Compulsive overeating is more commonly known as binge eating and occurs when you consume a large amount of food uncontrollably in a short period. You may have experienced binge eating during the holidays or while stressed. Many people with compulsive overeating suffer from this disorder regularly and feel powerless to control it. An episode of this disorder typically last for about 2 hours and consist of eating when you are not hungry and continuing even after you are full. Compulsive overeating may be linked to psychological illness. Seek professional medical treatment if you experience this disorder.
Step 1
Develop a healthy relationship with food instead of trying to avoid it or crash diet. This includes replacing foods you normally binge eat with healthier options such as fruit, salads and other whole foods. This helps to form eating patterns that are based on nutritional needs and not on psychological or emotional needs and also to eat in moderation. Dieting gives the body and mind a sense of hunger and deprivation that can lead to binge eating.
Step 2
Plan a weekly menu that includes three healthy meals per day as well as snacks. Also keep a daily food diary in which you make note of the food your eat, when it is eaten and how you're feeling at the time. This will help you identify your compulsive overeating patterns and why you may be eating when you are not hungry. A support group of family, friends and a therapist will also provide emotional help during your struggles with overeating.
Step 3
Manage stress, boredom and low moods in alternate ways to avoid compulsive overeating. This includes getting outdoors and away from food. Choose to exercise, walk, sightsee or simply chat with friends. Practice mediation and breathing exercises that can help you cope with stress. Fight boredom and low moods by distracting yourself in activities that require your hands to be busy. Take up a hobby such as photography, painting or gardening or call a friend and talk instead of eating. Get enough restful sleep at night. Fatigue and low energy can worsen stress and trigger episodes of binge eating.
Step 4
Clear out your kitchen and fridge of unhealthy, fatty and processed foods that can cause psychological cravings and compulsive overeating. These include chips, ice cream, sugary foods and other packaged foods. Replace these unhealthy foods with whole foods such as fresh fruit, salads and other high-fiber foods that will help diminish binge eating.
Step 5
Avoid activities such as watching television that promote mindless eating. While you are eating a meal or a snack, turn off the television, computer or stereo and focus completely on the food, chewing thoroughly and thinking about the taste of each bite, before swallowing. This helps the brain register the food and reduces the risk of compulsive overeating.
Tips and Warnings
- Other methods to get rid of compulsive overeating includes sharing your meals with a family member or friend. You are less likely to binge eat if you are around other people. Additionally, eating only at set times and planning exactly what you will eat will also help you avoid overeating. Cooking healthy meals from scratch can also be soothing for some individuals and may decrease the risk of binge eating.
- The publication "Psychology Today" notes that depression is associated with binge eating. Many compulsive overeaters are depressed or have other psychological disorders. It is important to address these illnesses in order to effectively stop binge eating. Consult a professional mental health expert for treatment.
Things You'll Need
- Weekly diet plan
- Food diary
