Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Steps you can take right after the binge
• Method 2 of 4: Understand binge eating better
• Method 3 of 4: Getting your emotions under control
• Method 4 of 4: Prevent binge eating
• Warnings

We've all had a binge at some point, whether it's because we were bored, hungry, or sad. This is a human response. After such a binge you feel guilty, worried, depressed or insecure. Many people have done this at some point in their lives; it is important that you know that you not are the only one. Rather than being angry with yourself, realize that there are different ways to deal with binge eating so that you can see and prevent them from happening in the future.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Steps you can take right after the binge

1. Forgive yourself. When you realize you've had a binge, don't be too hard on yourself. Forgive yourself and know that there is probably something going on in your life that is affecting your emotions, causing you to binge. Follow these steps to forgive yourself:
   • Admit what you did (in this case, you had a binge).
   • Accept that you did it and that it happened.
   • Think about who hurt you (in this case, yourself).
   • Continue. Let go of the guilt and try to learn from the experience.
2. Go for a walk. One of the things you can do right away when you realize you're having a binge is change your environment. Go for a walk alone or with a friend.
   • Walking outside, especially with someone, will boost your mood and improve your mental health.
   • Taking a walk after dinner helps your body process the nutrients better.
3. Call a close friend or family member. When you talk to someone you can divert your attention from the binge or just talk about it. A friend or family member who knows that you sometimes binge eat may be able to help you during this difficult time.
   • If you are calling a friend from your cell phone, take a walk outside while on the phone.
4. Try to relax by taking a deep breath. Sit in a comfortable chair with your feet flat on the floor. Close your eyes. Take a deep, steady breath, counting to three when you inhale and to three when you exhale.
5. Drink water or peppermint tea. Your stomach may not feel so good after a binge, so soothe your stomach by drinking some water or peppermint tea. Peppermint tea aids digestion, and it also helps with other ailments.
6. Don't overcompensate your eating habits. Don't throw up, skip meals, or count calories to make up for the binge. Just start over by eating a healthy meal the next time you're hungry.
7. Wait until you are hungry before eating again. Even if it's lunch time, don't eat anything until you're really hungry. Your body is still digesting the food you ate during the binge, so give yourself time to do that.
   • If you do eat, have protein, such as egg or some chicken. Proteins keep you full for longer.
8. Get a good night's sleep. If you take a rest, your body can recover and you will start to feel better. It's also a good chance to start fresh again with a new morning / afternoon / evening ahead of you.
   • Lack of sleep can also lead to hunger pangs and will make you crave foods high in fat and carbohydrates, leading to increased binge eating in the future.
9. Be patient. It can take up to 3 days to recover from a binge, so give yourself time to get better. Have patience and be kind to yourself.

Method 2 of 4: Understand binge eating better

1. Recognize the link between binge eating and depression. Clinical depression has been associated with binge eating. In fact, a person who has symptoms of binge eating should be examined for depression right away, since the two are so closely related.
   • Although binge eating is more common in women than men, both sexes can develop binge eating in response to depression or stress. Women are more likely to experience binge eating when they are adolescents, while in men it often does not start until they are adults.
2. Recognize the link between binge eating and body image. Body image is how you see yourself when you look in the mirror, and how you think about your height, figure and size. Body image also includes the way you think about your appearance and how comfortable you are with your body. People with a negative body image are more likely to develop an eating disorder and are more likely to suffer from feelings of depression and loneliness, have low self-esteem, and have obsessions with losing weight.

