Stop the Binge!

So talking about Binging with my step dad the other day, I decided to do some research on this topic. Did you know you can have a Binge Eating Disorder, which is in the same categories as Bulimia or Anorexia. While I am sure that none of us are are this extreme as none of us are obese by any means, but this is good information for those times when you need a little extra help with those days you feel like you eat/drink way too much.

Learn How To Stop Binging

1. Challenge yourself to find something that makes you happy and do it.
Writing, reading, being with friends, talking on the phone, exercising, listening to music, buying something new, getting a massage, scrapbooking, cleaning, organizing, looking at old pictures, playing with your pet, playing video games, etc.

2. Challenge yourself to learn or do something new.
Is there a class that you've always wanted to take?

What about something that you've always wanted to know more about?

Do you want to make more friends in your area?

Do you want a new hobby?

3. Challenge yourself to focus on your future instead of your past.
After a couple of successes of overcoming a binge, I slipped and found myself turning to food. I binged. After the binge, I couldn't stop thinking about how much of a failure I was. How was I ever going to beat a whole disorder when I couldn't even resist one temptation?

This is the hardest part because you will feel like you let yourself down. You've worked so hard and beat a handful of binges and then you fall down. Yes, it sucks, but you have to look to the future, pick yourself back up, and stop dwelling on the binge.

4. Challenge yourself to make a list of everything you want to do in your life.
It's really fun to create this wish list and very rewarding when you get to cross off items. Write down everything you want to do and accomplish throughout your life. Try to do these things when you beat a binge, as a reward if that will help. If not, try to cross items off monthly, annually, or just whenever you can complete the activity on your list.

5. Challenge yourself to vent out any stress, frustration, or anxiety.
Bingeing is comforting to us so that we don't have to think about our stressful jobs and frustration with friends, family, and even ourselves. It's hard to change your habits of bingeing to something else. BUT, I challenge you to do so by having a plan.

The next time you feel a binge coming on, pull out your plan and do it! If you need to go into your bathroom and take a bubble bath, do it! If your plan is to write in your journal about your feelings, do it!

6. Challenge yourself to bite off more than you can chew, while learning how to spit.
Instead of expecting to change overnight, remind yourself that it will take time, effort, and patience. It's going to be difficult, but when you take it step-by-step, it is easier. Don't set yourself up for failure by expecting to change so much at once. Taking it step-by-step will be more successful than you think. Figure out little things you can do daily, weekly, or monthly to help build a strong foundation underneath you. Start journaling. Talk to friends. Go for walks. Fight the urge to binge. Step outside of your comfort zone. All of these things will add up and produce big results. You just have to take it one step at a time.

7. Challenge yourself to fall in love with your quirks, flaws, and imperfections.
You cannot be a perfectionist. It just doesn't work and probably leads to more binging. Instead of finding and obsessing over your flaws, quirks, and imperfections, learn how to use them to your benefit. Learn how to love yourself and embrace the qualities that you have that might be different than others. After all, being different is what sets you apart from everyone else... and isn't that something to be happy about? How boring would our world be if we were all the same? If we all had the same facial features... If we all were skinny and looked the same... If we all had the same bone structure... If we all believed the same thing... If we all enjoyed doing the same thing... Remember, it's our differences that make the world go 'round. Rejoice in your differences and find a different angle on your quirks so that you can start to love them.

9. Challenge yourself to learn something new, do it well, and show it off.
When you learn something new and do it well, your mind opens up to other possibilities. You will not become stagnant in doing just what you know. You will step out of your comfort zone and this will do wonders for your self-esteem. As you know, when you improve your self-esteem, you will feel better about yourself, which will help you believe in the fact that you can overcome anything.

10. Challenge yourself to have outrageous amounts of fun!
I mean, who doesn't like to have fun, right? Try to add some fun in your life everyday and see how this will affect your total self. I bet you will be happier and will laugh, instead of feeling sorry for yourself and wondering why you are still binging. You need to have some fun! When you have fun, it makes you feel good. When you feel good, you automatically feel better about yourself, regardless of what is going on. It's an instant booster for your mood, no matter what. And, when you feel better about yourself, you might want to keep that attitude for as long as you can, which would mean having no reason to binge. When you are having fun, you aren't not going to think like "Wow, this is so fun... Maybe I should binge and totally destroy my mood." No! Instead, you will feel so good about yourself and you'll want to keep those good feeling going for as long as you can.