Binge Eating - How To Stop Binge Eating
Binge Eating - How To Stop Binge Eating And Get Back In The Driver’s Seat
By Melissa McCreery, Ph.D.
Binge eating is eating “gone wrong.” Binge eating is eating gone on automatic pilot, eating disconnected from physical body sensations like fullness and hunger. After a binge you may experience a glazed feeling and a “coming back to awareness.” “What happened here?” and “I wish I could undo that” are common thoughts.
Mindful eating is the opposite of bingeing. Mindful eating, conscious eating, and intuitive eating are all terms to describe eating that occurs when the mind and the body are in full communication.
When this process is happening, we eat in response to our body cues and our body’s needs. We eat
what we are hungry for and we eat until we are full (not stuffed). We are conscious of how we are feeling while we are eating and how we are likely to feel afterwards. Conscious eating does not leave us stuffed to the gills, sick to our stomachs and collapsed on the couch, too uncomfortable to move.
Conscious eating fuels us and gives us energy. The food we eat consciously gives our bodies and our
minds pleasure. It is a nice experience.
To stop binge eating, the first requirement is to turn off the automatic pilot and get back into the driver’s seat. This takes practice and won’t be easy the first or second time you try it. Like using a muscle though, your ability to stop a binge will grow stronger.
Try these tips:
Slow down. Don’t try to stop the binge at first, but communicate to yourself what you are doing. This means you are not on auto-pilot. Say to yourself out loud or in your head “I feel a binge coming on” or “Here we go” or “I’m starting to feel out of control with my eating.” Make the process
conscious.
Put your food on a plate. You’ve heard this before because it’s important. To be mindfully eating you need to be experiencing the food and how much of it you are choosing to eat.
Practice being a nonjudgmental observer. Try to notice what both your head and your body are doing–from a curious nonjudgmental standpoint.
What’s the dialogue going on in your brain? Is it silent, are you numb, are you criticizing yourself or already planning how you’ll do it differently tomorrow? Don’t try to change your thoughts, just be curious and collect data about what your mind is doing. Now put your hand on your stomach. Take a deep breath. Try to pay attention to how your body is feeling. Feel your hand on your stomach. Feel it move as you breath. Try to take note–nonjudgmentally of how your body feels. Is there tension anywhere, muscle tightness, are you holding your breath or breathing deeply? Does your stomach feel full or empty? How full? How empty?
If you feel courageous, put your other hand on your heart. Feel your heart beat. Keep breathing. Ask yourself what you are REALLY hungry for. Ask yourself what you could feed your self and your spirit IN ADDITION TO food. Sit for a minute and listen. Don’t worry or be afraid if you don’t know the answer this time. It’s asking the question that is important.
Afterwards, if you can do it, try to write down what you noticed about the whole experience. Work very hard not to be critical but to write from the standpoint of a curious observer. As you think about what happened, can you identify anything that brought you to that binge? What was going on before? When did you decide to do it? Can you identify how you were feeling–both in your mind (bored, lonely, happy, sad) and in your body (tired, tense, hungry)?
Practice doing one small, nice, compassionate thing for your body and soul every day that has nothing to do with food. It doesn’t have to be earth shattering. Put your feet up and sit for fifteen minutes before you tackle the laundry, take a bubble bath instead of a shower, wear something that you feel lovely in, put music on that you love, kick off your shoes and wiggle your toes.
Melissa McCreery, Ph.D. is a Psychologist and Life and Wellness Coach who helps her clients create and live their very best lives. She is also the creator of the Emotional Eating Toolbox (TM), Tools for Taking Control and Moving Beyond Dieting. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Mindspa, at her website: http://www.enduringchange.com
Copyright 2006 - Melissa McCreery, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give author name credit and follow all of the EzineArticles terms of service for Publishers.
How to Stop Binge Eating, Lose Weight & Keep it Off?
How Can I Stop Binge Eating and Lose Weight For Good
By Isabelle Johansen
Is this topic for real? Is this article going to reveal a way to stop binge eating and get rid of excess pounds? Absolutely! But if you happen to be a binge eater you might be reading this with a certain dose of skepticism; and frankly, I don’t blame you. I suspect that you have read every article on the subject and tried every diet as well as every miracle pill. And yet you are reading this, so my guess is that so far, nothing has worked… and lasted.
Are you a bit discouraged? I understand you. I have been there and so have many of my clients before I worked with them. Thus I encourage you to open your mind, release your judgment and read on to see how this article resonates with you.
