Bulimia Help

Step 1

Tune in to your hunger

Before eating any meal or snack ask yourself:

•    Am I physically hungry?

•    Or do I simply want to eat for another reason?

By doing this you will be able to source the other reason. Awareness alone can stop emotional eating. Once you are able to identify the other reason, you will find ways to address it without using food.

•    If you are hungry you will know that your urges to eat are for physical reasons

•    If you are not hungry then you know that something else is driving you to eat

Step 2

Become aware of each binge 'time' and 'situation'

If you still feel yourself reaching for food despite not being hungry, take a note of the situation and the thoughts and feelings that are driving you to eat. For example are you bored, lonely, happy, sad, or did you simply want to eat something for taste reasons?

Step 3

Ask yourself ‘is food going to make me feel better or worse’?

When you feel out of control and you just have to eat, but you are not hungry, try and pause just for a one minute and ask yourself before eating: “Is this food going to make me feel better or worse”?

If you think it will make you feel better, write down how it will make you feel better. Afterwards write down your thoughts and how you feel after eating it, then compare your notes.

Step 4

Record all food in your Food Journal

After binge eating, record the food you consumed in your food journal, include the time and the reason for eating as well as any purging that took place. Make sure you note down your thoughts and feelings before and after the binge.