What is the relationship between dieting and binge eating?

Top Doctors recently had the pleasure to speak with revered consultant psychologist, Dr Beverley Marais, who, in our latest article here, explains the relationship between dieting and binge eating, while also telling us how to eat in a healthy manner.

What is the relationship between dieting and binge eating?

Firstly, to stop binge eating, you have to stop dieting. When you decide to stop dieting, you then have to confront uncomfortable feelings about your body and weight. Dieting strategies do not work and have never worked.

Research tells us that 95 per cent of people who go on a diet gain the weight back, and often more. When you diet, your metabolism slows right down in order to conserve the small amount of food available. The problem is, that since your metabolism has slowed down, when you stop dieting, you put on weight faster and more easily. So, the first step to stop binge eating is to stop dieting.

What does it mean to eat healthily?

This involves eating regularly, having appropriate portion sizes which includes all food groups. When you are eating in a balanced way, it becomes easier to distinguish whether you are eating in response to hunger cues or emotional cues. Ultimately, this is the journey towards being more in control of your eating, your weight, and your body.

How important is self-monitoring when it comes to stopping binge eating?

Monitoring your eating patterns without judgement means that you will be learning about the emotional and psychological reasons behind your eating habits. It is very important to try to take a step back, allowing yourself to be able to observe how you eat.

You should try your best to record everything you have eaten in any given day, including binge eating patterns. You should also try to monitor your thoughts, feelings, and any triggers. This will help increase our awareness when it comes to our eating patterns.

If you would like to learn more about binge eating, you can consult with Dr Beverley Marais today via her Top Doctors profile.