Binge eating can cause a variety of health issues like obesity, acid reflux disease, prostate cancer, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. When you eat a large amount of simple carbohydrates like sugar, white breads and pastas, your blood sugar level becomes imbalanced and you begin to crave more foods, which can lead to binge eating. Or, you may have bulimia, an eating disorder that includes a period of starvation, binge eating and purging. Regardless of the causes, you can control your binge eating by eating slower and healthier.
Step 1
Drink a tall glass of filtered water a half hour before eating to calm your appetite. Hunger pangs are sometime caused by a need for water. Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice in it to lightly nourish your body with vitamins. Keep yourself hydrated with water throughout the day. MayoClinic.com recommends drinking about 13 cups of water daily for men and nine cups for women.
Step 2
Take a series of deep breaths before eating. Close your eyes and breathe in for a count of 10 and out for a count of 10. Allow yourself to feel gratitude and visualize yourself eating your meal slowly. This will assist achieving your mode of slow eating.
Step 3
Eat your meal in small bites. Consider how big of a bite you normally take and cut pieces or take bites that are half the normal size. Chew for as long as you can before swallowing. Chew on each cut piece of food separately for at least 25 to 50 times or until liquified. Chewing starts your digestive system by stimulating your salivary glands to begin breaking down food and assist your body in absorbing its nutrients. Chewing sends signals to your brain that you are sending food to your stomach, which should alleviate your hunger pangs.
Step 4
Savor the food's flavor and character to fully enjoy slow eating. Choose foods that are worth savoring. Include foods high in complex carbohydrates like whole grains, raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and seeds. The Iowa State University states that complex carbohydrates will keep you fuller for longer periods of time and helps to slow your digestion and regulate blood sugar levels.
Step 5
Take at least 15 to 30 minutes to eat your meal. If you consider a second helping, wait 15 minutes before doing so, because the longer you wait, the more your food will be absorbed into your body and your hunger will subside. If you eat too quickly, your body is not aware of all of the calories you have eaten and will be hungry for more. Once it feels all of the food, it will be overwhelmed and leave you feeling overstuffed and heavy. If you slow down your eating, you will most likely eat less, because you reach a satisfaction point earlier in your meal.
Tips and Warnings
- Do not drink while eating, as it may dilute your stomach acids and interfere with digestion.
