09/12/22

#142 Binge Eating

I used to be a terrible binge eater.

My food would be ‘perfect’ when I was in company but a couple of times a week I would binge uncontrollably in secret. When I was in my late 20’s I became bulimic for a while but got my shit together when I became pregnant with my first child.

I had been over 90kg and had lost weight slowly over time. I still used food to buffer my emotions and overate on occasion, but I was doing ok.

When I got into the low 60kgs I was encouraged to try bodybuilding.

The food plan was very restrictive. Chicken and broccoli, protein powder, protein bars a ton of supplements and more chicken and broccoli.

Constantly being in a huge calorie deficit without enough carbohydrates is a great way to mess up your hormone levels and put your body into a state where it hangs on to body fat, slows your metabolism and craves more food.

It was terrible. Each week I would get through to Wednesday or Thursday and lose the plot, literally eating out the whole cupboard and fridge. I would hate myself, think I was useless, regroup get through until the weekend and binge again. Starting again on Monday.

It was an awful cycle I thought about food all the time. Food had all the power I had none. And I went back to eating disorder land.

Of course, over the years I learnt to compete with low body fat levels without doing this to myself.

But I still see these dieting mentality behaviours with many of my clients. Sadly, it is a great way to totally do your head in and wreck your relationship with food.

Being overly restrictive with keto, fasting or detoxes will drive you to binge eat. Many clients are perfect all week but by the weekend totally lose the plot. Because their good days are too good. They are in too much of a deficit and by the weekend their petrol tank is empty.

There are other reasons for binge eating like trying to fill an emotional hole with food or boredom.

But often it is caused by undereating. Especially for women. Eating too few carbohydrates, and thinking that you are being good will set you up to fail.

The answer to fuel your body but find the balance of being in a slight deficit which allows you to lose weight but doesn’t screw up your hormone levels.

Eat high fibre low GI carbs in your first two meals of the day.

You are not hopeless. You can do this. Without over-restricting and feeling deprived.

If you need help, I have a few one on one spots or jump onto the October 12-week program.