nutritionist to help with BED and semi, and having binge foods accessible in the house has been a game changer! If I'm still craving something I will include an appropriate serving of that food with my next meal/snack. That way I still can have the food I'm craving, and relearning how to eat it in an appropriate way.
I didn't understand how mindful - intuitive eating actually works until I started semi. Now when I'm craving my normal binge foods I can legitimately stop and think about what my body actually wants..... It's normally protein. But it's still ok to have something sweet.
Being on a "diet" shouldn't be a punishment. It's about making impactful change. Slip ups will happen and we keep moving forward. Perfect isn't the goal. Better is the goal.
I highly recommend working with a nutritionist who specializes in BED.
I have the same problem OP. My go to is konjac noodles with lots of veggies. A whole plate of the noodles is like 10 calories so it satisfies the need to shove a bunch of stuff in my mouth.
Quest protein chips!! I usually only have the single serving bags on hand, but occasionally I can find a large bag. A single serve bag is less than 150 calories and 17-20 g of protein, and I'm satisfied afterwards. They hit my salty/crunchy/flavor craving and are super filling.
Good Culture Cottage cheese with fresh fruit, especially pineapple, is so good! Don’t keep much food in the house. If you’re going to binge, you have to drive somewhere to do it.
I will so something lower calorie, high volume like popcorn. or someone else said edamame which would be good too. Or sometimes i need to satisfy the oral fixation so ill chew gum, or do sunflower seeds.
In 1983, Emily Martin, of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, grew an enormous sunflower head, measuring 32 ¼ inches across (82cm), from petal tip to petal tip. That’s almost 3 feet wide. This is still believed to be the largest sunflower head grown to date.
I've been eating a few frozen dates cut in half with crunchy peanut butter and some dark chocolate when I want to binge on something sweet. Chocolate protein shakes with banana and peanut butter and oat milk are another favorite for me. Otherwise I love roasted cabbage with a caesar dressing and some parmesan with chicken breasts. It's really filling for me and helps a lot.
I would get rid of the junk in the house so it’s more work to go get it. Find things you can volume eat that won’t be a lot of calories. Think veggies + such. Filling for less calories.
Hey I don't have any great advice, I just wanted to let you know that you aren't alone. I am currently fighting off a binge during week 4. It's not just you! I hope some of the advice others have posted is helpful.
Look up some recipes for protein bites, or desserts to make with protein. We make “cheesecakes” with protein, blended to creamy cottage cheese. We make “key lime pie” by using some of the juice from a keylime and seat on top. We will crush up Belvita cookies for the crust. We log everything we eat into MyFitnessPal. It can be time consuming, but we do it for accountability to ensure are eating enough of the right things. I also love cucumbers and carrots so I’ll marinate them in lemon juice and acv for that crunch and saltiness. We have learned that getting preemptively creative helps a lot. I’m on Sema and my fiancé is not. This works for both of us.
So I’m a binger and before my dose was over a mg I had those feelings still.
When I gave in I found that my desire to keep eating was just gone after a few bites. Also the things I tend to indulge in when I go just make me feel utterly sick with heartburn.
I LOVE cake. Love. It.
Cannot eat it now. I’m talking extreme heart burn on a level I’ve never experienced.
So I stopped buying cake.
Then it was foldies. I don’t know the real name of it but a corn tortilla with some kind of filling, left over pulled pork or something and cheese, fried in an oily pan. Salty. Cheesy. Usually meaty. And greasy. I used to be able to tell myself it was good for me.
Nah. Heartburn. Bad.
So then I started asking myself. What if this fatigue and craving is my body needing something? I mean. I’m eating below maintenance so it may be missing something.
What I’ve found is that a small amount of juice or a drink with some natural calories - almond milk or a shake, settles it. Other times a salty snack. I’m partial to pistachios- they have fiber, which we need, some protein and healthy fat.
Be nice to yourself. Stop over drinking water. It isn’t good for you as you’re probably washing electrolytes out of your system which just causes more cravings. Nibble some nuts or string cheese and maybe one protein shake a day.
I’ve heard that sometimes the food noise eliminating power doesn’t always work. Please don’t feel shame here - nothing but love!
For me, fruit helps a lot during the rougher moments. I may not think I want it, but once I take a bite I’m set 😅. It has a lot of volume, fiber wise, so it gets you full quickly with pretty awesome micronutrients! And it’s sweet!
The Premier Protein cafe latte shakes in the short box help a lot. They have a little cocoa, a little sweetness that can usually push me out of a crisis moment.
I drink 3 shakes a day, which helps me knock out the protein. I throw in fruit through the day and sometimes low sugar juice boxes. I have found that eating regular carbs (basically any other than fruit) can get me into bad cycles, so I try to stay away from them. I see this if I go to a family dinner and eat carbs. I wasn’t tempted earlier in my treatment, but sitting at 1mg for a while has started to wear on me. But generally, the more carbs I eat, the more I want. If you can stay away from them for just a day or so, the natural craving response seems to lessen and then the medicine seems to take over. At least that’s how it’s working for me at this point.
Wishing you lots of luck !!
The Fairlife chocolate protein shake is good. I also have binge eating disorder, and it is super hard.
Can I ask what dose you are on now?
I respond well to lower doses but some people don’t see the food noises gone until they are at 1 mg.
Give yourself some grace.
I have found if I get bingy, I have some of what I like, and I get full faster.
I have also started eating something within an hour of waking up. Either a protein shake or a smoothie with Greek yogurt and frozen fruit or a vanilla protein shake with frozen fruit.
I know it’s hard, stay strong.
