If you’re like most people who have binged on food or alcohol in the past, chances are that your first impulse is to deny what just happened. You may feel ashamed of yourself for having eaten too much, drank too much, or done something else “bad”. But if you want to change this behavior pattern, then you need to take action now! If you wait until after an episode has occurred, there will be no way to reverse course.

So what is actually causing your binge eating?

Well, according to Dr. David Kessler, author of Willpower Doesn't Work, there are two primary reasons why we eat more than we need when we're stressed or anxious about something:

1) We feel like we have no choice but to eat our feelings away.

2) Our brains don't know any better.

3) A common denominator among binge eaters is that most of them have had a restrictive diet at some point. 

Binge Eating is NOT the same thing as “getting really full”

and then overeating later. Binging happens before getting too full. It's like having a huge meal at lunchtime and then going home hungry. You've eaten enough to get your stomach rumbling, but there isn't anything left inside. This is why binges happen during times of stress, boredom, loneliness, etc. They aren't caused by hunger; they are caused by something else.

Long-Term Strategies

By Marianne Wait Medically Reviewed by Joseph Goldberg, MD For someone with binge- eating disorder, the urge to overeat can be overwhelming. The best way to prevent binges is to avoid situations that trigger them in the first place. If you're prone to emotional eating, try not to eat for at least two hours after feeling anxious or upset. Also, if your body feels bloated from too much food, don't force yourself to finish what you've already eaten. Instead of finishing everything on your plate, save half of it for later.

Can you stop binge eating AND lose weight?

Yes, absolutely! You just need some tools. In fact, there are many different ways to approach losing weight—from cutting out processed carbs to doing cardio every day. But regardless of which plan works best for you, remember: This kind of lifestyle overhaul takes commitment. If you find yourself slipping back into bad habits, ask yourself why you were able to stick to healthy choices for two weeks, months, or years before. Then use that knowledge to stay motivated when life inevitably gets busy again.

Proven steps on how to stop binge eating: 

- Stop dieting. Most diets lead to a sense of deprivation, which in turn triggers another binging cycle to 'make up' for everything you have been deprived of. Make a choice between a healthy lifestyle or the same lifestyle you've had up until this moment, but diets will not help. Also remember 80-20 option: 80% healthy lifestyle with 20% of less strict food options.

- Stop judging foods as good or bad. This one is tricky, but the point if this reframe is to let go of guilt. If you consider something 'bad' you are more likely to feel guilty and in turn engage in behavior to alleviate the guilt, such as using food for comfort. 

• Daily self care. The ultimate goal with stopping binging is finding other ways to be emotionally fulfilled besides food. This allows you to train your brain to stop seeing food as a solution for 'everything' from discomfort to comfort to celebration. Remember that your brain is trying to make your life easier: it's going to continue prompting you to do what has worked in the past. Food consumption has worked, so you will be tempted until you gently retrain your brain to expand the choice of 'solutions' to the variety of emotions you will be experiencing.

• Start eating food you truly love. This is a little similar to eliminating food judgement as good or bad. When you train yourself to no longer see foods as forbidden (junk) and allowed (healthy), you will not be feeling deprived. As you start eating healthier and approach your nutrition related decisions from the position of self care and kindness to yourself, you will become much more in tune with your body as it will be giving you clear signals on what you actually want or don't want.

• Seek professional counseling. If you are able to, seek professional help from a coach or counselor. It's especially important in the beginning of the process when you are struggling the most and your brain is wired for the solutions it has known thus far, such as excessive food consumption and mindless eating.

• Remember to be kind to yourself during the process. You didn't start binge eating overnight and you won't stop it overnight (unless maybe you will). You are on this path out of love for your body and for your healthier future, not out of shame, guilt, or self-hate. If at some point you returned to an old pattern due to a particularly stressful event, take a deep breath, and give it another go.

In conclusion, most diets lead to a sense of deprivation, which in turn triggers another binging cycle to 'make up' for everything you have been deprived of. Food consumption has worked, so you will be tempted until you gently retrain your brain to expand the choice of 'solutions' to the variety of emotions you will be experiencing. Work with the concepts suggested above to find what ultimately works for you and arm yourself with a lot of patience and kindness for self on this wellness journey.