Method 3 of 4: Getting your emotions under control

1. Have a support team on site. Binge eating, like other eating disorders, has their roots in strong and painful emotions. As you start to change your eating habits, those emotions will surface and may be overwhelming at first. To deal with that, you need to find people who can support you in your effort to control your emotions.
   • This could be medical professionals, a dietitian, a psychologist, roommates not trying to sabotage your goals, a support group of people who are going through the same thing, or close friends and / or relatives you trust.
2. Seek professional help. See a psychologist or therapist who specializes in eating disorders. Let him / her guide you and find the right support group that suits your personal needs.
3. Get out of a situation or environment where you are being abused. If you can, leave if you are being emotionally or physically abused. Domestic violence, sexual abuse, emotional or physical abuse can all cause binge eating. You may even need law enforcement and community service to get out of the dangerous situation.
4. Don't get discouraged. If you have a relapse, don't be discouraged. Even if you have a binge, chances are you are starting to learn how to deal with the binge eating because you realize that you are binge-eating and then you can pass up the food. If you then immediately move to a different environment to clear your mind and give your body time to recover, you will still move forward. You are not alone and you can ask for help. Don't get discouraged if you have a relapse. This is part of learning to cope with your binge eating and moving forward.

Method 4 of 4: Prevent binge eating

1. Stick to a diet. Preventing binge eating can be achieved with some planning and support. Follow a diet in which proteins, carbohydrates, sugars and salts are in balance. You have less of a tendency to overeat due to physical appetite when these elements are in balance.
   • A dietitian can give you healthy guidelines.
2. Provide healthy snacks. Stock up on healthy snacks such as nuts (unless you're allergic to them), popcorn, fruit, and yogurt. Ask your doctor or dietitian for more suggestions.
3. Drink lots of water. Drinking plenty of water flushes out toxins and fat from your body. Dehydration can be confused with feeling hungry, which causes you to overeat. Try to drink 2 liters of water as a woman and 3 liters as a man every day.
4. Avoid fast food and processed foods. Do not eat fast food, junk food, things with a lot of fat or sugar, and too much processed food. These types of foods only make you more hungry and can provoke a binge.
5. Address medical conditions. If you have an acute or chronic illness, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, infections, or other problems, see your doctor. If you are going to take care of your physical health, it will be easier to stick to your recovery plan.
6. Seek support. Set up a buddy system with friends or family. Ask people you trust to be your buddy so they can help you when you feel a binge, by talking about it, and by counteracting the negative feelings.
7. Keep a food diary. Write down how you feel each time you feel a binge. Identifying those feelings is essential if you want to get rid of the trigger for the binges. Otherwise, you will continue to think that you can solve bad feelings by eating, which will keep you from bingeing. Ask your doctor for advice.
   • Pay attention to how you feel when you are about to indulge in a binge. Write your feelings in a diary, and include what you ate and whether you exercised that day. Try to find out why you want to eat a lot; you might be deficient in protein? Did you have a fight with someone? Keeping a journal can help you identify possible causes.
   • Take notes of the goals you have accomplished, be they big or small. That will help you see progress in the healing process.
8. Set goals for yourself. Make plans so you know what to do when a binge is coming. Write down why you don't want to overeat, post notes around the house that inspire you not to overeat, make a plan to lose or maintain weight. If you do this you don't think too much about the situation, it helps you to combat binge eating in the future, and you get the feeling that you have achieved something.
   • Set achievable goals and try to achieve them in steps. For example, you can say, "I want to stop eating when I'm not hungry". Divide this into small, manageable pieces so that you say, "At one meal a day, I wait until I'm really hungry before I start eating, and I stop when I feel full." This is an attainable goal that you can start building once you have achieved it.
   • Determine how often you want to achieve a goal. Some people who are just starting out try to achieve a goal daily, but others set a goal for an entire week or month.
   • Use your journal to record progress toward these goals.

Warnings

• Some people make themselves vomit after binge-eating. Frequent vomiting can result in metabolic alkalosis, in which the acids and bases in the body are out of balance. The effects of metabolic alkalosis can range from slowed breathing (sometimes with apnea, cessation of breathing in sleep), nervousness and irregular heartbeat, to cramps and coma.
• If you vomit, the stomach acid that keeps coming into your mouth can wear down your enamel, which can cause discolored teeth and cavities.