Do you often get this uncontrollable urge to devour chips, bhujia, biscuits, ice creams, chocolates, cookies, cake or whatever highly palatable, high fat/ high sugar foods that tickle your taste buds? Is it often followed by a negative feeling of guilt, or simply regret for eating too much? Well, you might be struggling with episodes of binge eating. Keep reading this blog post because I am going to share some practical tips on how to avoid binge eating.
BINGE EATING IS A COMMON STRUGGLE
First of all, let’s acknowledge that binge eating is widespread and can affect individuals of all ages, genders, cultural backgrounds and income levels. It is not restricted to those who are overweight or inactive. One can be involved in physical activities and have a healthy outlook towards life but still struggle with episodes of binge eating. Just because you eat uncontrollably sometimes doesn’t necessarily mean you have a disorder and it is something to be worried about. I have myself experienced episodes of binge eating several times and all it required was identifying patterns that trigger it.
However, if you have been struggling with binge eating for a long time and are anxious, distressed or worried to an extent that it has started affecting your well-being, you may be suffering from Binge-eating disorder. In that case, it’s best to seek medical help or consult a specialist such as a nutritionist, counsellor or psychotherapist.
IDENTIFY BINGE EATING PATTERNS
This is easier said than done. But if done precisely, one can eliminate future binge eating episodes. The best way to identify patterns is by keeping a food journal. A lot of people detest the thought of keeping a food journal and its understandable. Even I wouldn’t enjoy the idea of jotting down every single thing I eat along with minute details such as where I ate, meal timings and if I had any negative feelings after I ate a specific food.
However, this is temporary and only a matter of a few weeks. Once you have identified the patterns, you no longer need a food journal.
Some common binge eating patterns that I have encountered working with numerous clients includes:
- Excessive hunger and uncontrollable eating after office
- Overeating and ordering food past midnight, even after eating dinner
- Excessive eating when exposed to certain foods such as chips, bhujia, chocolates, cookies etc.
- Binge eating during or after consuming alcohol
- Emotional eating when stressed, worried or bored
If you can relate to the above patterns, keep reading further as I lay down some options to avoid binge eating during such scenarios.
#1 KEEP A NUTRITIOUS SNACK or MEAL OPTION HANDY
Binge eating episodes after work or midnight are often because of one simple reason – you are HUNGRY! Consider this scenario – you ate your last meal at 1 PM and you’ve been working non-stop since then, jumping from one meeting to another. By the time you finish, it’s already 6 PM. It is natural to feel famished after 5 hours especially when you haven’t had anything other than occasional munchies or some coffee. For the night owls, it’s a similar situation when it comes to midnight cravings. Dinner at 8 PM means you need something solid by 1 AM to satiate your hunger again.
So, what do we usually do?
We reach out for the easiest option – a sugary/ salty high-calorie snack that is readily available. And if we are not satiated with what’s at home, we reach our phone to place an order.
The good news is – if you know it, you can hack it! Find a nutritious alternative before you become ravenous and end up making choices that you regret later.
Here are some nutritious options I recommend my clients:
DRY FRUITS
Dry fruits are my go-to choice when it comes to snacking. My favourite dry fruits include almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashew nuts and figs (Anjeer). These are full of proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre and unsaturated fats. However, they are high-calorie foods, so one should be mindful about consuming in moderation. I’d say a handful of serving at a time is good enough. In a day, I usually eat no more than:
- 6-8 almonds/ walnuts
- 4-6 pistachios/ cashew nuts
- 1-2 figs
RAW FRUITS
A great option to satisfy your sweet cravings – delicious and nutritious. My favourite fruits for snacking are apples, banana and oranges. It’s best to eat whatever is available locally. I sometimes freeze raw fruits, add sliced pieces to greek yogurt (unflavoured) along with some protein powder to make a refreshing dessert (like a custard).
