7 Ways To Prevent A Junk Food Binge

Skipping meals or spacing them too far apart means you're setting yourself up for big-time hunger—resulting in you inhaling everything in sight. Plus, restricting certain food items will ultimately backfire, causing a binge on those same foods, says Limor Baum, MS, RD. Eating protein- and fiber-rich meals or snacks every 2 to 3 hours can help keep your blood sugar levels normal and your metabolism revved. (This is what a perfect day of clean eating looks like.)

Overeaters Anonymous has a saying known as HALT. It reminds you to ask yourself if you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired before you eat. If it's simply hunger, eat something! If not, however, work on addressing what's really going on with you. You may want to try Overeaters Anonymous meetings or other forms of support, says Baum. "Any kind of support really helps—such as therapy, support groups, or just talking to friends and family."

Sometimes your body thinks it's hungry, when in fact it's just thirsty. Drink a tall glass of ice cold water when you feel hungry; the chilly drink will cause your metabolism to speed up because your body is working harder to warm the water, and you'll feel fuller. Get creative and spice up your plain water with herbs like mint or basil or with slices of lemon or cucumber. (Try these 25 sassy water recipes.)

Bingeing usually happens at home, so if you don't have junk food readily available, you'll be less likely to binge. Stock your kitchen instead with healthy snacks, such as carrots and celery or bread with peanut butter and banana slices. (Lose up to 15 pounds WITHOUT dieting with Eat Clean to Get Lean, our 21-day clean-eating meal plan.)

Most of us can't eat too much of spicy foods like chile peppers, so eat a couple of these to curb your cravings. Some studies even show that spicy foods can boost your metabolism, jump-starting weight loss.

A common misconception about exercising is that it makes you even hungrier. But according to Baum, a moderate amount of exercise (about 30 minutes a day) can actually suppress your appetite. Just don't overdo it: Bingeing is likely to occur when people exercise in an extreme way and don't know how to nourish their bodies.

You aren't going to be able to quit bingeing cold turkey—there will be days when you give in, and that's OK. The key? Reminding yourself that one bad day doesn't have to—and shouldn't—ruin your week of healthy eating. Figure out why it happened, forgive yourself, and move on.