BINGING: ABOUT CLOSET EATING

BINGING: ABOUT CLOSET EATING





Closet eating, a type of binging, occurs when a person is alone. Learn the signs of this mostly emotional behavior and techniques for stopping it.

Closet eating is an abnormal eating behavior in which a person binges on food when alone. Closet eaters usually eat normal meals in front of other people. But when alone, the binging begins. A closet eater sneaks foods and hordes goodies in a bedroom, car, or other secret place. Often, closet eaters binge on high-calorie comfort food or sugary sweets.

Health professionals have only recently recognized closet eating as a disorder. Closet eating is a subset of binge eating, which is a newly recognized eating disorder itself.

People with binge eating disorders eat larger than normal amounts of food, feel a loss of control over eating, and don't purge the food. This is also true of closet eaters, but closet eaters only binge when alone. They often feel ashamed or embarrassed to overeat in front of other people, so their binging is very secretive.

Exact numbers on how many people have this disorder are unknown, but a recent study reported that eating disorders other than anorexia along with abnormal attitudes about food affect 10 to 15 percent of women. In that study of 1,500 women, 13.7 percent admitted to binging one to seven times per month.

Closet Eating Causes

People with this type of eating disorder use food to cope with their emotions. This is true of most binge eating patterns. In fact, about 75 percent of eating disorders are caused by emotions. In the case of closet eating, the emotional eating may be due to past memories related to eating and weight, such as a critical parent who ridiculed a girl's body or reprimanded her for what she ate. The result may be shame about eating in public and eating to excess to drown out the negative emotions. Additionally, an underlying psychological disorder, such as depression, may be contributing to the closet eating.

Closet Eating Symptoms

This type of emotional eating is easy to recognize. Besides binging when alone, other common symptoms of closet eating are:

· Feeling shame and embarrassment about eating in public

· Binging on comfort foods, junk foods, and sweets when alone

· Hoarding food and hiding empty food containers

· Eating a large amount of food in one sitting

· Feeling powerless to stop eating

· Binging but not purging

Closet Eating's Health Consequences

Because people with this problem typically don't purge by vomiting, they gain weight from this form of emotional eating. Closet eaters are usually obese or overweight. This form of emotional eating can also cause shame, guilt, and severe depression, especially if weight loss is a goal. Plus, it sets up an unhealthy cycle. After a bout of closet eating, the negative emotions return, and the closet eater may also have guilt about the setback to weight loss. This can lead to more depression, resulting in more closet eating.

Closing the Door on Emotional Eating

Because emotions usually cause closet eating, seeing a therapist who specializes in binge eating can help. A therapist can help you recognize past events and emotions that may be triggering your binging and show you new coping skills.

Finding ways to eat healthfully is also important. Try the following tips to help close the door on closet eating:

· Eat often. Eat healthfully every four hours to control hunger. Eating small, frequent meals can help prevent binges by steadying blood sugar levels.

· Suppress stress. If you often turn to closet eating when faced with stressful situations, try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, meditation, guided imagery, and tai chi.

· Allow treats. If weight loss is a goal, you may have placed all sweets off limits, and that can be a mistake. When a food is forbidden, you give it more power. Reserve 10 percent of your caloric intake for treats. Then gradually taper off. When you cut back on sweets, you'll eventually stop craving them.

· Get enough sleep. Studies show that sleep deprivation can sabotage weight-loss efforts. One study reported that sleeping six or less hours on a regular basis was linked to an increased risk of obesity. Sleep problems don't directly cause closet eating, but they can exacerbate this eating disorder. If you're tired, you may retreat to your bedroom or car for binging to try to give yourself an energy boost.

· Do a busy-hands activity. When a closet eating urge strikes, keep your hands busy. Try knitting, crossword puzzles, reorganizing your sock drawer, or playing with your pet. It's tough to binge when your hands are otherwise occupied. By the time you finish the activity, the urge may have passed.

· Exercise. Working out is a form of distraction that can do double duty. Exercise has been shown to reduce hunger urges and ease depression at the same time. Simply taking a 20-minute walk will often do the trick.