How can I lose weight for good?
The answer is obvious; you can lose weight for good by changing your eating habits for good. If you are a binge eater, you will have to eliminate binge eating urges, because your extra weight is merely a negative side effect of your binge eating. So the real concern is how to stop binge eating. Let’s answer this challenging question by breaking it down one step at a time.
Why do you find yourself eating too much?
For Beth, one of my clients, the answer was crystal clear: stress from work. During the day she was always busy and she was surrounded by co-workers, so she would eat small amounts of food, until she got home at night. It was during and after dinner that things would get tricky… Cookies or ice cream would become like magnets: she just couldn’t resist their pull. Her eating behavior was literally an “emotional barometer”. If things in her life were on the good side, her eating was moderate. On the other hand, a big binge meant that an “emotional storm” was going on! I found this was true for many of my clients. Indeed, food allows you to change the way you feel. It literally changes your body chemistry. Food is also a pleasure. So when you feel down, you know that food can alter that state and even bring you pleasurable sensations. You end up eating more than your body really needs.
Why is it so difficult to stop using food to feel better?
First, because it works very well! At least it seems like it. Who wants to feel miserable, especially when you have the power to avoid it? Food is such an easy tool to use for coping with life’s stress and challenges that it is almost irresistibly tempting to use it, even if after a while it becomes obvious that the adverse effects are serious and even life threatening.
Second, because habits are tough to change. When you have been “unwinding with food” for quite some time you get some big momentum using food which is just hard to interrupt instantly.
So what are the real options to eliminate binge eating?
1 - Changing Focus: Taking a hot bath or calling a friend. In other words: change your focus. I came across this kind of advice in magazines and books. And I agree that they can be helpful if you can implement them, which implies that you are very present and aware of what you are doing. But in a big emotional turmoil most people lose their grounding. They get into a zone where awareness is missing. So there is no way that they can grasp and follow the recommendation to change their focus.
2 -Developing Awareness: The solution is therefore to be prepared so that you can stay grounded, and remain present and don’t reach that Binge Zone. How? The key word is Awareness. When you are fully aware: you are non-judgmental, which automatically puts you in the present moment. Being judgmental implies that you intellectually process your life situation and generate positive or negative thoughts and consequently positive or negative emotions. That is when you feel compelled to act up. Let me illustrate this with an example of one of my clients.
When Julie came back from her party she was devastated. She had realized that very few people seemed to show interest in her, she had felt like an outsider all evening. And then it hit her, she was the heaviest woman in the room. That awful and scary thought prompted a terrible feeling of inadequacy, powerlessness and shame. Soon after, Julie reached for the 2 pints of ice cream, switched on the TV and entered that binge zone where she entirely lost control of what she ate… What did happen to Julie? It all started with a negative thought, leading to a judgment: “I am so fat that people don’t even want to talk to me.” This was the root of Julie’s emotional storm.
Think of situations which trigger you to binge eat. What if, instead, you were not entertaining these negative thoughts? What if you were truly able to step outside of your judgmental mind? You would still intellectually process your life situation but this time without labeling it right or wrong, positive or negative. You would take the situation just as it is. In Julie’s case, being non judgmental would have translated into noticing what happens, accepting it and move on: “I haven’t been talking to many people tonight; oh well, it was nice to get out anyway. I’d better go to bed since I need to get up early tomorrow morning.” Such a simple shift of perspective allows you to stop your life from being this emotional rollercoaster which drains you so much and requires a way to cope with it like binge eating.
But I hear you already… “What if I realize that I have missed an important flight, or what if my boss fires me…?” The concept stays the same and it is even more helpful when the situations get serious. Keep that bigger perspective and take things as they are. Why? Does breaking down, change the reality of your situation? Does throwing a tantrum at everyone’s face empower you to deal with the situation in the best possible way? It generally makes it worse. Reality is what it is. Accepting reality as it is puts you in the NOW of your life, instead of in your head telling stories that are simply not true. Accepting reality instead of making up stories about the situation means that you are back in control, really living your life.
Being truly aware will free you from the need to cope. Binge eating is about denial, about finding a way to make feelings less painful. As you accept what happens to you in your life and stay present with it, as you face the reality as it is, you see that it is not as scary and frightening as your mind lead you to believe. You will be in a position to react more efficiently. You’ll become more grounded and confident in yourself.
