Binge eating is more common than you think. Some people stay on track for days, weeks or even months – and then fall victim to the urge to binge. You might not even consider yourself a binge-eater, but if you’ve ever stuffed yourself full of food after a diet plan, or after a hard day at work, you might need to reconsider.
By the end of this article, you will learn:
- How words can make or break the binge mindset
- How flexibility is essential
- The supplement that could make all the difference
In our supportive training and programs, we help you to tackle more than just your fitness. We focus on the mindset behind it all, including the reasons behind unhealthy eating patterns. When you work on the feelings behind the binge, you can master it and achieve your goals.
The key to taking control of a binge-eating habit is breaking the cycle. Binge-eating is a response to severe restriction. Whether the restriction is mental – never eating your favourite chocolate again – or physical – eating only a few thousand calories a day – the effect is the same. Your mind rebels and the result is a binge-eating episode.
Instead, you need to learn how to work with your body and mind to prevent rebellion. We’ve gathered a few simple but practical tips to achieve just that.
Lose The Terms ‘Clean’ And Dirty’
And while you’re at it, lose ‘good’ and ‘bad’ too. The worst thing we have ever done for our mindset around food is label our foods with these sorts of terms.
It doesn’t matter what kind of restrictions you might have put into place. Maybe you think carbs are ‘bad’. Maybe grains are the devil. Some people won’t eat any processed food. Whatever your restriction, this sort of mindset can lead straight into a binge.
Instead, let yourself eat whatever you want, in moderation. If you allow yourself to eat foods and focus on enjoying and savouring them, you’re much less likely to crave them, and binge eat. You might even find you prefer healthy food more often, naturally!
Of course, if you have a genuine allergy or intolerance, we don’t want you to embrace those foods. But in that case, look at shifting your language. Instead of ‘wheat is bad’, change it to ‘wheat doesn’t make me feel my best’. You’re less likely to want to eat something if you consciously know it makes you feel bad!
Embrace A Flexible Approach
So if you can’t label your foods, how can you optimise your diet and achieve the weight you desire? Enter flexible dieting, which is gaining in popularity because it is the opposite of everything we’ve been told about dieting.
When you are following a flexible diet, you have an approximate calorie and macronutrient intake to hit. Within those limits, you can eat the foods you want to eat.
Some people might think this is just an excuse to eat junk food all the time. But in order to hit your macros, your primary focus is on nutrient-dense foods. About 80% of your diet should be these nutrient dense foods – fruits, vegetables, beans, meat – and the other 20% can be a little indulgent.
The key here is that you will be getting the nutrients your body needs to function at its best, while still allowing a bit of flexibility. And if you get to enjoy indulgent foods regularly, why would your brain need to rebel and instigate a binge?
Figure Out Your Body’s Preferences
Everyone’s body is a little bit different. Some of us function best with a regular grazing approach to food. Others work best with a set 3 big meals a day plan. However, understanding which is best for you can prevent binges for good.
Many people can tip themselves into a binge by restricting themselves throughout the day and are faced with a common slump is at 3 pm. This may be because they don’t eat a large enough lunch to get them through. Or it could be that they need more frequent small snacks throughout the day instead of a large meal.
There’s no way to know for sure, other than by trying each approach and seeing how well your body responds to each. Once you do know your eating preference, stick to it. By tuning into your natural patterns, you can optimise your energy levels and reduce your chances of rebounding with a binge.
Banish The Boredom
Hands up if you’ve ever found yourself in the fridge or cupboard looking at food because you’re bored. We’ve all done it before. But if you have a tendency to binge, that glance can become a binge-eating episode.
The best way to avoid boredom eating is not to let yourself get bored. It’s that simple. Find another way to entertain yourself – go for a walk, spend some time with your kids or dog, have a bath.
Do what works for you, don’t look for amusement at the bottom of a chip packet anymore.
Try A Natural Approach
We don’t recommend supplements just for the fun of it. But there is growing evidence to support chromium supplementation as an intervention for binges.
Chromium’s power lays in its ability to sensitise cells to insulin. These translates into a higher metabolism, improved blood sugar regulation and release of feel-good neurotransmitters.
This combination makes chromium a perfect pick for regulating appetite and reducing cravings caused by blood sugar swings.
Please note, if you’re currently on medication for blood sugar regulation, please consult your health professional before supplementing with chromium.
So while it is true that there is a physical aspect to binge-eating, the primary focus is the mind. By shifting your mindset away from black and white, towards a more flexible approach, you can defeat your binge demons. It’s as simple as:
- Changing your food vocabulary
- Embracing flexible dieting
- Getting in touch with your eating preference
- Banishing boredom eating for good
- Trying a natural supplement approach
By combining these steps, you’re well on your way towards a life of wellness, free from the mental control of food and binge-eating.
Are you ready to lose the binge-eating and transform your health? You don’t have to do it alone – Change Body Transformation is here to help. Make sure you reserve your spot in our 28-day transformation challenge!
References
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/chromiumpicolinate.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16184071
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18715218
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eat.10206/full
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11896484
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/019566639090047C