Do you wish you’d stop binge eating?

I used to binge eat. A lot. It was my biggest struggle with food! I’m a total foodie and love to eat, but back when I was dieting I had a love-hate relationship with food. As soon as I took a bite of a “forbidden food” (hello, cheesecake and ice cream!) it was long before I said “to hell with it” and went to town on all the things I was going to keep off limits tomorrow when I started the diet again.  

My most immediate response to binge eating was to go back to restricting those very foods. I believed that I just needed more self control and discipline and could not be trusted with the foods I binged on. 

Do you believe the same? 

Today I know that my default to restricting food in response to a binge was actually part of the problem and what was spiraling me deeper into binge eating behaviors. 

So if you are struggling with overeating or binge eating right now, I thought I’d help you out with a few tips and get clear on the things you DO want to do and the things you DON’T want to do to resolve binge eating.

The Dos & Don’t to Stop Binge Eating

DON’T:  Have forbidden foods. You’ll keep craving and overeating the very foods you keep off limits once you do eat them.

DO: Practice giving yourself permission to enjoy all foods in a way that feels safe to you. That can mean trying 1 new forbidden food at a time until  you no longer feel the urge to overeat it, and then move on to the next food.

DON’T: Try to stop a binge. I know it sounds counterintuitive. But trying to stop a binge is on some level a restricted mindset and will only spiral you down further once you do start to overeat.

DO: Connect to TASTE and ask without judgement – am I even enjoying this? It’s hard to stay present when you are in “I’m gonna it all” mode. But the taste is often something that can bring back your senses and give you that breather you need to ask if this is actually helpful or enjoyable.

DON’T: Save your calories or allow yourself to get too hungry – this will only trigger overeating at your next meal as a NORMAL response to depriving your body.

DO: Consistently nourish your body throughout the day with adequate amounts of food. This creates trust within your body that it can depend on receiving enough fuel to function well and decrease the likelihood of cravings and binging in the long run.

DON’T: Judge yourself or engage in negative self talk. This will only blur your ability to understand what led you to eat in this way and figuring it out so you can resolve this eating behavior in the future.

DO: Get curious! ASK: what led me to eat in this way. Remember that you are not weak or a failure, there is a reason you need to uncover to resolve this eating behavior. Zoom out and assess what led up to the binge eating experience and what you can do next time that can help you eat in a way that feels best to you. 

And most importantly, give yourself the time to process and to learn!