I'm a former athlete and am used to eating anything I want. I no longer train extensively and have cravings which I satisfy by bingeing. I haven’t gained too much weight because I work out and sometimes restrict eating after a binge. I know what I am doing is unhealthy but can’t seem to stop

Emotional eating
If you are eating because of emotions and not hunger, then you’re bingeing. A binge is often followed by a purge – perhaps restricting food intake, increasing exercise or even inducing vomiting. We all use these behaviours at some time or another, but how often we use them and to what extent are key. Restricting food intake by dieting can often set off a binge. Others use bingeing as a way to calm or soothe themselves in emotionally charged situations.

Can you figure out why you are bingeing?
Does it happen only at certain times, after specific events, with certain situations, in specific places? Many of us use bingeing as a response to something happening in our lives that we just don’t know how to handle. If we can figure out a different way of dealing with a situation, we won’t need to binge. This may sound simple, but it really can take quite a bit of work both to understand the reasons behind bingeing and to then substitute another behaviour. A therapist can often help sort out the situation.

Books to read
There are some great books that talk about why we eat and why we choose certain foods. Check out Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, or The Diet-Free Solution by Laurel Mellin. They can help you understand the reasons behind bingeing and give suggestions for how to stop.

Other tips that may be helpful
Set a goal to eliminate the goal of weight loss; it’s next to impossible to focus on both losing weight and preventing binge eating. Identify an alternative behaviour to replace your bingeing. For example, someone who binges when they are under stress could try stress reduction techniques such as relaxation, yoga or meditation. Remember to listen to your body and eat when you are physically hungry. If you deny yourself food, it’s much easier to fall into a binge.

printer friendly

send to a friend

ivillage uk

Break the bingeing cycle