15 Things to Do Instead of Bingeing

When you are on the verge of a binge, or you feel like you are about to finish a bag of chips… that you just opened… it can be helpful to have a go-to list of things to do instead of eating.

“One of the best things you can do if you feel like you are about to overeat or binge is to remove yourself from whatever environment you are in at the time,” says Dr. David Sarwer, member of the Penn Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Program and Director of the Stunkard Weight Management Program. “If you can distract yourself with another activity for 20 to 30 minutes, the urge to binge may disappear.”

Here are 15 things you can do if you feel a binge coming on. Some of these are obvious, but sometimes it's helpful to have them written down.

1. Go for a walk.
2. Write in your weight-loss blog.
3. Check the mail.
4. Call someone special like a friend, parent or spouse.
5. Clean something.
6. Weed your garden.
7. Drink a glass of water.
8. Challenge yourself to see how long you can hold a plank position.
9. Log on to Pinterest and get some visual inspiration from Penn’s Weight-Loss Tip Board.
10. Clean out your closet.
11. Remind yourself how far you’ve come.
12. Remind yourself how a binge makes you feel.
13. Say a prayer or meditate.
14. Write an email.
15. Share your status with your friends on Facebook, or join Penn Weight Loss on Facebook for support.

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