Avoiding a Binge - Tactics
crepes_
Posts: 583 Member
I think it's important for all of us to have an arsenal of tactics to turn to in the face of a binge. That overwhelming 'must eat' feeling is so strong sometimes, and even if our logical mind is telling us not to do it, we continue.
What are some of your favorite or most commonly used tactics to avoid a binge? Maybe in discussing some of your favorites, someone else might pick up something new that might help them!
Here are a couple of mine:
What are some of your favorite or most commonly used tactics to avoid a binge? Maybe in discussing some of your favorites, someone else might pick up something new that might help them!
Here are a couple of mine:
- Self nurture. I take the time to give myself a manicure, pedicure, face mask, or a foot massage. The time that it takes to do this is long enough that by the time I'm finished, I no longer have any inkling to binge. Also, eating anything with wet nail polish just won't end well.
- I wrote a letter to myself and I keep it in the notes on my phone. I am talking to myself quite bluntly about all the issues that can come from binge eating and why I don' t want to do it. I get real with myself, and it helps.
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Replies
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Hello! you have some great ideas!
I have been struggling with bingeing for a long, long, long time.
However, what I have found helpful for myself is, when I feel like bingeing and nothing can take that desire away, to binge on salad (with low calorie homemade dressing) and homemade low calorie soups instead of my usual binge favourites such as fried foods, noodles, and pizza. by doing this, I did not have to deal with the crazy guilt like I would have if I binged on higher-calorie foods such as pizza or French fries.
Going for walks and carrying healthy snacks such as a sliced apple is also another good way to help get your mind off of bingeing!
Stay strong, and always remember that you are STRONGER than the binge!
-Christine0 -
Great idea for a thread.
Just like in the 'Me vs. The Binge' monthly threads, I think of 'The Binge' as a separate being.
TB is often around me, trying to take control of my body and get me to binge. I speak directly to him.
'no. I'm not giving you a chocolate'
'I said no!'
'I'm stronger than you. you're not going to win.'
'I can feel you starting to want the chips. I'm not going to give them to you. absolutely not. no way'
'I'm not going to listen to you. I'm not going to give in. you might as well give up because this is not going to work'.
'Why would I give you all this food when it means that I put on weight??'
'I'm telling you now, don't try to have any more of the food in the fridge because I'm not going to give it to you'
sometimes I'm a lot ruder but i don't think I can post that here.
Basically the minute I feel TB approaching I let him know I'm not going to stand for it.
I don't speak with any love or sympathy. I take a very tough, firm, mean, heartless approach. I don't feel any sympathy or compassion towards TB.
I feel love and forgiveness towards myself when I binge. but not towards TB.
This works for me a lot of the time. I also feel that TB has learnt that I mean business (or maybe its me that's learnt that
). Sometimes a few sharp words and he gives up.
I would be interested to know if this helps anybody else. But it really does help me to think of it that way.
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totaldetermination wrote: »Great idea for a thread.
Just like in the 'Me vs. The Binge' monthly threads, I think of 'The Binge' as a separate being.
TB is often around me, trying to take control of my body and get me to binge. I speak directly to him.
'no. I'm not giving you a chocolate'
'I said no!'
'I'm stronger than you. you're not going to win.'
'I can feel you starting to want the chips. I'm not going to give them to you. absolutely not. no way'
'I'm not going to listen to you. I'm not going to give in. you might as well give up because this is not going to work'.
'Why would I give you all this food when it means that I put on weight??'
'I'm telling you now, don't try to have any more of the food in the fridge because I'm not going to give it to you'
sometimes I'm a lot ruder but i don't think I can post that here.
Basically the minute I feel TB approaching I let him know I'm not going to stand for it.
I don't speak with any love or sympathy. I take a very tough, firm, mean, heartless approach. I don't feel any sympathy or compassion towards TB.
I feel love and forgiveness towards myself when I binge. but not towards TB.
