Why did you just have that box of Smarties? We get to the bottom of binge-eating and offer a solution for every type of binger.
1.If you wait too long to eat
When your blood sugar dips too low, the lack of fuel to your brain can make you unfocused and cranky, and more likely to toss back a box of Smarties after an unkind comment from a co-worker.
Pre-emptive strategy
Snack sessions will satisfy your cravings and raise your spirits. “We all have a million excuses not to eat regularly, but if you can make yourself a cup of coffee every hour, then you have time to chomp on an apple, wholewheat rusk or yoghurt,” says dietitian Dianne Ivison.
2.If you’re too strict with your diet
Put can’t-live-without foods on a no-no list and you may find yourself picking a fight over something petty and then consoling yourself with a tub of extra-creamy ice cream later on. Psychologist Althea Sherry, who specialises in the treatment of eating disorders, says, “When you deprive yourself of favourite foods, you automatically crave them and are more likely to break down and binge.”
Pre-emptive strategy
Take a sensible and moderate approach to what you eat. Ivison says if you feel like having a piece of cake you should eat it. “Try choosing healthier foods as a way of taking care of your body, rather than deprive yourself,” says Sherry.
3. If you beat yourself up
If you punish yourself every time you nab a free food sample at the shop or nibble off your child’s plate, you may feel discouraged or even depressed – emotions that cry out for comfort food. This feeds into low self-esteem, and makes you more likely to comfort assuage those feelings with food.
Pre-emptive strategy
“There are no good or bad choices when it comes to food. Only good, better and best choices,” says Ivison. If you eat something you feel you shouldn’t, focus on how well you’ve been doing up until now, and remember healthy eating is a lifestyle choice that’s bound to have ups and downs.
4. If you’re feeling the need to binge
“Food is linked to the process of nurturing your body and as a result bingeing is a way of making up for negligence in other areas of your life,” says Sherry. For example if you’re having a bad day at work or going through a bad break-up, food comforts feelings of loneliness, sadness or anger.
Pre-emptive strategy
Find other ways to comfort yourself. Develop a healthy routine such as talking to a close friend about your feelings, or do something you love, like taking a walk through a park or on the beach. If your thoughts about food and weight become the central focus of your day, you need to get professional help. You can enlist the help of a psychologist or counsellor. For more information, questions and a list of experts, log on to www.recoveryspace.org
For the social butterfly
- Eat a snack before you go to an event to prevent over-eating.
- Choose a few yummy-looking snacks (three maximum) and fill up on crudités and fruit.
- Drink water between each alcoholic beverage.
Hi, thanks for this article! My weight fluctuates up and down by sometimes 15kgs in the period of a few months. My weight and eating is the focus of every day and I find it difficult to shake this focus. I’ve been told to find an alternative ‘comfort’. Any suggestions? Thanks