"How do I stop?" you ask yourself. In some ways it seems it would be kinder to just continue the binge, putting off the inevitable just one more day. But you feel fat, you feel disgusted, you may even hate yourself. You know that all this crazy eating could easily lead to gaining back the ten pounds [20 pounds, 50 pounds, 100 pounds] you just lost, and then you'd be right back where you started.

"I have to stop doing this!" you cry inwardly. But how do you know that you won't get up, dust off, only to fall in the mud once more? You wonder if it is worth it to put forth the effort when it seems likely you will only blow it again. After all, it seems, you've bit the dust before a million times.

You've been here before. You realize that you're not yourself, that you aren't thinking quite right. So you grit your teeth and pull yourself together, silencing the shouting voices of defeat and condemnation in your head, and with all that is in you, you slam on the breaks.

So now what? Stopping the binge is hard, but usually only for a couple days if you can successfully get back on track, and then you're left wondering how you could ever have fallen for that old temptation again.

As a person quite familiar with the revolving door of abstinent living (voluntarily omitting troublesome foods from one's life), I have developed a plan for making a smooth, quick transition from binge back to healthful living that addresses inherent difficulties. Here are my ideas:

If you're into praying, pray.

Recognize that crazy eating usually causes crazy thinking too, so if you're aware that not every thought that passes through is a good, healthy thought, it makes it easier to conscientiously ignore those that threaten to abort your right intentions. Resolve to refuse to listen to negative thoughts which berate you, remind you of your mistake-ridden history, and urge you to give up.

Cleanse your home of all "binge foods." Whatever your current food downfall(s) is(are), get rid of it(them). If you can't stand to throw food away, give it to someone. If your spouse or housemate insists on keeping such foods in the house, ask this person to keep it away from you for a while. If they won't comply, kick him/her out! (just kidding!) If your problem is all food, skip to the next item.

Stay away from slippery places whenever possible for a while. For instance, don't pick a doughnut shop to meet a friend for coffee. Going out to dinner with the family "just because" is probably unwise at this stage as well. Skip unnecessary potlucks and smorgasboards, and don't instigate social food-fests until you have some time under your belt and are walking in more self-control. Be kind to yourself, and don't get on a baking kick "for the kids" your first week back in line. DO engage in as many non-food social activities as possible, increasing your enjoyment of the many different people and aspects of life that don't involve your tastebuds and stomach.

Make yourself accountable to someone. For some people, it helps if they know they will "report" to another person each day. It sure can make it harder for you to play games with yourself, as long as you are upfront and honest with your accountability partner.

I rarely stop a binge episode in the middle of the day. Once a day is shot, it usually stays shot. So when I've made up my mind to turn around and go the opposite direction again, I sit down the night before the "new beginning" and write down menus for the next three days. It is important to do this when you are in a relatively good frame of mind ( a hopeful one). Your menus should NOT be deprivational. In fact, I suggest pretending that you are designing them for a best-loved friend who has come to you for help in getting off a binge. You would not suggest this friend starve herself on meals of raw carrots and celery, would you? You would not punish or teach your friend a lesson with an overly restrictive diet. No, you would create a plan that would satisfy your pal's hunger while moving him/her back in the direction of his/her goals and affording the greatest odds of success. Choose your favorite low-fat health foods, including a dessert item for the second or third day (if you normally do desserts, that is). Learn to show yourself honor and love, even if you don't feel it at the moment. If you don't know what a good, healthy meal is, ask someone who cares about you to help. There are mailing lists all over the internet full of people who are caring and love to help other people in any way they can. Also, there are websites dedicated specifically to recipes and healthy eating.

Plan to exercise, and decide when, where, and what, before the fact, such as at the same time you are deciding your menus. Choose something you normally enjoy doing, even though you may not feel like doing it right now. Don't take "no" for an answer. If you normally work-out alone, consider inviting a friend to do it with you, at least the first day. Exercise will help detoxify your body faster, improve your outlook, and put a spring back in your step. Even so, don�t be tempted to pull out your whip and work-out two or three times a day for several days trying to undo the damage from the binge. If you normally exercise Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for example, but your first day back from a binge is a Tuesday, don�t totally undo your life to get a Wednesday work-out on Tuesday. Instead, do something light on Tuesday, even 20 minutes of walking and some stretching exercises, and then resume your usual exercise program on Wednesday. If your exercise schedule is flexible, then do what is right for you, but don�t overexercise; that amounts to correcting one form of abuse with another.

It is so unfair, but I've noticed that the morning after a binge I am usually starving. Not good for a person who is wanting to get going in the right direction again. So that first day, I make it a policy to choose one or two low-fat or fat-free foods, unsweet, to eat as much of and as often as desired in response to hunger pangs. Suggestions are unbuttered air-popped popcorn (put some low-sodium Tamari or soy sauce in a small pump and spray popcorn for flavor), fat-free rice cakes (preferably not sweet), dry cereal, raw vegetables with or without low-fat/fat-free dip, fresh fruit or vegetable broth. Eating three or four pieces of fruit over the course of the day can help ease sugar withdrawals somewhat. Do not succumb to the temptation to take away food from your meals to compensate for all the "free" food you've nibbled on--remember, you gave yourself permission to eat it. Tomorrow, the "free" food goes.

Drink lots and lots of water. Shoot for a minimum of 64 ounces a day (roughly 8 tall glasses). This will help flush out toxins, clean out your digestive tract, and rehydrate your tissues. Most binges incorporate a lot of sugar and/or sodium, and both are very dehydrating. You should drink this much water anyway, but especially after a binge.

Avoid idle time. I don't have a job outside of my home, so it works good for me, especially that first day, to "lose" myself in a project, especially a physical one, so that the day goes by and I almost forget about eating. Projects that I have used before include yard work, deep housecleaning, reorganizing a closet, going through drawers and getting rid of stuff I don't need, cleaning out the shed, sanding and painting kitchen cabinets, taking the kids on an adventure, or putting together a puzzle. Other good ideas include taking a nap if you are really tired, making time to visit a friend or loved one if you are feeling lonely, or reading a book for leisure if you need to relax.

After the third day of successful healthy eating, assuming you are feeling much of your self-control returned, if you are so inclined, you can do a fast for a few days. Drink water only, or sip on diluted fresh juices or vegetable broth periodically throughout the day. Another option is to eat regular meals, but only fresh raw fruits and vegetables. If you don't feel up to strenuous exercise during the fast, try brisk walking, if the weather permits, or hop on a treadmill for a while. Fasting will help clean your body and your mind. Extended fasting (more than 3 days) really should only be tackled by persons experienced in fasting. NOTE: If you are currently overcoming a long-standing eating disorder, fasting is not recommended for you at this time.