While many people are aware of what food binging is all about, some may not be aware that binge eating is divided into two groups.
1. Binging and Purging (This is where food is consumed followed by self-induced vomiting.)
2. Binging without Purging (There is no induced vomiting.) We will be addressing the second type of binging in this article (no purging). This problem is more common than many realize as some 3% of adults suffer from this disorder. Of course the percentage is much higher if we look only at the obese portion of the population. Among these people, 10% to 15% suffer from binging. Researchers have found that dieting often acts as a trigger for binging. This is not surprising since binging is often closely related to emotional stress. For some people, binging is a form of self medicating-an attempt to reduce levels of frustration and anxiety. Now consider that dieting is quite stressful. Food used in this way matches exactly the definition of an addiction. A common characteristic of addictions is a circle of relief and pain. We binge because we feel bad, then we feel bad because we binged. The sufferer ends up caught on a treadmill with no off switch. This is a state of affairs that can be truly devastating. Round and round and round? If you or someone you care about is a chronic binger, realize these important points:
1. This may not be a problem that can be fixed without help.
2. Professional help is available.
If outside help is not an option, or does not appeal to you, consider some of the following approaches. They have proven to work well for many:
1. Avoid very low calorie diets. These tend to create much more stress. Target losing no more than one to two pounds per week.
2. DO NOT cut out all of the foods you like. Figure in a couple hundred calories per day of your favorite foods. This helps reduce frustration and can actually help you lose weight.
3. NEVER go more than 4 hours without food.
4. Work on more of less. Four to six smaller meals a day will go a long way to easing the urge to binge.
5. Do your best to maintain a regular eating schedule. I know for some, this may feel restrictive, but studies show that this works best for the majority. Remember that binging is related to stress. You need to address this in order to really free yourself from binging. Look into meditation or sports or exercise to help reduce the stress levels in your life. Learning to see things differently; wearing different color glasses so to speak, can help you look at the world in a way that is not stressful. This of course would be the best route.
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