Q. i don't know what's wrong with me! i've been a vegetarian(still eat diary and eggs) for two months now and i noticed that not only i'm eating more, i tend to overeat sometimes or binge eat. this wasn't happening before.
i'm not eating too much carbohydrates and i have in every meal veggies or fruits. i've gained almost 4 pounds! i don't wanna gain more... why am i binge eating all the time? i don't wanna stop being a vegetarian, so can you tell me what i'm doing wrong?
i'm not eating too much carbohydrates and i have in every meal veggies or fruits. i've gained almost 4 pounds! i don't wanna gain more... why am i binge eating all the time? i don't wanna stop being a vegetarian, so can you tell me what i'm doing wrong?
A. Hi, binging is our bodies way of telling us we're missing out on something vital. This can be a specific nutrient or sufficient food in general. You certainly don't need to start eating meat again, since whatever you're missing out on can be obtained from vegetarian sources.
Does your daily intake meet the recommended calorie allowance? Restricting calories too low can cause us to feel deprived thus leading to binging.
You mention that you don't eat much carbohydrate. That could be an issue. Basing each meal around complex carbs is actually recommended and it's a myth that they cause weight gain. Maybe try to include more grains and potatoes in your diet? These also have the advantage that they keep you feeling full for a long time which'll decrease the urge to binge.
It's also a good idea to eat a wide variety of foods. Eating a lot of vegetables isn't the same as eating a wide range of vegetables. By getting a lot of variety in your diet you'll be more likely to be getting all the different nutrients.
It might be worth having a blood test to identify any particular vitamin etc that your diet may be lacking. That way you can easily fix the problem by finding a vegetarian source of that vitamin.
X
Does your daily intake meet the recommended calorie allowance? Restricting calories too low can cause us to feel deprived thus leading to binging.
You mention that you don't eat much carbohydrate. That could be an issue. Basing each meal around complex carbs is actually recommended and it's a myth that they cause weight gain. Maybe try to include more grains and potatoes in your diet? These also have the advantage that they keep you feeling full for a long time which'll decrease the urge to binge.
It's also a good idea to eat a wide variety of foods. Eating a lot of vegetables isn't the same as eating a wide range of vegetables. By getting a lot of variety in your diet you'll be more likely to be getting all the different nutrients.
It might be worth having a blood test to identify any particular vitamin etc that your diet may be lacking. That way you can easily fix the problem by finding a vegetarian source of that vitamin.
X
How do I motivate myself to lose weight?
Q. I really need to discipline myself and start having a better lifestyle. I'm eighteen, and I can eat pretty much anything because my metabolism is fast, but in a few years, it won't be. So how do I motivate myself to lose weight and start eating better?
A. Hi, good question. You're very sharp to anticipate the future, because over time, as humans age, they tend to lose muscle (which is crucial to burning calories and controlling weight). Also, eating a healthy diet is a challenge at any age, considering the amount of food that crosses our daily pathway, and the fast pace of the society we live in.
Motivation generally requires some type of plan where you can see the results you want over time. Motivation can easily become a nemesis unless you set realistic goals that allow for a certain amount of time in which to meet them. Sample goals can include anything from a 5 lb weight loss, to looking good in a bathing suit, to losing 2 inches in your waist, or building up muscle mass to become "buff," or to obtain a six-pack or even to appear more physically attractive or more healthy in appearance.
You might want to start with reading a little about motivation such as at http://psychology.about.com/od/mindex/g/motivation-definition.htm
Secondly, you might want to look at ways to lose weight such as 1) cutting back on greasy foods, fast food, sodas, and other high-calorie, less nutritious foods; 2) increasing exercise (aerobic and weightbearing types) and not concentrating as much on eating healthy food; 3) becoming involved in extreme exercise; or 4) balancing exercise with good nutrition. I would suggest approach #4 and think about making it a lifestyle rather than engaging in fad nutrition or diets with sporadic exercise.
