How to stop bingeing?

[user1246896]

I’m an emotional eater. I’ve put on 4 stones since covid. It started with feeling a little isolated whilst on maternity and now it’s feeling like an outsider in my new neighbourhood and sons reception class (I wrote a thread about it today and got lovely responses thank you!) I just came on here to ask please for some help to stop me bingeing. I had a horrible day today as my son had an event but I felt like I was on the outside as everyone is already in their groups. I then had to rush to work so was very stressed and now I’ve come home and stuffed my face non stop. 3 sandwiches with cheese. Crisps x2 packets, pack of minstrels and an ice cream! I feel disgusting

the brain over binge workbook pdf is free to download, it's very good
not having bingeable stuff in the house or arranged in such a way it's more effort - i.e all bread in the freezer, or bought small batches to be used fresh and then it's gone
binging on vegetables if you really feel like you need that release
restructure meals to be full of protein and healthy fats
set yourself homework - keep a binge diary - ur emotions, the context of ur binge - the emotions after - self reflection - what could you have done to mitigate or self soothe in a different way
practice new self care strategies when ur calm lots until it becomes more of a habit i.e. paint nails, facemask, v light exercise, go for a walk, say out loud "i am very stressed and feel out of control. but i am in control of my own body and feelings" or what not

I have found Paul McKenna works for me. If you have Audible, buy “I can make you thin”. It has different guided meditations and chapters of advice and guided exercises like tapping and visualisation.
The basis of it is 4 golden rules that you follow for eating. I would recommend it.

I'm just starting "Overcoming Binge Eating" by Christopher Fairburn. It seems like hard work but nothing worth doing is ever easy. At the moment, I'm just writing down what I eat and how I felt at the time, not trying to stop myself but just "noticing" in a way, as tho I was watching someone else. It's to try, first of all, to make you more conscious of what you're doing & what triggers a binge. I think I need this as I often binge on auto-pilot as tho I'm not I'm control.

All excellent tips so far OP, mine is similar- simply don't keep the 'treats' in the house. Don't ban anything (there lies madness) but if it's readily available I'd find it hard to resist!
I find that once I have one biscuit I could scoff the lot, conversely if they're not there I don't care
Doing this for a month-ish and so far- sleeping better, feeling a little bit livelier and losing a bit of weight!
As a result of the above I'm feeling a bit more 'me, but on a good day'. I do this with a lot of things OP- just try for a little bit better/healthier/tidier not anything to stress about just pushing myself a tiny bit and using my 'kind' inner voice to myself.
I think we all forget to be our own best friends! Hope you have a lovely summer with your little boy OP x

Don’t follow some crazy diet where food is “bad” and there are “sins”. No food is bad, you can eat anything but you can’t eat everything. It’s about repairing your relationship with food, you’ve made the most important step already because you want to do it. Don’t go cold turkey and go from having these things to having none of them, it won’t work. Make gradual changes…eg don’t have crisps and chocolate in the house, just one of them. Replace a sweet craving with some fruit. Lots of little, gradual changes will help and create a sustainable method of coping in the future.