The Diet – Binge Cycle

Yo-yo dieting with quick-fix diets can get you stuck on the diet-binge cycle. As you will see from the diagram below, this self-destructive cycle does nothing for your self-esteem and belief in your abilities). If it looks familiar to you, keep reading for ways to help you break free. 

Eating triggers

In this land of plenty, it is easy to eat when you aren’t actually hungry. Stress, boredom, the sight or smell of food, a party, feeling upset, being alone, or pure habit are all common eating triggers. Often these triggers go way back to childhood, when we were given treats if we hurt ourselves, or to show love and attention. Triggers can become so automatic that you feel like you can’t control what you eat. Learning to tell the difference between true ‘stomach’ hunger rather than ‘trigger’ hunger will really help you to regain control of your eating. 

• Use your food diary to recognise if and when you are ‘trigger’ eating. Try to work out what you are really feeling, and ways you can help that feeling without food.
• Keep to regular meal and snack times.
• If you get the urge to eat after meals or snacks, talk to your urge. Tell it you know it’s not really about stomach hunger as you’ve recently eaten. Distract yourself with another activity if need be, like going for a walk, calling a friend, changing tasks at work. After 10 to 15 minutes these urges or cravings tend to pass.
• If you decide to eat something, really choose what you want, and so feel satisfied with your decision (and less likely to overeat), whatever it may be.
• Each time you beat ‘trigger hunger’ you loosen its hold over you.