Addressing Triggers and Cravings During a Binge Eating Program: 5 Strategies that Help With Binge Eating

Whether you live in London, Manchester, or Birmingham in the UK, or whether you live in San Diego, Houston, or Washington DC in the US, or anywhere in between, it can be so helpful to join a binge eating program that helps you reduce and eliminate binge eating episodes. Such binge eating programs also teach you to manage obsessive thoughts: Imagine what it would be like to go from thinking about food, eating, and body image 90% of the time to 10% of the time. It’s amazing! I know. I’ve lived it. I’ve also created an online, self-paced binge eating program to help you get to that place, too. Regardless of what binge eating program you join, it’s really about finding freedom with food and with your body. Throughout such binge eating programs, you still may struggle with triggers and cravings. Don’t worry—I’m here to help! Here are five strategies on what to do when such triggers and cravings come up.

Strategy #1: Show yourself compassion

When you struggle with triggers and cravings when going through a binge eating program while living in San Diego, California to London, UK, it’s vital to first show yourself compassion. It’s because that there is so much shame and self-criticism when it comes to the binge eating cycle—you’ve got to combat these negative thoughts and feelings with an outpouring of self-compassion.

QUICK TIP: Put your hand on your heart and say, “It’s okay. It’s normal to grapple with cravings and triggers during binge eating recovery. It’s just part of the process.”

Strategy #2: Remind yourself that you’re learning binge eating recovery skills, which take time

Binge eating recovery is about skill building. I think a lot of people forget that part while in a binge eating program and living in Washington, DC, all the way to Birmingham, UK. Such skills include learning how to counter negative thoughts, regulate emotions, and reach out for support. Remember that learning new skills requires repetition, so it’s pretty much guaranteed that skills aren’t always going to work smoothly.

QUICK TIP: Write down a list of the skills you’re building and put a checkmark for each day you practice the binge eating recovery skill. Work on getting a “streak” of employing a skill several days in a row.

Strategy #3: Distract yourself

When you’re feeling triggered emotionally and want to turn to food when you want to “numb out” or “escape,” find other ways to distract yourself. Watch videos of puppies, kittens, or baby goats. Listen to music. Lie down and cover yourself with a weighted blanket. Reach out to a friend and talk about something random.

QUICK TIP: Create a list of distractions to which you can refer when you feel triggered or experience a craving. Work down the list until you find something that sticks in that moment.

Strategy #4: Let yourself eat the food you’re craving

It’s common for folks to think that if you’re craving a food, you need to stay away from it. It’s simply not true. Craving a particular food may mean that your body is needing certain macro and micronutrients. If someone didn’t eat many carbohydrates on Sunday, they may crave more carbs on Monday to make up for the carb deficit.

QUICK TIP: When you’re craving something, instead of eating it from the package, put it on a plate so that your brain registers that it’s eating an “official” meal or snack. You’ll be surprised at how well it works. It counters the fear of getting out of control with that food.

Strategy #5: Ensure that you are eating enough during the day

Having cravings and feeling more susceptible to triggers may mean that you aren’t eating enough during the day. In some cases, individuals wait until they feel hungry to eat. The reality is that we often don’t feel hungry because of feeling stressed, having an illness, not getting enough sleep, or hyperfocusing on tasks. Skipping meals and snacks can get you to the point at which you feel ravenous, which can lead to binge eating episodes.

QUICK TIP: Lean on mechanical eating, which means eating regularly throughout the day.

Looking for a binge eating program in London UK, NYC, Manchester UK, San Diego, DFW, and anywhere in the world?

Check out the Elite Binge Eating Recovery Method*!

It’s a DWY (do it with you) 3-month, binge eating program that includes weekly, 1:1, online binge-eating coaching with Dr. Marianne, WhatsApp binge eating support with Dr. Marianne, and an online binge eating course for medical providers, business consultants, tech professionals, athletes, scientists, students, and all-around high achievers who just want to gain balance and have mental clarity.

Catch Marianne Miller, Eating Disorder Therapist, and Binge Eating Coach on Social Media and on Her Podcast

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Podcast

🌺 Subscribe to Dr. Marianne-Land: An Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast (on Apple, Spotify, etc.), for tips and strategies to help you reduce and eliminate binge eating behaviors. Hear stories from other eating disorder professionals and folks who have recovered from eating disorders (including me!). You are not alone!

Take the first step toward binge eating recovery

🌺 Join Dr. Marianne-Land’s Binge Eating Recovery Membership Program** which is a comprehensive online binge eating class that follows the RE(x3) Binge Eating Recovery Method. It’s an DYI (do it yourself) online course for high performers who aim to transform their relationships with food. It is available to you on a month-to-month basis. I add content to it monthly, so you’ll get more out of it the longer you continue your membership.

Disclaimers for My Virtual Online Binge Eating Program That Addresses Eating, Food, Body Image, and How Binge Eating Affects Relationships.

*The ELITE BINGE EATING RECOVERY METHOD is virtual binge eating education and LIVE virtual coaching support. The goal of this program is to help people stop any type of distressed eating, such as binge eating or binge/purge behaviors via education, behavioral changes, and mindset shifts. The ELITE BINGE EATING RECOVERY METHOD is not a clinical eating disorder therapy or eating disorder treatment program and is not intended to serve as such. In them, Dr. Marianne Miller works from her role as a binge-eating coach, not as a binge-eating therapist.

**DR. MARIANNE-LAND’S BINGE EATING RECOVERY MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM is online binge-eating education and private virtual group support via a Facebook Group. The aim of this course is to help people reduce and eliminate any type of distressed eating, such as binge eating or binge/purge behaviors via education, behavioral changes, and mindset shifts. DR. MARIANNE-LAND’S BINGE EATING RECOVERY MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM is not a clinical eating disorder therapy or eating disorder treatment program and is not intended to serve as such. In them, Dr. Marianne Miller works from her role as a binge-eating coach, not as a binge-eating therapist.