Preventing or overcoming binge eating and eating binges, how? Tip of the week 10

Preventing or overcoming binge eating and eating binges. How then? Anyone involved in losing weight knows the phenomena of 'binge eating and binge eating'. Bingeing sounds neater, but bingeing is more accurate. Everything loose and loose goes in and afterwards you regret it. Regret!

Although binge eating and binge eating are often used in the same context, there is a difference. Besides, the binge eating binges that many people talk about are not the 'real' binge eating binges... Everyone has uncontrollable cravings or takes a little more candy or snacking than is justified. In that case, we do not speak of a binge.

What is a binge and when do we speak of a binge?

There are two forms of (binge) eating.

• the subjective binge
• the objective binge.

Subjective binge eating refers to a binge that mainly makes you feel guilty. You have snacked too much throughout the day, emptied a family bag of crisps or emptied the biscuit tin that you feel bad about afterwards. A subjective binge is eating (too much) high-calorie food in a time frame longer than two hours (this is an indication).

In the objective binge (eating binge), a large amount of high-calorie food goes through in less than two hours (this is an indication). In this (binge) eating binge, it is not just you yourself who feels that you have gone beyond your means, but there is often a real eating problem.

Binge eating is often compensated afterwards by, for instance, vomiting, using laxatives, not eating anything at all for the time being or exercising excessively fanatically. However, the result is that the eating pattern is so disrupted that another eating or bingeing binge is bound to follow.

Retrieved from spicypepper.co.uk the various binge eating patterns are explained in detail. On her page, you can also find a test to find out which type of binge you regularly suffer from.

Preventing or overcoming binge eating and eating binges

Sometimes binge eating or eating binges can indeed be prevented or overcome. Some times easier than others, but still. Willpower can be trained! How then? This way!

How can we prevent these binge eating and eating binges?

• Don't skip meals! Prevention is better than cure. Eating regularly prevents uncontrollable cravings in between meals. Do you really skip meals, your body goes into savings mode (survival mode) and you will eventually get so hungry that you will lose control and instead of one biscuit, you will eat a whole roll. Plus a lot of other things.
• Drink lots of water/tea in between meals, this also fills you up but won't make you fat.
• Have a sugar-free gum. You will still have something to chew and taste but not take in any calories.
• Brush your teeth, a fresh mouth does not need food.
• Is there no opportunity to brush your teeth? Have a smidgeon.
• If you feel a binge coming on, set the egg timer for 10 minutes and take that time to think. Now that your know how your body works can you wonder if going loose in the fridge or kitchen cupboards will really make you happy?
• Do you get an irrepressible urge to eat (a lot) in between meals? Go do something else! Go cycling, walking, (no shopping!), do pus-hups, go planking or or call a good friend, find distractions!
• Play music that makes you feel good, singing and/or dancing along is a wonderful distraction.
• If the (binge) eating binge presents itself in the evening, go outside for an evening walk or take a shower and/or go to sleep.
• Relate a binge or wrong eating in general to the scale indicating a weight you weighed and thought was terrible! If you feel a binge eating coming on, think about this.
• Don't put high-calorie food or junk food in plain sight. Research has shown that when we don't see the sweets or biscuits, we crave them a lot less! The sight of sweets stimulates our brain which increases our cravings for them. Try to avoid this.
• Knowing there is something tasty in the (fridge) cupboard is also enough reason for the brain to crave it more. Make it easier on yourself and just don't get it in the house.
• Do you have treats in the house for your children? Let them keep it in their own room in a cupboard with a lock on it.
• If your (free)eating binge still doesn't go away, think three times before taking something to eat anyway. What is the best alternative to snacking right now? Choose something from (preferably) table 1, the responsible snacks or from table 2, but keep size!

Binge eating and binge eating often psychological cause

Not infrequently, the cause of having (binge) eating can be found on an emotional or psychological level. >HERE you can check whether certain symptoms apply to you and whether you might need help.

If you suspect you really have an eating problem/disorder, take a look at the interesting website Proud2Bme.

This week you may also weigh yourself! Click >HERE for handy weighing and measuring tips.

 

The above text previously appeared in the Balance book. The book is now sold out, but may still be available to order second-hand via the link below.

The Balance Book

Slimming blog >HOME