10 Ways to Avoid Binge Eating

"It soothes the physical body killing me ever so slowly."

For many, the comfort factor of food has a way of making its way into our very souls. When feeling stressed, we turn to food. When feeling troubled, we turn to food. When feeling anxious, we turn to food. And even when we feel happy, we turn to food.

Why?

At least in my case, food used to be my friend. It didn't talk back; it didn't fight me; it didn't cause tension, and it just waited patiently for me to consume it.

For me, the tension came after eating. Well, I don't know if tension is the best word, but guilt is.

I used to feel guilty every time I ate something that I had deemed "not a diet" food, which of course, lead me to nixing the whole day's diet, which lead to binge eating, leading me to feel more guilt.

It's a vicious circle--eating to relieve stress, then get stressed because you binge eat, and then starting the cycle all over again.

By continuing this cycle, you are killing yourself "ever so slowly."

How do you stop the cycle?

Here are a few ideas that have worked for me:

1. Exercise: I can't say it enough. Exercise relieves the mind, body, and spirit. Find a sport or exercise that you enjoy. Go for a walk, start dancing, or jump rope. For me, walking has been my salvation.

2. Listen to relaxation tapes or Mozart: In a recent study, seniors who regularly listened to music were able to lower their blood pressure. Although listening to tapes is not a replacement for medicine, it does help your mood which in turn makes you feel better.

3. Talk to a friend: If you feel overwhelmed by personal or professional issues, find a trusted friend or family member to talk to. If you don't have a trusted friend, write in a journal or talk to somebody from your church, work, or even a total stranger. This idea has proven to be effective.

4. Don't have unhealthy food nearby: If you feel stressed and don't have junk food in your house, you won't be able to eat it.

5. Keep Busy: Do the laundry, cook a nutritious dinner, or dust the living room. When you're busy, food typically isn't what you're thinking about or doing.

6. Yoga: September is National Yoga Month. Many of our members at Iowa Avenue are devout Yoga practitioners, and they are able to articulate the many health benefits of yoga.

7. Find a hobby: This serves to give you a more meaningful purpose in life, and you just might have a lot of fun while you're at it.

8. Turn off the TV: Many people binge eat while TV, so try to either turn the TV off, or make a personal rule to only eat at the dinner table.

9. Think before eating: A recent study showed that when people recalled past instances of resisting temptation along with their reasons for resisting, they were more likely to refuse to give in to temptation.

10. Keep a food diary: Many people may not even realize how much they are eating, when they are eating, and why they are eating. By keeping a detailed diary, you'll have a written record, but more importantly, you'll see why, how, when, and where your binges start, so you're more likely to prevent them in the future.

How do you control binge eating? What ideas do you have? What methods do you use to relieve stress?

We'd love to hear about them, because

After all, it's about a healthy lifestyle!
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