The urge to binge can be caused by many different things. You may have had a stressful day at work, someone may have said something to hurt your feelings, you may be feeling lonely, etc. Whatever the reason, it's important that you have a plan to prevent the binge from taking place. A good idea would be to make up a list of "things to do" to help prevent you from bingeing. Keep the list handy so that it can be accessed whenever the urge to binge arises. Below I have listed a few alternatives to bingeing that you may find helpful and may want to include on your own list.

• Call a friend or your therapist and discuss what is happening.
  
  
• Go for a walk or leave the environment that is tempting you to binge.
  
  
• Write in your journal about how you are feeling at that moment.
  
  
• Try to get your mind on something else. Watch T.V., read a book, do a puzzle, etc.
  
  
• Sit down and try to figure out the real reasons why you want to binge.
  
  
• Take a bath to relax or try some deep breathing exercises.
  
  
• Make a list of foods you are planning to binge on, seal them in an envelope and throw it out or burn it.
  
  
• Soak the binge food in water.
  
  
• Put on some of your favorite music, shut yourself in your room and dance and sing to it with your eyes closed.
  
  
• If you love music and have extra time, learn to play a few songs with an instrument and practice when you feel like bingeing.
  
  
• Go into a church or chapel
  
  
• Visit a friend
  
  
• Do some crafts
  
  
• Pamper yourself (i.e. polish your nails, get your hair done, get a massage, etc.)
  
  
• Take a yoga or a stress relieving class.
  
  
• Dream of your children laughing.
  
  
• Write a page long letter to yourself about how you are a good and worthy person.
  
  
• If you have a quote the gives you strength when you read it, recite it to yourself when you are feeling down.
  
  
• Draw or color a picture of something powerful.
  
  
• Flush the food you are planning to binge on down the toilet.
  
  
• If you prevent a binge from occurring, calculate how much that binge would have cost.   Put the money in a jar each time you succeed in not bingeing and use that money to do something special for yourself like getting a massage, buying a new outfit, etc.
  
  
• Trying playing with you dog or petting your cat if you have a pet. If you do not have a pet you might want to think about whether or not you want one.  Pets have proven to be very helpful in calming and comforting people.  I would only recommend getting a pet if that is what a person really wants and is willing to take on the responsibility of having one.
  
  
• If you enjoying gardening, get involved in planting a garden, etc.
  
  
• Rearrange or redecorate a room.
  
  
• Shout at your eating disorder.  If you are standing at the cupboard or refrigerator about to binge, slam the door and shout NO!  Shouting at your eating disorder give you power.
  
  
• If possible, make it so you are unable to plan a binge.  For instance, if you live with someone, make sure they do not tell you when they will be coming home.
  
  
• do some mild exercising like bike riding (but only short distances)
  
  
• take the money you were about to buy binge food with and buy something for someone you care about. Spend time picking out the gift, writing a nice letter to the person and sending it - by the time that's done - the tide might have gone out. 

If you have any suggestions that you feel would be helpful to someone trying to prevent themselves from bingeing/purging and would like it included on this list, please email me your idea and I will add it to the list. email Colleen