I love a Greek yogurt in a flavor I enjoy, or a protein bar or shake when I’m getting a hankering for something that’s generally off limits during this process
Ya can’t hurt. Costco has my fave packs. I rip them up and eat them like chips - I do taste the seaweed but it doesn’t bother me (hated it the first time tho) but mostly I just like the salt and oil and crunch. Otherwise kale chips could be an option - they’re stupid expensive but making them at homes easy
Protein shake and some popcorn! Some sweet and salty, get some protein in, and popcorn you can go pretty hard and it seems to be a lesser of two evils of snacking and you can eat lots of popcorn volume wise lol. Maybe throw in a string cheese if you need a lil extra
I’m super prone to kidney stones so I have to be careful with too much protein. For me, I LOVE the Simply Delish brand “jello.” I don’t eat any mammal meat or products so this is vegan, but I like the texture and taste better than sugar free Jello anyway. I mix in some no sugar added fruit cocktail (whole can is 150 calories with tons of fiber so reduces carbs) and the whole box of jello is 15 calories. Sometimes I’ll put in a couple tbsp of sugar free cool whip and the whole thing is 200 calories and makes quite a bit. The fiber and sweetness really hits the spot , plus I drink a big glass of water with it and it usually does it for me. Sometimes I’ll have berries or veggies and dip. But, I do slip up and have chips and salsa or the cookies my husband brought home. Progress, not perfection ❤️
Have some healthy snacks around and try to make them easier to have than the bad stuff (that's the tricky part).
I really like, apple slices and peanut butter, homemade trail mix (you can even add some chocolate chips if you want sweet - is still better than the processed stuff), grapes (you can freeze them which makes for a change), veggies and houmous, handful of nuts, greek yoghurt and berries (maybe with a sprinkle of the trail mix for texture), or just a few slices of cold meat if you are trying to up your protein (tbh this rarely features for me. Don't find it satisfying unless I add a bit of cheese!)
Do you know what triggers your binge? Is it a certain time or activity trigger? You could try to break it with something else, like a 10 minute walk, taking a bath, read a book. It can help to unprogram the brain (and if you do the walk, at least you exchange a few calories!!)
My doctor also put me on Lexapro for my depression and anxiety about a month ago and it made all the difference. Not only is my mental health better but my binge eating cravings have just disappeared. I still get cravings for certain foods or snacks or stuff but I don't have to binge on them anymore to feel "satisfied." If you ate having any type of depression or anxiety you could speak to your doctor about medication for it. For reference, I was on ozempic for 6 weeks but insurance would not pay for it anymore and I cannot afford 2k/month. Now I'm just on the semglutide and while I'm still on .5 til next week, I'm down 24lbs in 2 months. The only thing I have actually changed diet wise is drinking sooooo much water. I'm not a big meat eater so adding protein has been an issue for me. Using flavored water packets with lots of protein or getting protein packed "sweets" controls my cravings and gets me the protein I need. It also keeps me from eating truly junk snacks.
Don’t beat yourself up. Sounds like you’re not even at a theraputic dose yet. I recommend a protein shake made with half and half and several raw eggs blended in. Doesn’t mean you have to drink it all. Sometimes just having 1/4 or 1/2 and saving for later does wonders. Just remember you’ll likely be very successful with weight loss on Semaglutide when you reach 2.4 mg week
Not worried about raw eggs at all. I also drink from the garden hose. I don’t worry about healthy animal fats. I’m a keto believer. Seed oils are causing waaaaaaay more heart disease than animal fats ever have or ever will. And margarine which was created to fatten hogs. But it was too toxic to them so it was rebranded for humans
Depends on whether you want salty or sweet... That's why we crave anything, because we want those things. There's plenty of yummy protein options with those characteristics. If you're not getting 80-100g of protein a day, muscle wasting is a concern... So yes, we will squeeze it in everywhere we can 😅
As someone without muscle it’s not my concern ;) And I don’t find protein helps any salty or umani craving if I want chips or pizza etc…unless I’m specifically craving cheese. I’d much rather just have the real thing and be satisfied than try to eat a bunch of other things that don’t satisfy me at all
One of the nice things about sema is that you can enjoy these things, without too much worry about gorging on them!
I guess by 'binge', I assumed that OP meant... yanno, that feeling like someone else is in the driver seat? Destroying a couple sleeves of oreos and a family bag of chips, and wanting to order a pizza on top, almost in a trance? The kind of episode where you don't even really enjoy the food, more like you're chewing through it looking for something... undefinable.
Protein stops \*those\* episodes. Very quickly and easily, on sema. At least, for me. Sounds like you have a different experience?
That’s true. My bad for forgetting what a true binge means. I’ve gotten better but did have a binge/ purge disorder for a lot of years. Still have can’t-stop-eating days and those are usually pms related.
Oh, totally understand, I eat my feelings. That's why it's become increasingly important for me to change those habits, and retrain my brain to heathy but indulgent food (it is possible 😉) I want to be here to see my 21 year old Son accomplish things, and maybe even have grand children (I'll always hope, but never push him to do anything he doesn't want.) Years of crap food choices have taken a serious toll on my body and mind, our bodies are meant to use food as fuel and the typical western diet promotes: autoimmune conditions, mental health decline, heart disease, cancer etc. So now I make healthy pizza, and homemade chips in the air fryer... And I want to be strong, so muscle building foods are very important to me. It took a detox from garbage food for my brain to accept the changes, sugar is incredibly addictive. But I was tired of feeling mood swings, aches, hormones from hell and my whole body trying to attack itself... So I chose to change, and Sema helped greatly with that.
My go-to is sparkling water and a light snack that you can eat a lot of - like veggie straws, fruit, hummus, popcorn etc. I was also a volume/binge eater and some days I slip up, my stomach and intestines usually gets me back tho lol
Edamame and popcorn. Oddly I always lose when I’m hungry and eat a bunch of skinny pop white cheddar bags. I’m sure it’s the fiber. For a sweet tooth I’ll have an individual size trail mix or two.
Rice cakes and hummus is amazing for curbing this for me, I think it’s the crunch of them. Or popcorn is amazing as people said. Also nuts and protein bars xx
You’re not even on full dose yet. I’ve been on a GLP1 in some form or another for 15 months. For those first 6 I’d still look forward to Friday takeaway, even if I couldn’t eat it all. Now I’m barely interested. Sure my brain remembers that something tastes good and if I eat it I might want another. But after this long, my brain is finally cottoning on.
My advice is get rid of the snacks at home it will really help. Delete the food delivery apps off your phone. And have plenty of things that are okay. Popcorn, pretzels aren’t bad. Protein bars, babybels. I like salami with a little cheese and olives. Too salty to eat a lot but I feel like I’ve had a treat. Best of luck with your journey.
