Stress eating or binge eating is an eating disorder that is characterized by excessive eating, which is sometimes followed by shame or guilt. A person who binges on food regularly or feels stressed, depressed, moody, anxious, or angry.
The problem with binge eating is that it is unhealthy, and it can lead to obesity. Studies show that obesity is closely linked with chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. So, if you find that you have a binge eating disorder, it might be time to seek professional help.
Stress eating is treated using nutritional counseling, medication, and psychotherapy. A mental health expert may recommend other therapies in combination with the aforementioned treatment options. However, some strategies can help you curb stress eating. But keep in mind that binge eating is a serious condition, and self-treatment should not substitute professional treatment.
With that in mind, here are some practical strategies that can help you curb stress eating.
Avoid Extreme Diets
While there is nothing wrong with dieting, some diets are more on the extreme side than others. If you are on a diet and recovering from binge eating, avoid diets that restrict you from eating certain foods. Some diets restrict the eating of entire food groups.
The problem with such diets is that they are not healthy, and neither can you maintain or tolerate them for long. Your body needs an adequate amount of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins to function properly, and the only way to get these micronutrients is by eating different types of foods in adequate amounts.
Moreover, if you restrict yourself from eating certain foods, your cravings will go out of control, and you will find yourself binge eating.
So, avoid diets that promise fast weight loss or diets that restrict eating entire food groups. Instead, look for practical and healthier diet options that you can enjoy for a long time.
Avoid Skipping Meals
Skipping meals to lose weight or curb binge eating will do more harm than good. You may manage to do it for a few days, but after that, you are going to find yourself craving for food.
Avoid skipping meals by sticking to a regular eating routine every day. If you skip breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you are going to find yourself binge eating at some point to satisfy your cravings or hunger.
So, make sure that you have three meals a day. Having breakfast can give you the energy you need to perform your daily activities and keep you feeling sharp and alert all day. If you eat a heavy breakfast, you will not need to heat a heavy meal at lunch.
The goal is to ensure that you eat three square meals a day. You can choose to have a heavy lunch and a light dinner. When it comes to the meal portions, it is entirely up to you as long as you consume a sufficient amount of food every day.
Drink Plenty of Water
Doctors and nutritionists always recommend drinking a lot of water. The good thing about this is that it gives you a feeling of being full. This is not to say that you should substitute drinking water for a meal, but you are likely to eat less if you drink plenty of water before a meal.
Studies show that drinking plenty of water daily can boost metabolism and help with weight loss.
Exercise
Exercising can keep you stay fit and healthy. It also reduces stress, moodiness, and anxiety. Some of the reasons people binge eat is because they are either stressed, angry, moody, or anxious.
Choosing to exercise regularly can help alleviate symptoms associated with emotional and mental problems. It can also help curb binge eating. But it is not just your physical body that needs exercising, and you should also do exercises that will boost your mental health like yoga and meditation.
On top of that, you should make sure that you get ample sleep every day. Sleeping disorders, much like eating disorders, can cause serious health problems. The last thing you need is to overcome and conquer one disorder only to develop another one. Therefore, try to balance everything.
Get Professional Help
Binge eating is a serious eating disorder, and unfortunately, some people realize this when it is too late. It is only when they are dealing with health problems related to binge eating that they seek treatment or professional help.
If you find that you are constantly consuming large amounts of food for one reason or the other, the chances are that you have an eating disorder. The sooner you deal with the issue, the sooner you will be able to help yourself and improve the quality of your life.
While the above strategies are great for helping you curb binge eating, it is advisable to seek professional help. Consider talking to a doctor about your condition before it gets worse. A doctor may recommend treatment options and therapies depending on the severity of your eating condition.
If you have a teen with an eating disorder, visit igniteteentreatment.com to learn more about the different treatment options available.
Conclusion
Binge eating can cause stress, shame, and even frustration. However, there are practical ways you can curb binge eating. If you can identify the triggers, eat healthy, exercise, get enough sleep, and drink plenty of water, you will be well on your way to recovering from binge eating.
Remember that if the condition worsens, it is time to seek professional help. Do not wait until your health is compromised due to unhealthy over-excessive eating to see a doctor. It is difficult enough to deal with one health issue, let alone two or more health issues.
Although it can be difficult for some people to seek help or even admit that they need it, it is essential. They say that prevention is better than cure. You are better of trying to prevent a health problem than trying to treat or cure one.
