Q. Im 16 years old & i have a huge binge eating problem. It all started when i tried eating healthy & exercising regulary. I guess i took it too far because just today i ate about 20 mini snickers candies plus junk food to the point where i could barely stand up. Im so afraid of gaining 5 lbs overnight! How should i eat from now on to make sure this never happens again? Im having trouble trying to be healthy but avoiding this at the same time!
A. Sometimes the strongest longings for food happen when you're at your
weakest point emotionally. Many people turn to food for comfort â
consciously or unconsciously â when they're facing a difficult problem
or looking to keep themselves occupied.
But emotional eating â eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative
emotions, such as stress, anger, anxiety, boredom, sadness and
loneliness â can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Often, emotional
eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie, sweet,
salty and fatty foods.
The good news is that if you're prone to emotional eating, you can
take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on
track with your weight-loss goals.
Though strong emotions can trigger cravings for food, you can take
steps to control those cravings. To help stop emotional eating, try
these suggestions:
Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional?
If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach,
you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to
pass.
Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you
eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat
and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that
reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a
walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a
friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is
nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it
to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.
Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of
high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue,
postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings
don't influence your decisions at the store.
Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a
low-fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with
fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie
versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet
your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional
eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast.
Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole
grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and
lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you're more
likely to feel fuller, longer.
Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more
manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's
fit and well rested.
If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh
the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for
how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes
you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for
making changes that ensure better health.
weakest point emotionally. Many people turn to food for comfort â
consciously or unconsciously â when they're facing a difficult problem
or looking to keep themselves occupied.
But emotional eating â eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative
emotions, such as stress, anger, anxiety, boredom, sadness and
loneliness â can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Often, emotional
eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie, sweet,
salty and fatty foods.
The good news is that if you're prone to emotional eating, you can
take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on
track with your weight-loss goals.
Though strong emotions can trigger cravings for food, you can take
steps to control those cravings. To help stop emotional eating, try
these suggestions:
Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional?
If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach,
you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to
pass.
Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you
eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat
and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that
reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a
walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a
friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is
nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it
to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.
Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of
high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue,
postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings
don't influence your decisions at the store.
Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a
low-fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with
fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie
versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet
your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional
eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast.
Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole
grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and
lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you're more
likely to feel fuller, longer.
Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more
manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's
fit and well rested.
If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh
the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for
how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes
you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for
making changes that ensure better health.
How can I stop from binge eating?
Q. Lately I have been binge eating a few times a week. I'm still a bit petite, but my clothes are really getting tighter daily, and my face is puffing up. I really want to stop eating. I "crave" food when I'm not even hungry, and I keep thinking about eating something else even though my stomach is so full that it's actually painful. At that point, I don't really want to eat, yet, my head keeps on wondering what else I can eat. And then, I'll just stuff something else into my stomach. I apparently don't have a lot of self control when it comes to food... What is wrong with me? How I can stop?
(and I'm not an adolescent teenager, I'm in my 20's so its not like a growth spurt or anything)
(and I'm not an adolescent teenager, I'm in my 20's so its not like a growth spurt or anything)
A. Something is eating you (no pun intended) and making you behave this way. You need to give your self a bit of a self analysis and consider what elements of your life you're not happy with as this sounds like a coping mechanism. Have their been any changes in your life lately, or any emotional upheavals?
In the interim, don't surround yourself with quantities of food that you will reach for. If you feel that urge - get yourself out of the house and go for a walk or watch a movie or get engrossed with a good book.
In the interim, don't surround yourself with quantities of food that you will reach for. If you feel that urge - get yourself out of the house and go for a walk or watch a movie or get engrossed with a good book.
What's the best way to stop compulsive eating?
Q. I constantly binge eat when im not even hungry and im trying to lose weight! help!!
A. Sometimes the strongest longings for food happen when you're at your
weakest point emotionally. Many people turn to food for comfort â
consciously or unconsciously â when they're facing a difficult problem
or looking to keep themselves occupied.
But emotional eating â eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative
emotions, such as stress, anger, anxiety, boredom, sadness and
loneliness â can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Often, emotional
eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie, sweet,
salty and fatty foods.
The good news is that if you're prone to emotional eating, you can
take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on
track with your weight-loss goals.
Though strong emotions can trigger cravings for food, you can take
steps to control those cravings. To help stop emotional eating, try
these suggestions:
Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional?
If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach,
you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to
pass.
Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you
eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat
and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that
reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a
walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a
friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is
nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it
to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.
Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of
high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue,
postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings
don't influence your decisions at the store.
Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a
low-fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with
fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie
versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet
your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional
eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast.
Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole
grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and
lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you're more
likely to feel fuller, longer.
Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more
manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's
fit and well rested.
If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh
the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for
how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes
you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for
making changes that ensure better health.
weakest point emotionally. Many people turn to food for comfort â
consciously or unconsciously â when they're facing a difficult problem
or looking to keep themselves occupied.
But emotional eating â eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative
emotions, such as stress, anger, anxiety, boredom, sadness and
loneliness â can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Often, emotional
eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie, sweet,
salty and fatty foods.
The good news is that if you're prone to emotional eating, you can
take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on
track with your weight-loss goals.
Though strong emotions can trigger cravings for food, you can take
steps to control those cravings. To help stop emotional eating, try
these suggestions:
Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional?
If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach,
you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to
pass.
Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you
eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat
and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that
reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a
walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a
friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is
nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it
to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.
Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of
high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue,
postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings
don't influence your decisions at the store.
Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a
low-fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with
fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie
versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet
your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional
eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast.
Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole
grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and
lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you're more
likely to feel fuller, longer.
Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more
manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's
fit and well rested.
If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh
the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for
how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes
you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for
making changes that ensure better health.
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