I have found that at times where my anxiety level is high and the urge to binge is strong I can sometimes calm myself down temporarily by counting things (counting patterns in the wallpaper, tiles on the floor, beads on my necklace, etc). I also know that I usually won't binge if I keep myself busy or distracted with friends, family or an activity (actually doing something, not just watching tv). These little coping strategies only work some of the time and I was wondering if anyone has other coping methods that help?
Keeping busy is the key! I never sit in front of the TV because its a guaranteed binge! I keep busy with family, friends, my 3 yr old Son, and exercise (in moderation)! If I am stuck in the house all day for whatever reason (which is rare with my crazy schedule), I brush my teeth right after I eat and make a hot cup of tea, so my mouth is busy..and it allows time to digest and get the sensation of feeling "full".
For me, once the thought of binging comes into my head, its hard to fight it and resist the urge. So I try to distract myself and move on to the next "task" after eating, so I dont have the chance to think about binging... If I sit around all day in front of the TV, it will be a losing battle.
Ultimately my hope is the urge to binge will happen less and less the more I stay distracted.
On my 12th day binge free without restriction or over-exercising. Feel great :)
I am still going through the cycles of binge eating, but something i have found alwyas helps is to say "I can binge in 15 minutes" then i will sit down and write a list of all the other things i have to do, and then i will go and start doing some of them, and i completely forget about the idea of bingeing, well sort of forget, more like i see that there are so many other things i have to do that are more important than binge eating.
Also i find doing repulsive things, such as cleaning the bins or the bathroom totally gets rid of my cravings for food!
Also eating in moderation, when i am hungry i eat, not restrictive for the whole day so that i am tempted to binge.
These are all helpers, but like I said, i am still in the cycle of it. I had a huge binge this afternoon, which left me a crying, guilty mess. This week i will work on making my body trust me again, if it thinks it will be getting reasonable size meals regualrly, tehn i will (hopefully!) not get the cravings to binge.
Bry xo
I find reading those self help books are really helping me like women food and God, they are kind of bringing up the strength in me.
Moongal x
This afternoon I learned how to knit and really got caught up in it and the next thing I knew I had passed an entire lazy afternoon home alone (unstructured time alone is usually my worst triggers for binging) and I did not have a single urge to binge. I know that this is just one day and that this will not always be able to completely distract me from my binging, but it gives me hope! Need to keep myself busy!
Hey Laine,
That is great and it's great to have a new skill too. I would defo recommend that book - Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth really helped me. Just keep fighting it by figuring out what is going on underneath that urge.
Love to you hun
Moongal x