How can you get there? Outside support can facilitate the process but you need to know that you don’t need anyone but You. Just tap into your inner wisdom and you’ll know what feels right. The only obstacle which can block you is yourself. If you are sincere in this process you will be successful. How can I be so sure? Overeating, binge eating is about denial. If you are honest with yourself you look at the reality of what is and deal with it instead of looking for ways to cope.
This is real. I wish you the best.
Isabelle Johansen is a life coach specialized in Eating Disorders. She is the founder of Binge-Eating-Solutions.com http://binge-eating-solutions.com and Bellsai Mindful Weight Loss http://Bellsai.com She works with corporations, the YMCA, Adult Education and directly with private clients. She helps her clients eliminate their Eating Disorders by changing their mindset so they don’t have to force themselves to eat a certain diet, but instead feel naturally compelled to eat healthy and take care of their body.
Challenges to Stop Binge Eating
Learn How To Stop Binge Eating With Challenges
By Kristin Gerstley
Life can be tough, and as we all know, it’s even more complicated when trying to stop binge eating disorder. We are thrown obstacles and our drive can sometimes seem obscured. Even in these struggles, your goal needs to stay at the forefront of your mind so that you learn how to stop binge eating.
For me, in order to not give up when times got hard, I remain focused on what it is I truly want by setting up little “challenges” for myself. This really helps me because I know that if I can fulfill the challenge, I am strong and I can go on to really achieving anything that I want.
1. Challenge yourself to find something that makes you happy and do it.
What makes you the happiest?
Writing, reading, being with friends, talking on the phone, putting on an outfit that makes you feel fabulous, exercising, listening to music, singing, buying new makeup, getting your nails and toes done, scrapbooking, cleaning, organizing, sending a card to someone, looking at old pictures, playing with your pet, etc.
2. Challenge yourself to learn or do something new.
Is there a class that you’ve always wanted to take?
What about something that you’ve always wanted to know more about?
Do you want to make more friends in your area?
Do you want a new hobby?
3. Challenge yourself to focus on your future instead of your past.
When I struggled to first stop bingeing, it was so hard for me. I constantly thought of the past and my struggles and the fact that I was scared since I had binged for so long. I found that focusing on the good I would gain from overcoming binge eating disorder really helped me.
After a couple of successes of overcoming a binge, I slipped and found myself turning to food. I binged. After the binge, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much of a failure I was. How was I ever going to beat a whole disorder when I couldn’t even resist one temptation?
This is the hardest part because you will feel like you let yourself down. You’ve worked so hard and beat a handful of binges and then you fall down. Yes, it sucks, but you have to look to the future, pick yourself back up, and stop dwelling on the binge.
4. Challenge yourself to make a list of everything you want to do in your life.
It’s really fun to create this wish list and very rewarding when you get to cross off items. Write down everything you want to do and accomplish throughout your life. Try to do these things when you beat a binge, as a reward if that will help. If not, try to cross items off monthly, annually, or just whenever you can complete the activity on your list.
5. Challenge yourself to vent out any stress, frustration, or anxiety.
While this is not true for everyone, the majority of binge eaters binge due to negative emotions. Bingeing is comforting to us so that we don’t have to think about our stressful jobs and frustration with friends, family, and even ourselves. It’s hard to change your habits of bingeing to something else. BUT, I challenge you to do so by having a plan. Having a plan in place is the key because you already know that you are going to do xyz when you are tempted to binge.
The next time you feel a binge coming on, pull out your plan and do it! If you need to go into your bathroom and take a bubble bath, do it! If your plan is to write in your journal about your feelings, do it!
Kristin Gerstley is a former binge eater that now has a very healthy relationship with food. She is the owner of End Binge Eating Now which is a site that helps people overcome Binge Eating Disorder. She also publishes a free newsletter offering encouragement, tips on how to stop binge eating, and regain control of your life.