Decide how many hours per week you can devote to exercise. Then make a list of foods you like, as well a list you don't like. Then make a list of foods you absolutely must have in your diet, whether they are "good" for you or not.
Make an exercise schedule that you can stick with until it becomes a habit. Incorporate new exercises as you learn about them or see others that are doing them.
Then look at your "must-have foods" that are unhealthy and decide how often you can do without them. But don't remove all your favorite foods that are unhealthy, because following such an approach can become miserable. We all need to have our favorite desserts or fried foods on occasion, but just limit their frequency and the portion sizes you eat.
Then look at your favorite foods that are healthy, and incorporate them into your regular diet throughout the week. But don't overdo them either because you can get tired of them as well.
Be sure to take the healthy foods you don't like, and commit to eating at least two or three of them per week to see if you can come to like them (such as spinach or tomatoes or radishes or Brussels sprouts, etc.). Try new fruits that are unfamiliar to you. Try eating yogurt in place of ice cream a couple of times per week. Eat 1/4 cup of nuts (walnuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, etc.) for a snack.
Plan a grocery list and stick to it, and do things like trying Baked Lays instead of regular potato chips. Drink fruit juices that you dilute by cutting them in half with water. Try unsweetened iced tea. You get the idea. If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to two drinks per day at the most. If you like specialty coffee drinks, use skim milk instead of half-and-half.
You can also keep a written food diary for a few days or whenever you feel like you are "out of control" with your eating. It will make you conscious of what you are eating, especially if you write it down in detail including estimated portion sizes, and the main ingredients. You will most likely eat less if you do this.
But above all, be sure that your exercise and nutrition goals are more enjoyable than punishing. Punishing yourself will lead to the desire to binge and "fall off the wagon." Be sure to eat a wide variety of foods, and yes, allow yourself a couple of slices of pizza per week.
Use google or another search engine searching for good nutrition. Don't fall for scam products that promise being able to eat whatever you want. Try your hand at cooking by typing in things like "easy meat loaf" on a search engine and buy the leanest ground beef you can.
These are just a few of many hundreds of things you can do. I've given you just a few.
Best wishes on a healthy life!
Motivation generally requires some type of plan where you can see the results you want over time. Motivation can easily become a nemesis unless you set realistic goals that allow for a certain amount of time in which to meet them. Sample goals can include anything from a 5 lb weight loss, to looking good in a bathing suit, to losing 2 inches in your waist, or building up muscle mass to become "buff," or to obtain a six-pack or even to appear more physically attractive or more healthy in appearance.
You might want to start with reading a little about motivation such as at http://psychology.about.com/od/mindex/g/motivation-definition.htm
Secondly, you might want to look at ways to lose weight such as 1) cutting back on greasy foods, fast food, sodas, and other high-calorie, less nutritious foods; 2) increasing exercise (aerobic and weightbearing types) and not concentrating as much on eating healthy food; 3) becoming involved in extreme exercise; or 4) balancing exercise with good nutrition. I would suggest approach #4 and think about making it a lifestyle rather than engaging in fad nutrition or diets with sporadic exercise.
Decide how many hours per week you can devote to exercise. Then make a list of foods you like, as well a list you don't like. Then make a list of foods you absolutely must have in your diet, whether they are "good" for you or not.
Make an exercise schedule that you can stick with until it becomes a habit. Incorporate new exercises as you learn about them or see others that are doing them.
Then look at your "must-have foods" that are unhealthy and decide how often you can do without them. But don't remove all your favorite foods that are unhealthy, because following such an approach can become miserable. We all need to have our favorite desserts or fried foods on occasion, but just limit their frequency and the portion sizes you eat.
Then look at your favorite foods that are healthy, and incorporate them into your regular diet throughout the week. But don't overdo them either because you can get tired of them as well.
Be sure to take the healthy foods you don't like, and commit to eating at least two or three of them per week to see if you can come to like them (such as spinach or tomatoes or radishes or Brussels sprouts, etc.). Try new fruits that are unfamiliar to you. Try eating yogurt in place of ice cream a couple of times per week. Eat 1/4 cup of nuts (walnuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, etc.) for a snack.
