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Craving an Oreo or a Big Mac? You May Have Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder is a severe mental health condition. It can lead to physical and emotional problems. There is no single test that can diagnose binge eating disorder.

There are many reasons why someone might engage in binge eating. For some, it may be a way to cope with stress or anxiety, while for others, it may be an emotional response to a traumatic event or a result of depression.

The prevalence rate for BED is higher among women than men (1:5 vs. 1:10). This disparity may be due to societal pressures on females that promote thinness and appearance as the ideal body type.This article will explore the causes and consequences of binge eating disorder, as well as how to stop binging at night and thus lose weight.

What is Binge Eating Disorder?

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is characterized by frequent episodes of consuming large quantities of food in short periods, leading to feelings of guilt and shame. BED is one of the most common eating disorders, affecting up to 3 million people in the United States.

The most common symptoms of binge eating disorder are:

  1. Eating enormous amounts of food in a short period is usually a binge night.
  2. Feeling guilt or shame after binges but continuing to do it anyway.
  3. Consuming more than you should because you can’t control your impulses.
  4. Feeling depressed or guilty after binging.
  5. Making unsuccessful attempts to stop binging.

What Causes Binge Eating Disorders?

Many factors cause binge eating disorders, but they are commonly caused by stress, depression, or anxiety. For example, people with trauma, depression, or anxiety are more likely to develop binge eating disorder. In addition, people who have binge eating disorders often have a history of sexual abuse.

The most common cause of night food cravings is obesity. People who are obese may try to control their weight by restricting their diet and overeating when they feel stressed or depressed.

The causes of binge eating disorders are not entirely known, but a few factors come into play, such as genetics, personality traits, and environmental factors.

Three Main Tips How To Stop Binge Eating

Binge night eating can be tough to overcome, but several ways can help control cravings and binging episodes. Someone with a binge eating disorder will compulsively eat excessive amounts of food beyond the point of feeling full. This usually happens over a short period, and the person feels guilty afterward.

Compulsive eating happens for many reasons, such as a negative body image, underlying emotional stress, boredom, or simply because the food is there. People with binge eating disorders struggle to control their eating and feel helpless about how to quit. They may continually think about food and feel guilty or depressed after eating.

Various methods can stop how to stop snacking at night and binge eating.

  • Plan your meals

Planning meals in time can be a great way to control what you eat. Not only can it help with portion control, but you can also ensure that you keep your meals nutritionally balanced.

Meal planning isn’t just about what you’ll eat;  it’s also about determining when you’re going to eat. A plan for what you will eat and when can help with cravings. Instead of wondering what to eat when you crave it, you’ll know what to eat and how long you’ll have to wait.

  • Keep a food diary

A food diary can help track what and how much you ate. It can also be an excellent place to reflect and record how you felt before, during, and after eating. This can help you identify emotional patterns related to binge eating. Once you’re aware of these patterns, you’ll be able to remember things that may be triggering you as how to curb late-night cravings, and be better prepared to deal with them in the future. There is evidence that people who independently monitor their food intake by keeping a log are more likely to lose weight than those who do not.

  • Get enough sleep

People with binge eating disorders may benefit from sleeping more. When you don’t get enough sleep and wake up tired, your body may crave sugar-rich foods to help give you a boost of energy. Getting enough sleep can help with this obsessive eating, improve your mood and help control your appetite.

how to stop binge eating at night

How To Stop Binge Eating At Night

Here are some strategies to avoid overeating before bed:

1. Eat Regular Meals

One of the best ways to avoid eating late at night is to avoid skipping meals. Skipping meals can risk hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and increase the urge to overeat later. Try to eat three balanced meals and one snack each day. Add snacks between meals as needed. This will help you feel less hungry at night. Once you eat less at night, you’ll likely feel hungrier during the day. It is often difficult to eat breakfast when the last meal or snack was hours before getting up. Reducing your nighttime intake can wake you up hungry and ready for breakfast.

2. Eliminate Your Trigger Foods

Out of sight, out of mind, right? If certain foods appeal to you at night compulsive eating, don’t buy them. Try to limit the intake of what you already have at home, and then once finished, make sure you don’t purchase again. If it’s not there, you can’t eat it. Fill your kitchen with healthy foods.

3. Create New Habits 

A great way to avoid eating late at night is to do some light exercise after dinner, go for a walk or ride a bike while listening to music. You can also try some relaxing techniques: take a bath or do yoga. Trying new activities like reading a magazine, writing in a journal, or calling a friend can help reduce cravings.

