Trudging Away from the Binge

When I find myself stressed I have a tendency to binge, hence my Binge Eating Disorder. When I say binge, I mean eating without thinking and eating way more than my body needs. The stress isn't even bad stress all the time, sometimes good stress does it too.

I'm out hanging with friends, yeah! I'll eat all the chips and salsa...oh...boooo...
Family is coming to visit, yeah! I'll get some baked goods to share (eat most of) with them...booooo (again)...
I'm going to travel the world! And have to plan for it...is that a donut? and a cupcake? and cheese danish?....oh crap...

Coping mechanisms is a fancy phrase that just means finding a way to ease your mind. I know that the food doesn't ease the anxiety, the stress, good or bad, that I feel on a daily basis. I have found what does help me.

I run. I do not run fast, no matter how much I've tried, I trudge. And you know what? That's ok. (6 minutes or 16, it's still a mile). As I trudge up a mountain or over a rocky trail, my mind is occupied on the music I am listening to, the rocks I'm jumping over and ignoring my jagged breathing.

When I'm done with a run I'm calm, happy and at ease. I've taken that Binge impulse and exhausted it. I try to do this 5-6 times a week. It always helps in some way.

When the stress does get to me, and I find myself digging into more crackers and vegan cheese at a friends BBQ get together, I remind myself that tomorrow, I'll run. And I feel better about it all.