How to Stop Binge Eating
<p>How to Stop Binge Eating<br>By <a href=”http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Bill_Nadraszky”>Bill Nadraszky</a></p>
<p>One of the things that will drive you crazy on a diet is the opportunities to binge on sweets. I know because I am very bad with binging myself and have to build some really good coping mechanisms when I find myself gaining a bit of weight. Here is the way that I deal with sweets, something that I always like.</p>
<p>1. When you start the day, start with a good solid meal. A solid meal will consist of lots of protein and carbohydrates. By starting up your metabolism this way you will not have as much trouble with your energy and should have a better bet against urges for sugar.</p>
<p>2. Eat meals often. To avoid those drops in blood sugar and the idea of an interesting treat it is important to eat every couple or three hours. There is a lot of science behind eating often but there are a few important things about eating often and one that is critical is that when you eat often your blood sugar is consistent and you will not have that urge to eat, and hopefully avoid those sugars…</p>
<p>3. Avoid sugar, especially early in the day. after you eat sugar your blood sugar spikes up and then drops within an hour and that drop in blood sugar will make you want to snack. There is a sugar roller coaster that will go on in your body and once you recognize this you will notice your feelings and emotions are being triggered by the hype and comfort of high blood sugar and the depression and cravings that go on from low blood sugar.</p>
<p>4. Sleep enough to avoid making bad decisions. I find that it is easy to decide to eat something bad when you are tired. You are very pliable when someone offers you candy or donuts or to go for a buffet lunch. Sleep will help in a large way as well to help regulate your metabolism as you go a longer time without food.</p>
<p>5. When the urge to eat something bad strikes grab something else. I always bring lots of fruit to work and have a glass of water at my desk that I chug often during the day.</p>
<p>6. Keep a strong good attitude about your eating decisions. This kind of goes with a couple of the ones above but when you know that there are good reasons to be eating good food and avoiding bad stuff you will find that you are more inclined to make better decisions.</p>
<p>Sometimes we make mistakes, that is normal, human, and fine. Although your goal is to only eat food that is good and nourishing for you until you have complete control over your emotions with eating. By following the few tips above you should have a lot better chance against the binging issues that plague you.</p>
<p>For more information on picking a diet and workout plan for yourself you can visit my <A target=”_new” HREF=”http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/fit-over-40-review.html”>Fit over 40</A> review or my <A target=”_new” HREF=”http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/turbulence-training-review.html”>High intensity training</A> and diet review.</p>
How to Stop Binge Eating?
How to Stop Binge Eating!
By Karen Chambre
How to stop binge eating may be one of your biggest struggles. You may have developed binge eating as a way to deal with emotional stressors. After binge eating do you get disgusted with yourself and declare that you will stop, only to binge again.
Step 1 Think about it
To stop binge eating it is important to think about the way in which you eat. If you notice aspects of binging, at the time you have thoughts of binging you can begin to take steps to get in control.
Think about the significant elements of your behavior. Why do you binge? When do you binge? How large is your binge? Where do you binge? How often is your binge?
Step 2 Pause before you binge
When planning a binge or beginning to start binge eating, see if you can take a minute to pause. In that minute, notice if you can come up with a reason that you feel like binging. Possible reasons can include deprivation from treats, uncomfortable feelings or a trigger food. Other rationales can consist of a reward for working hard, a punishment for eating a food you deem illegal or eating foods that have positive childhood memories associated.
After the pause, if you need to go ahead and eat. If you stop yourself from eating, later you might rebel against yourself and binge to a greater extent.
Step 3 Figure out the emotions you are feeling.
Some people have difficulty figuring out what emotions they are feeling. You may need some practice and make guesses at what emotions are triggering binges. We suggest methods that you can use to tap into what you are feeling.
Writing without thinking is a good way. At times when you put situations on paper, the feelings jump out at you. Feelings will not go away because you wish they would. They need to diffuse in a natural way. They will lift in time.
Step 4 Find non self-destructive ways of self-soothing
The problem is that binge eating does not solve uncomfortable feelings or situations. Binging may be comforting in the short run. When the discomfort does not go away, however, you binge with feelings of disgust and self-loathing. Finding other means of self- soothing is very important. Think about how you calm yourself. What activities do you enjoy and can relieve stress
Step 5 Make your food plan reasonable
You may make a decision to be on a strict diet to lose weight. This can predominantly occur after several days of binging. If you restrict food after a while, you may feel very deprived. The urge for a treat may come over you. If you have a history of binge eating disorder, giving in to a treat may cause disappointment and self-loathing. You may feel so disgusted with yourself that you start to binge again.
How to Stop Binge Eating
How to Stop Binge Eating and Avoid Weight Gain
By Matt W Martin
If you are eating because you are bored, stressed, or depressed you are binge eating. Why should I stop binge eating? Well it can and will lead to weight gain overtime. A binge can last for as little as a few hours to days, even weeks at a time. If you maintain your current weight, you need to stop. This article will address several ways on how to stop binge eating.
The first step you should take is stop unhealthy binge eating. Eliminate unhealthy junk foods from your home. Fill your home with healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. If you must binge, eat healthy foods only to help avoid weight gain.