This works for me a lot of the time. I also feel that TB has learnt that I mean business (or maybe its me that's learnt that ). Sometimes a few sharp words and he gives up.
I would be interested to know if this helps anybody else. But it really does help me to think of it that way.
that is a great idea! I will try that! self-talk is more powerful than we think 0 -
Self-talk is always helpful, so I do that. The other thing that works for me is to get out of the house, especially going for a long walk. First, it gets me away from the food and the fresh air and body movement help, too. It gives me time to think and calm down.0
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BoubouChan wrote: »Self-talk is always helpful, so I do that. The other thing that works for me is to get out of the house, especially going for a long walk. First, it gets me away from the food and the fresh air and body movement help, too. It gives me time to think and calm down.
That's a great tip. I've started doing some stretching or yoga when I feel the urge to binge. I end up with 30 minutes of just focusing on myself, my breathing, and my happiness. It's a great distraction!0 -
I got another one! Call a friend or family member that you need to catch up with. It's a great time for keeping your social obligations and keeping you distracted from the mental anguish that is binge-brain.0
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I take my doggie for a walk, read a book, or watch TV. I also come to the MFP forums or read fitness magazines to remind me of my weight loss desire.
Oh, I also have a thing with my cat called mandatory cuddle time. She's not a big fan.0 -
totaldetermination wrote: »Great idea for a thread.
Just like in the 'Me vs. The Binge' monthly threads, I think of 'The Binge' as a separate being.
TB is often around me, trying to take control of my body and get me to binge. I speak directly to him.
'no. I'm not giving you a chocolate'
'I said no!'
'I'm stronger than you. you're not going to win.'
'I can feel you starting to want the chips. I'm not going to give them to you. absolutely not. no way'
'I'm not going to listen to you. I'm not going to give in. you might as well give up because this is not going to work'.
'Why would I give you all this food when it means that I put on weight??'
'I'm telling you now, don't try to have any more of the food in the fridge because I'm not going to give it to you'
sometimes I'm a lot ruder but i don't think I can post that here.
Basically the minute I feel TB approaching I let him know I'm not going to stand for it.
I don't speak with any love or sympathy. I take a very tough, firm, mean, heartless approach. I don't feel any sympathy or compassion towards TB.
I feel love and forgiveness towards myself when I binge. but not towards TB.
This works for me a lot of the time. I also feel that TB has learnt that I mean business (or maybe its me that's learnt that ). Sometimes a few sharp words and he gives up.
I would be interested to know if this helps anybody else. But it really does help me to think of it that way.
Thank you for writing this. I LOVE the idea and will try it for sure;)0 -
I'm really liking this thread!
I live alone and tend to binge at night. So, my first step recently was doing a clean sweep. I tossed out everything in my house that I could even consider as a binge food. So only fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy grains remain. Now, if I want to binge at night, it takes considerable effort. I have on more occasions chosen to just read and go to bed (awesome accomplishment).
It's almost been a month; I've binged a few times, but nothing too out of control. Since it takes so much effort in getting to actually binge, it becomes less gratifying.
My all time favorite trick:
Brain training:
- When you're having a good moment in your day, try to really focus on how happy, light, awake, and active you feel. Really cherish how proud you are of yourself and how good everything feels.
- One might feel good during a binge; but, the aftermath is awful.
So, for me, planning a dream trip to SE Asia, going to yoga, finishing a knitting project, walking to someplace new, finishing a book... are so gratifying throughout the entire process.
I feel great before, during, and after all those activities. I feel accomplished and joy. How often can we say that from a binge?
(I would love some friends on MFP to keep me motivated and active on this site. I can be a great support too. Please add me!)
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I just read these posts and they had some useful ideas:
http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2014/11/05/how-to-recover-from-binge-eating/
'Lesson 2' is a big one for me.0 -
I've done the "clean sweep" before. When I knew a binge was coming, I would collect binge foods, and put them in the trash. It works, even though it can be expensive. The problem though is my son gets mad cause there is no food in the house. But he does understand since he is in the medical career field.
