Binge Busters!

by Kris Pitcher

Binging is no joke, and you can find yourself in the throws of a true binge in no time. There are many things that feed (excuse the pun) into a binge. And the best defense is a strong offense when it comes to keeping yourself safe from the "B" word.

One of the most important things is to eat the meals you are supposed to be eating. We get in trouble when we've missed a meal, or two, and before we know it we are famished. In that state we are going to over eat, and eat the wrong things. So, eat your meals.

But there are times when a whiff of something can just throw you for a loop and you're up to your ears in doughnuts before you can blink an eye. The coping mechanism here is to stop, drop, and breath. Then you need to remove yourself from whatever situation you are in.

Most binges though, are emotionally driven. These are the toughest "B's" on the block. Busting these takes getting control of your emotions, and dealing with them in different ways. We choose how we handle stress. Don't forget that.

We know (after) that we're only punishing ourselves when we eat out of anger, sadness, and disappointment. We've got to find other ways to deal with these feelings. Period. If this is a sticking point for you, get yourself some professional help. There's no shame in talking to a professional.

Managing cravings is the final binge busting technique to put in our plan. This means having some of the things you like. Some. Things like an ounce of dark (at least 70% cacao) chocolate, an ounce of almonds, or one ounce of mini pretzels can keep cravings for sweet, fatty, and salty at bay.

Managing is the key word there. And when you know that ounce of dark chocolate is in your plan, you don't have to eat the whole bar. An ounce will do.

Knowing what your behaviors around binging are will help you make busting them easy. It takes conscious effort. And you can do it. Be present, stop and think, make decisions...do I really want to eat this box of cereal because I'm lonely? No! Busted.