WHY Binging Happens... & How I Control It

HI GUYS. SO, first I want to clarify that I am no nutritional professional and my advice is based only on my experience, articles I've read, and the education I've gained from speaking with trained professionals. I'd first like to clarify that BED, or Binge Eating Disorder is a legitimate condition in which people cannot control their consumption of food. An individual with this disorder completely loses a sense of control and continues to stuff his/herself even after extremely full, commonly very rapidly and while alone. These binges are followed by immense guilt and shame after consuming such a large amount of food. Now I'm certainly not trying to diagnose any readers with BED, but I want it to be known that this is a clinical condition if recurrent, and may require proper treatment.

HOWEVER, If you suffer from less serious yet still very pesky symptoms... I'm sure you can relate more to myself. I know everyone is unique and thinks differently but a binge of mine typically proceeds like this... I find a snack or a combination of snacks that I really LOVE. They're typically items that I used to restrict from myself, (i.e. ice creams, high-carb chips, or cookies, etc.), so my first thought is about how wonderful it is that I can finally enjoy this snack again... BUT MODERATION IS ALWAYS KEYπŸ˜‚!! On occasion, when I'm enjoying a "high-risk" food that used to bring me serious anxiety, I lose control of moderating the amount I consume. Sometimes my mind goes completely blank, other times I insist to myself the calories are only fueling my "gains", when truly it's not in a proper manner. After I consume the entire pint, box, bag, etc., I find myself in extreme pain accompanied by serious regret. I consciously KNOW I can fuel my hard work in the gym in a healthier manner, but on rare occasions I start snacking on a scrumptious food item and ya girl just CANNOT STOP... Does this sound at all familiar?

So now you might be wondering how I combat this treacherous cycle, and prevent it from occurring again. There are a few key steps to remember and utilize to prevent your next binge...


1. MODERATE YOUR "RISKY" FOODS WITH ACCEPTABLE PORTION SIZES
My biggest problem foods are usually those that I haven't indulged in for some time. I relish in the fact that I haven't tasted the rich food in a while, and I cannot stop consuming more. OR, I think that I've already "ruined" the day by consuming any of cake/pizza/etc., so I might as well eat as much of it as I want. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. It is completely acceptable to include less nutritious/higher calorie foods into your diet on a DAILY basis. If these items are moderated, they will not "ruin" any of your lifestyle goals... believe me! Try two pieces of the pizza, enjoy them, and stop when full. It doesn't mean you need to consume the entire thing in one sitting.
On other occasions, I have trouble with foods labelled as "nutritious" or "all-natural", and I get it in my head that it's totally acceptable to eat as much of it as I desire. If I make the mistake of grabbing the entire box/bag, I find myself in deep trouble. I mindlessly continue to grab food until I ingest 5-6x over the recommended portion size. Taking the full container of food prevents one from realizing the full amount they've consumed. Only upon a stomach ache am I forced to stop... often leading to serious discomfort. Moral of this point is, take a darn smaller container of the tasty snack with you - whether it be to your room or to work... Snacking out of the full bag is never wise.


2. OUT OF SIGHT = OUT OF MIND
If there are specific foods that you KNOW you are prone to binging on, get them out of sight. Either stuff them in the back of the cupboard and save them for special occasions or simply avoid buying them. The foods I struggle most with are sweet/savory popcorns, cereals (CHEERIOS OMG), chips and salsa, CHOCOLATE, etc.. many things that can easily be eaten from a full size package! However, the more I keep them off the counter, out of plain sight, or completely out of the house, the better luck I have with avoiding crazy binges.


3. TUNE IN TO YOUR HUNGER/SATIATION CUES
When you're beginning to feel like you're out of control and cannot stop snacking, take a minute to breathe, slow down, and listen to your body. Often during a binge, I feel that people become too distracted by the rich and intense flavors to pay attention to bodily cues of fullness. Enjoy each bite you take... but remember that the food is not going anywhere! SLOW DOWN. Take a minute to check in with how you're stomach is feeling and do your best to stop when you're truly satisfied. I find it terribly easy to overeat when out to dinner/lunch just because there's a set portion size in front of me, often much larger than what I'm hungry for. A tip I find very helpful in these occasions is stopping to use the restroom when I feel like I'm JUST reaching the point of being extremely full. Taking a minute to get up and walk even a short distance helps my brain process how satisfied I truly am, often making it easier to take the remainder of my food in a to-go container. Try it out, tell me if it works.πŸ˜‰πŸ‘Œ











4. DITCH THE NEXT DAY COMPENSATION
If you didn't successfully use any of the prevention tips, THAT'S PERFECTLY OKAY TOO. I get it... you overate big time last night, or at some awesome holiday party yesterday. The food coma has come and gone but you're now prepared to compensate calorically today. Whether your intended methods are to eat as little as possible or to run 4 extra miles on the treadmill, I HAVE BEEN THERE. This mindset transforms the gym from a place to escape life's stressors into a dreaded place of punishment. Don't treat the day after a binge as some crazy punishment. Our bodies are amazing machines and one day/meal of caloric excess will NOT hurt our progress, as long as the binges do not become a recurring habit. The day following a binge should simply be treated as a return back to normal routine and NOTHING extreme. Eat as you normally would, get your lift in, or take the rest day that was planned. Straying from your normal routine will only cause a toxic cycle that you can certainly avoid. BREATHE. You rationally know that there is no possible way to gain 30 lbs overnight, and believe me that is the last thing that's going to happen! There is no need to punish yourself for indulging a little extra the day prior. LIFE FREAKING GOES ON. And honestly, an increased carb intake the day before might just give you that little extra energy you need in the gym the following day... Lol I can tell you firsthand that Thanksgiving stuffing has certainly fueled some of my best workouts...

 


WELL GUYS, these are a few of the major tips that have done wonders in controlling, preventing, and mentally moving forward after my own binges. Remember that nothing should be avoided if you continue to practice moderation and even if you do slip-up, punishing yourself the next day is never the solution. I hope these suggestions are helpful to you all... and as always, feedback is absolutely accepted and welcomed!😊
Thank you all for readingπŸ’–

XOXO - Coco






Comments

  1. Coco, this is amazing and very helpful! I’m certainly going to try some of these tips out and the out of sight out of mind works so well! Cheerios are one of my biggest binges and I put them away or just don’t buy them and it’s so much easier. If I’m really craving them I’ll have some, but ensure I’m having the proper portion. Ice cream is also another one cause ya girl loves her ice cream and I seriously used to restrict myself from it! Thank you for your openness and honestly and so happy to have these tips. They’re very happy πŸ™ŒπŸΌ

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    1. KAYLA, thank you so much sweet girl!! Haha oh my goodness, same for me - way too hard to resist! I'm so happy this post was helpful to you Kayla, and I cannot thank you enough for the kind feedback:) I will continue to be open and honest, believe me!!
      Colleen

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  2. Thanks for the tips! It’s something I definitely struggle with and it’s nice to know I’m not the only one ��

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    1. Of course, Kara!! You are definitely not the only one that struggles with this, I am so honored to hear that I helped highlight this to you!:) Thanks for the feedback girl.
      Colleen

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