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| Monday, November 09, 2009 |
| Are you a binge eater? |
Are you the type of person who can go all day without eating and then “pig out” on anything and everything or do you eat a huge lunch and nothing else all day? Many of us overeat occasionally, but if your overeating becomes excessive and happens often, you may be binge eating. It is estimated that 4 million Americans engage in binge eating behavior. Binge eaters might think that skipping meals to compensate for the overeating will help in their weight loss efforts but this is usually not the case.
Many times, people who are on restrictive diets end up bingeing on large quantities of food because they feel deprived. Others binge eat because they are bored, tired, sad, angry, etc. In reality, bingeing often causes weight gain. Gradual weight gain can intensify the negative feelings that caused the binge eating in the first place. Most of the time, binge foods are unhealthy, sugary, high fat, high calorie or “comfort foods”. Over time, these foods can cause weight gain as well as other health problems. If you binge eat, you probably know it but you may not know what to do about it.
First of all, recognize that you are binge eating. A binge eater often eats large amounts of food in a period of just a few hours. They will continue to eat even after they are full. They usually don’t even think about or enjoy the taste of the foods they are bingeing on. Anyone who thinks they have a binge eating disorder should seek professional help from a trained therapist. They should also see a Registered Dietitian.
If you or someone you know is a binge eater, here are some steps you can try in addition to seeking professional help.
- Identify your binge foods and remove them from your house. If you always binge on ice cream, do not keep it at your house.
- Fill your kitchen with healthy foods, fruits and vegetables. Very few people will binge on apples and broccoli. If all you have is healthy food, you may be able to avoid a binge.
- Make sure you are eating small meals throughout the day. DO NOT skip meals.
- Sip water throughout the entire day. Water can keep you feeling full so you are less likely to binge.
- Don’t let yourself get bored. Boredom often triggers a binge. When you think you might start overeating. Take a moment to think of something else you might enjoy. Take a walk, play with your dog, learn an instrument, knit. Any hobby will do until the urge passes.
- Recognize your feelings. If you are depressed or stressed, you may need professional help.
- Pay attention to your hunger. Remind yourself that you can eat more food when you are actually hungry.
- Exercise. Exercise may help curb your appetite.
Binge eating can be very upsetting for people. There may be guilt and sadness after a binge. Overeaters Anonymous may be a great place to start looking for help. You can also look in your area for a Dietitian who specializes in eating disorders. They may be able to direct you to a good therapist if needed. Remember, many people have had this problem and overcome it. You can too!
- Jennifer
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Labels: Jennifer, Mindless Eating
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posted by My Sensei @ Monday, November 09, 2009   |
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| 1 Comments: |
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Such a good post... so many people do this.. especially at work... skip meals & then eat everything in site when they get home!!! That is why I went to mini meals.. I always have something small coming & to fuel me.
Great post!
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Such a good post... so many people do this.. especially at work... skip meals & then eat everything in site when they get home!!! That is why I went to mini meals.. I always have something small coming & to fuel me.
Great post!