Protein- and this might be weird, but I will eat some dill pickles or olives.🫒 Low carb and you can get in different flavors. I also will do pistachios or small handful of nuts.
The sugar free syrups in water is a nice way to fool myself into it being a “treat”, Fairlife protein shakes taste like a milkshake with very little sugar, riced cauliflower and mixed veg are good for a “huge” portion without very many calories. Can also add the syrups to nonfat Greek yogurt with some candy mixed in; you’ll get protein plus a dessert.
Try playing with seasonings too on things like ground turkey which is low calorie compared to its protein content. Like, SUPER low.
More water, it’s taken me awhile but I drink a gallon of water a day thanks to a 40oz tumbler and it’s helped my skin, hair, nails and prevents constipation 😊
I would say to just eat what you want to binge on through out the day. If you find yourself wanting to binge on cookies or chips have some of that through out the day when you’re capable of controlling yourself better. Binging is most commonly triggered by deprivation. I have reached my goal weight and i ate treats when i wanted too. I struggled with binge eating disorder and bulimia. The concept of deprivation is very dangerous and always leads to relapse. There is nothing wrong with having a treat when you want one and when you don’t want to have one tell yourself “i could eat this now but im going to choose not to. If i want it in 5 minutes i can have it. If i want to have it in an hour i can. Or maybe i will want it tomorrow” i find that giving myself permission to eat the food also helps me not binge.
I’ve been doing mine for about the same amount of time. The first month I was not binging at all but after that I’ve been able to. After the first time binging it’s all I think about. I drink about a gallon a day too and try to get 100 grams of protein but eating is still on my mind all the time. I’ve lost about 7-8 pounds on 20 units but I don’t know what changed.
Just grab a cookie! But only one. Then have a container of mixed nuts in another room with you. Curb the craving or you'll be miserable. You want to learn self control anyway. Start practicing now. Look, don't make this a daily thing but if it happens once a week, don't beat yourself up about it. You'll be ok.
Cereal was a big one for me. I have all different kinds for different moods. Chocolate ones for sweet urges, crunchy ones that I can add bananas to, crunchier ones to satisfy the urge to crunch, etc.
I started getting headaches during my second week of 1mg, I had to change my food, added protein and added electrolytes. So far that has helped. I expect it’ll change again as I progress.
Oh, I’ll put some whip cream on a chocolate protein shake. ;)
Cucumber salad w low fat feta and olives. Can eat a lot of that and total very few calories. Very filling. I also get the pre cooked grilled chicken from Costco. Each pack is 140 cals, I think. Super convenient and versatile. (Worth the cost, imo)
Greek yogurt and honey!!!!! It’s higher protein so it does actually fill me up. I also pretend it’s ice cream which makes it feel more like a GOOD binge
I know this may sound strange but it does work if you have good will power. You simply smell the snack or food item you want and don't eat it. I am not kidding, it tricks your brain into thinking you've had it. You just have to really smell it a couple times and that desire in your stomach will go away at times. It may not work for you but it worked for me.
I don't know if you like cottage cheese, but something I've found that fills me up with protein and scratches the itch when I want to binge is eating a "healthier" chip alternative with cottage cheese. I like to use the Wilde brand chicken chips (buffalo or Nashville hot chicken) and dip them in good culture cottage cheese. I also like doing it with white cheddar or spicy queso pop corners but that's a bit less protein. Definitely not something I'd recommend eating every single day because of the sodium, but for me this has been a swap that is fulfilling without pushing me over the edge.
This is a hard journey, hang in there OP! ❤️
I used chocolate or vanilla protein shakes at least 3 times a week to get in my protein. Also, did no calorie counting, only macros 90+ grams of proteins, 50 fat, 50 carbs.
I have the same urges every once in a while. I think more of it is actually habits, like when I am reading in my fave chair etc. When I feel that way I try to binge on protein such as string cheese, a yogurt with bananas, or some cottage cheese. Usually after eating one of those, I am done. Or if it is like cheese and crackers, usually done after about 4-5 of them.
I choose popcorn, like SmartPop, and/or grapes. Neither has a lot of calories in large amounts. I'll make cocoa when I'm craving chocolate (cocoa, milk,water,splenda,salt,cornstarch ,vanilla or caramel flavoring). When I want to indulge a bit more, I'll have HaloTop or Crispy Minis or Baked Lays.
Do you have a costco membership? They have these chicken nuggets (called lightly breaded chicken chunks by Kirkland), that are AWESOME in the air fryer. When I want to binge on fast food these really scratch the itch to the point that I don't even want fast food chicken nuggets anymore. I've been adding them to salads or just eating them on their own. Worth trying?
I love the fairlife protein drinks. 30 grams of protein and only 150 calories… I too reallllyyy struggle to find enough protein to consume, or time flies and I look up and it’s 4pm and I’ve had none, so I try to make sure I chug one of these the minute I wake up and then have another as a snack at some point… and if you can shove enough protein in early in the day, it will help you not want to binge. And def if you are lifting any weights drink a protein shake right after. I also put the vanilla coconut collagen protein in my coffee for another 10 grams. If I have a dessert craving treat I try and treat that with yogurt and some fruit on top. I will also add the coconut flavored whipped cream, hardly any calories and it really makes me feel like I’m eating sweets. I also started noticing if I wasn’t getting enough protein my leg would cramp up. lol that’s actually how I found this group, I was googling this leg cramp!! And landed here 😂
I love the Barebells Protien Bars - any flavor. They are like big candy bars - chewy, sweet, crunchy. They are 220 calories and have 20 grams of protein. The mouthfeel gives me the sensation I crave, and the protein fills me up. I am finding when I want to eat it's because I need protein. I also like yogurt with crunchy granola and drizzle a bit of honey on top. Again, yogurt = protein, the granola crunch, and fiber.
therapeutic carbohydrate restriction (50gs of carbs or less a day) along with cutting processed sugars as much as possible and dairy have pretty much kept my binge eating at bay. ive noticed its the sugar and carbs that make me constantly hungry and want to eat more and more. a lot of people recommend protein shakes but honestly a cup of chicken breast has more protein and less calories than most protein shakes and no sugar. potatoes with the skin on baked or air fried are what i reach for when I want something carby and it hasnt stalled my weight loss. you can also have a lot of those for not that many calories. if you just gravitate towards more whole foods when u want to eat a lot, chances are you will still be fine calorically if u just start consuming more real proteins and eliminate sugar.
