How can I stop myself from binge eating when I’m feeling stressed or emotional?
When you’re feeling stressed or emotional, the last thing you want is to engage in unhealthy coping mechanisms like binge eating. Unfortunately, for many of us, that’s exactly what we do. If you’re struggling with emotional eating, here are a few tips to help you break the cycle:
1. Recognize your triggers.
What are the specific circumstances that tend to lead you to binge eat? Is it when you’re feeling overwhelmed at work? Is it when you’reHOMEhome alone and feeling lonely? Is it after a fight with your partner? Once you know your triggers, you can start to work on avoiding them.
2. Find alternative coping mechanisms.
Binge eating may be your go-to coping mechanism, but it’s not a healthy one. If you’re struggling to control your urge to binge eat, try finding alternative coping mechanisms that are more constructive. This might include exercises, journaling, talking to a friend, or reading a book.
3. Practice mindful eating.
Mindful eating is all about being present and aware of what you’re eating. It means eating slowly and savoring your food, without distractions like TV or your phone. This can help you to be more conscious of your eating habits and make better choices about what and how much you eat.
4. Seek professional help.
If you’re struggling to overcome emotional eating on your own, it may be time to seek professional help. A therapist can help you to understand the root causes of your emotional eating and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
What is the difference between overeating and binge eating?
The term “overeating” generally refers to consuming more food than what is considered normal or necessary at a given time. For example, someone might overeat at a holiday meal or family gathering. Overeating is typically not associated with any negative emotions or behaviors.
Binge eating, on the other hand, is characterized by consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time (usually less than 2 hours) and doing so in an uncontrolled or “out-of-control” manner. Unlike overeating, binge eating is often accompanied by feelings of embarrassment, guilt, or shame. Binge eating disorder is a serious condition that can lead to long-term health problems.
We used mengeredstoo.co.uk to write this article about how to stop binge eating. Click here to learn more.
