Sometimes a binge is just a binge. It is an isolated behaviour that, even if recurrent, is not associated with other problems. More often that not though, binge eating is associated with other difficulties and one of them may be unreasonable expectations surrounding your body weight. You may in fact be reading this because of these other difficulties rather than binge eating. The relationship between these problems and the binge eating is complex, and often vicious circles are developed that are hard to break.
There are many methods used to control ones weight. The number one means is dieting and exercising. Many people who binge, diet to an extreme degree, or at least attempt to do so. Sustained dieting punctuated by episodes of binge eating are the eating patterns seen in a number of people with EDNOS (eating disorders not otherwise specified).
Before you read any further the question I want you to ask yourself is this: Is being super lean worth potential health risks? What is the end goal of achieving a set numerical weight? Aside from getting a numerical tattoo no one knows your exact body weight aside from you so in the big scheme of things, who gives a shit. Lately I have had a number of clients confide in me with regards to their binge episodes and this has inspired me to dig a little deeper into binge eating and hopefully shine some light on the seemingly grim situation. Soo what’s the dealio?
There are essentially three forms of ‘dieting’: delayed eating, calorie restriction and avoidance. Dieting is not good nor is it bad until it becomes extreme. The flip side of dieting is difficult and uncomfortable. Prolonged dieting has many psychological effects. Some, dieters find themselves totally preoccupied with thoughts about food and eating and because of this may develop a sense of deprivation. Strict dieters who break a dietary rule are prone to ‘give up’ temporarily and binge. When dieting is both extreme and strict, involving highly specific dietary rules that demand considerable restraint repeated ‘failures’ are likely. I have been there. One piece of toast turns into a loaf of bread, a terrible stomach ache and a heavy heart.
Being underweight is not all that it is cracked up to be… There are a number of psychological effects of being underweight. The brain is affected by both under eating and being underweight. Concentraiting and decision making are almost always impared although some people are unaware of this since they force themselves to focus on what they are doing. I have sat numerous times in front of my computer just staring at the screen – super productive huh! Emotions are also affected by being underweight. Mood is generally low and many people are prone to get irritated rather easily. I say ‘many people’ like I am excluded from this group when in reality I may be the president. There are also remarkable consistent changes in behaviour such as heightened obsessiveness or the tendency to be inflexible. Is that really the way you want to live your life long term?
Most people who binge are extremely concerned about their shape and weight. Indeed, these concerns may be so intense that their life becomes dominated by them. The most direct expression of over concern about weight and shape is body checking. This may involve weight checking, shape checking or both.
Shape checking is a form of body checking. Of course everyone checks their body to some extent but many people with an unhealthy relationship with food do so in unhealthy ways. They may study themselves in the mirror, measure themselves or take repeated photos. In addition they may assess the tightness of their clothing, or look down on themselves when sitting to assess how much their stomach bluddges or to what extent their thighs splay. Such shape checking can become so second nature that you may not be fully aware that you are doing it. How many of you do the gut check after your use the washroom #guilty. The thing to remember is that if you look for fatness you will find it. If you study aspects of your appearance that are disliked you will find flaws.
Comparison making is another method of body checking. Some people do this repeatedly and usually in a way that makes them conclude that they are unattractive relative to others. This is because they make a superficial assessment of the other person while critically scrutinizing themselves. Furthermore they tend to compare themselves with people who are thin and good looking: they fail to notice those who are less thin and attractive. Everyone knows ‘that guy/girl’ who is smart, unprecedentedly beautiful, strong etc.; the comical things is that you may be that person and not even realize it.
Shape avoidance is the counterpart to shape checking. The term refers to behavior designed to prevent the person from seeing his or her body and being aware of it. In my deepest self esteem world war saga, I would wear baggy clothing not because it was trendy or in style but because I hated my appearance. This also includes avoidance of others seeing your body and in time will totally deprived you from true intimacy and affection from others. Shape avoidance stems from a strong dislike of how our bodies looks or feels. Often people with shape avoidance used to engage in shape checking but switched to avoidance because checking became too distressing.
Mindset, mindset, mindset… How many of us have allowed a weigh in to negatively change our mood, or a try on a pair of ill fitting jeans only to break into tears when they don’t fit?!? A bad weigh in can totally set the tone for the day if you allow it to do so. I am in the process of gaining body fat… Yes you read that right. I went to the doctor just the other day and she prescribed me ice cream… Neil and I are desperately trying to conceive but the first step in that puzzle is to remedy my amenorrhoea (absence of menstrual period) caused by being under weight. I dieted for over one full year and I have experienced all of the symptoms and abnormalities I have discussed above. The goal for a fat loss diet should be a healthy weight. A weight you can walk around at and feel strong, feel sexy, and above all else feel healthy. Day by day I am getting there. I encourage you to evaluate your goal weight and unless you are dieting for a bodybuilding competition strive for a walk around weight not a stupid number.
With love from the Trench Kitchen,
xoxoErika♥