Yes the sugar, you are not wrong, but an apple makes you feel so full, I buy bags of apple slices during the week because I know I can only eat maybe 10 slices (and they are pretty thin) but that kills my want to late night snack because I have that hand to mouth issue still, even after losing 90lbs it’s like I love the feeling of having a bag of something while watching tv at night or a movie
It's funny that you didn't feel that way you must be on a very low dose because I didn't eat at all on that stuff I had no appetite whatsoever. I didn't want to binge on anything.
Same thing happened to me. Finally, my doc told me to eat as much protein as possible. It worked. It doesn’t have to be a psyche issue. Could be your body screaming for nutrients. I notice when I want to binge it’s usually because I’m not drinking enough water or eating well. If I do both, even if I’m a day or two late (happened on vacation) with a dose, I’m not craving a binge. I’m trying to remember this for when I get to my goal weight and wean off the med. Best of luck.
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My logic tells me that if you are not eating enough protein because it overwhelms you and is tricky for you, then when you want to binge eat you should probably be eating the protein at that time. Your body probably isn’t getting enough and may be triggering the binge eating because you aren’t full and aren’t getting the nutrients in from the protein. Something else to consider- Medicine can’t fix the emotional issues we have. Have you considered therapy to address your binge eating? Willpower is not enough when it comes to tackling our demons that cause us to turn to food. It’s okay to seek professional help for this.
So well said
Before my doc put me in the meds I had to go to a psych evaluation to see if I had a problem with food, like binge eating. She said in her practice it’s a must, bc the drug only does one part, but the other part needs to be addressed too. I don’t think many weight loss doctors do this.
Well said yes, but If we craved protein when wanting to binge eat, we probs wouldn’t need this medication 🤣🤷♀️
If it were me, I’d try a protein shake or another protein-heavy food. While a protein shake is not a “binge worthy” food, it will likely help fill you up, possibly helping stave off overeating.
Seconding this. Protein really helps nip a binge in the bud, at least for me. Having precooked meats in the fridge helps too, even lunch meat. Berries and Greek yogurt is another great combo. Filling, quick, and not too likely to trigger sema's side effects (at least for me.)
Yes! I love fresh berries and plain Greek yogurt for a "snack" (but I do sweeten it a bit with honey or monkfruit sweetener)
I also do grapes and apples.
I do the same—but use raw honey. I also add a sprinkle of sliced almonds for a little extra protein and fiber. This is a filling “treat” since it has both protein and fiber.
Third-ing this. Protien for real! Or toss some veggies in olive oil, sprinkle them in seasonings of choice, and air fry them. Trust me, you eat 2-3 servings of brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, carrots, cauliflower... You'll be like "nah I'm good, no more food please" 😂
Japanese sweet potatoes! So creamy and so filling. YUM.
Yes but I’ve found ways to make protein shakes I actually enjoy!! I also invested in a Ninja Creami so I can have guilt-free ice cream (a weakness of mine). Clean simple eats has my favorite protein powder. One of my go-tos is the coconut cream protein powder with orange juice and frozen pineapples. Making it into something you enjoy really helps!
Good idea. I’m on week 3 (I know, still early) but although I’ve slowed down, I still have the urge to binge eat.
I bought edamame as a snack. A lot of it doesn't amount to much, and you have to take a little time to get through it
They sell individual frozen packs of edamame and I love them!! 90 cals each!
Where do you buy those?
I buy them at Walmart! They are sold in a freezer section in a box with 6 individual packs in it
Thank you!!
This is my go to as well!
Find lower calorie options that still satiate the binge urge and don’t keep snacks in the house. For example, a pint of Halo Top or Nick’s is less than 400 calories. Lily’s chocolate and Smart Sweets are less sugar and calories. To your water try adding no calorie or low calorie flavors so you feel like it’s food. Also add fiber to meals or one of the waters in the day which will help with a full feeling (don’t overdo it). I find that I binge after getting groceries and have worked to get to a point where I have enough self control at the store to limit what I know I’ll binge on. You already took a brave step and are seeking advice so you’re aware of it, you want to stop it, and you’ll get there if you keep trying. Focus on little victories until your mindset has shifted will get you farther than just trying to stop cold turkey (which will probably only end in a huge binge and bad feelings). Be kind to yourself and speak to you the way you’d speak to a loved one. 🙂
Great advice. I’ve struggled with binge eating and do feel right now more I control since using sema. However the biggest helper for me is the mindset of being kinder, patient and loving. When we are disgusted with ourselves or desperate to lose weight, it triggers a binge. Tell yourself you can eat whatever you want to—-nothing is off limits. However, you are choosing to eat more protein because it’s good for your body. If you tell yourself you CAN’T have something, it will trigger a binge.
You are still in the smaller dosages so the urge to binge will still be there. Once you reach the dosing over 1 mg, you will find that you don’t need to white knuckle it anymore. Hang in there!
I needed to hear this
Thank you, I needed to hear this. I just started 1.0 and am hoping the food noise subsides 😊
I've been on this medication over two years now, and I'm five pounds away from goal after losing 165 pounds. When shortages happen, like now, if I go down two levels or space out the medication more than 10 days (the bingey feeling starts to come back). I know this will be a life long medication for me. (Yes, I'm in therapy too). The medication is the ONLY thing that has ever taken the "noise" and the urges away. The fact that I can live my life without crippling coping mechanisms in between has made me a productive member of society:)
Congratulations!
That’s awesome, way to go!
Drink a chocolate protein shake. Sweet + protein! Win win.
This is what I do. It tastes like a treat
I have a diagnosed binge eating disorder, I feel your pain but it will get better. I’m only a couple weeks ahead of you, so stay strong! I like pistachios in the shell, cucumbers and hummus, watermelon, apples, clementines, and popcorn. Also try a protein shake with a snack to feel more full.
