How To Stop Binge Eating -12 Surprising Reasons Why You Overeat
Not sure how to stop binge eating? Here are 12 reasons why you may be overeating and how to finally break this habit.
Let’s chat about how to stop binge eating.
Overeating and binge eating can have many causes, but they all produce the same result.
You gain weight and feel like you’re out of control.
Have you ever felt that way yourself?
Well you are not alone, I promise.
The first thing we tend to do if we overeat or binge is blame ourselves for not having enough willpower, discipline or self-control.
We assume we should be superhumans who never feel tempted by food.
However there could actually be something else at work.
The real reasons why some people eat more than they intend may surprise you.
Thankfully many of these issues are relatively easy to fix.
Before assuming there is anything more serious underlying this behavior make sure to see if any of these common lifestyle habits may be undermining your attempts at a healthy diet.
Take a look at this list to find out which things you’ll want to do differently.
Dealing with Eating Habits That Make You Overindulge:
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 1 – Be flexible
Sometimes overeating or binge eating occurs as a backlash to a super strict diet.
You may think you’re being virtuous for starting a super-strict diet but being too rigid can sometimes backfire on you.
You may find that allowing yourself the occasional treats can keep you from feeling so deprived that you wind up eating a whole pizza.
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 2 – Shrink your menu
On the other hand, if you have no constraint in your diet (that is, you eat anything and everything without restriction) you might find this leads to really eating anything and everything in sight!
It may help if you plan your meals and snacks around a limited number of healthy foods. It’s good to have options but keeping it simple and sticking to lack of variety may help dampen your appetite.
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 3 – Eat mindfully
A lot of overeating happens when you’re busy with something else. I know that in the past I have often grabbed something to eat simply because it was there and not even consciously paid attention to the fact that I’ve eaten more than one chip.
Do you best to sit down and pay attention to your food when eating instead of mindlessly watching TV.
Beware of nibbling while you’re preparing meals or lingering at the table long after dinner – these two things often lead to overeating when you didn’t intend to.
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 4 – Slow down
When I was young I was always told that it takes your stomach a full 15 minutes to register that it’s full which is why you can sometimes consume a lot and not feel the stomach signaling “hey no more, I’m already full!” until a lot later.
Of course I had to go back and see if my parents weren’t just telling me fibs and it seems the correct figure could be closer to 20 minutes but you get my drift!
Eating your food at a leisurely pace gives your brain time to tell your stomach that you’re full.
You need to SLOW DOWN and not wolf your food down so quickly if you want to consume the right amount of food to satiate your appetite.
Chew thoroughly and pause between bites. Enjoy your food!
Stop trying to fill any emptiness you might be feeling with food.
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 5 – Listen to cravings
Intense urges are usually trying to tell you something important (i.e. I’m hungry, you forgot to feed me!).
Try eating light snacks ahead of time.
This is to avoid getting so hungry that you long for junk food.
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 6 Avoid Low Fat Foods
Did you know that low fat foods are usually only about 10% lower in calories?
Yep, not a massive difference.
They also tend to be higher in sugar and sodium, which can make you want to eat more.
When given the option go for full fat which will keep you feeling full for longer.
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 7 – Limit artificial sweeteners
Sweetness is one of the signs your brain uses to try to determine how much to eat based on how many calories a food has. Smart brain, right?
The only problem is artificial sweeteners make those calculations difficult to work out.
So over time, your brain loses the ability to make correct judgements.
Artificial sweeteners may trigger cravings for other sweet food. When your body is not fed nutrients, it asks again and again for more food, triggering heavy-duty cravings for fattening, sugary food. Artificial sweeteners also mess with your metabolism. Suzanne Somers
Dealing with Other Lifestyle Habits That Make You Overindulge:
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 8 – Sleep Well
A lack of sleep can also make you want to eat more and make it difficult for your body to digest food efficiently.
Do you need a good reason to go to bed early? Well this is it.
Give yourself permission to get the rest you need.
Prioritizing good sleep is good self-care and you deserve to take care of yourself.
Make sure to go to bed early on a consistent basis so you can get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 9 – Socialize wisely
Here’s another obvious truth: we tend to eat more when we have company.
Sigh – this has personally always been my biggest downfall when it comes to trying to stay super healthy.
For whatever reason, my friends and family always have lots of food around when we socialize.
You need to just be mindful of how much you eat during these occasions and understand that yes, these calories do count. They are not zero calories!
They are not invisible just because you are celebrating a holiday dinner or office party.
Try to find a partner in crime who also eats healthy, so you can support each other.
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 10 – Exercise More
Did you know exercise makes you feel better? Of course you did!
Physical activity not only burns calories but it also helps to fight depression and anxiety, which can lead to overeating.
Aim to work out at least 30 minutes a day 3 times a week and see if this makes a difference with your tendency to overeat.
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 11 – Deal With Your Feelings
While it’s natural to associate food with celebrations and comfort, it’s important to have other ways of managing your emotions.
Note: food will not solve your problems; it will just create new ones for you to deal with.
Call a friend or write in your journal if you are dealing with negative emotions and feel tempted to overeat.
How To Stop Binge Eating or Overeating
TIP # 12 – Talk With Your Doctor
A slice of cake rarely does much harm, but sometimes there are deeper issues at work.
If you are binging frequently or feel guilty and ashamed about your eating habits, please, please talk with your doctor.
Effective treatments are available.
You deserve to have this issue resolved if it is negatively impacting your life.
And I said to my body softly: “I want to be your friend.”
It took a long break and replied: “I have been waiting my whole life for this.”
So there you have it, 12 reasons why people commonly overeat or binge.
Hopefully this post has provided you with a few strategies for how to stop binge eating if this is a problem for you.
The goal is to a) understand the reason why you overindulge in the first place and b) then come up with a solution that will enable you to stick to a balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight.
Remember if you know you are using food to deal with emotional pain, it may be useful to seek professional help.
BE WARNED: Without a system in place to help you soothe your emotions, there’s a chance you will become emotionally overwhelmed and still overeat in the future.
Eat with the goal of nourishing your body instead of overwhelming it with more calories than it can cope with.
Eating well is a form of self-respect and you and your body deserve to be nurtured well!
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I’m Frances Vidakovic – a mindset & action coach for quietly ambitious women who want to stop overthinking and finally take aligned action. I help women achieve their goals and follow through on what matters, without sacrificing their sanity or soul.