If you are happy to put in a wee bit effort, you can even prepare a healthy fruit ice cream using a high-powered blender. The ingredients are quite simple. No sugar, no milk, no preservatives – All you need is 2-3 frozen fruits of your choice. Slice up the frozen fruits and add it to a high-powered blender until it becomes creamy and smooth. Then, you freeze the ice cream until it’s solid.
Below is a list of fruits I consider to be most satiating:
- Bananas – 1 medium banana is ~105 calories
- Mango – 1 mango (~330 gms) is ~200 calories
- Apples – 1 medium apple is ~95 calories
- Papaya – 1 medium papaya is ~ 120 calories
- Guava – 1 guava is ~40 calories
- Watermelon – 100 gms watermelon is ~30 calories
- Oranges – 1 medium orange is ~62 calories
- Strawberries – 100 gms strawberries is ~33 calories
PEANUTS
Raw peanuts make a perfect choice for a satiating snack. They are an excellent source of plant-based protein, unsaturated fats, fibre, and many vitamins and minerals. A handful of peanuts is good enough as 100 gm of unsalted peanuts have ~550 calories. 20-30 gm peanuts make a great evening snack or even when you feel hungry at night. You can also opt for salted variations as long as you eat in moderation. Store them in a small container so you can’t go overboard.
DRY ROASTED CHANA
This is an excellent alternative in case you do not enjoy peanuts or looking for a change. Dry roasted chana makes for a healthy snack and is full of nutty flavour. 100 gm has ~500 calories, so follow the same practice as that of peanuts. You may want to store them in small containers or storage bags, to carry with you when not at home.
CARROTS
Carrots are one of my favourite munchies for any time of day. A medium-sized carrot is ~30 calories, so feel free to consume 2-3 carrots at a time. Raw carrots are delightfully crunchy, filling, tastes amazing and requires no prep work other than washing. It’s a great snack when you are bored and are looking for some crunchy, satisfying food.
HARD-BOILED EGGS
Another easy to prepare option for those who like eggs. High in protein and good cholesterol. You can eat 2-3 eggs as a snack between meals, so you don’t feel ravenous at any point. Add some salt and pepper to satisfy your salt cravings.
WHOLE GRAIN OATS
If you are looking for something quick that feels like a meal, whole grain oats are a great option. It’s easy, quick to prepare, delicious and quite filling! You can add some cut fruits or dry fruits and sprinkle chia seeds to enhance the flavour, and make it more nutrition dense.
In summary, keep a nutritious snack or easy-to-prepare meal available to you all the time. Try not to wait until you are famished, eat every 3-4 hours. It’s your extreme hunger that may be resulting in a binge eating episode. And if you are trying something unique such as intermittent fasting or religious rituals, consciously plan your meals to replenish your body and mind.
#2 CHECK YOUR WATER INTAKE and HYDRATE
The same part of our brain is responsible for interpreting both hunger and thirst signals which can often result in mixed messages.
So, when you have mild dehydration, your brain sometimes confuses that with hunger.
Dehydration also zaps your energy, so you get this sudden urge to eat truckloads of food. The solution to this is quite simple – drink water throughout the day! As a thumb rule:
- Drink about 1 litre of water within an hour of waking up
- Try to drink a glassful (300 ml) every 1-2 hr.
- Put an alarm if you tend to forget drinking water. I know it sounds stupid, but it works!
- If you are feeling hungry, drink some water and then think about reaching out for a snack.
- Lastly, if you’ve been out drinking with friends, consciously try to drink a glass of water every hour. I know this is hard, but this one small change might also prevent that hangover in the morning.
#3 SAY NO TO CRASH DIETS
This may sound counterintuitive to those looking for quick fat loss. However, my recommendation is to stay away from crash diets – social distance away! Master cleanse, juice cleanse diet, the soup diet, 7-day detox – if these names do not ring a bell, you are already doing well. Overly restrictive diets may work for a few in the short term. However, they are unhealthy and unsustainable.
