I wanted to focus this post on binge eating, and identifying what kind of binge eater you are, and how to possibly address the issue. I believe just recognizing and identifying there is an issue is half the battle. I am not a psychologist or Doctor by any means... these are just observations I have made in myself, others that I have helped over the last several months, and the many emails I have read.
In researching binge eating, I came across this simple posting in Wikepedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binge_eating_disorder.
Kind of eye opening - especially the signs:
-Periodically does not exercise control over consumption of food.
-Eats an unusually large amount of food at one time, far more than an average person would eat in the same amount of time.
-Eats much more quickly during binge episodes than during normal eating episodes.
-Eats until physically uncomfortable and nauseated due to the amount of food just consumed.
-Eats when depressed or bored. -Eats large amounts of food even when not really hungry.
-Usually eats alone during binge eating episodes, in order to avoid discovery of the disorder.
-Often eats alone during periods of normal eating, owing to feelings of embarrassment about food.
-Feels disgusted, depressed, or guilty after binge eating.
-Rapid weight gain, and/or sudden onset of obesity
I can definitely identify with a few! I'd like to think you can classify binge eating into several types of binges, as I mentioned in my first post. I have observed/experienced several types - Bored, Emotional/Stressed, Social, and Deprived. I'm sure there are many more, or different ways, but these seem to be the ones that pop up the most. There may also be different levels, or extremes. You can even have 2 or more types of binges going on at the same time, but lets try to understand them first...
Bored: You're home alone, kids are at school, spouse is at work, nothing better to do... wait - there's a package of Oreo's in the pantry! Before you know it, half the package is gone! What? How did that happen??? At this point, you feel guilty, discouraged, say screw it, and finish the rest of the package, right? (can't say that I have finished a whole package in one sitting, but definitely more than I needed). To top it off, you give up the rest of the day and eat whatever the crap you want. Don't give into the bored binge - stay out of the kitchen, go for a walk, find a hobby - do something for you - easier said then done though? If you can at least identify when and why you are bored, you can give yourself a window of opportunity to do something about it.
Emotional/Stressed: I think we can all relate to this one... You got into a fight with your spouse, a family member is ill, you maybe struggling with depression, you lost a loved one, had a bad day at work, ect. There can be sooo many emotional triggers. I know I have gotten into a fight with my husband, and as soon as he stormed off, I would again turn right to the pantry (oh! Oreos!), and think, "screw him, I'm pissed, so I'm just going to eat what I want - I'll show him!," or "This sucks, I don't care any more, so I'm just going to eat what I want." BAD attitude! Why should I let him, or any other external factor affect my relationship with food??? I can't control other people, they can't control me, I can only control myself, so why should food be allowed to control me?
Social: We've all gone out to dinner, to a party, or to a family members, and eaten too much, right? That in itself is occasionally OK, but when you keep going back and back for more, or finish off the whole plate that could have fed a family of 4 because you didn't want to waste food, or because you didn't care, then you can have a problem. There comes a point when enough is enough. I tell my clients to use a 1-10 scale when eating out, and to eat for a memory when eating treats. If that food item doesn't rate at least an 8 on the scale, then don't eat more then you need - why waste the calories? If you it isn't good enough to remember, then why keep eating more? For example: On my trip to NY, we went out for pizza. It was good and I enjoyed it. It is something I never will forget, but I only had a couple of slices and let the rest go because it wasn't quite an 8. The NY cheesecake on the other hand... that was a 10! I will always remember it, but at the same time, I didn't eat the whole thing - there was no way - it was as big as my head! But I did enjoy it, no guilty feelings :)
Deprived: I think every chronic or yo-yo dieter has experienced this one... You set your goals high, you go grocery shopping for all the right foods, and throw out everything bad. You start keeping a food log. You go days, maybe even weeks with out a slip, then all of a sudden you remember that package of Oreos you had tucked away in the storage room for a rainy day... but you've been good, and you don't need them. You keep yourself busy cleaning house, running errands, working on a project, but then there is this nagging sensation in the back of your head... they are calling your name... you can picture them there sitting in the dark... you start recalling how one would taste... just one, right? Only one, one wouldn't hurt... Next thing you know, a whole row is gone... well, hell, may as well hurry and finish the package before the spouse gets home so you can hide the evidence! You've been good for so long, so you earned it right? Not so much. The deprived binge can be avoided if you just don't deprive yourself! Food was meant to be enjoyed, but in moderation. If you can keep your "fat girl" at bay, it is better to allow your self that one Oreo or treat a night (if you are with in your calories, and got some kind of a workout in), then to deprive yourself and go into a binge. But you know yourself and your inner fat kid, so if you can't stop at the one Oreo, then find a way to compromise with him/her.
Do any of these binges sound familiar? If so, don't deny them... try to understand them. If we deny that there maybe an issue, then we are only enabling that inner fat kid. But if you can understand what is going on, and why you are wanting to binge, then maybe you can stop it, or at least control it before it gets out of hand? Depending on what your goals are, an occasional free meal or treat is OK! Food was meant to be enjoyed. But we have to learn when to stop and that going on a binge won't solve any of our problems. You may feel better temporary, but as soon as the Oreo sugar buzz crashes, you are left feeling guilty, miserable, and empty. Not worth it. Focus on improving how you feel on the inside, and the outside will start to catch on. :)
My next post is going to be on understanding your rate of loss based on your goals and time frame and when it is ok to have a free meal or treat. I hope this finds everyone well. :)
Great post!
ReplyDelete