Remember the big confession I made the other day? Well, I am glad I was able to get that off my chest! I took my little chapter of unhealthy behaviors and used them as an opportunity to offer solutions for common health and fitness problems we encounter when we cannot find time to make health and fitness a priority.
Today, I have a very healthy relationship with food, but that was not always the case, and it is not the case for many people who battle eating disorders on a daily basis. In today’s post with Baptist Health South Florida we are taking on the connection between binge eating disorder and obesity.
“When someone hears the words “eating disorder,” images of a very thin person, usually a young woman, suffering from anorexia or bulimia most often come to mind. However, binge eating is the most common eating disorder in the U.S., and it’s especially common in people who are obese.”, says Tanya Racoobian from Baptist Health South Florida. Binge Eating affects 5% of men and women in theU.S. and it is often a lot of mental preparation and work with health professionals to overcome an eating disorder.
Why is it that we never want to binge on summer salads or black bean burgers?
As stated in the confession post, building solid rituals is something that really keeps me on track. For example, I wake up, drink my adrenal drink, brew a Bulletproof Coffee and swiftly throw on my spandex for a workout. If it is a work day then my rituals may get a little screwed up and when you throw in stress, social gatherings and “weekend vibes”-that can we a recipe for disaster! So I try to make sure I have a backup for my backup plan. You know what I’m saying?
Binge eating is defined as regularly eating a very large amount of food within a relatively short period of time and feeling there is no way to control or stop the eating. The reasons for developing binge eating disorder differ from person to person and are usually a combination of environmental, social and cultural factors.
I, myself…am a passionate lover of food! Salty, crunchy, spicy or sweet. I am what I like to call an equal opportunist, and if I think back to my Pre Taylor Walker Fit days I was part of a very large group that did not recognize food as fuel and often times would find myself scarfing personal pan pizzas or value meals in my car like it was no big deal and with no end in sight. I would sometimes do this when I wasn’t really that hungry. I just loved the idea, taste and smell of food. I would get a craving and needed to feed the beast within, but heck, I was 25 and thriving! I never really gained weight, but I was full of regret when there was no longer a french fry or chicken nugget in sight. Often times I would eat out of pure satisfaction or feeling instead of out of pure necessity. There was never a second thought of how it was affecting my mind, body and soul.
According to professionals at Baptist Health South Florida: Behavioral changes [like the rituals stated above] are the most important component of success to overcome binge eating disorder. “Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), a common type of talk therapy, is most effective”, says Dr. Torres.
If you or a friend suspect you are struggling with binge eating disorder or for more on CBT, the connection to obesity and how to conquer a binge eating disorder, check out this post from Baptist Health South Florida.
