The weather is becoming colder and the holidays are approaching which means stress levels can be increasing and mood can be decreasing, also known as the infamous “winter blues.” It is not uncommon for our moods to slightly decline considering the sun goes down around 4pm and the wind chill feels like -0 for months on end. Keeping this in mind, it is very easy to use food as way of comfort during these winter months. Many people have a love/ hate relationship with food. We need food for survival but there is a lot of controversy in terms of how much and what people should eat. If you find that you struggle to have a good relationship with food, this blog will give you some pointers to try out. It is important to note that a good relationship with food is being defined as being able to practice intuitive eating habits (listening to hunger cues) and not having an excessive amount of guilt after eating. 

People struggle with different forms of eating habits. In this particular blog we will discuss binge eating behaviors. A binge is defined as eating an excessive amount of food in one sitting until uncomfortably full (for example an entire gallon of ice cream and an entire family sized bag of chips etc). At times during a binge individuals will feel “out of control” and eat anything in sight. Binges can look different for different people and be caused by a variety of things, situations, people, etc. At times it is difficult to control the outside factors that may contribute to the trigger of the binge but the purpose of this blog is to gain a sense of control when there are thoughts of wanting to binge. 

When the thought of wanting to binge comes to mind, some people may think “there is no stopping once I have that thought” but with accountability and preventative measures in place there can be. Here are some tactics to use when it comes to binge eating behaviors that may be helpful.

1. Try to schedule out meals throughout the day. A general diet to follow is 3 meals 3 snacks a day. The more routine based and consistent your diet is the less likely you are to binge considering your body is not going without food all day. At times binges occur due an individual restricting food intake which causes the body to go into starvation mode, therefore when food is introduced it goes into crisis mode and feels like it needs to store as much as possible as it is not sure when it will get food next. Please consult with a dietician as to what calorie intake you should be at for your body type.

2. We all know it is cheaper to buy in bulk, so keep doing that as it is cost efficient. An added step is to purchase some Ziploc snack bags. Break down those family sized bags once you get home from grocery shopping so that when you go to snack you are not reaching your hand in a family sized bag where you can’t control how much you take, rather you are taking an already portioned out sample of what you purchased. This will aid in decreasing food intake.

3. If you know that you binge certain things (such as sweets or salty snacks) decrease how much you have in the house if any at all. This will aid in using other coping skills to assist in emotion regulation rather than turning straight to food as it is not easily accessible in your household.

4. Think before you eat. This may seem like a simple step but it may be one of the hardest. Within this method, you will weigh out the pros and cons of engaging in the binge by separating your logical mind and eating a distorted mind. Your eating distorted mind is telling you that this binge is what you need to feel better or that you already suck so why not just self-sabotage even more? Yet your logical mind knows that if you engage in that behavior you will feel extreme guilt after and have to work twice as hard to get to the point you were at before the binge. You may already have the awareness of the cycle you fall into so bring awareness to that by weighing the pros and cons as that may be helpful to prevent the binge from taking place.

These are some of the many different tactics that are out there to aid in binge eating behaviors. If you feel like you need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to a counselor as they will be able to provide further assistance. Eating disorders are very complex and have many different layers that go into them that are not always easy to break down. Many individuals struggle with their relationship with food, body, and emotion. You are not alone in this battle and can reach out today for assistance. 

Written by: Daniella Raimondi, LPC