...when you feel a binge coming on??

I went out and watered the garden the other evening, just helped to take my mind of things..!

You should see how clean my house is, enough said. I'm not a binger per say but when I get a craving I clean or do school work, etc.

Work on my blog, or grab my iPod and listen to some music or a podcast.

I'm still struggling to learn how to do this. I keep meaning to make a list of things I can do when I feel a binge coming on, but I haven't yet. I think it would be really good for me to have a game plan and be prepared because I really never know that it's going to hit me. I've heard that journaling is good...

One thing I HAVE done that works is putting on some of my "fat" pants and hanging out in them for a while. It feels good and is a good, concrete, visual reminder of all the progress I've made. On the opposite side of that, taking all my clothes off and standing naked in front of the mirror is a good reminder of how far I have to go and why I shouldn't binge!!

I use lots of strategies b/c I have urges to binge every day.

-I log onto 3FC

-Blast music and dance.

-Rush around like I'm urgently busy. Like speed clean. Or walk really fast around the block. Somehow the surge of adrenaline rids me of cravings.

-Long bath or shower. Can't eat in water.

-Shop for new clothes. Getting in dressing room gives me time to look in the mirror and see that I don't want to damage my body.

-Have a good cry. That works for emotional eating.

-Go to food free environments. There aren't many, but they exist.

-Call it a day and go to bed early.

I've found that surrounding myself with people helps. I hate eating in front of friends, so whenever I feel a binge coming on, I call up the girls and either go to the mall/park or just have them come over so I avoid the urge! Its hard, but its starting to pay off

You could read, watch a movie, chew gum, drink tea, clean, flip through a magazine or catalog, write in your journal, brush and floss your teeth, paint your nails, take a bubble bath, exercise, do yoga, take a nap, check your email, surf online, tweeze your eyebrows, shave, go shopping, go the library, go see a movie, call a friend, write a letter, etc etc.

I don't remember where I learned this but... whenever you feel a binge coming on, BRUSH YOUR TEETH. Kid you not... I mean, who wants to eat just after they've just brushed their teeth??? Plus those few minutes of distraction in general usually makes me forget I was having cravings.

Try it!