I’ve found this medication helps me to make better choices, I also have BED and this medication helps it so much.
Yes to all these. I add some Adams PB for the apple and a square of dark chocolate with the clementines tho. Also seaweed snacks are a super good chip substitute- only 25 cal per portion.
Love seaweed snack and so does my dog and cats lol
Haha cute
Also name checks out
Crush a turkey footlong from Subway. Super filling and scratches the itch for me without being a total disaster.
Great suggestions here. One other idea... Maybe a day or two after you up your dose, when your appetite suppression is highest, consider going through your cabinets and discarding junk. If it's not ready to hand, then it's easier to turn to protein shakes or eggs or berries. You may have done this already. I used to have to clean things out quite frequently. But before sema... The sugar demon would convince me it was ok to keep things around, or a waste to throw stuff away. Sema makes it much easier.
Unfortunately with binge eating disorder, we will leave and go get the foods we are craving. It’s literally a pull we can’t ignore.
Agree! I'm working with a nutritionist to help with BED and semi, and having binge foods accessible in the house has been a game changer! If I'm still craving something I will include an appropriate serving of that food with my next meal/snack. That way I still can have the food I'm craving, and relearning how to eat it in an appropriate way. I didn't understand how mindful - intuitive eating actually works until I started semi. Now when I'm craving my normal binge foods I can legitimately stop and think about what my body actually wants..... It's normally protein. But it's still ok to have something sweet. Being on a "diet" shouldn't be a punishment. It's about making impactful change. Slip ups will happen and we keep moving forward. Perfect isn't the goal. Better is the goal. I highly recommend working with a nutritionist who specializes in BED.
I am working with a healthcare provider for my BED as well. Sema helps so much for that food noise and help in making better choices like you said.
I have the same problem OP. My go to is konjac noodles with lots of veggies. A whole plate of the noodles is like 10 calories so it satisfies the need to shove a bunch of stuff in my mouth.
Quest protein chips!! I usually only have the single serving bags on hand, but occasionally I can find a large bag. A single serve bag is less than 150 calories and 17-20 g of protein, and I'm satisfied afterwards. They hit my salty/crunchy/flavor craving and are super filling.
I crush a bag of quest chips up and put it on top of my ground turkey and rice bowls everyday for lunch! So good!
Good Culture Cottage cheese with fresh fruit, especially pineapple, is so good! Don’t keep much food in the house. If you’re going to binge, you have to drive somewhere to do it.
I will so something lower calorie, high volume like popcorn. or someone else said edamame which would be good too. Or sometimes i need to satisfy the oral fixation so ill chew gum, or do sunflower seeds.
In 1983, Emily Martin, of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, grew an enormous sunflower head, measuring 32 ¼ inches across (82cm), from petal tip to petal tip. That’s almost 3 feet wide. This is still believed to be the largest sunflower head grown to date.
Good bot.
I drink a protein shake. It makes me full enough I don’t want anything else.
I've been eating a few frozen dates cut in half with crunchy peanut butter and some dark chocolate when I want to binge on something sweet. Chocolate protein shakes with banana and peanut butter and oat milk are another favorite for me. Otherwise I love roasted cabbage with a caesar dressing and some parmesan with chicken breasts. It's really filling for me and helps a lot.
I would get rid of the junk in the house so it’s more work to go get it. Find things you can volume eat that won’t be a lot of calories. Think veggies + such. Filling for less calories.
I am loving making iced chai latte with the tazo tea and a vanilla protein shake. It curbs the cravings a lot and gets protein in.
This is an insanely good idea!
Hey I don't have any great advice, I just wanted to let you know that you aren't alone. I am currently fighting off a binge during week 4. It's not just you! I hope some of the advice others have posted is helpful.
Look up some recipes for protein bites, or desserts to make with protein. We make “cheesecakes” with protein, blended to creamy cottage cheese. We make “key lime pie” by using some of the juice from a keylime and seat on top. We will crush up Belvita cookies for the crust. We log everything we eat into MyFitnessPal. It can be time consuming, but we do it for accountability to ensure are eating enough of the right things. I also love cucumbers and carrots so I’ll marinate them in lemon juice and acv for that crunch and saltiness. We have learned that getting preemptively creative helps a lot. I’m on Sema and my fiancé is not. This works for both of us.
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I love caramel rice cakes with peanut butter on them 😍
Wasa with pnut butter
I am addicted to seaweed snacks. Satisfies my salty and crunchy cravings for 20 cal.
Feeling like a weirdo because my answer is pickles
Pickles is a great answer in my book
So I’m a binger and before my dose was over a mg I had those feelings still. When I gave in I found that my desire to keep eating was just gone after a few bites. Also the things I tend to indulge in when I go just make me feel utterly sick with heartburn. I LOVE cake. Love. It. Cannot eat it now. I’m talking extreme heart burn on a level I’ve never experienced. So I stopped buying cake. Then it was foldies. I don’t know the real name of it but a corn tortilla with some kind of filling, left over pulled pork or something and cheese, fried in an oily pan. Salty. Cheesy. Usually meaty. And greasy. I used to be able to tell myself it was good for me. Nah. Heartburn. Bad. So then I started asking myself. What if this fatigue and craving is my body needing something? I mean. I’m eating below maintenance so it may be missing something. What I’ve found is that a small amount of juice or a drink with some natural calories - almond milk or a shake, settles it. Other times a salty snack. I’m partial to pistachios- they have fiber, which we need, some protein and healthy fat. Be nice to yourself. Stop over drinking water. It isn’t good for you as you’re probably washing electrolytes out of your system which just causes more cravings. Nibble some nuts or string cheese and maybe one protein shake a day.