As an example, a juice cleanse diet involves consuming fruits and vegetable juices only for a period of 3 to 10 days. While there are some benefits of fruit and vegetable juices, the diet eliminates proteins and fats.
Not only is it unhealthy, but protein and fats play a key role in signalling the brain to produce hormones that control hunger. Overly restrictive eating methods can lead to episodes of binge eating, either during or at the end of your diet plan.
Instead of focusing on cutting down entire food groups (e.g. protein or fats) or significantly reducing your calorie intake in hopes for quick fat loss, focus on making sustainable changes to your lifestyle.
#4 BREAK THE BINGE EATING ASSOCIATIONS
I binge eat while watching Netflix
I can’t resist when I see a bag of my favourite chips
A box of chocolates is my biggest weakness
I binge eat when I am bored
I overeat when stressed at work
I eat when I am upset
Sounds familiar?
We all have unusual associations with episodes of binge eating. And they all are typically related to one simple reason – we eat sugary/ salty palatable foods because they activate the dopamine reward system and gives us instant gratification. The good news is that there are other ways to activate the trigger of this feel-good neurotransmitter (i.e. dopamine). One of them is “registering a small win”. If you can consciously register “avoiding a binge episode” as a task in your mind, then achieving that can prevent you from binge eating. Here is how it works:
- Write down all the unusual associations you have with binge eating episodes. Use a pen (don’t type) as that will help you remember them sub-consciously.
- Next time when you get the urge to open a bag of chips or a fresh pack of chocolates, consciously procrastinate for 5-10 mins and delay your urge
- Pat yourself for being in control and experience the dopamine release. #letsgetshredded
This can be hard in the beginning, but if you sincerely try this at least seven times, I am sure you will start enjoying it!
You can also find other alternatives for times when you feel the urge to eat uncontrollably, and break your associations. Here are some options that have worked for me:
- Keep binge eating trigger foods (such as chocolate, bhujia, chips etc.) out of sight and hard to reach; serve yourself a small portion size so there is no option to overeat
- Go for a walk to break the cycle of boredom or monotony
- Take a nap when upset or disappointed
- Listen to peppy music when feeling stressed out
#5 DITCH THE ALL OR NOTHING ATTITUDE
A lot of people develop this mindset of separating foods into “good foods” and “bad foods”. What it does is that it creates an inherent feeling of guilt because “bad foods” are considered forbidden. Let’s consider an example:
Tanya has a rule – she doesn’t usually eat ice cream because, in her opinion, it is “bad food”. She hosts a dinner at her place over the weekend, and someone brings ice cream tubs for the group. She usually does not allow herself to eat ice creams but decides to make an exception this time. After one scoop, she feels tempted to have another one. Soon she gets upset for breaking her rule and says – “Screw this! I blew it anyway! Let’s finish all of it. I’ll start over next week.”. Next day she feels worse about breaking her rule and binge eats a big bag of chips – another “bad food”.
Sounds familiar?
I don’t think it is wise to label foods as “good” or “bad”. Anything in excess can get counterproductive for you. Excessively restricting yourself can lead to binge eating.
Instead, develop a habit of regular moderate indulgence. That will allow you to enjoy your favourite foods in moderation and avoid binge eating out of guilt. Read this article to know more about regular moderate indulgence
Bottom Line
Binge eating is a common struggle and while some people struggle with it due to emotional reasons, a lot of times we binge eat just because we are hungry. Usually, there are patterns linked with binge eating episodes and consciously working towards identifying them can help you devise strategies to avoid them in future.
If you have been suffering from binge eating for a long time, know that there are specialists who can help you overcome this. Consult them and take charge of your health.
Remember, it is perfectly normal to binge eat sometimes! Everyone does it from time to time. I do it too! You cannot screw up by binge eating occasionally. The only way to screw up is to GIVE UP. Get back on track right away. You’ve got this!
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