I like the idea of brain training. The positivity is a good reward and can reinforce good eating / exercise habits.0 -
totaldetermination:
I just read that post. I really like lessons 2 and 3; shifting ones perspectives is a struggle.
It's a lovely post. Thanks for sharing it.0 -
totaldetermination wrote: »Great idea for a thread.
Just like in the 'Me vs. The Binge' monthly threads, I think of 'The Binge' as a separate being.
TB is often around me, trying to take control of my body and get me to binge. I speak directly to him.
'no. I'm not giving you a chocolate'
'I said no!'
'I'm stronger than you. you're not going to win.'
'I can feel you starting to want the chips. I'm not going to give them to you. absolutely not. no way'
'I'm not going to listen to you. I'm not going to give in. you might as well give up because this is not going to work'.
'Why would I give you all this food when it means that I put on weight??'
'I'm telling you now, don't try to have any more of the food in the fridge because I'm not going to give it to you'
sometimes I'm a lot ruder but i don't think I can post that here.
Basically the minute I feel TB approaching I let him know I'm not going to stand for it.
I don't speak with any love or sympathy. I take a very tough, firm, mean, heartless approach. I don't feel any sympathy or compassion towards TB.
I feel love and forgiveness towards myself when I binge. but not towards TB.
This works for me a lot of the time. I also feel that TB has learnt that I mean business (or maybe its me that's learnt that ). Sometimes a few sharp words and he gives up.
I would be interested to know if this helps anybody else. But it really does help me to think of it that way.
omg!! i do something like this too! The way i do it though, is in my head i imagine 2 versions of myself. One is huge, overweight, acne ridden, always begging for junk food and greasy food, sooo pitiful. The other version of me is beautiful, slim, fit and puts down the bad version of me every time she begs for crap food. She always laughs in her face and makes her feel dumb and just like you, I'm a lot ruder this sounds crazy but it works. 0 -
totaldetermination wrote: »Great idea for a thread.
Just like in the 'Me vs. The Binge' monthly threads, I think of 'The Binge' as a separate being.
TB is often around me, trying to take control of my body and get me to binge. I speak directly to him.
'no. I'm not giving you a chocolate'
'I said no!'
'I'm stronger than you. you're not going to win.'
'I can feel you starting to want the chips. I'm not going to give them to you. absolutely not. no way'
'I'm not going to listen to you. I'm not going to give in. you might as well give up because this is not going to work'.
'Why would I give you all this food when it means that I put on weight??'
'I'm telling you now, don't try to have any more of the food in the fridge because I'm not going to give it to you'
sometimes I'm a lot ruder but i don't think I can post that here.
Basically the minute I feel TB approaching I let him know I'm not going to stand for it.
I don't speak with any love or sympathy. I take a very tough, firm, mean, heartless approach. I don't feel any sympathy or compassion towards TB.
I feel love and forgiveness towards myself when I binge. but not towards TB.
This works for me a lot of the time. I also feel that TB has learnt that I mean business (or maybe its me that's learnt that ). Sometimes a few sharp words and he gives up.
I would be interested to know if this helps anybody else. But it really does help me to think of it that way.
omg!! i do something like this too! The way i do it though, is in my head i imagine 2 versions of myself. One is huge, overweight, acne ridden, always begging for junk food and greasy food, sooo pitiful. The other version of me is beautiful, slim, fit and puts down the bad version of me every time she begs for crap food. She always laughs in her face and makes her feel dumb and just like you, I'm a lot ruder this sounds crazy but it works.
very interesting idea
I like to think of TB as someone distinct from me, as it makes it easier for me to be tough on him (even though I'm female for some reason TB is always male - I have no idea why, or whether there is any significance there, but it just happens without my thinking about it)
But I really like your idea of confronting the reality of the person I would be if TB was in charge.