Plan a grocery list and stick to it, and do things like trying Baked Lays instead of regular potato chips. Drink fruit juices that you dilute by cutting them in half with water. Try unsweetened iced tea. You get the idea. If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to two drinks per day at the most. If you like specialty coffee drinks, use skim milk instead of half-and-half.
You can also keep a written food diary for a few days or whenever you feel like you are "out of control" with your eating. It will make you conscious of what you are eating, especially if you write it down in detail including estimated portion sizes, and the main ingredients. You will most likely eat less if you do this.
But above all, be sure that your exercise and nutrition goals are more enjoyable than punishing. Punishing yourself will lead to the desire to binge and "fall off the wagon." Be sure to eat a wide variety of foods, and yes, allow yourself a couple of slices of pizza per week.
Use google or another search engine searching for good nutrition. Don't fall for scam products that promise being able to eat whatever you want. Try your hand at cooking by typing in things like "easy meat loaf" on a search engine and buy the leanest ground beef you can.
These are just a few of many hundreds of things you can do. I've given you just a few.
Best wishes on a healthy life!
How can I stop my sugar binges and sugar cravings?
Q. I'm 18 years old, attending college, 6'1", and about 160 pounds. I work out regularly and like to eat very healthy.
However, I get these insane sugar cravings and sugar binges almost daily that consists of binging every sugar item I can find around me! This includes ice cream, cookies, chips, power bars, granola bars, cereal, chocolate, donuts, yogurt, plus anything else I forgot to mention ALL in the same night! Even after I get full or feel like I've eaten way too much, I still continue to eat everything just because it tastes so good!
How can I stop myself from doing this? Recently, I've noticed that I do these sugar binges more often at night, when I am bored and have nothing to do. Also, these binges usually occur after sampling ANY junk food or sugar food.
I am not really gaining weight because I eat healthy otherwise and work out a lot. However, these binges make me feel like crap and bloated in the morning, and I want to stop. Any suggestions?
However, I get these insane sugar cravings and sugar binges almost daily that consists of binging every sugar item I can find around me! This includes ice cream, cookies, chips, power bars, granola bars, cereal, chocolate, donuts, yogurt, plus anything else I forgot to mention ALL in the same night! Even after I get full or feel like I've eaten way too much, I still continue to eat everything just because it tastes so good!
How can I stop myself from doing this? Recently, I've noticed that I do these sugar binges more often at night, when I am bored and have nothing to do. Also, these binges usually occur after sampling ANY junk food or sugar food.
I am not really gaining weight because I eat healthy otherwise and work out a lot. However, these binges make me feel like crap and bloated in the morning, and I want to stop. Any suggestions?
A. Here are some distractions I use when i feel a desperate urge to binge.
1. make sure other people are around. even them just being there and knowing you cant freely access the kitchen / food helps.
2. do not keep food in your room, and ensure 'binge' food is kept at a minimum. if you are serious, perhaps you could literally ask your parents [if you live with them] to keep them in a locked cupboard if they feel its essential to have cake/chocolate/chips in the house.
3. just WAIT. wait 10 minutes. wait 20 minutes. give yourself a time limit, because sometimes by that time your so frustrated that you havent given in to the urge that you dont want to binge [its unlikely, but test it.]
4. have something to DO after you eat. have this prepared. if you plan to watch a movie, have the movie in sight as you are eating. it will remind you that you are not going to binge. if you are going to do schoolwork, have your diary in front of you. if you are going to do painting, have the paints out.
5. ask yourself where you want to be in a year/month/week. Recover NOW. start your binge/purge free days NOW. you might think "this will be the last time".... remember last time you said that too?
ACTUAL ACTIVITIES:
- Have a shower. you cant eat in the shower.
- do something that [usually] fully engages your mind. Crosswords, puzzles, assignments. have these out BEFORE you start eating.