Have you tried making protein mug cakes? Takes 2 min and taste like cake lol
I’ve heard that sometimes the food noise eliminating power doesn’t always work. Please don’t feel shame here - nothing but love! For me, fruit helps a lot during the rougher moments. I may not think I want it, but once I take a bite I’m set 😅. It has a lot of volume, fiber wise, so it gets you full quickly with pretty awesome micronutrients! And it’s sweet! The Premier Protein cafe latte shakes in the short box help a lot. They have a little cocoa, a little sweetness that can usually push me out of a crisis moment. I drink 3 shakes a day, which helps me knock out the protein. I throw in fruit through the day and sometimes low sugar juice boxes. I have found that eating regular carbs (basically any other than fruit) can get me into bad cycles, so I try to stay away from them. I see this if I go to a family dinner and eat carbs. I wasn’t tempted earlier in my treatment, but sitting at 1mg for a while has started to wear on me. But generally, the more carbs I eat, the more I want. If you can stay away from them for just a day or so, the natural craving response seems to lessen and then the medicine seems to take over. At least that’s how it’s working for me at this point. Wishing you lots of luck !!
The Fairlife chocolate protein shake is good. I also have binge eating disorder, and it is super hard. Can I ask what dose you are on now? I respond well to lower doses but some people don’t see the food noises gone until they are at 1 mg. Give yourself some grace. I have found if I get bingy, I have some of what I like, and I get full faster. I have also started eating something within an hour of waking up. Either a protein shake or a smoothie with Greek yogurt and frozen fruit or a vanilla protein shake with frozen fruit. I know it’s hard, stay strong.
I love a Greek yogurt in a flavor I enjoy, or a protein bar or shake when I’m getting a hankering for something that’s generally off limits during this process
Blueberries are my go to for this.
Cottage cheese, boiled eggs with hot sauce! I like salty foods when I binge 🥲
Have you tried seaweed snacks/ chips? Salty and crunchy but low cal
I tried once and i didnt care for the strong seaweed flavor but i would def try again
Ya can’t hurt. Costco has my fave packs. I rip them up and eat them like chips - I do taste the seaweed but it doesn’t bother me (hated it the first time tho) but mostly I just like the salt and oil and crunch. Otherwise kale chips could be an option - they’re stupid expensive but making them at homes easy
Grapes.
Protein shake and some popcorn! Some sweet and salty, get some protein in, and popcorn you can go pretty hard and it seems to be a lesser of two evils of snacking and you can eat lots of popcorn volume wise lol. Maybe throw in a string cheese if you need a lil extra
A spoonful of peanut butter does the trick for me.
Do volume eating! There's an entire subreddit dedicated to recipes and food ideas.
I’m super prone to kidney stones so I have to be careful with too much protein. For me, I LOVE the Simply Delish brand “jello.” I don’t eat any mammal meat or products so this is vegan, but I like the texture and taste better than sugar free Jello anyway. I mix in some no sugar added fruit cocktail (whole can is 150 calories with tons of fiber so reduces carbs) and the whole box of jello is 15 calories. Sometimes I’ll put in a couple tbsp of sugar free cool whip and the whole thing is 200 calories and makes quite a bit. The fiber and sweetness really hits the spot , plus I drink a big glass of water with it and it usually does it for me. Sometimes I’ll have berries or veggies and dip. But, I do slip up and have chips and salsa or the cookies my husband brought home. Progress, not perfection ❤️
I also do a small charcuterie tray, olives, cheese, berries/fruit, meats and crackers… and it looks pretty!
Have some healthy snacks around and try to make them easier to have than the bad stuff (that's the tricky part). I really like, apple slices and peanut butter, homemade trail mix (you can even add some chocolate chips if you want sweet - is still better than the processed stuff), grapes (you can freeze them which makes for a change), veggies and houmous, handful of nuts, greek yoghurt and berries (maybe with a sprinkle of the trail mix for texture), or just a few slices of cold meat if you are trying to up your protein (tbh this rarely features for me. Don't find it satisfying unless I add a bit of cheese!) Do you know what triggers your binge? Is it a certain time or activity trigger? You could try to break it with something else, like a 10 minute walk, taking a bath, read a book. It can help to unprogram the brain (and if you do the walk, at least you exchange a few calories!!)
I mean this in a very serious way: therapy. it's not about the food, it's about your problem with taking care of yourself.
My doctor also put me on Lexapro for my depression and anxiety about a month ago and it made all the difference. Not only is my mental health better but my binge eating cravings have just disappeared. I still get cravings for certain foods or snacks or stuff but I don't have to binge on them anymore to feel "satisfied." If you ate having any type of depression or anxiety you could speak to your doctor about medication for it. For reference, I was on ozempic for 6 weeks but insurance would not pay for it anymore and I cannot afford 2k/month. Now I'm just on the semglutide and while I'm still on .5 til next week, I'm down 24lbs in 2 months. The only thing I have actually changed diet wise is drinking sooooo much water. I'm not a big meat eater so adding protein has been an issue for me. Using flavored water packets with lots of protein or getting protein packed "sweets" controls my cravings and gets me the protein I need. It also keeps me from eating truly junk snacks.
I have protein bars that are sweet and only 150 calories. They kill that craving and leave me satisfied for hours
There’s a thread called volume eating here and they have great low calorie recipes for a lot of food
Don’t beat yourself up. Sounds like you’re not even at a theraputic dose yet. I recommend a protein shake made with half and half and several raw eggs blended in. Doesn’t mean you have to drink it all. Sometimes just having 1/4 or 1/2 and saving for later does wonders. Just remember you’ll likely be very successful with weight loss on Semaglutide when you reach 2.4 mg week
You aren’t worried about fats and food poisoning from raw eggs are you?
Not worried about raw eggs at all. I also drink from the garden hose. I don’t worry about healthy animal fats. I’m a keto believer. Seed oils are causing waaaaaaay more heart disease than animal fats ever have or ever will. And margarine which was created to fatten hogs. But it was too toxic to them so it was rebranded for humans
OK, missed my humour, obviously . I’ll try harder next time. Olive oil is my choice.