· Avoid being alone. For some people, this can be a trigger for closet eating. Make an effort to socialize and make new friends. Joining a group of people interested in activities you like — movies, books, traveling — can be an easy way to meet other people.

If you have a bout of closet eating despite your best efforts, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Analyze why it happened, try to learn from your binge, and make a plan to prevent a future relapse. Focus on making small, positive changes and taking baby steps toward your ultimate goal: a normal eating pattern leading to a long, healthy life. Ask for help if you need it — working with a therapist may be the key to overcoming closet eating.

"Don't Let Halloween Wreck Your Weight Loss Plan"

"Don't Let Halloween Wreck Your Weight Loss Plan"



It doesn't seem possible, but it's almost time for

Those ghosts and ghouls... And things that "go bump

In the night."



Or, maybe it's the time when you "go bump in the

Night" trying to pilfer some of the Halloween candy

You had put out for the Trick or Tweeters. If you

Have trouble dealing with the candy, maybe having

Some alternate "give-a-ways" might be the answer.



Stickers, sugar-free gum and candy, small boxes of

Crayons, apples, or small packs of raisins are

Better choices than having so much candy around.



If you've just got to have some candy for the

Youngsters... Choose hard candy. It does not have

The fat content as chocolate. I choose candy that I

Don't particularly like. :-) The Trick or Treaters

Could care less what kind it is... As long as it is

Candy!



If you think you need candy you might try the low

Carb candy that Russell Stover has in the form of

Chocolate covered mints or Pecan Delights (kind of

Like a "Turtle.") It's a little pricey, but it is a

Special occasion.



Also, if you are going to purchase candy... Wait

Until the last minute to buy it... So it is not

Around for a week "haunting" you. The price is also

Usually much less near the holiday.

Forget-Me-Not

WEIGHT GAIN

WEIGHT GAIN


Weight gain is an increase in body weight. This can be either an increase in muscle mass, fat deposits, or excess fluids such as water.

Muscle gain or weight gain can occur as a result of exercise or bodybuilding, in which muscle size is increased through strength training.

If enough weight is gained by way of increased body fat deposits, one may become overweight, generally defined as having more body fat than is optimally healthy.

Weight gain has a latency period. The effect that eating has on weight gain can vary greatly depending on the following factors: exercise regimen, amount of water intake, amount of salt fat or sugar contained in the food, time of day eaten, age of individual, individual's country of origin, individual's overall stress level, and amount of water retention in ankles/feet. Typical latency periods vary from three days to two weeks after ingestion.

Being overweight is a common condition, especially where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary. As much as 64% of the United States adult population is considered either overweight or obese, and this percentage has increased over the last four decades.

Gaining weight can cause the following effects, dependent on the variable listed above, but are generally limited to:

Increase in body fat percentage
Increase in muscle mass
Increase in body hydration levels
Increase in breast size
In more extreme cases:

A noticeably larger stomach
The abdomen will bulge outward and upward, creating a distended midsection
Causes

In regards to increases, a person generally gains fat-related weight by increasing food consumption, becoming physically inactive, or both.

Effects

Excess fat tissue on a human can lead to medical problems; however, a round or large figure does not of itself imply a medical problem, and is sometimes not primarily caused by fat tissue. If too much weight is gained, serious health side-effects may follow. A large number of medical conditions have been associated with obesity. Health consequences are categorized as being the result of either increased fat mass (osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, social stigma) or increased number of fat cells (diabetes, some forms of cancer, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). There are alterations in the body's response to insulin (insulin resistance)

Social perspective

In centuries past, a degree of plumpness has been seen as indicative of personal or family prosperity: "Calories were scarce, physical labor was hard, and most people were as lean as greyhounds. In particular, a married woman who was thin was pitied, as her shape showed that her husband could not afford to feed her properly; conversely, having a fat wife was a status symbol: there was plenty to eat, and she did not need to work hard. Only in the early 20th Century did fatness lose this appeal. The connection of fat with financial well-being persists today in some less-developed countries.

