The word “bingeing” is thrown around a lot, when often, what people are referring to is an episode of overeating. There are distinct differences between the two which are important to understand, namely so that those who are experiencing frequent binge eating episodes can get the appropriate help and support.
What actually is Binge Eating Disorder?
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a recognised eating disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of binge eating, which is defined as eating an excessive amount of food in a short period of time, often accompanied by a feeling of loss of control.
A sense of a lack of control during the eating episode, i.e. feeling like you can’t stop eating, control what you’re eating or how much you’re eating, is a key difference between people with BED and people who overeat. You can view the full diagnostic criteria for BED here. If you feel like you may meet the criteria for BED, please seek help. Your GP is a good starting point and will be able to refer you to a specialist in this area.
An overeating episode on the other hand, is typically defined as consuming more food than is necessary or normal in a single meal or over a period of time, it’s characterised by an excessive intake beyond a person’s normal appetite but is not accompanied by feeling a loss of control. Overeating episodes are common and most people experience them at various points.
Why do people overeat?
There are many reasons why a person might overeat, including;
- Emotional reasons: people may turn to food to cope with stress, anxiety or sadness.
- Boredom: people will often eat out of habit or because they have nothing else to do.
- Social influences: eating with others in festive or celebratory settings can lead to overeating.
- Lack of or poor sleep: sleep deprivation disrupts hormones responsible for regulating appetite and can lead to increased hunger and cravings.
If you are someone who regularly overeats, it’s likely that it’s a result of a combination of some or all of the above.
Here are some strategies to help manage overeating:
- Identify Emotional Triggers
After a period of overeating, take a minute to reflect; are you able to identify any specific feelings or emotions that contributed to overeating? Write these down, it’s likely that the same ones will continue to pop up for you.
For any feelings or emotions that you identify, ask yourself; “How can I nurture these feelings in a way that I will be proud of tomorrow?”.
Make a list of two to three things for each feeling or emotion, for example;
- When I am feeling stressed, I will go for a 10 minute walk without my phone.
- When I am feeling sad, I will write about how I am feeling and identify one thing that is within my control that I can work on.
This practice is called setting implementation intentions or “If.. then..” plans. Essentially, you are putting together a toolbox of responses that you can turn to when you identify your common emotional triggers. Turning to food for comfort is not wrong or bad, however, we don’t want it to be your only response.
2. Eat Mindfully
Mindful eating involves being present and aware of your food and the body’s internal cues whilst you are eating. This allows you to distinguish between these and external cues, e.g. stress or boredom and make more conscious decisions based upon your body’s physiological needs rather than the external environment.
You can read a full article on mindful eating, how it can support weight loss and how to practice it, here.
3. Eat Regularly/Enough Throughout the Day
A common cause of overeating is not eating enough or restricting certain foods throughout the day, this can be conscious or subconscious. If you struggle with overeating, particularly in the evening, ask yourself; “Is there anything that I am denying myself?”.
Try these tips;
- Make sure you are eating 3 main meals
- Ensure that they are filling you up and that you feel satisfied after eating
- Don’t deny yourself specific foods, give yourself permission to have them regularly in small amounts