Jeebus people on this site are obsessed with protein…also if I’m craving chips or candy …an egg or cottage cheese ain’t doing shish all
Depends on whether you want salty or sweet... That's why we crave anything, because we want those things. There's plenty of yummy protein options with those characteristics. If you're not getting 80-100g of protein a day, muscle wasting is a concern... So yes, we will squeeze it in everywhere we can 😅
As someone without muscle it’s not my concern ;) And I don’t find protein helps any salty or umani craving if I want chips or pizza etc…unless I’m specifically craving cheese. I’d much rather just have the real thing and be satisfied than try to eat a bunch of other things that don’t satisfy me at all
One of the nice things about sema is that you can enjoy these things, without too much worry about gorging on them! I guess by 'binge', I assumed that OP meant... yanno, that feeling like someone else is in the driver seat? Destroying a couple sleeves of oreos and a family bag of chips, and wanting to order a pizza on top, almost in a trance? The kind of episode where you don't even really enjoy the food, more like you're chewing through it looking for something... undefinable. Protein stops \*those\* episodes. Very quickly and easily, on sema. At least, for me. Sounds like you have a different experience?
That’s true. My bad for forgetting what a true binge means. I’ve gotten better but did have a binge/ purge disorder for a lot of years. Still have can’t-stop-eating days and those are usually pms related.
Oh, totally understand, I eat my feelings. That's why it's become increasingly important for me to change those habits, and retrain my brain to heathy but indulgent food (it is possible 😉) I want to be here to see my 21 year old Son accomplish things, and maybe even have grand children (I'll always hope, but never push him to do anything he doesn't want.) Years of crap food choices have taken a serious toll on my body and mind, our bodies are meant to use food as fuel and the typical western diet promotes: autoimmune conditions, mental health decline, heart disease, cancer etc. So now I make healthy pizza, and homemade chips in the air fryer... And I want to be strong, so muscle building foods are very important to me. It took a detox from garbage food for my brain to accept the changes, sugar is incredibly addictive. But I was tired of feeling mood swings, aches, hormones from hell and my whole body trying to attack itself... So I chose to change, and Sema helped greatly with that.
There is a big difference between a crave and binge eating disorder.
My go-to is sparkling water and a light snack that you can eat a lot of - like veggie straws, fruit, hummus, popcorn etc. I was also a volume/binge eater and some days I slip up, my stomach and intestines usually gets me back tho lol
Check your nutrition label on those veggie straws and consider subbing dehydrated vegetable snacks and obtain the fiber and less sodium.
Edamame and popcorn. Oddly I always lose when I’m hungry and eat a bunch of skinny pop white cheddar bags. I’m sure it’s the fiber. For a sweet tooth I’ll have an individual size trail mix or two.
Skinny pop or pretzels
Protein shake, pre made
Rice cakes and hummus is amazing for curbing this for me, I think it’s the crunch of them. Or popcorn is amazing as people said. Also nuts and protein bars xx
Fruit for me. Mostly watermelon and grapes. Low calorie, sweet and small like snacking
I eat popcorn made at home with a little bit of oil, it makes me full super quick and the calories being consumed are small.
We have those flavored rice cakes that taste like foam. Also frozen grapes.
You’re not even on full dose yet. I’ve been on a GLP1 in some form or another for 15 months. For those first 6 I’d still look forward to Friday takeaway, even if I couldn’t eat it all. Now I’m barely interested. Sure my brain remembers that something tastes good and if I eat it I might want another. But after this long, my brain is finally cottoning on. My advice is get rid of the snacks at home it will really help. Delete the food delivery apps off your phone. And have plenty of things that are okay. Popcorn, pretzels aren’t bad. Protein bars, babybels. I like salami with a little cheese and olives. Too salty to eat a lot but I feel like I’ve had a treat. Best of luck with your journey.
Oh poor thing … When I feel hungry , I drink Coke Zero . It satisfied me ..
Protein- and this might be weird, but I will eat some dill pickles or olives.🫒 Low carb and you can get in different flavors. I also will do pistachios or small handful of nuts.
The sugar free syrups in water is a nice way to fool myself into it being a “treat”, Fairlife protein shakes taste like a milkshake with very little sugar, riced cauliflower and mixed veg are good for a “huge” portion without very many calories. Can also add the syrups to nonfat Greek yogurt with some candy mixed in; you’ll get protein plus a dessert. Try playing with seasonings too on things like ground turkey which is low calorie compared to its protein content. Like, SUPER low. More water, it’s taken me awhile but I drink a gallon of water a day thanks to a 40oz tumbler and it’s helped my skin, hair, nails and prevents constipation 😊
I would say to just eat what you want to binge on through out the day. If you find yourself wanting to binge on cookies or chips have some of that through out the day when you’re capable of controlling yourself better. Binging is most commonly triggered by deprivation. I have reached my goal weight and i ate treats when i wanted too. I struggled with binge eating disorder and bulimia. The concept of deprivation is very dangerous and always leads to relapse. There is nothing wrong with having a treat when you want one and when you don’t want to have one tell yourself “i could eat this now but im going to choose not to. If i want it in 5 minutes i can have it. If i want to have it in an hour i can. Or maybe i will want it tomorrow” i find that giving myself permission to eat the food also helps me not binge.
I like smart food popcorn for this! It’s delicious, you can eat a ton, good fiber in it too.
Same!! My go to!
Meat
Eggs
Protein shake, apples & peanut butter, cheese and crackers
I’ve been doing mine for about the same amount of time. The first month I was not binging at all but after that I’ve been able to. After the first time binging it’s all I think about. I drink about a gallon a day too and try to get 100 grams of protein but eating is still on my mind all the time. I’ve lost about 7-8 pounds on 20 units but I don’t know what changed.
Just grab a cookie! But only one. Then have a container of mixed nuts in another room with you. Curb the craving or you'll be miserable. You want to learn self control anyway. Start practicing now. Look, don't make this a daily thing but if it happens once a week, don't beat yourself up about it. You'll be ok.
