Food is not consumed for nutrition or survival; eating food is an act of pleasure, an act of sharing memories and recipes, laughs, tears, and everything in between.
Cooking food is intimate; its rich aroma, texture, excellent presentation of the dish, and the delicious taste feed our senses.
Food awakens something in you and gives you the power to carry on with your day, but it’s also an escape from heartbreak, disappointment, and failure.
If you’re a binge eater like me, being told to eat less might work the opposite way around and will not be useful.
Sure, from the outside, it seems like the most obvious solution ever, but being told “eat less” can be a bit condescending and dismissive of why we tend to cope with food.
For us, food isn’t just fuel; it's comfort, boredom, celebration, and sometimes even our best friend. There is no shame in that; however, if we continue to use food every time we get emotional, it will be a slippery slope into an unhealthy lifestyle. Take back control of your life, as the following tips might genuinely help you.
Water is Your Best Friend
Water is the key to life, and unfortunately, as we get busy with our lives, we tend to forget to have a cup of water now and then, leading to some serious health setbacks.
It can be tough to stay consistent sometimes, but just keep your favourite
cup of water in front of your eyes and keep sipping on it.
When you drink water, your stomach has less space, which makes you less hungry. You can even try sparkling water; it works better, and the carbonation creates the feeling of fullness.
Keep the bottle next to you, and it will automatically be a habit you don’t have to think about.
Eat More Protein at Breakfast
When you find yourself binging in the afternoon, have a look at what you ate in the morning. Was it a sugary coffee with pastry?
It’s not the ideal choice of food to have during work, studying, or whatever you’re doing at midday.
You just need something to munch on during stressful hours; however, choosing sugary food causes a sugar crash, which will literally send you hunting for anything in sight.
One of the many reasons we tend to eat a lot and especially consume junk food is because we didn’t have a good enough, sustainable breakfast that makes us power through.
Swap this breakfast for something protein-rich like Greek yoghurt or cottage cheese. The good thing about protein is that it digests slowly and keeps your hunger suppressed for hours. You are essentially tricking your body into eating less without even trying.
Never Go Anywhere Hungry
If you’re heading to somewhere that serves junk food, try to reach this place already full. Binge eaters like us thrive on extreme hunger, so a place like that, even the smell of food, will literally turn on the “eat everything” button.
Slow Down, Take Your Time, and Identify Why You Choose Food as a Habit to Destress
Now, onto the real issue, why do we feel the need to eat when things get a bit overwhelming?
Binge eaters, like us, eat when they are happy, sad, stressed, or burned out; it’s never about eating food for pleasure. Food, to us, is either an escape or a venting habit that lets us express what we are feeling without verbalising it or exercising it physically.
Throughout this journey, try to identify what sets you off.
You should always stay away from what arouses feelings to eat. Always ask yourself, " Am I really hungry, bored, stressed, or trying to avoid something? Keep beside you a simple note, whether an app or a paper one, not for calories, but for what you were feeling before you ate.
Once you put your hands on the triggers, you will hold the hook to your problem, you’ll have a split second to redirect this feeling; take a walk, do a task. You won’t always win, but you will sometimes.
It’s important to know that it’s not a weakness that we choose food to run away or try to calm down in the midst of a chaotic day; we do this because sometimes, it feels like there’s no place for us to let go of those feelings. No one can handle what we are going through, whether good or bad. We don’t know where to look for a sanctuary that will help us cool down and take a breather, or what exercise to do that will physically help us release everything so our bodies become less tensed up and rigid.
Some people take a walk, others just keep on talking, and plenty journal their thoughts and feelings. Different ways to express and convey their emotions, but the common thing is that these methods don’t come at the cost of your health.
Put your fork down between bites. Chew more. Drink water between mouthfuls. These aren't mindfulness clichés; they're time-buying tactics that let your satiety hormones catch up.
You don’t have to stop loving food. You just need to stop letting hunger, whether real or emotional, make every decision. Make a strategy and start from there.
But the most important move to end this cycle is to be self-aware of your behaviour and have a solid support system, and a healthy way to express and release what you feel.
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