Sometimes the urge to binge is so strong that it feels as though no force could prevent it from happening.
But it is sometimes possible to stall the cravings and take your mind off of it long enough to get out of your head. This time allows your thoughts to focus on something other than food until the feelings subside. I find the best things to do are physical, as they engage the body without giving the mind more to think about.
The most important part of preventing a binge is to understand why: once you have gotten past the desire, you must try to comprehend the reason for it. I find journaling is an excellent tool for this, writing out all of your thoughts in an honest a way as possible.
Was there a particular incident that triggered this episode? Is there something you're feeling that is making you uncomfortable? Are you in a situation that you don't like but haven't vocalized your feelings? These are the types of things that you'll want to find and then decide on a way to best deal with them.
These incidents have been piling up in your unconscious for months, maybe even years. Therefore, there might be a lot of un-dealt with issues that need attention. I recommend seeking professional help to assist you through them. This also means that you must strive to have patience in your journey. Sometime you are too far into the cravings to stop the binge, but keep this technique I mind.
The exercise is to be gentle with yourself and to see the binge as an opportunity to figure out what it is you need to deal with. Sometimes you'll discover emotions you didn't even know you were feeling- this is the time to explore them. Remember: binging doesn't mean you're a failure, it means you have some investigating to do within yourself.
Things you can do to prevent a binge:
- go for a walk and let the cravings out of your body through each step forward
- crank up your favourite music and dance like a maniac, make noise, scream if you want to
- go for a run outdoors
- yell into a pillow and let yourself cry uninhibited
- breathe deeply, sit still and try to clear your mind/meditate
- call a friend/family member/support person