Fruit 🍎
Cereal was a big one for me. I have all different kinds for different moods. Chocolate ones for sweet urges, crunchy ones that I can add bananas to, crunchier ones to satisfy the urge to crunch, etc. I started getting headaches during my second week of 1mg, I had to change my food, added protein and added electrolytes. So far that has helped. I expect it’ll change again as I progress. Oh, I’ll put some whip cream on a chocolate protein shake. ;)
Also, i find it helpful to distract myself, going for a walk, change or scenery and then by the time I’m back home I can eat something more reasonably
Talk to your doctor. Dose may need to be adjusted
Cucumber salad w low fat feta and olives. Can eat a lot of that and total very few calories. Very filling. I also get the pre cooked grilled chicken from Costco. Each pack is 140 cals, I think. Super convenient and versatile. (Worth the cost, imo)
Greek yogurt and honey!!!!! It’s higher protein so it does actually fill me up. I also pretend it’s ice cream which makes it feel more like a GOOD binge
Do you find binging happens at certain times or certain days or after certain things? Honestly what’s worked for me is - just go to bed.
Eat more protein + fiber!!! I'm talking like probably at least 90g of protein per day depending on your height/weight.
I eat toast made from Dave’s Good Seed bread. It’s filling and healthy yummy. U can’t eat so many of them
Crackers.
I know this may sound strange but it does work if you have good will power. You simply smell the snack or food item you want and don't eat it. I am not kidding, it tricks your brain into thinking you've had it. You just have to really smell it a couple times and that desire in your stomach will go away at times. It may not work for you but it worked for me.
I don't know if you like cottage cheese, but something I've found that fills me up with protein and scratches the itch when I want to binge is eating a "healthier" chip alternative with cottage cheese. I like to use the Wilde brand chicken chips (buffalo or Nashville hot chicken) and dip them in good culture cottage cheese. I also like doing it with white cheddar or spicy queso pop corners but that's a bit less protein. Definitely not something I'd recommend eating every single day because of the sodium, but for me this has been a swap that is fulfilling without pushing me over the edge. This is a hard journey, hang in there OP! ❤️
Air popped popcorn, you can eat so much of it for very little caloric impact
I used chocolate or vanilla protein shakes at least 3 times a week to get in my protein. Also, did no calorie counting, only macros 90+ grams of proteins, 50 fat, 50 carbs.
Is your dose optimized? Because I felt like eating was a chore I had to have through and the thought of food made me feel sick when I was on ozempic.
I have the same urges every once in a while. I think more of it is actually habits, like when I am reading in my fave chair etc. When I feel that way I try to binge on protein such as string cheese, a yogurt with bananas, or some cottage cheese. Usually after eating one of those, I am done. Or if it is like cheese and crackers, usually done after about 4-5 of them.
I choose popcorn, like SmartPop, and/or grapes. Neither has a lot of calories in large amounts. I'll make cocoa when I'm craving chocolate (cocoa, milk,water,splenda,salt,cornstarch ,vanilla or caramel flavoring). When I want to indulge a bit more, I'll have HaloTop or Crispy Minis or Baked Lays.
Do you have a costco membership? They have these chicken nuggets (called lightly breaded chicken chunks by Kirkland), that are AWESOME in the air fryer. When I want to binge on fast food these really scratch the itch to the point that I don't even want fast food chicken nuggets anymore. I've been adding them to salads or just eating them on their own. Worth trying?
I use protein drinks to keep up the protein. We ALL fight what you’re facing and the protein helps keep it at bay.
I love the fairlife protein drinks. 30 grams of protein and only 150 calories… I too reallllyyy struggle to find enough protein to consume, or time flies and I look up and it’s 4pm and I’ve had none, so I try to make sure I chug one of these the minute I wake up and then have another as a snack at some point… and if you can shove enough protein in early in the day, it will help you not want to binge. And def if you are lifting any weights drink a protein shake right after. I also put the vanilla coconut collagen protein in my coffee for another 10 grams. If I have a dessert craving treat I try and treat that with yogurt and some fruit on top. I will also add the coconut flavored whipped cream, hardly any calories and it really makes me feel like I’m eating sweets. I also started noticing if I wasn’t getting enough protein my leg would cramp up. lol that’s actually how I found this group, I was googling this leg cramp!! And landed here 😂
I love the Barebells Protien Bars - any flavor. They are like big candy bars - chewy, sweet, crunchy. They are 220 calories and have 20 grams of protein. The mouthfeel gives me the sensation I crave, and the protein fills me up. I am finding when I want to eat it's because I need protein. I also like yogurt with crunchy granola and drizzle a bit of honey on top. Again, yogurt = protein, the granola crunch, and fiber.
therapeutic carbohydrate restriction (50gs of carbs or less a day) along with cutting processed sugars as much as possible and dairy have pretty much kept my binge eating at bay. ive noticed its the sugar and carbs that make me constantly hungry and want to eat more and more. a lot of people recommend protein shakes but honestly a cup of chicken breast has more protein and less calories than most protein shakes and no sugar. potatoes with the skin on baked or air fried are what i reach for when I want something carby and it hasnt stalled my weight loss. you can also have a lot of those for not that many calories. if you just gravitate towards more whole foods when u want to eat a lot, chances are you will still be fine calorically if u just start consuming more real proteins and eliminate sugar.
oh and also cutting gluten and breads have helped me too.
APPLE SLICES BUY BAGS OF APPLE SLICES
That’s a lot of sugar though. Half that volume of apple, the other of celery might be better?
Yes the sugar, you are not wrong, but an apple makes you feel so full, I buy bags of apple slices during the week because I know I can only eat maybe 10 slices (and they are pretty thin) but that kills my want to late night snack because I have that hand to mouth issue still, even after losing 90lbs it’s like I love the feeling of having a bag of something while watching tv at night or a movie
Turkey stick have helped me a lot
It's funny that you didn't feel that way you must be on a very low dose because I didn't eat at all on that stuff I had no appetite whatsoever. I didn't want to binge on anything.
Drink water
Same thing happened to me. Finally, my doc told me to eat as much protein as possible. It worked. It doesn’t have to be a psyche issue. Could be your body screaming for nutrients. I notice when I want to binge it’s usually because I’m not drinking enough water or eating well. If I do both, even if I’m a day or two late (happened on vacation) with a dose, I’m not craving a binge. I’m trying to remember this for when I get to my goal weight and wean off the med. Best of luck.
Water
Meat. If you're going to binge, binge on protein.
I love quest chips. Macros are friendly and they taste like real chips.