This it the first post in our mini-course, ‘Nine Strategies to Stop Binge Eating’.
There’s a complimentary coaching assignment at the bottom of each post to help mobilize you into action 
In this first lesson we’ll be looking at what you need to eat to begin to stop binge eating.
Strategy 1: Control your Binge Eating with Optimum Nutrition
It’s a paradox but you need to eat your way out of a weight or eating problem. This bit is crucial! I won’t work with clients who don’t make a real effort to rehabilitate their nutrition as it is so difficult to get results otherwise.
Once you start dieting, comfort eating, or bingeing your physiology is sent way out of control and it can make it nearly impossible for you to resist urges and cravings, particularly for sugar or starchy carbohydrates. Further, this kind of eating actually makes you crave sugar and starchy carbohydrates!
Put simply here’s why:
Foods that are high in sugar (e.g. chocolate, biscuits, sweets) or refined carbohydrates (e.g. white rice, pasta and bread) are digested very quickly. A lot of glucose is produced, our blood sugar levels rise rapidly and the pancreas releases insulin to remove glucose from the blood.
But…a rapid rise in blood sugar can cause the pancreas to release too much insulin. Blood sugar levels then fall rapidly until the level is too low.
Low blood sugar levels can lead to a wide range of symptoms. Since we do not enjoy these symptoms (fatigue, poor concentration, mood swings, depression, confusion, forgetfulness, irritability, insomnia, headaches, shakiness), we often reach for something to give us a lift and increase blood sugar levels again quickly e.g. more chocolate, biscuits, cakes, and fizzy drinks.
How and what you need to eat to stop binge eating
The solution is really very simple: eat three nutritionally balanced meals and two protein and carbohydrate rich snacks each day. Always eat breakfast. Avoid refined carbohydrates.
- Eat three balanced meals (containing protein, fat and carbohydrates) per day with an emphasis on nutrient dense foods designed to improve nutritional and biochemical status e.g. plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, wholegrains, quality protein such as fish or chicken, pulses beans, nuts, seeds and small amounts of good oils for essential fats.
- Include 2-3 small snacks daily of fruit and vegetables with proteins (e.g. nuts, seeds or cheese) and avoid snacking on sweets or refined carbohydrates such as white bread, cakes, and biscuits.
- Treat food as medicine and eat at least every 3-4 hours to balance blood sugar and insulin output.
- Ensure that each meal has 20g of quality protein from organic (if possible) meat and poultry, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products, pulses, tofu and nuts. This helps to reduce cravings.
- Include some good fats each day for health and to manage appetite e.g. deep-ocean, oily fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado.
- Eat unlimited amounts of green vegetables with protein foods and include some red, orange, purple and yellow vegetables as well. Vegetables supply carbohydrates for energy and are also a very rich source of minerals and phytonutrients. They also provide enzymes, vitamins and some protein and help to sustain the alkaline balance of the body.
- Ensure adequate fluid intake (1-1.5 litres per day).
- Eat food high in the amino acid tryptophan – chicken, turkey, tuna, kidney beans, oats, lentils, chickpeas and seeds. This can help raise serotonin levels and improve mood.
- Eat a good quality breakfast with some protein food.
Coaching Assignment:
Design a sample menu for the day using the information you have just read and researching nutrition on the internet if necessary:
My sample menu:
Breakfast:
Mid-morning snack:
Lunch:
Mid-afternoon snack:
Dinner:
You have come to the end of the first lesson. The next lesson will help you to understand where your beliefs about food come from.
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