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Why do we have trouble with food? Some eat too little, some too much. Binging is an uncontrolled ingestion of large quantities of food within a short time period, often accompanied by feeling out of control over the eating taking place. Learn how you can control binge eating by following some of these tips.

1. Never eat out of a box, container, bottle, jar, etc. Take out a portion and put the rest away.
2. For sweets like ice cream or pie, use a smaller bowl or place and use small forks or spoons (cocktail or a child’s). Using a smaller utensil makes the portion appear less and makes you slow down and enjoy your treat.
3. Take your time eating. It’s not a race. Put your fork down between bites, breathe and relax.
4. Do you know the difference between cravings and hunger? Listen to your body, if your stomach isn’t growling you may not be hungry. Sometimes it is thirst. Take a few gulps of water and wait 5-10 minutes. If you still think you are hungry, eat. When you are eating, stop when you are satisfied – Not stuffed. Craving is wanting a specific item, like French fries or chocolate.
5. Be careful not to “emotion” eat. If you have had a stressful time recently or a bad break up, it is very easy to eat the entire gallon of ice cream or entire chocolate cake. Take a deep breath and just take a portion and leave the rest. You can write in your diary about your emotions if you need to get it out of your head.
6. Be careful when eating while watching TV, reading or talking on the phone. You can overeat before you know it because you are distracted. Stay in the moment and pay attention to what and how much you are eating.
7. Don’t skip meals. That is the worst diet. Your body needs the energy from foods – healthy foods.
8. Know your trigger foods. What pushes you over the edge to a binge? Don’t avoid them altogether; don’t deprive yourself of your favorites. Eat in moderation. If your trigger is sweets, cookies, etc. don’t have them in the house for a while. Some people can eat just a little of their triggers to avoid a binge. You know your limits.

Have you ever binged on a food? What are your trigger foods?