Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and My Path to Recovery

Disclaimer. I am not a health professional. These are intended to be my experiences, and not intended to be taken as health advice. 

There are many instances where the word "binge" is thrown around rather loosely on social media. Much of the time by fitness influencers, in an attempt to appear relatable. However, binge eating disorder (BED) is drastically different from overeating on occasion, having a cheat meal, cheat day, or falling off the wagon. It is a compulsion, oftentimes perpetuated by modern diets and in my opinion inadequately addressed by unidimensional approaches to understanding the cause and solution. I also think it is an unspoken reality for many people and the cause of modern-day obesity. This has, in my opinion, led to the demonization of certain foods, and much misinformation in the fitness industry. 

A day in the life

You have been a few weeks hard at a new type of training regime, you are making steady progress and are amazed at the results. Nothing can stop you as you go from strength to strength, whether this is in terms of losing weight or gaining lean muscle.

Then disaster strikes. You go to some social outing and everybody is eating junk food, or pounding down the drinks. As much as you have told yourself over and over in your head not to get sucked in, you succumb to the temptation. This might involve a night of heavy drinking, junk food, or both. Or it might be a night in, where boredom drives you to have a bit too much of whatever your vice is. The next day you feel like absolute crap, both physically and mentally about the situation. 

Overridden with guilt, you continue to self-sabotage, but this time it is much more severe. Before you know it you have eaten pretty much every form of snack food in the house, and are now making your way through dry cereal. Half a box later you go to bed feeling as guilty as if you have committed a murder and struggle to sleep through the digestive discomfort. Having underslept, you continue the cycle a few days, perhaps a few weeks, feeling like your brain has been hijacked by a voice that is not yours, which is only speaking one word. "Eat"!

Eventually, you get so repulsed by the amount of weight you have gained over such a short period of time, you resolve to get back to "being good", and crash diet, eating only "clean" foods. You make some progress until you slip again. Only this time it is worse. And all the while you live within your little bubble of a routine to maintain control when you are eating clean, and an equal, sense of control when you are on a binge. In fact, 95% of traditional diets fail and lead to more weight gained in the long run. 

My History with Binge Eating

To look at me now, you would not think it, but I struggled with binge eating for quite a number of years. All the way through my childhood, my teenage years, and about two years ago I had a bad relapse at a time when I struggled with a chronic pain condition. When I was a child I was obese by the clinical definition (though my mother would argue that I was only a little chubby). But I am in and around the same weight now, as I was when I was 12. This in spite of actually having quite a fast metabolism. 

I recall nights where my heart would be racing due to the sheer amount of food I ate, followed by 1-2 hours of broken sleep as a result of worsening acid reflux. It made me feel so ashamed of myself, but for some reason, I just couldn't control it. When I would binge, it was like I was possessed. 

My Take on the Cause

There are many theories as to the cause. From depression to a need for control. Are they part of the equation? Yes, probably in a lot of cases. However, I believe it to be a myriad of causes, with the main cause being the body's own self-defense system. A result of poorly designed weight-loss programs, which worsen this problem over time.

What I mean by the body's self-defense system is the body's innate gauge of whether the person is nearing starvation.  This is mediated by two hormones, leptin, and ghrelin. Leptin signaling that the person is full, with ghrelin signaling that the person is hungry. These hormones are what I actually now believe to be driving that compulsion to override logic, and to binge on everything in sight. 

The Solution

Many professionals in the field, will advise against any forms of control, and to form a "healthier relationship with food". This never worked for me, and as IFBB pro, Greg Doucette points out; "Relationships are with people, not food".  In order to solve a complex problem, it will actually require a certain amount of time focused on education. This is where flexible dieting has been pivotal in my recovery. 

Flexible dieting is the concept of eating whatever you want, so long as you hit your targets for caloric intake, protein, fats, carbohydrates, and fiber. The goal is health, without orthorexia. Partial sacrifice, without abstinence. Replacing perfection with consistency. This approach is not only the most scientifically sound with the knowledge we have on nutrition, but it means that "trigger foods" can actually be embraced as frequent treats. The devil, however, is in the dosage.

In tailoring a flexible dieting approach to address my binge-eating past, there are some basic pillars I try to incorporate:

• I consistently consume a high sugar diet - Some of the best run studies on sugar have proved that once calories are equated, high sugar diets can still lead to improved blood markers, even for blood glucose. (**Not in existing diabetics) . At some point, I actually had to face up to the fact that I really like sugar, so I incorporate it in a way that I still meet my health goals. Essentially making peace with my demons.

• I also eat high protein, high fiber - Protein and fiber are very satiating macronutrients that will keep the hunger hormone, ghrelin in check. A certain amount of low calorie, high volume meals throughout the day, minimizes genuine hunger.

• A Moderate Approach to Dieting - I never crash diet anymore, and even if I do a "cut" it is with the intention of losing a small amount of weight, over a short 3-4 week period. Going too low on calories too quickly will drive leptin into overdrive and create that very loud, never satisfied voice compelling you to eat. The same is true for extended cuts, which take people to extremely low levels of body fat.

In taking a scientific approach to my nutrition over the years, I have learned so much about how to stamp out binge/diet behavior. With working towards a fitness and nutrition certification, I can't wait to assist others once I am qualified. I could happily live the rest of my life helping people to address this very destructive behavior. It is vastly overlooked and very badly misunderstood in my opinion.

If BED was discussed more openly, I think we would have much more accurate data on what causes obesity, and much less drastic solutions on how to lose weight, and more importantly how to keep it off.