Anti-Binge Strategies, part 1

Make sure that your kitchen is well-stocked with ‘safe’ foods. If you have plenty of food available that you feel comfortable eating, it can prevent those I’m-super-hungry-and-there’s-no-food trips to the grocery store, which usually end up with the purchasing of binge food.

Restrict the amount of money you carry with you. If you have a habit of stopping at fast food places after class, or before work, make this more difficult by leaving your cash at home.

When cooking, avoid tasting. For some, picking at food triggers binges. This can also happen for some people when they keep returning to the kitchen for little bites of food all day long. Chewing gum helps keep your mouth busy, and satisfies your need to taste something.

Avoid unnecessary exposure to food. If you work around food, or enjoy cooking, you may want to reconsider these things. Spending a lot of time around food can be problematic. If it’s not necessary, try to avoid food except during meals, preparation of meals, and shopping.

The Joy Project (http://www.joyproject.org) has additional strategies to help you stop a binge-eating episode.