Binge eating

[Sarah12]

Hi,
I've had a rollercoaster of a year. I lost a lot of weight in the last few years and really got into healthy eating and exercise. Despite this I have been plagued with health problems. I feel like I have tried so hard to be healthy and me and my body have let me down. For example I have had lots of joint problems since losing the weight which goes against the normal convention. My thyroid then became underactive and the weight started to pile on at an unnatural rate despite my diet not really changing. I am really struggling as every time I try to get back into exercise I injure myself. I'm finding it quite hard to lose the weight too. I have found that I am now binge eating which I know is so bad. I just feel so disheartened and I have no support . Life is very stressful on lots of levels at the moment. How can I get out of the cycle?. Thanks.

[karenacoyle]

Hello Sarah

I am sorry to hear that you've had problems with your health which you believe are related to your diet in the past few years.
Its unfortunate that having reached a healthy weight has coincided with problems with your joints and you have been also diagnosed with an under-active thyroid. You now find that you are finding it difficult to lose weight and you find yourself binging on food.

My advice would be to go along to your GP to get review of your thyroid function and current medication - it may need a slight adjustment if you are struggling with weight gain.

It is also important to get the problems with your joints assessed. The GP can do a number of investigations to determine the exact cause of these joint pains so that you can receive the optimum treatment.

Once you have these health problems under control you may find it easier to lose weight through a mixture of appropriate exercise and a healthy balanced diet.

You may also wish to consider booking an appointment with a dietician or registered nutritionist to give you support in terms of a diet that may best suit your individual requirements.

If you find that you are binging frequently you may find this organisation helpful:
http://www.b-eat.co.uk/

I hope you get the help you need soon.
Best wishes

[Sarah12]

Thanks Briege for your reply. I have had many investigations and have even had surgery on my joints. I am still having problem's but no one has been able to piece together why all this has happpened. I have another specialist appointment next week which may give me an answer. Just so stressed waiting and worrying how I can keep managing my work and life with the emotional, physical and financial drain it causes me.

[Gary Turner]

Hmmm...a difficult one...

Firstly your diet - does it have alot of carbs? I would cut back on the carbs and eat carbs from non-root vegetables especially green veg, mushrooms, nuts, berries, and if you need to, non-tropical fruits. As you do so up your proteins and fats so you get enough energy in. Eat when hungry, stop eating when no longer hungry.

If you are in a calorie deficit your thyroid will downregulate your metabolism to maintain weight, and excess carbs in your diet can throw out your entire hormonal system.

Binge eating is something I deal with often. A skilled hypnotherapist will help here. The 'drivers' for the binge eating - such as emotions - can be resolved so the need isn't there in the first place. The consequences of the binge eating can be presented in the mind before the binge eating starts, therefore giving a large motivation to not carry out that behaviour. The part of your personality that creates the behaviour can also be worked with to redirect into a new more constructive behaviour.

It is also worth noting that if you are binging on carbs then you will remain hungry even when full due to the hormonal responses it generates - so in the mean time, if you find yourself binging, don't do it on carbs!

Hope this helps!