Binge eating is a common disorder that affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally. Typically binge eating happens in a cycle.
It begins with a feeling of deprivation, a sense of lacking, and it’s usually rooted in an emotional issue. When this lack is associated with hunger, we have the second stage of the cycle, an overwhelming urge to eat. We want to fill ourselves up, literally, and so we move onto stage three—binge eating. Both during the binge eating episode and after, we can experience being out of control and ashamed with our actions. Step five is to diet in order to regain our sense of control. However, binge eating didn’t clear up our issue from stage one, the sense of lack remains, and the cycle repeats itself once again.
Reasons for Binge Eating
Since a large part of Binge Eating Disorder is mental, seeking alternative perspectives will help us overcome our destructive eating habit. Learning our triggers will help us interpret “I’m hungry” as an indicator that could mean, for example, “I have no direction in life,” or “I’m not satisfied with my relationship.” Each individual will have their own struggles, and learning to notice that “I’m hungry” is actually coming from a dissatisfaction that will not go away from shoving food in our face will help prevent us from doing so.
Tackling Binge Eating Urges
Even if we are able to identify the reason for experiencing our urge to binge, the urges might still continue. In these situations, it’s recommended to accept that the urge is occurring without guilt for experiencing the urge. Even if we make our mind up to give in and binge, we can delay doing so. Anything to distract ourselves: cleaning, focusing on deep breathing, talking to someone, etc. A distraction that’s long enough could possibly delay the urge to the point that it dissipates completely. When an urge arises it will eventually cease, and we need not feed it with food for it to go away.
The most efficient approach to a healthy diet is to exercise regularly. Physical activity is a surefire way to create a pleasant mood and restore energy levels, and it’s also a powerful stress reducer. The natural mood-boosting effects of exercise can help put end the cycle of emotional eating. Neither exercising and eating whatever we want, nor eating healthy without much exercise will be as effective as combining consistent exercise with healthy meals. Equal amounts of both exercise and healthy diet on a regular basis contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
References
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder.htm
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110414141449.htm
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