How can binge eating be related to dieting?!

As discussed in earlier posts, binge eating can be a difficult problem to identify, especially by people who are suffering from it.
After understanding that further dieting does not help reduce binging, the next challenge is to find ways to improve your relationship with food (among other things like self worth and self esteem).

One of the first steps to decrease binge eating is to start eating 3 meals per day along with a few snacks. By eating regularly, you will avoid feeling deprived and very hungry, which contribute to binges. Your body will start to expect nourishment on a regular basis (rather than sporadically) and will better digest and metabolize the energy. Your mood is also likely to improve since you won't be swinging between feeling very hungry and too full.

Sometimes when our relationship with food is skewed, so are our signals of hunger and satiety. So it is not always easy to listen to these signals and only "eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full". By having a routine with meals and snacks, you don't have to rely on those signals. The ultimate goal is to listen to your internal cues but that takes time and practice.
Ideally you want to eat every 3-4 hours. Planning out meals and snacks may seem time consuming at first, but once you get into the habit, it becomes easier. It can help to use a guide to determine what to eat over an entire day (like the food guide) or even an outline of a meal plan that suggests ways to include the food at meals and snacks. Over time, you will find that you can plan out your meals and snacks in you head rather than rely on a written plan.
For example, most adults require:

One example of how those requirements look in terms of food is:

Planning a routine visit to the grocery store is a good start to having healthy food on hand- so make sure you make time during the week for a shopping trip.
Focusing on balanced meals can also help to reduce binging. The combination of protein, carbohydrates and fibre (from the meat and alternatives, starchy foods/grain products and vegetables) will help to sustain you between meals. However, it is important to remember that eating perfectly is not necessary! It is ok and certainly normal to have a less balanced meal occasionally.

Not too much, not too little...just right

Listening to your body's signals is a good long term strategy for weight management. However, if you are just starting out and find it challenging to "eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full", here are a few ways to help you recognize when you have eaten enough:


1. Recognize and experience the feeling of hunger. Practice experiencing true hunger by avoiding eating for at least 4 hours. The goal is to feel and understand the sensation of hunger.

2. Create a routine. Eating a similar breakfast everyday and eating at regular hours your lunch and supper can help your hunger signals get into a routine. The goal is to feel hungry (not starving) before meals and satisfied between meals.

3. Concentrate on the flavours. Take small bites, one at a time to allow your mouth and brain to savour the flavours! The better the flavour experience, the more satisfied we feel with the meal.

4. Pause ½ way through the meal. Take the time to evaluate your hunger levels. If you are experiencing less pleasure with the food, you have likely eaten enough.

5. Avoid distractions while eating. Try to focus on the task at hand by avoiding doing more than one thing at a time. Ex. watching TV, reading or studying while eating.

6. Identify cravings versus hunger. Determine what influences the onset of cravings so that you are better prepared to manage them. Keeping a journal of cravings to help ID emotions, environments and times of the day that may bring about cravings.

7. Do not eat now to avoid eating later on. Avoid eating “in case” you get hungry later on. Focus on the moment at hand and bring a snack if you are afraid hunger may strike.

8. Only YOU can judge your needs. Don’t eat to please someone or to anger them. Only you know how hungry you are and can estimate how much food you need to satisfy that hunger.

9. Practice moderation. Try eating “just enough” and evaluate how you feel physically and mentally. Decrease portions to get a better feel for how much you need to feel satisfied and full after a meal.

10. Slow down. Stretch meals out to be at least 20 minutes long. This will help hunger signals reach the brain before you eat too much.