3 ways to change your perception to change your binge eating behaviors

My biggest breakthroughs with binge eating occurred when I truly understood that I had to change my internal perceptions, not external behaviors.

Because perceptions drive behaviors, it’s like a ninja move.

So the next question is, how do you change your perception?

There are 3 main things that I have found work for me to change my perceptions.

One of the best ways I have found is to do things that are radically outside of my normal habits, routines, or behaviors. When I do this, I go back to familiar routines, but I have altered my perception a bit.

That could mean enjoying my favorite food by candlelight, music, etc. and making a big event out of it. Or it could mean finding a homeless shelter and serving soup on a rainy afternoon. Or go to a workshop to meet new people, to surround myself with different ideas. Whatever it is, I know that when I’m stuck, I need to be responsible for changing my state so I can change my thoughts. Usually the easiest state to alter is the physical state, because emotional states can be much more difficult to manipulate.

Second, I had to honestly give myself compassion and permission to eat what I really wanted. I began by allowing myself a week to eat whatever I wanted, with the pattern of eating when I was hungry and subtly noticing when it felt like “enough.” Like everything, this takes practice. I go through ups and downs with this, but I remind myself that I’m human. Now, I tend to stick to the same healthy breakfasts and lunches. For dinner or dessert, I pick one thing I really want and look forward to that at the end of the day. I only keep enough in my house for about 2 nights of this, so I can’t get too much into a hole.

Third (the longest and most difficult), I’ve immersed myself in self-help materials and courses long enough to realize that I am more than my body. It sounds cliché, but this is a problem.

Relating to yourself as someone who has a unique gift for contributing to the world brings your focus to a larger playing field. Food can be a comfortable distraction that keeps you playing a smaller game. It’s easy to stay wrapped up in punishing yourself. The alternative is to go out into the world as the best version of yourself, acting as if any day could be your last. To say what is really in your heart, to discover how to do what you have dreamed of but never thought you would actually do. These things consume more time, energy and thoughts than thinking about food.

Is there anything exciting to you that’s new or out of the ordinary that you could try this week to shake things up a bit?