Binge eating typically involves ingesting much larger than normal portions of food in a relatively small time span. If you have a problem with binge eating, it can negatively affect your weight-loss efforts. Whether an instance of binge eating will ruin your diet depends on a variety of factors.
Binging and Weight Gain
Binging is associated with weight gain. How much weight you gain will depend on how often you binge and how much you eat when you are engaged in this behavior. You may not gain weight if you are restricting calories most of the week, but it will be very difficult to meet your weight-loss goals. Calorie restriction during the day can be a trigger for nighttime binges.
Defining "Diet"
Whether one night of binging will ruin your diet depends on how you define "diet." If you have embarked on a two-week eating plan to help you lose 3 to 4 lbs., and you go on an eating binge during that time period, you will likely lose at least 1 lb. less than you had hoped. On the other hand, if you are working to adopt healthy eating habits in order to feel good and lose weight slowly, one night of binging will not affect your diet very much. You must simply return to your new way of eating the next morning and try to determine the cause of the binge so that you can prevent another one in the future.
Calories in a Binge
To lose weight, you must create a deficit of 3,500 calories for each pound you wish to lose. One night of binging can easily add up to a pound's worth of calories if the binging is severe. To determine how badly binging is affecting your diet, count the calories of the foods you consumed during your binge. Some people use the word "binge" lightly, however, to indicate that they ate an unplanned meal or a large snack. If this is the case, one night's "binging" is unlikely to significantly affect your diet.
Ways to Stop Binging
Too much exercise, not eating enough protein or fat, not getting enough sleep and taking medication that can increase appetite are all factors that can set the stage for a night of binging. If these scenarios apply to you, remedying them may be all it takes to stop binging. Be aware of the risk factors for binge eating disorder, which are having overweight parents, a poor self-image, a tendency toward perfectionism and simply living in a country that values thinness. If you think that you may have binge eating disorder, see a licensed professional counselor who can help you address underlying issues that may cause binging.
Member Comments