Binge eating is something that I have been struggling with on and off for over a decade.  At first it didn’t have a name, and I lived life like it was a normal behavior to eat as much as I did.  Finally, I learned that an eating disorder isn’t all about purging, and became able to identify and face it head on.  As time goes by, I’ve picked up certain behaviors and tasks that actually work to get me back on track after I’ve fallen off the wagon.  So here I am, sharing my top ten tips on how to stop binge eating and lose weight, in hopes that it helps you too!

1. Pre-Portion Snacks

My biggest struggle is snacking.  Constantly grabbing a bag of tortilla chips (or whatever) and munching while I focus on completing other tasks.  Before I know it, the entire bag is gone and I’m sitting there in a ball of self-hate.  I figured out quickly that while I may think I’ll only eat one serving of that snack, just having it available makes it easier for me to grab “just one more.”  The solution: Every time we bring home bulk (anything over one serving size) snacks, open them up and pre-portion them out in bags or jars or whatever container is necessary.  This way, we can grab a bag (that only contains one serving) and eat it until it’s gone with no regret and no unplanned calories!

2. Meal Portions (at home)

Carbs are not your enemy; the portion sizes are.  I used to buy a box of pasta to last me a week and would cook the whole thing saying I’ll box up the rest in the fridge for later.  There’s a couple problems here.  One, I’m not a fan of leftovers so I usually end up tossing it in the trash when I don’t eat it which is super wasteful.  Two, there’s only a 10 ft walk between me finishing my meal and going back to the kitchen for another scoop!  We should only cook what ourselves or our family will actually be eating in that moment.  One cup of pasta per person?  Then that’s all we put in the pot.  I can almost guarantee you won’t be motivated enough to watch another pot of water boil for more.

3. Meal Portions (at restaurants)

Preparing food at home is obviously preferable, but we should never feel like we can’t go out! I’ve been the person who declines friend’s invites to grab a bite to eat, and that just seems to make my depression and bingeing even worse.  So, here’s what we can do: Order whatever the hell we want (yea, you heard me) and ask the waiter / waitress for a take-away container (bonus points if you bring your own reusable one).  Before starting to eat, measure out one portion, which is generally half of the plate (or 1/3 if you’re at Olive Garden, hah).  Put the rest of the food into your take away for tomorrow.  Bam! No more overeating and stuffing our faces with the entire plate.  Plus, we now have lunch for tomorrow!

4. Turn off the TV

… or phone, or laptop, or whatever other distraction.  When our eyes and brains are focused on something else, we’re not focusing on the quantity (or taste) of the food we’re consuming.  Instead, we need to focus on our food and savor every bite.  This helps us get the most out of the food, making sure it’s only one serving, and leaving us satisfied instead of empty.

5. Slow Down

As stated above, take the time to savor the food!  Slowing down helps with digestion as well as letting the stomach feel fuller with less.  Our minds have to catch up with our hunger levels, so when we shovel the food in, our brain doesn’t tell us to stop until it’s too late.  Slowing down lets our brain more accurately gauge our stomach levels, leading to eating less food.

6. Keep Your Mind Occupied

Staying focused on other things helps take my focus off of wanting to eat.  That’s half the reason I started blogging!  Oh, and making art… photography… working out… beading… you get the drift, pick up a hobby or two.  Bonus points if it’s a constructive or helpful one.  When we find ourselves in a state of boredom, it’s too easy to pick up a snack, or five.  Therefore, we need to keep ourselves focused on other things to avoid the mindless eating.

7. Set Alarms

Especially if we’re following number six, we need to know when to eat.  If we wait too long to eat, we risk starving ourselves and extreme bingeing when we reach the next big meal.  The recommended time between meals is approximately two to three hours.  I like to set up alarms on my phone at the times I should be eating.  As I keep myself occupied, it’s like getting a reward when I reach for my pre-portioned snacks!  Keeping a schedule makes sure we stay on track while not getting too hungry in between meals.

8. Track Food Intake

Using a food tracker like MyFitnessPal can be a great tool for controlling food intake.  Counting macros (while not necessary) has led me to make conscious choices on what I should eat and stay accountable for if I go over my daily limit.  It can be used for macros or overall calories and is just a great way to stay mindful of how much we’re putting in our bodies.  Also, it makes me feel guilty for having to track how many Oreos I actually ate, which in turn makes me eat less.

9. Get Rid of Temptation

At home, I get rid of the stuff I know I shouldn’t be eating and try not to bring it in in the first place.  There are, however, circumstances where other people in the household might want to eat stuff that I probably shouldn’t.  That doesn’t mean it gets to sit in plain view to tempt me at every glance.  Instead, use opaque containers to store the “junk” in.  Using something that we can’t see through will minimize the temptation by keeping it out of sight.  Especially great for the post-Halloween candies and Christmas cookies, we can even decorate cute jars with a little bit of Pinterest inspiration.  Or those adorable Christmas tins that grandma used to stash extra buttons in?  Perfect.  They can be used for a multitude of things!  Just keep the treats out of sight.

10. Drink Water

Our brain sometimes can’t distinguish between thirst and hunger.  I’ve found that most of the time I end up snacking isn’t because I’m hungry, but actually because I’m thirsty!  Therefore, when it’s not time for me to eat and I get the urge to pick up some food, I drink a bottle of water first and wait.  Most times I end up not needing or wanting any food.  Problem solved, plus you stay nice and hydrated!

 

None of these are fool-proof, but the combination of multiple tools helps me incredibly each day.  The days I struggle are the days I’m not implementing any of these ten things and it shows.  What do you do to stop your bingeing?  Drop a comment below because I’m always looking for new ideas on how to help with this issue!

 

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