Though excess weight has for some time been seen in contemporary Western society as "unacceptable", it is becoming more socially acceptable as more and more people become overweight and obese.

Obesity among women residing in the U.S. has become more socially acceptable, likely in part because more than one-third of women ages 20 and older are obese.

The researchers found that the average weight of women between ages 30 and 60 has increased by 20 pounds, or 14%, since 1976. Among women who weigh 300 pounds or more, the increase was 18%, the researchers found.

The researchers also found that self-image has changed and that obesity has become more socially acceptable in the United States. According to the study, the average woman weighed 147 pounds in 1994 but stated that she wanted to weigh 132 pounds. By 2002, the average women weighed 153 pounds but said she wanted to be 135 pounds, the study found. "The fact that even the desired weight of women has increased suggests there is less social pressure to lose weight," the researchers noted.

Energy consumption




Because the body must expend energy to create fat, the amount of energy a person has to expend to lose weight is just slightly smaller than the amount they have to consume in order to gain weight. There are countless mechanisms in the body that manage metabolic rate that effect weight loss and weight gain. Thus, actual weight changes vary between individuals. Also, the computations above assume that all the weight gained and lost is in the form of fat. In reality, this is a mixture of protein, carbohydrates, etc. (in muscle tissue, organs, etc.).

Consider the following calculations

Fat contains about 3,500 kilocalories per pound
If one consumes 3,500 kcal more than ones body needs, one will gain slightly less than 1 pound (0.45 kg) of fat due to the thermic effect of food. (assuming that none of the energy is converted into lean mass)
If one burns 3,500 kcal more than one eats, one loses about 1 pound (0.45 kg) of fat, assuming that only fat is burnt.

DOCUMENTING YOUR DIET: HOW AND WHY TO KEEP A FOOD DIARY

DOCUMENTING YOUR DIET:

HOW AND WHY TO KEEP A FOOD DIARY





Americans expect results, and they expect them fast. Perhaps that's why fad diets and home gyms that promise miracle weight loss are so popular. With all the hype surrounding food diaries, they might seem as though they're just another fad. So the question remains, does recording your food intake actually help you lose weight?

Those who kept a food diary five days a week lost twice the weight of those who didn't, and, most importantly, they kept it off.

What is a food diary?

A food diary, or food journal, is similar to a regular diary or journal. Instead of writing down everything a food diary, or food journal, is similar to a regular diary or journal. Instead of writing down everything you did that day, the entry consists of what you ate during the day. The most effective diaries are the most comprehensive. An effective entry would include the food or drink consumed, the time it was eaten, the amount eaten, calories, and grams of fat. Even simply writing down the foods you eat in a day and your daily activity can improve your weight loss that day, the entry consists of what you ate during the day.



5 Reasons Why Food Diaries Work



1.Awareness. In your first week of keeping your diary you may have an "Ah-Ha!" moment. You may be surprised by the amount you eat and the quantity of calories. This moment may help you swing your diet into gear.

2. Monitoring. Your food diary allows you to keep track of calories and fat intake, two crucial elements of your diet. By monitoring how much goes into your body, you may be more compelled to keep these numbers low.

3. Focuses. Physically recording what you eat will focus your food choices. If you ate well all day, you may not want to taint your record by adding cheesecake to the list. It will help you make sure your diet is balanced and can curb any desire to binge. Again, this aspect relates back to the accountability aspect of the diary.

4. Progress. A great moment in the food journaling process is seeing how far you've come. A successful food diary will have entries each day that look better than the days, weeks, or months before it.

5. Reinforcement. Keeping a food diary reinforces your commitment to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Every time you make an entry, you make a promise to yourself to keep on with your healthy intent.

Enemy

The greatest enemy we face as we diet is not food, or the gnawing hunger we endure. No, the greatest enemy we face is the lack of faith we have in ourselves. When the going gets tough, our tendency is to throw up our hands in surrender. That cannot be allowed to happen. As faithful people, we are tied to a special power that comes from beyond us. We are recipients of the holy power of God. That same power raised Christ from the dead and enabled Him to overcome every temptation that this world could throw at Him. With that kind of power, how can we fail at anything we do?

