Binge Eating & Treatment Help
I bet there isn’t a person out there that hasn’t experienced binge eating at one time or another. We’ve all been to Thanksgiving dinners where we go overboard and regret it later. To top it off, dessert is offered and you aren’t even hungry but you eat it anyway; I mean how many of us pass up on that home made pumpkin pie even while being fully aware that we should; it happens. For binge eaters it isn’t as simple as this, occurring regularly and completely out of their control. They use food as a device and not for sustenance; it isn’t simply there to satisfy a real physical need and to garner energy for the coming day, but instead it is used to help get through emotional states whether they are stress, anxiety, sadness or clinical depression. Of course binge eating leads to feelings of bloating, loss of energy and low self-esteem which lead to even more emotional eating struggles; in turn leading to more binge eating hence the beginnings of a vicious cycle that spirals out of control. If you don’t start identifying the causes of your binge eating and seek treatment, you’ll be hurting yourself both mentally and physically and the related problems can be devastating.
Binge eating is a disorder that can start early, stemming from all sorts of causes and it can develop into an emotional eating disorder that can ultimately ruin your life. Binge eating is described as compulsive eating and it is when a person eats huge amounts of food quickly and feels completely powerless against the desire to continue. This compulsion will often start when an individual is young and feeling pressured due to the shape of their body’s, particularly when they don’t met the standards of designer doll looks. The effects of teasing and bullying, basically any serious emotional pressure can resonate for years to come, causing them to live each day gorging on meals that they really don’t need. The knowledge that it is time to stop skips right over them and they never think about it except for after the fact. Binge eaters also won’t try to get rid of that extra weight by making themselves vomit or exercising. They simply accept the fact that this is who they are, and feel powerless to change, leaving them depressed and emotionally devastated. Fortunately no one needs to live life this way which is where getting in touch with a binge and emotional eating consultant like the professionals at FINE to FAB can break most destructive eating problems.
If you think you are a binge eater but aren’t sure there are some questions you can ask yourself.
• When you eat do you have little or no control over yourself?
• Do you often day dream about food and can’t focus because of it?
• Do you often eat and hide it from those around you?
• Do you often feel awful after eating?
• Do you often feel regret and shame after eating like you do?
If the answer to these questions is yes then you probably have a binge eating disorder and should seek treatment because it can lead to many other problems including diabetes, various types of cancer, joint problems associated with the weight gain, heart disease, not to mention a wide range of psychological issues.
The good news is that there are many ways to overcome a binge eating disorder and live a happy and healthy life without sacrificing everything in your current lifestyle. It starts with learning how to take control of your life again with the help of a FINE to FAB consultant and then implementing healthy, new changes including the following.
1. Don’t tempt yourself! Avoid those foods you just know will make you cave.
2. Don’t think about dieting just yet. It takes a lot of self control to quit binge eating and it can be even harder if you cut out all the foods you love at the same time.
3. Avoid boredom which is when the urge to binge is strongest. Find hobbies you enjoy, take a walk, start a home improvement project or read a good book.
4. Get a good night’s sleep. It really makes a difference and can give you more energy without over indulging with food.
5. Build a support team. A support system makes the process that much easier and there are many people out there with similar experiences, not to mention friends and family.
6. Eat 3 meals a day and a couple of healthy snacks in between. Anything else should be things like a nice cup of tea which can distract you from over eating.
7. Keep your emotions under control. It’s easier said than done but learning how to deal with stress and the things that act as catalysts to your binge eating will make the adjustment so much easier.
The techniques listed above have helped hundreds of thousands of binge eaters get over their disorder, playing an important part in any emotional eating treatment plan that starts with you. As you progress further into treatment you’ll feel healthier, more confident and much happier.
If you’re a binge eater, take a moment to close your eyes and imagine life without the constant struggle of fighting feelings of disgust, guilt and extreme depression after each episode. No more worrying about the health issues your disorder is causing or hating yourself for you like of control. Do you like the feeling and image of this life? Well it’s possible and all you have to do is reach out to someone close to you or contact a professional for emotional eating treatment.
Don’t feel embarrassed and ignore the options you have at your disposal; you’d be surprised by the number of people facing the same issues and many of them have found help. Take control of your life and if you need a shoulder to cry contact the counselors at FINE to FAB as well as supportive family and friends that you trust.
If you need to get a handle on your fear of being not good enough, please reach out. We can help you can get on with your life.
