Binge eating disorders
Binge eating is when you consume a whole bunch of food in one sitting. This is usually the result of people skipping meals in order to lose weight.
The problem is that your body needs to eat in order to function so when you skip meals, the result is that you end up so hungry that you feel as if you're starving.
In the end, most people who forego breakfast and lunch will consume all of the missed calories at suppertime – often more than if they would have eaten regular meals throughout the day.
There are several reasons why binge eating will ruin your efforts at weight loss. Eating all of your daily calories in one sitting does not equal out to eating three meals in the course of the day. Your body doesn't store those calories and expend them equally all day. Instead, the body will use what it has to for energy that evening while the food is digesting and then it will store what isn't needed for immediate needs as fat. So even eating the same amount of calories either way, the result of binge eating could actually be weight gain!
Another reason skipping meals is such a bad idea is that when you let your body get that hungry, the brain tends to disengage and the stomach takes over. The stomach doesn't care that you are trying to lose weight and just starts screaming, “feed me!” and often, the first thing you see is what goes in. If you are at home, it might be a bag of chips or the cookie jar. When you are out, it will usually be a quick trip through the drive-thru at the nearest fast food joint. One fast food trip can easily add up to triple the normal daily calories needed – yikes!
Still another reason why binge eating can sabotage your weight loss attempt is the way that your body operates.
If you skip meals and go long periods before eating, your body automatically kicks it into low gear, slowing the metabolism.
Your metabolism is the process of how your body burns energy. Let the body's fuel tank get too low and it thinks it is literally starving. It will instinctively try to preserve the energy it has stored in fat cells so it slows down how much it burns to try to conserve power.
Those are three excellent reasons to avoid binge eating, aren't they? I know that often people have other reasons they give for skipping meals besides trying to lose weight. Many times that reason is that they don't think that they have time to eat during the day. They say it takes too long to eat a healthy breakfast so they grab a coffee and begin their daily commute. Many say it takes too much time to put up their lunch so rather than get fattening takeout, they will skip that meal, too.
How to stop binge eating ?
Stop binge eating tip# 1.
There is no need for breakfast and lunch to be so time consuming for anyone. It is easy to be prepared ahead of time so that each meal takes only a few minutes to create. Start by having the proper supplies in the house at all times – you have to go grocery shopping anyway, right? Just buy healthy, easy to fix foods that you can have on hand. Snacks are good, too, by the way. A quick, healthy snack can tide you over until the next meal and provide your body with a boost of energy mid-morning or mid-afternoon, both times where most people report needing a boost.
Stop binge eating tip# 2.
Plan what you will eat for breakfast before you go to bed the night before. Set out the dishes even, if you feel you need to save an extra couple of seconds. Hardboil an egg in the evening and put it in the refrigerator where it's easy to grab in the morning while a piece of whole grain toast cooks. Add a glass of orange juice and you're good to go in less than three minutes!
Stop binge eating tip# 3.
Lunch can be easily prepared the night before, as well. Sometimes, it's as simple as packaging individual portions of the supper you just ate if you have some left. Other times, make a sandwich and put it in a baggie in the fridge. Put some cut-up veggies in another baggie. In the morning, scoop your baggies into a lunch sack – add a yogurt or a piece of fruit along with a beverage and voila! Lunch is all set and ready to go.
A bit of planning can avoid binge eating and still get you out the door quickly each morning. That healthy breakfast that you prepared in less than three minutes will keep your body fueled through the morning and then the healthy lunch will stave off mid-afternoon fatigue. Throw in a couple of easy snacks like a piece of fruit or some carrot sticks and you will be full of energy all day. Best of all, you won't be starving at dinnertime so your brain remains in control of your diet.