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Stay busy0
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Give myself unconditional permission to eat. If I say no to a cookie now because I think it's going to ruin my diet even if I'm craving it, I find that I'm much more likely to binge on 20 of them later when nobody is looking.0
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I love this thread! Thanks for posting!0
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omg!! i do something like this too! The way i do it though, is in my head i imagine 2 versions of myself. One is huge, overweight, acne ridden, always begging for junk food and greasy food, sooo pitiful. The other version of me is beautiful, slim, fit and puts down the bad version of me every time she begs for crap food. She always laughs in her face and makes her feel dumb and just like you, I'm a lot ruder this sounds crazy but it works.
I love this. Since I'm still trying to find new ways to resist the urge, I'm going to try this next time!
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I only binge at night time so I've been trying to drink a lot of water & tea in the evening. I find the tea comforting & soothing & fills me up for a bit. I really need to go to bed earlier though...I think that's a good tip for night time bingers...go to bed before you start getting hungry or the urge to binge. I've also tried chewing a big piece of gum...keeps my mouth busy & curbs the urge for sweets for awhile. I read somewhere that lollipops are good for that too!0
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I just read an introduction to the book Brain Over Binge (http://brainoverbinge.com/?page_id=6).
I don't agree with everything she says, but I found it really interesting, and it mentions a few points about how to avoid a binge, which make sense. I will definitely try them.
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and another page
http://bingebuddy.com/UrgeLocHome.html
This one is actually a bit of fun. Its interactive and the idea is that you read it when you feel a binge urge, and it helps you avoid binging.0 -
totaldetermination wrote: »I just read these posts and they had some useful ideas:
http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2014/11/05/how-to-recover-from-binge-eating/
'Lesson 2' is a big one for me.
That was great, thanks for sharing!0 -
Reading this series was a big help - taking 30 minutes for reading got me thru the "I just want to stuff - never mind that I know I'm not physiologically hungry". Had a cup of hot water and that also gave me something to do that had some soothing value. Best was the sense that I'm not alone in this. My BF and I have been doing Fitness Pal now for several months. He's learning a lot and keeps gradually losing weight. My binges simply mystify him - how I can eat 4000 calories a day?
I used to simply refuse to record binge days. Progress for me has been to relive each thing I ate - doing a check in about how it felt and what was going on. Recognized so many patterns others have referred to. Big one for me was/is the - well, I've blown it - might as well eat anything I've ever craved. Lots of judgement showing up.
Thanks to each of you who has posted.0 -
totaldetermination wrote: »Great idea for a thread.
Just like in the 'Me vs. The Binge' monthly threads, I think of 'The Binge' as a separate being.
TB is often around me, trying to take control of my body and get me to binge. I speak directly to him.
'no. I'm not giving you a chocolate'
'I said no!'
'I'm stronger than you. you're not going to win.'
'I can feel you starting to want the chips. I'm not going to give them to you. absolutely not. no way'
'I'm not going to listen to you. I'm not going to give in. you might as well give up because this is not going to work'.
'Why would I give you all this food when it means that I put on weight??'
'I'm telling you now, don't try to have any more of the food in the fridge because I'm not going to give it to you'
sometimes I'm a lot ruder but i don't think I can post that here.
Basically the minute I feel TB approaching I let him know I'm not going to stand for it.
I don't speak with any love or sympathy. I take a very tough, firm, mean, heartless approach. I don't feel any sympathy or compassion towards TB.
I feel love and forgiveness towards myself when I binge. but not towards TB.
This works for me a lot of the time. I also feel that TB has learnt that I mean business (or maybe its me that's learnt that ). Sometimes a few sharp words and he gives up.
I would be interested to know if this helps anybody else. But it really does help me to think of it that way.
This is fantastic. I'm absolutely going to start doing this. Thank you for posting!0
This discussion has been closed.