- change your environment.. get away from food completely. go for a walk somewhere. bike ride [ do not do this to COMPENSATE though]
- craft. this helps me the most. paint, cross stitch, long stitch, work with canvases, soft pastels [use your hands, you cant eat if you are finger painting], collages, drawing, making cards
- make things for the people you love. give you a purpose to not do it for 5 minutes and then go and binge.
- if you are angry and frustrated, find something that you can do to get your anger out. Totem tennis, anyone?
- call a friend or family member and talk
- play an instrument
- redecorate your room / wardrobe
- chat to friends on the internet
essentially, the most effective thing for you not bingeing will be the thing that fulfills the need that you would usually be filled by bingeing. eg. if you binge because you feel isolated, calling a friend will directly fill that need. call friend after friend if need be. if you binge because you feel rejected, call someone you feel accepted by. if you binge because you simply have the house to yourself, make sure you eat with people and have them stick around after the meal! if you binge because you feel worthless and dont feel that you should have eaten the meal, then do something that makes you feel worthwhile - make things for friends, create something, do something productive that you can SEE you are doing something.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE:
1. a list of people you can call when you feel like you want to binge.
2. a list of things you can do when you do want to binge.
rate both of these activities and people:
eg. Activity: Punching a pillow. Good For: releasing frustrations, initially taking my mind off bingeing.
Activity: Doing an assignment / schoolwork. Good For: showing that i can achieve something.
you really need to make sure you get yourself SUPPORT. no matter if you have been bingeing or struggling with eating disorders for a month or a year, you WILL continue to struggle until you empower yourself and decide that you do not want this life. if it helps write down a list of things you want from life. is bingeing included? er.. no. See a psyc. See family members. See friends. See a team. Art therapist, music therapist.
REMEMBER THE 5 DâS
DELAY your response so you can figure out what exactly is tempting you to binge.
DETERMINE whatâs going on. Ask yourself, âWhy is my desire to eat so high right now? Am I physically hungry? If not, âwhat do I really want or need?â
DISTRACT yourself for 10 minutes (WAIT).
DISTANCE yourself, physically, from the temptation.
DECIDE how you will handle it.
- If youâre tired, take a nap. If youâre feeling lonely, call a friend. If youâre feeling anxious, go for a walk or take a bubble bath.
- If youâre having a specific food craving, identify what you really want, go get a single
HOW TO STOP FOOD CRAVINGS
Craving chocolate? Eat a banana. It sometimes satisfies the yearning for chocolate and is much less fattening.
Chew sugarless gum. It speeds up the digestive system, burning more calories, and sometimes kills a craving.
Exercise! Your appetite will temporarily subside and you'll feel better about taking such a proactive approach.
Still craving chocolate? Try a magnesium supplement. Many women are deficient in this mineral, which is found in chocolate.
Craving fatty foods? Eat fish, or take a fish oil or flaxseed oil supplement. You may be low in essential fatty acids. Grab something to drink. Sometimes, cravings for food are really thirst in disguise.
Sweet tooth? Protein, fat and fiber keep blood sugar levels more even and help keep such cravings under control. Watch your caffeine intake. Caffeine seems to make sugar cravings worse.
If your will power weakens at night, try leaving the lights on until the minute you go to bed. Dimmed lights tend to lower inhibitions. Turn off the lights in your kitchen and avoid hanging out there.
Whew!!! It seems that I've gathered a lot of suggestions. I hope one or most of the lists of advices above help you.
1. make sure other people are around. even them just being there and knowing you cant freely access the kitchen / food helps.
2. do not keep food in your room, and ensure 'binge' food is kept at a minimum. if you are serious, perhaps you could literally ask your parents [if you live with them] to keep them in a locked cupboard if they feel its essential to have cake/chocolate/chips in the house.
3. just WAIT. wait 10 minutes. wait 20 minutes. give yourself a time limit, because sometimes by that time your so frustrated that you havent given in to the urge that you dont want to binge [its unlikely, but test it.]
