Rosalee Brown
WHAT IS wrong with me? Why don't I have self-control? All I can think about is that delectable piece of cake. I am not hungry, am I? Yet, I am eating again. Oh no, I ate the whole chocolate bar! These are just some of the many situations in which we sometimes find ourselves, situations that are sure to derail our perfect plan to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
It is very difficult to break the ties to the foods we love that have been sources of comfort for many years even from childhood. Most of these foods are often times high calorie, high sugar, high salt or high fat and should not be had on a regular basis, but if had, in small amounts infrequently, will not derail an otherwise healthy life style.
Yes, we sometimes need to be less hard on ourselves as this all or nothing stance can sometimes put you in the situation you are trying to avoid that of bingeing.
Bingeing can be brought on by many situations, including emotional ones. One way to avoid the continuous trap is to document. Identify the triggers what person, situation, or even time of day brings on a binge? Note this and do something about it.
Hunger binge never allow yourself to be starved and deprived, that is a recipe for bingeing; have meals on time, and have nutritious snacks and water with you to take the edge off a dangerous binge.
Special occasion binge plan ahead what to eat, if you are eating out, choose mostly healthy, low-calorie choices, and have a small serving of the high calorie stuff. If you are preparing meals at home for a special occasion, plan healthy choices on the menu.
Emotional binge binge proof your house of the likely culprits; prepare your support group; tell them not to give in to your pleadings to go get the stuff not available at home. If all that fails, have a kid size portion and go do something else that is also fun, which does not involve eating.
If you constantly binge to satisfy an emotional problem, you are out of control. Try going for a walk or doing some other physical activity, or pamper yourself, but not with food. Take a bath, or do your nails.
What of chocolate craving and eventual binges? Those can be hard. Don't eat the whole bar; buy a small bar and savour a square and put the rest out of sight, and go do something physical, or have a cup of hot chocolate with low fat milk or soy. Right! Yes, it can be done!
Usually when there is a need for bingeing, it is compelling and you want to satisfy that need quickly and the food of choice is eaten quickly. This is sometimes the reason why you tend to eat more than you realise the whole bar of chocolate or those two cup cakes or bag of chips in a breath.
If you have lost the battle in convincing yourself not to eat the food item, at least eat it slowly, you might just eat less, and will give the satiety centre in your brain time to recognise it is full, to stop before you overeat.
Eat with others if they know what you are trying to achieve, then you might get some support in making the right choice, or even eating less. To eat in secret can be a recipe for overeating and getting out of control.
Good luck !
Rosalee M. Brown is a
registered dietician/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services, Montego Bay, St. James; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
