How can you avoid binge eating during the holidays?
Wellness + Lifestyle
Former binge eater checking in here. If you have ever asked yourself, “Why do I binge eat?” you aren’t alone. Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder in the United States. When I would binge on a daily basis it affected every single part of my life. My well-being, my relationships and my health. It was not an easy road to stop the cycle, but once I treated myself with a lot of exposure therapy, I started to feel a sense of relief. Fortunately, by learning helpful coping strategies and identifying the psychological reasons you binge eat, you can begin to work to overcome them.
Here are my top tips this holiday season to help you stop binge eating during the holiday season:
To this day, if I decide prior to the party I am attending and cut back on the alcohol, and knowing that one drink too many can take some of us places we really don’t want to go. When I keep a close eye on my alcohol intake, it equates to me that I’m less likely to go overboard on the bacon-wrapped dates and dessert.
The holiday eating spell is no joke and can be so challenging for some. Let’s get a little more specific with a few more of my TOP TIPS to help you avoid binging throughout the holiday season.
When I’m working with clients, I like to use easy and effective cognitive techniques that you can use in a relaxed state to help change your relationship to a particular trigger food (usually sweets or starches) that you have a vulnerability to over eat or binge on.
I have used this simple exercise with some of my trigger foods (cakes, carmel rolls, granola and reeces peanut butter cups). You will want to practice this exercise a number of times for it to have a real impact.
Find a place to get comfortable and close your eyes.
Now imagine your trigger food in front of you.
Now practice saying “No” to that trigger food in many different ways.
It’s IMPORTANT to note: Not “No” as in, “You can’t have it.” What I mean is that “No” as in “I CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE IT ANYMORE.” you are making this distinction between –you can’t have, and I AM CONSCIOUSLY CHOOSING NOT TO HAVE IT is a game changer! The first example really engages the Inner Critic to come forward and to be honest we all need less of that! What the latter does is invite the Inner Advocate in, where you feel more in control and your brain doesn’t just hear you can’t have it, which it then wants it MORE.
When you practice this technique, work on saying “no” to your trigger food politely, then take a pause and take a deep breath between each time you imagine yourself saying “no” to your trigger food.
No, thank you. I choose something different.
No, thanks, I’m good.
Not this time, but thanks for asking or being here.
NO.
NO.
NO.
Now let’s try it with a FIRM VOICE something more stern, and say the exact same thing to yourself (brain).
No, thank you. I choose something different.
No, thanks, I’m good.
Not this time, but thanks for asking or being here.
NO.
NO.
NO.
It’s important to repeat this anywhere this trigger food finds you. Yes, that might meanwhile you are driving or heading through the drive-thru or at the grocery store, and it’s asking you to just take a bite or purchase me!
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, THANK YOU, NO….HELL NO!!
You can even practice this upon someone else, offering your trigger food. The key here is practice. Say it enough for your subconscious to HEAR it. Let me know if it works for you! This was one of many tools I used upon healing my relationship with food.