4. have something to DO after you eat. have this prepared. if you plan to watch a movie, have the movie in sight as you are eating. it will remind you that you are not going to binge. if you are going to do schoolwork, have your diary in front of you. if you are going to do painting, have the paints out.
5. ask yourself where you want to be in a year/month/week. Recover NOW. start your binge/purge free days NOW. you might think "this will be the last time".... remember last time you said that too?
ACTUAL ACTIVITIES:
- Have a shower. you cant eat in the shower.
- do something that [usually] fully engages your mind. Crosswords, puzzles, assignments. have these out BEFORE you start eating.
- change your environment.. get away from food completely. go for a walk somewhere. bike ride [ do not do this to COMPENSATE though]
- craft. this helps me the most. paint, cross stitch, long stitch, work with canvases, soft pastels [use your hands, you cant eat if you are finger painting], collages, drawing, making cards
- make things for the people you love. give you a purpose to not do it for 5 minutes and then go and binge.
- if you are angry and frustrated, find something that you can do to get your anger out. Totem tennis, anyone?
- call a friend or family member and talk
- play an instrument
- redecorate your room / wardrobe
- chat to friends on the internet
essentially, the most effective thing for you not bingeing will be the thing that fulfills the need that you would usually be filled by bingeing. eg. if you binge because you feel isolated, calling a friend will directly fill that need. call friend after friend if need be. if you binge because you feel rejected, call someone you feel accepted by. if you binge because you simply have the house to yourself, make sure you eat with people and have them stick around after the meal! if you binge because you feel worthless and dont feel that you should have eaten the meal, then do something that makes you feel worthwhile - make things for friends, create something, do something productive that you can SEE you are doing something.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE:
1. a list of people you can call when you feel like you want to binge.
2. a list of things you can do when you do want to binge.
rate both of these activities and people:
eg. Activity: Punching a pillow. Good For: releasing frustrations, initially taking my mind off bingeing.
Activity: Doing an assignment / schoolwork. Good For: showing that i can achieve something.
you really need to make sure you get yourself SUPPORT. no matter if you have been bingeing or struggling with eating disorders for a month or a year, you WILL continue to struggle until you empower yourself and decide that you do not want this life. if it helps write down a list of things you want from life. is bingeing included? er.. no. See a psyc. See family members. See friends. See a team. Art therapist, music therapist.
REMEMBER THE 5 DâS
DELAY your response so you can figure out what exactly is tempting you to binge.
DETERMINE whatâs going on. Ask yourself, âWhy is my desire to eat so high right now? Am I physically hungry? If not, âwhat do I really want or need?â
DISTRACT yourself for 10 minutes (WAIT).
DISTANCE yourself, physically, from the temptation.
DECIDE how you will handle it.
- If youâre tired, take a nap. If youâre feeling lonely, call a friend. If youâre feeling anxious, go for a walk or take a bubble bath.
- If youâre having a specific food craving, identify what you really want, go get a single
HOW TO STOP FOOD CRAVINGS
Craving chocolate? Eat a banana. It sometimes satisfies the yearning for chocolate and is much less fattening.
Chew sugarless gum. It speeds up the digestive system, burning more calories, and sometimes kills a craving.
Exercise! Your appetite will temporarily subside and you'll feel better about taking such a proactive approach.
Still craving chocolate? Try a magnesium supplement. Many women are deficient in this mineral, which is found in chocolate.
Craving fatty foods? Eat fish, or take a fish oil or flaxseed oil supplement. You may be low in essential fatty acids. Grab something to drink. Sometimes, cravings for food are really thirst in disguise.
Sweet tooth? Protein, fat and fiber keep blood sugar levels more even and help keep such cravings under control. Watch your caffeine intake. Caffeine seems to make sugar cravings worse.
If your will power weakens at night, try leaving the lights on until the minute you go to bed. Dimmed lights tend to lower inhibitions. Turn off the lights in your kitchen and avoid hanging out there.
Whew!!! It seems that I've gathered a lot of suggestions. I hope one or most of the lists of advices above help you.
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