Today's thought: To diet means to do it!
1 John 5:4
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

What To Do When You Want To Cheat

What To Do When You Want To Cheat

Part V

SUMMARY OF THE WEEK



Where did the battle with food begin?

The first temptation of mankind involved food. Man was instructed not to eat the fruit of the tree. Isn't it ironic that our current struggle is to eat enough fruit? This struggle has been with us from the beginning of time. But there is hope, because God's word provides us with instructions; however, we must decide to follow them.



Steps to win this battle. There are steps we must take to be successful in our efforts to win this battle. These steps can also be used for any struggle we face, not just food. I Corinthians 9:27a states, But I beat my body and bring it into in subjection. We must tell our bodies what to do and not allow our bodies to tell us what to do. We have to decide to make choices that will benefit our overall health and then stick with it.



Consistency in our prayer life. We must be consistent in our prayer life remembering that our flesh is weak, but through communication with God we can gain strength to overcome our fleshly desires. We must also remember to pray for our health not our sickness. Matthew 26:41 states, Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak."



If food gets near you, it will get in you. Another step is to shop carefully. Keep in mind that "if food gets near you, it will get in you." Try to eat before you go to the store and pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit as you walk into the store. Buy the majority of your items from the outside of the store where the living food is displayed. Shop for your health not your happiness. Roman 13:14 states, Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. It's very important to read the food labels and identify the ingredients you need to avoid. The battle ground is not your kitchen, but the grocery store. Be ready for battle when you enter the doors. Remember to buy healthy snacks and keep them handy for those moments of weakness.



Lastly, think correctly. II Corinthians 10:5 states, We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. What do you imagine about foods? Control your cravings; bring your thoughts captive. Don't forget to ask the question, "Is short term pleasure worth long term pain of coping with complications from high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes?





REMEMBER THAT FAILURE IS NOT FINAL.

IF YOU CHEAT,

LEARN FROM IT AND GET BACK ON TRACK

What To Do When You Want To Cheat Part IV

What To Do When You Want To Cheat

Part IV



II Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.



Think correctly about food. We have a tendency to have imaginations about foods. We daydream about and crave certain foods. The battlefield is the mind, where it all starts and where all sin begins. The solution is to get the thought in your head that short time pleasure is not worth long term pain. The pain can be defined as health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol caused by eating wrong foods in excess.



There are two ways to think about food. You guessed it, the wrong way and the right way.

The wrong way to think is what I call Esau thinking. (Read Genesis 25: 29-34). Esau thought that short-term pleasure was worth long-term pain. He exaggerated his hunger to the point of saying he would die without a portion of the meal his brother had prepared and as a result, sold his birthright to his brother for a bowl of stew. The birthright was a very valuable thing, which would have allowed Esau to experience special opportunities, but he believed short-term pleasure was worth the long-term pain. He sold his birthright for a morsel of food and later hated his brother.



How often have we talked ourselves into believing, "I've got to have that second slice of cake or just one more piece of chicken?" Then we beat ourselves up after giving in to the desire for a food we know isn't good for us. How many people do you know with high blood pressure or diabetes; who after eating a food they knew was bad for them became ill, and afterward regretted the action.



The right way to think is what I call Moses thinking. (Read Hebrews 11:23-26). Moses thought that short-term pleasure was not worth long-term pain. Living with the Pharaoh, Moses had access to much good food, all the delicacies. But Moses chose to give this up. When he learned of his true heritage, he chose to give up life in the palace to be with his people. He gave up short-term pleasure, understanding it was not worth the long-term pain.



Living in America allows you to have access to lots of really good food; however, in the midst of plenty, we must decide if the pleasure is worth the pain? Your health is a very valuable thing and if you take care of it, you will be able to experience some special things. Are you losing these opportunities by thinking like Esau or will you gain by thinking like Moses?