A lot of people ask me, “Sam, how do I know if I actually have a binge eating disorder?” So today I’m gonna jam on what binge eating is and give you some tips on how to stop it if you do struggle with this issue.
 
I posted a video on this topic earlier this week. You can check it out below:
 

 
So the first thing you need to look at is your intention behind consumption. You only eat for one of two reasons:
 

1. To numb emotionality out of fear.

1. To heal or nourish your body from a place of love.

 
If you tend to eat to numb out, then you need to ask yourself, “What am I actually hungry for?” There is some pain or issue that you are running from, and you’re using food to do it.
 
Something else to pay attention to: Do you socially isolate?
 

 
Do you find yourself saying no to plans because you don’t want to be around food and friends and know that you’ll be overwhelmed? If your life is run by your relationship to food, there is some serious dysfunction in that.
 
Food is designed to nourish you so you have the energy to live life as your highest, best, and most authentic self. If you’re not using food for health and hunger, it’s really important that you figure out WHY you are using food.
 
Another sign that you struggle with binge eating is that you are constantly obsessing over food and your body.  And on top of that, you feel guilty about food all of the time. If you’re thinking about food for a majority of the day – check in with that. Why are you obsessing over it? What is the fear behind all of these thoughts?
 
There is nothing worse than obsessing over something that should be a natural part of being human. I totally get how exhausting and all consuming this struggle can be! So if you are struggling with binge eating, here’s a ninja strategy to help you stop binge eating:
 

 
Be present.
 
When you are present and feel into your body, you can’t binge eat. It’s literally impossible. When you’re present, you are grounded and connected to your body, and your body doesn’t want to binge – your mind does. And another thing to remember – you binge eat when you are distracted and trying to avoid your emotions. It’s not surprising, we often live in the past or the future. This is why being present is so beneficial in trying to overcome this struggle.
 
So in those moments when you want to binge, ask yourself:
 
Am I present?
 
Am I breathing?
 
Am I aware?
 
What am I trying to avoid?
 
Just by asking those questions, you’ll drop into the present moment. And that’s the whole point: to be here. Be in your experience.
 
Comment below to let me know: what causes you to binge eat?