Have you ever been through a phase where you binge ate all night and didn’t even think about the consequences? I think we all do that.
But some people do it once in a blue moon and then some people start eating large amounts of food every night, leading to binge eating disorders.
Therefore, it is important to understand what binge eating is, how it can affect you in the long run and how to control binge eating at night.
How to Stop Binge Eating: 21 Tips From Therapists
1. Avoid skipping meals
Setting scheduled timings for your meals is extremely important so your body knows at what time you should eat. If you skip meals, it will lead to unnecessary cravings or midnight snacking, which can lead to overeating and a bad diet.
2. Develop a routine
You must make a routine for yourself. A routine can look like waking up early in the morning, going for a walk or doing exercise, having plenty of water, eating a balanced diet, and sleeping on time. This will let your body know when it is important to eat and when it is not.
3. Drink water
Usually, we feel hungry because our body is not hydrated enough. So it is important to drink a good amount of water so that you are hydrated and do not get random cravings in the middle of the night.
4. Do yoga
Invest in your body and start doing yoga every day. It has been proven that yoga not only helps in weight loss but also makes you self-compassionate and decreases self-criticism leading to self-love and a reduction in binge eating.
5. Try gyming
For a lot of people, yoga might not seem like the right fit. However, you can hit the gym and help yourself feel the dopamine rush when you move your body. This will help you feel at peace and will lead to a reduction in binge eating.
6. Get an ample amount of sleep
A study has shown that sleep problems are associated with binge eating disorders, especially in women. Therefore, it is important to sleep on time and maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.
7. Plan your meals
A better way to work on your binge eating would be to plan your meals. Keep a list of what you will eat in a day and strictly follow that pattern so you do not get into overeating.
8. Build a support system
Rely on your friends and family and tell them to help you get back on track by motivating you and giving moral support so you do not feel alone in this healing journey.
9. Identify the root cause of it
At times, one gets into binge eating as a way of coping with other things happening in their life. So it is important to identify the root cause of your binge eating and work on it rather than looking at the surface-level picture.
10. Join a support group
It’ll make your healing journey easier if you join a support group where you can connect with people who are on the same journey as you. Support groups are a great way to motivate yourself and fall on people who know what it feels like to go through such a struggling journey.
11. Eat your breakfast
It is important to eat the first meal of the day, as not eating anything can produce acid in the stomach, which can lead to unhealthy cravings. After such a long break, you must provide your body with ample nutrition so it can get energy to start the day.
12. Keep yourself distracted
You might also get into binge eating if you are unproductive or have nothing to do. So, it is important to keep yourself distracted and do things that take your mind off binge eating.
13. Journaling
When you know that you have BED, you can start to understand why and what triggers it by writing down the feelings or thoughts you get before you crave something on a piece of paper. Once you do that, you can analyze what your feelings and thoughts are really trying to tell you.
14. Focus on health, not weight
Most people get BED because they wish to put on weight or do not feel good about themselves and tend to get into self-sabotaging behaviors. However, it is important to bring about a change in perspective and understand that what is important is your health and not your weight.
15. Start volunteering
You can get away from your company and start helping others by joining a volunteer organization. This will make you happy, as you will be surrounded by kind people and will be working on something much bigger than your problems.
16. Talk about your urges
You must talk about your urges and what they make you feel with your close ones or a professional so that you can tackle them effectively rather than give in to those urges.
17. Try meditation
It has been researched that mindfulness meditation helps decrease binge eating and emotional eating. It helps you become mindful of your choices and makes you feel connected to your highest self.
18. Seek a dietician or health coach
If you wish to understand what diet plan might suit you the best, it is important to consult a dietician or health coach so that they can guide you on this with the best possible solution and diet chart.
19. Reinforce yourself in different ways
At times, binge eating can also be a reinforcing agent that you give yourself for doing something good. However, you can change things by reinforcing yourself differently with something else that brings you joy and happiness.
20. Practice intuitive eating
Intuitive eating is when you let your body decide what is best for you and eat only when you feel hungry. You do not make any decisions based on your understanding, but you give your body the power to make those decisions for you.
21. Seek professional help
If you feel nothing is working for you, it is best to consult a professional who can help you understand the root cause of your binge eating and how you can tackle it effectively and empathetically.
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