How to Stop Binge Eating? 5 Ways To Deal When Overeating Triggers

Here are some ways to keep the binge in check, or to help you stop binge eating completely.

There are many factors involved in how to stop binge eating. Treatment for binge eating disorder (BED) usually involves psychotherapy, counseling, and medications, and the support of a healthcare team is important to your success. However, the lifestyle changes you make in addition to the treatment is essential. Left unaddressed, binge eating can lead to obesity, which is associated with other serious health issues including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

According to nutritionist, Anjali Mukerjee ”For most of us, the impulse to reach out for something to eat when we are upset and disturbed, is as natural as breathing. At some point in life all of us experience uncalled for stress which upsets our controlled eating patterns and washes away all our efforts to lose weight. An angry phone call, any festival, children’s exams, an argument with your spouse or a difference of opinion with your mother-in-law may trigger the well-under-control tongue to begin a binge which seems uncontrollable. And by the time you are through with it, the damage is done.

After all its not a perfect world, with calm workplaces, perfectly behaved children, and terribly understanding spouses. We are all driven towards food for solace when under stress. When your feelings are pushed to their limits, your eyes will seek and find food & there begins your binge eating. After the storm has passed away you feel terribly guilty about having blown your diet.”

Here are some ways to keep the binge in check, or to help you stop binge eating completely. 

1.  Maintain meal times
2. Avoid keeping snacks like chocolates, cakes and pastries in your house. If you feel the urge to binge, take 5-8 almonds and 5-8 raisins. The protein in the almonds and sweet taste of raisins will remove the urge to binge.
3. Eat whole grains and pulses with your meals. Eg. Jowar roti and dal and vegetable salad. This adds fibre and complex carbs to your meals and prevents you from binging.
4. Do not miss out on exercise. As long as you are exercising, eating a couple of ‘binge worthy foods’ will not make you gain weight. Soon after the binge, get in control again.
5. Do not skip breakfast, eat a moderate lunch and a light dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime.
6. If you have eaten something wrong, in any one meal, substitute your next meal with only fruits like apple, orange, pomegranate, pear, guava, sweet lime to make up for the excess food.

Remember that the only way to increase muscle mass and in turn your metabolic rate is exercise. If you are commited to keeping off the kilos you worked so hard to lose, exercise has to become a part of your life. Do not give up on exercise until you have achieved your target weight.