3 Ways to Reduce Binge Eating

Have you experienced eating out of control?

Binge eating is eating large quantities of food very quickly to the point of being uncomfortable and even when you’re not physically hungry. It is that feeling of being out of control around food. Which is a very distinct difference from simply overeating your favourite meal. Binge eaters tend to consume food very rapidly with a sense of compulsion that cannot be ignored. Which is then followed by feelings of disgust, regret, guilt or shame.

If this sounds like you, I have a few ways that may help you reduce binge eating.

1. Stop skipping meals. Eat enough food throughout the day is important for so many reasons. But many individuals that I work with are restricting so much during the day or skipping meals, that they wonder why they are ravenously hungry in the evening. Our bodies require a certain amount of food each and every day just to survive. If you are not feeding it all day, our natural biological system takes overeating whatever and as much as it can and as fast as it can. It is actually more beneficial to eat every 3-4 hours than to fast all day and binge at night. If this is you, start slow – add in a small snack that includes a bit of protein and see how you feel in your body.

2. Get into your body. I would argue when you are on a binge, you are not present. You’re not in your body. Practicing mindfulness was a game-changer for me. Becoming aware of what I was doing was the first step in reducing my binge eating. Is there a moment that you can pause and take 3 deep belly breaths before you eat? What are you noticing in your body? Are there any sensations?

3. Check your emotions. Are you using food to numb or void feeling your emotions? I’ve been there. I’ve used food to comfort every emotion there is but at the end of the day the emotions were still there. Food doesn’t make your emotions disappear. Maybe temporarily it can distract you from feeling but they will be waiting for you as soon as you finish eating. Trust me. My advice is to ask yourself – What am I feeling right now? What do I really need at this moment? Creating an action plan as outlined in my Break-up with Bingeing Course can really help you have a plan in place when you feel the next compulsion to binge.

What to do next...

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