Some REAL advice for bingeing

Hi there! I'm Emily, and I'll be your therapist for the day. I see this topic a lot here on MFP, and I just wanted to chime in with some advice that I learned from my own therapist. I've noticed a lot of replies are supportive and understanding and great, but they don't really address the problem of bingeing itself. I was diagnosed with bulimia about a year ago, and I've just started this technique. And, guess what? It's totally working.

Here's what I want to remind you. The 'definition' of a binge is the consumption of large amount of food in a short time period. However, this is not always the case. The thing I most connect a binge with is lack of control! So whether your eating one serving of cake or the entire cake, if it feels like a binge, it's a binge.

Now, here's the deal: the longer you delay a binge, the LESS likely you are to actually follow through with it. Every MINUTE stalled should be a victory. Now, how do you stall a binge?

Try this. Take an index card or several and write down at least FIVE alternative things to do. Put these index cards in your wallet or purse or stick them to your mirror or fridge. Start with step 1, and if the urge to binge persists, move on to step 2 and so on.

My index cards look like this:

Step 1. Do a coloring page. (I keep coloring books and markers in pretty much every room of the house!)
Step 2. Take a 15 minute walk. (If the weather is bad or it's late at night, I skip this step and go on to step 3)
Step 3. Play a game of solitaire. (I usually use my phone so I never have to worry about finding playing cards.)
Step 4. Watch an episode of your favorite sitcom or tv show. (I watch How I Met Your Mother)
Step 5. Journal (Write down how you're feeling and whatever else comes to mind)

If you get through steps 1 - 5, and you still feel like you need to binge, DO IT. Your body and mind are telling you something. This is your way of coping, and there's nothing to be embarrassed about. After your binge, make sure you go back and journal again! Writing down the feelings associated with each binge will help you draw patterns between them, and the more you understand yourself, the easier it is to forgive yourself. (Always feel free to redo the entire list if you want!)

Maybe this isn't right for everybody, but I find my urge to binge is typically stronger when I'm sitting at home doing nothing -- so there's no excuse for me not to follow my index card. Tell me what you guys think.