You should keep all foods in the kitchen and out of site. The more you see food, the more likely you are to want food. Many people binge because they are not paying attention to if they are really hungry or not. You could be watching a television program with a bag of chips in your lap. Before you know it, the whole bag is gone. Your mind was occupied by the television program. This is why it is very important to keep all your foods in the kitchen and only eat at the dinner table.
You can help stop binge eating by drinking more water throughout the day. You should drink 8-12 glasses of water each day. Drinking water will fill your stomach up and reduce hunger. Drink plenty of water between means and plenty of water before a meal. Do not think you can go drinking soda or unhealthy drinks. Drink water only.
Boredom can lead to heavy eating. If you are not doing anything and you feel the sudden urge to eat, find something to occupy your time before you actually go and eat anything. You could do exercises or play a game. I would suggest going for a walk. If you were not really hungry, the urge to eat would have disappeared.
If you are in a stressed or emotional state, find something other than eating to ease your pain. You may have to work with a counselor to identify what is actually wrong and help you cope. If you binge every time your stressed or emotional your forming a habit. Many people consciously know they are overeating but tell themselves, I’ll just stop when I am no longer stressed or emotional. This is not the right mindset to have.
People who binge often lack any self control. It is you alone that tells yourself to eat, and it is you alone who can just as easily tell yourself not to eat. You must strengthen your will power to stop binge eating. Before you eat anything ask yourself, do I really need this? Am I really hungry? Can I go without having this? Feel your body out and answer these questions. If you feel like you are going to go crazy if you do not eat something, grab an apple instead junk food. Also as long as you are chewing your mind thinks your eating. You can try chewing sugar free gum and trick your mind.
Kristin Gerstley knows first hand how difficult overcoming binge eating disorder can be. Kristin struggled for many years before developing a system that works. Not only did she stop binge eating for good, she lost 60 pounds and boosted her self-esteem in the process. Learn how Kristin overcame binge eating disorder at End Binge Eating Now
How do I stop binge eating during dinner time?
I eat healthy all day and for reasons I'm not sure of, I tend to eat too much at dinnertime. I know this is why I'm gaining weight, and it's not healthy, but I can't seem to get this under control, any suggestions? Thank you.
is someone at hour house a really good cook or something? if the food is reallly good it will be hard to stop, but if someone else tries to learn to cook, you might not be so willing to eat as much for a while until the food quality gets better, by which time you will have developed different habits.
How can I stop binge eating when I'm at work?
I'm 22 and work in the bar industry, my problem is that when I'm doing a long shift at work I tend to eat lots through sheer boredom which is not helping as I am trying to shift 1/2 a stone and feel like this is ruining all my hard work at the gym. Any ideas how i can stop being so gutsy?
This is a US board we work in pounds.
How can you put the fork down and stop binge eating?
Sometimes I just start eating and then can't stop.
I don't have a real answer for you. I can just say I can relate. At dinner, especially if it's something really good…I eat and eat and eat it. I can out-eat my husband! I am not proud of this by any means. But it's sooo hard to stop. I can only say to you that once I joined Curves and started working out everyday I found myself not wanting so much. I actually eat less (I think) I would eat until I literally couldn't shove anymore food in my face. I would feel so sick because I wasn't just full…I was stuffed. Seriously…after blaming the dryer for my clothes shrinking. I was a size 8, then a 10 then a 12 and now a size 12 or 13 I had to come to terms that the dryer WASN'T at fault here…lol…I joined the center and really started to just not go for seconds, I eat a salad at dinner before I eat what I cooked or drink a glass of milk before I eat, that way I don't eat as much of the other stuff. The only thing I can say is look…really look at yourself, look at an obese person walking in the mall or where ever and say..is that what I want to look like? Then, decide for yourself how you are going to put the fork down…and do it. It's not easy by no means…but it will be worth it. Good luck!
VEGETARIAN - needing to loose some weight, but i just cant stop binge eating right after dinner!?
I am not even thaat hungry but once i have dinner i cant stop eating.. i dont eat really healthy during the day but not once i get home. what can i do to stop bingeing??? and what veg. foods will fill me and stop craving the breads/desserts all the time!?
I agree with the first answer to a degree.
It may just be your body craving certain nutrients which you haven't taken in. Try supplementing a multivitamin, aimed at vegetarians and see if this problem still exists. Also, you may just not being taking in your required caloric intake of the day. Another thing to think of is a major component of weightloss is exercise, diet alone won't do much of anything.
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