How To Control Binge Eating

Treatment for binge eating disorder aims to reduce binge eating episodes like nighttime hunger suppressants and replace them with positive eating behaviors and a more balanced attitude towards food.

Also, read – Stress Eating

Treatments can include:

  • psychotherapy
  • medication
  • lifestyle changes

Psychotherapy typically helps people cope with the emotions and problems that underlie binge eating, such as shame, guilt, depression, and low self-esteem. Therapy can help people identify and address other triggers, deal with problematic relationships, and regulate emotions.

A doctor can prescribe various medications for binge eating disorders for those who want to experience how to curb late-night cravings, including antiepileptic and antidepressant medicines.

The Food and Drug Administration approved an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drug to treat adults with moderate to severe binge eating disorder. The drug is called lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (Vyvanse). If a person with a binge eating disorder is overweight, weight loss programs can help them achieve a healthy weight.

Also, read – Psychology of Eating: How Food Affects Mood

Beat Binge Eating and Lose Weight Fast by Avoiding These 4 Mistakes

It is not easy to lose weight, especially if you are trying to do it on your own. People make many mistakes when trying to lose weight, leading to binge eating and weight gain.

Binge night eating is a problem that many people struggle with. It can lead to weight gain, low self-esteem, and feeling out of control. Unfortunately, it can also lead to serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease.

This is four common mistakes people make when trying to lose weight are:

  • Not Eating Enough Protein.

Protein is an essential part of any diet. The body needs protein to maintain muscle mass while losing fat, which helps people stay active during their workouts. Protein also helps with satiety, so people will feel fuller after eating a high-protein meal rather than a low-protein meal.

  • Not tracking your food intake. 

People often forget that they need to track their food intake for any progress. This is because it helps them see what they are eating and if they are overeating one thing or not enough of another.

  • Not being active enough. 

People must try to be active as much as possible so their metabolism can stay up and running, and there will be a higher chance of weight loss happening more quickly.

  • Ignoring your hunger cues. 

It might seem like a good idea, but ignoring hunger cues can lead you to binge eating or overeating. We need to eat more to lose weight. It’s easy to forget this when we’re hungry. It’s essential to get into the habit of eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. The best way to avoid night cravings is to ensure you are not hungry. If you are feeling hungry, try eating something healthy and light.

How To Not Binge Eat

Rethinking of Eating Behavior – Not Binge Eat Ever!

Develop a healthier relationship with food. Recovery from addiction is difficult, but overcoming binge eating and food addiction can be particularly difficult. To do this, you need to break the cycle of hunger late at night:

  • Avoid temptation. You are much more likely to overeat if you have unhealthy junk food, desserts, and snacks at home. Eliminate temptation by clearing the fridge and cabinets of your favorite food.
  • Listen to your body. Know the difference between physical and mental hunger. If you’ve eaten recently and your stomach isn’t growling, you probably aren’t starving. Give time to the desire to pass.
  • Eat regularly. Don’t wait to starve. This only leads to overeating! Stick to scheduled meal times, as skipping meals often leads to binge eating later in the day.
  • Not avoiding fat. Contrary to what you might think at night while get compulsive eating, dietary fats can help prevent you from overeating and gaining weight. Try incorporating healthy fats into every meal to feel satisfied.
  • Fight boredom. Instead of taking a snack when you’re bored, create a distraction. Take a walk, call a friend, read, or have a hobby like painting or gardening.
  • Focusing on what you’re eating. How often have you gorged yourself in an almost trancelike state, not even enjoying what you’re consuming? Instead of mindlessly eating, be a conscious eater. Calm down and savor the textures and flavors. Not only will you eat less, but you’ll also have more fun.

Conclusion: Winning the Battle Against Food!

How to stop eating in the middle of the night and lose weight fast? It’s a tough habit to break. But it is possible to lose weight fast with discipline and hard work.

The first thing you should do is to get rid of all the unhealthy food in your house. Next, you should find a hobby that will distract your mind from food for at least one hour each day. Lastly, find someone who cares about you and talk to them about what’s going on in your life. It might be hard to admit it at first, but talking about it might help you feel better and make healthier decisions around food too!

So, you read many ways to get rid of night cravings habits. Try any of the methods mentioned in this article and see which works for you!

William Read - Nutrition Consultant

William is from Canada, he is passionate nutrition & wellness writer. William understands that the topic of wellness is still not well understood, so his goal is to enlighten and teach people how to live healthier and happier in their bodies.