HOW TO BEAT SOCIAL, COMFORT AND BINGE EATING

If you or anyone you know had a problem keeping their weight down then you are aware of eating issues, but probably do not understand the desires and feelings to eat. So, what are comfort, social and binge eating, and how do I handle them?

Comfort eating or emotional eating 

For most of us eating is connected to a pleasant memory or state. Even as babies, being fed was fulfilling and comfortable, and getting food was often connected to breaks, parties, rewards for being good, comfort for an injury, treats, family and friends.

For our bodies to encourage us to eat, you feel good because of overpowering feel good relaxing hormones stemming from something you ate especially during times of stress and a stir of emotions. 

How do you work around this? 

• • Find and address the source of your stress and emotional triggers. Looking into the issues on your own, with a friend, or a counsellor is always a good option. 

• • Find healthy substitutes for the often unhealthy comfort foods; preferably natural foods such as fruits, nuts, whole grain crackers,  vegetables and natural dips like hummus, peanut butter and guacamole. You may also try unsweetened or naturally sweetened teas (black, green, decaffeinated, herbal, with or without lemon). Have these healthy options available and ready to go.  

• • Rid your house of the unhealthy options and don’t use children as an excuse. They should be healthy also. Get imaginative. 

• • Do not use “place holders” like sugar free ice-cream, or low fat this and gluten free sugary that. Keep it natural and clean, these foods are holding the place for the fully unhealthy foods to return. 

• • Eat mindfully. What am I eating? Do I really need to eat this? Right now?  

• • Chew mindfully. Sit quietly and chew thoroughly. 

• • Breathe. Deep breathing can be relaxing. 

• Go for a walk or exercise. 

 

      CONGRATULATIONS SHAYE – 30 POUNDS LOST ON ITK

 

Join us this week in congratulating one of our ITK members who has won the battle with 
comfort, social and binge eating and lost 30 pounds so far on our system

Testimonial from Shaye: Becoming an ITKarian has been the one of the best things I have done with my life. Following the ITK steps to transform my body into how I would like it to feel and look has surely worked. The constant communication no matter what time of day, support fr

om coaches and others in the program and conversational groups has made this journey so easy and smooth for me.

 Social eating 

We are social creatures and many animals including humans take part in eating as a social activity. Of course when you add the often present peer pressure to eat and drink, it becomes a significant challenge. If you have a particular wellness, health of fitness goal, simply eating what the average person around you is eating will not do and you will have to find a way to manage these situations, especially if these occasions are somewhat frequent. 

How do you work around this? 

• • Balance your eating on the day of the occasion. Try minimizing your caloric intake, especially minimizing fats, flour and sugar products. Your total caloric intake for the day will matter, so save those calories for the occasion. 

• • Drink water. Don’t drink your calories at these occasions. Have your water in a proper glass, perhaps with a lemon. 

• • Avoid flour, rice and sugar products if possible. Choose clean protein and vegetable options. 

• • Distance yourself from the buffet or pastry section as the sight and smell will increase the yearning. 

• • Never order pastry for yourself; if anything sample a friend’s 

• • Try to make these events more about the company than about the food. 

• • Avoid these social occasions, this is the simplest and most effective way to prevent yourself from being drawn into overindulging. If you have a goal which can be achieved in a reasonable time, for the most part avoid or postpone these engagements. After developing new eating habits it may become easier for you to manage yourself at social events. 

• Do not attempt to over-correct the next day. Simply go back to your regular diet. It is what you do MOST of the time which will matter. Over-correcting will only result in deprivation and cravings and “binging”. 

Read our 25 Tips for Eating at Restaurants for more tips on how to eat out while on a diet

Binge eating 

Simply, overeating, often for days or weeks. “Binging” can start because of the over correction mentioned above, serious social eating, for example on vacation and of course emotional eating. It is the simplest to address as all the solutions above also apply to managing “binging”.  

Having a support group, being part of a diet program such as ITK and having a coach to turn to, are all useful tools so reach out. If this is an issue for you, be self-aware and get your eating under control as soon as you can. Always remember your wellness is more than worth the knowledge and effort.