(from a lifestyle point of view)
Eat Nutrient Rich. The biggest reason for binge is eating nutrient-poor foods. You get full, but are left feeling unfulfilled, and are driven to over consume. When you factor in that nutrient-poor foods don’t have significant quantities of micronutrients and that they are loaded with toxic substances–you are left with a body that can’t detoxify effectively. Regardless as to what you eat, your body is always trying to detoxify from excess toxins, even if it is not doing so optimally, due to the nutrient-poor food taken in. However, the minute you eat more nutrient-poor food, that detoxification process, as faulty as it was–stops, and your body then begins the digestion process all over again. Meanwhile, those addictive food substances continue driving it to over eat more nutrient-poor foods. It’s a vicious cycle. Get free of it.
Note: you can binge eat nutrient-rich foods too if you don’t handle the issues below. 😉
•Manage stress levels. One of the most important aspects of controlling binge eating is to find alternate ways to handle stress and other overwhelming feelings, without using food as a way to medicate. These may include exercising, meditating, using sensory relaxation strategies, practicing simple breathing exercises, and streamlining and simplifying your life among other resilient living practices. See below.
•Eat as often as you need to, but rarely more. Over-scheduling meal times, as if you need to eat 3-5 times per day, everyday, can cause you to binge eat. thinking you have to eat this often (you don’t) is enough to makes you too focused on food, when you could and should be focused on your goals. As activity levels increase, so will your consumption of food, so please make sure it’s nutrient rich!
•Avoid temptation. You’re much more likely to overeat if you have junk food, desserts, and unhealthy snacks in the house, as well as the recent memory of having eaten them. Remove the temptation by clearing out your fridge and cupboards of your favorite binge foods, and make it inconvenient to get them–out of mouth out of mind.
•Stop dieting. The deprivation and hunger caused by strict dieting can trigger food cravings and the natural urge to overeat. You can’t survive for long by not getting your needs met. It’s like breathing just one less breath each minute than you need to–within a few minutes you’ll be gasping for air. Instead of dieting, focus on eating to get your needs met. Find nutrient-rich foods that you enjoy eating, and then only eat enough for you to feel content, and not uncomfortably stuffed. Avoid banning certain foods, as this can make you crave them even more. Instead, focus on a nutrient-rich version that delivers the same result. For example: if you crave ice cream, just toss some fruit, ice and almond milk into the blender, pour it into a bowl, and enjoy. You still get to eat ice cream, but it is a much healthier version that is good for you.
•Exercise. Not only will exercise help you lose weight in a healthy way, but it will also lift depression, improve overall health, and reduce stress levels. The natural mood-boosting effects of exercise can help put a stop to emotional eating.
•Fight boredom. There really is no reason to be bored in today’s world, with so much access to information and opportunity–but it happens. Instead of snacking when you’re bored, distract yourself. Take a walk, call a friend, put on some music, read a book, search the Internet, or take up a hobby, such as drawing, painting, gardening or writing–you can even start a Blog (on all the things you can do to distract you from eating). : )
•Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can drive you crazy, and make binge eating seem like a small issue. If you’re tired, you may want to keep eating in order to boost your energy. Instead, take a nap or go to bed earlier and watch what happens to your binge. You don’t need more food, you need more vitality and that only comes from sleep.
•Listen to your body, very carefully. Learn to distinguish between the physical need to eat, and emotional hunger. If you ate recently and don’t have a rumbling stomach, you’re probably not really hungry.
•Three words. Let it go! Stop thinking and meditate. Watch what happens. Training for life, starts with meditation.
•Keep a food diary, if you are a real hound dog for detail. Write down what you eat, when, how much, and how you’re feeling when you eat. You may see patterns emerge that reveal the connections between your moods and binge eating. Eventually you’ll discover all the stuff above and below.
•Get support. You’re more likely to succumb to binge eating triggers if you lack a solid support network, or don’t get yourself into a life environment that reinforces the behaviors you want. Talking helps, even if it’s not with a professional. Lean on family and friends, join a support group, and if needed–consult a therapist who is skilled in motivational outreach. For some people, entering a new world is what works best. if that works for you, find a new world of people you want to be like and act like. It’s like osmosis. You will become them and they will become you.
•Resilient Living. Binge eating is also caused by personal energy debt, feeling out if balance, confusion, anxiety over lack of direction, being overwhelmed, negative unsupportive personal thinking, being driven by past experiences, and having a lack of support. It is also caused by overeating after major exertions of physical activity, performance anxiety, by a lack of recuperation and the need to stimulate yourself for energy (most of the time this is nutrient-poor food). NOTE: You can unleash yourself from these hidden lifestyle challenges practicing Performance Lifestyle®
If any of these issues plague you, it is time to get resilient–able to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. Strive to roll with the punches, and not take yourself so seriously. Make any of these changes mentioned above and you will be well on your way to kicking your binging habit. Make them all–and marvel at your new healthy, performance lifestyle!