10 Tips to Stop Binge Eating
Binge eating disorder (BED) is considered the most common feeding and eating disorder in the United States*. Feeling out of control, consuming large portions of food in a short period of time, and experiencing shame and guilt after a binge are characteristics of this highly distressing pattern. If you can relate, here are 10 tips that can help.
1. Don't Restrict or Skip Meals
If you restrict—whether it be intentionally or unintentionally, you're setting yourself up for a binge. Dieting and restricting often triggers binge eating, and when you deny yourself certain foods, it is shown to actually increase your cravings for those very foods and puts you at greater risk of overeating.* It's very important to eat meals at regular intervals to shift away from this cycle. If you binge at one meal, don't skip the next or you'll simply set yourself up for another binge.
2. Practice Self-Compassion
Usually, after a binge, we feel strong feelings of guilt or shame. In order to make ourselves feel better, these feelings can lead to more binging. Being self-critical and letting negative emotions win gets in the way of understanding why we were binging in the first place. Self-criticism not only makes us feel worse, it actually prolongs and perpetuates binge behavior. With mindfulness and self-compassion, we're actually far more likely to make a change in our behavior. Being self-compassionate means you treat yourself like you would a friend or loved one. If you slip up, you're supportive and understanding, rather than cruel and angry.
3. Make Sure You're Getting Enough of Certain Nutrients
Oftentimes, bingeing is our body's way of seeking nutrients that we're deprived of. A craving for salty foods might mean we're missing sodium. Low energy might mean you're low in iron or B12. Make sure you're getting enough of these important micronutrients, as well as satiating macronutrients such as high-fiber carbs, healthy fats, and protein. Not only do these fill us up, but they also prevent blood sugar crashes (that often result in binges).
4. Clear Your Pantry of Binge Foods
Clearing your pantry won’t resolve your binge eating on its own, but the way to work through binge eating is not to practice intuitive eating surrounded by your binge foods of choice. If you don't feel safe around cereal, don't buy cereal for now. If you don't feel safe around ice cream, don't buy ice cream for now. This is not a sign of weakness or failure; it's a supportive and compassionate action in your recovery process.
5. Learn and Use Mindfulness
Mindfulness is intentionally paying attention to the present moment and being in tune with your surroundings. Being mindful can help overeating by allowing yourself to listen to your internal hunger and fullness cues. We can mindfully bring attention to our bodily sensations, thoughts, feelings, and senses. With practice, we are able to switch out of the "autopilot" mode of bingeing and change our behavior. Mindfulness also helps you become more aware of whether or not you're physically or emotionally hungry. Yoga and meditation are great avenues for gaining mindfulness skills.
6. Do Low-Intensity Exercise
Unknowingly, many people who struggle with binge eating make their recovery more challenging by engaging in high-intensity exercise that can keep their appetite high and set them up for a binge. If you're wanting to get a handle on binge eating, consider scaling back on high-intensity exercises, and try more low-intensity exercises, like taking the stairs, walking, and practicing yoga.
7. Learn to "HALT"
An acronym you can use is HALT: "Am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired?" Of course, anger and loneliness could be replaced with many other emotions—hurt, sad, bored, guilty. As you become more in touch with your body, you'll be able to better tell if you truly are hungry, or if your hunger is for something else. For example, if you can acknowledge you're lonely, you might reach for the phone or practice self-compassion instead of going to the cupboard. Similarly, we seek high-fat, high-sugar foods for quick energy when we're tired. For anyone prone to bingeing, this can be a trigger.
8. Join a Support Group and/or See a Therapist
Shame thrives in secrecy, and shame perpetuates bingeing. When we can talk about our struggles in a safe, supportive environment, insight and change happen. There are many support groups for binge eating, both online and in person. If you're not ready for a group, consider seeing a therapist or attending a treatment center. It is very challenging to try to heal on your own.
9. Don't Purge
Purging perpetuates a cycle of bingeing on several levels: First, it sends the message to our body that despite eating a moderate amount of food, we're not satisfied, which makes us want to eat more! Secondly, it psychologically makes us think we can keep bingeing because a purge can alleviate the discomfort of a binge. When we stop giving ourselves the option to purge or restrict, we can be more mindful about binges.
10. Be Mindful of Your Relationship with Alcohol
Many people feel very vulnerable to bingeing when they've been drinking alcohol. This is because alcohol affects our prefrontal cortex, the area of our brain that controls logic, decision-making, rationality, and self-control, among other important functions. Alcohol also increases our appetite for up to 24 hours after consuming it, depresses mood, and destabilizes blood sugar—which raises your susceptibility to a binge the next day. Consider cutting back on how much you drink, or cutting it out entirely.
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