April 2006

It’s just like the picture says “Prepare For Disappointment”!

This morning’s weight training session just wasn’t up to standard and to top it off I got frustated with myself. Now this is exactly where you need to have prepared for disappointment. You need to have a plan and know what to do in a situation like this so that it doesn’t turn into a negative. As soon as I recognised that things weren’t quite right I sat down and thought about what might have contributed to it. I mean there has to be a reason why and sure enough there was. Simple things we take for granted like not eating or drinking enough the day before could mean that we haven’t fueled up your tank ready for the following days challenges. This was the case for me, being easter I guess I relaxed that little bit to much and didn’t follow the schedule. I also changed my sleeping habits over the entire weekend which obviously confused my body clock and effected the amount of rest and recovery I received. All these things made a difference to my physical performance this morning.

I had a choice, I could chose to let this effect me or I could chose to learn from it. I chose the later. You win some you lose some, that’s what he’d say to me. Well I lost but I won, if that makes sense. So even though I didn’t perform to the standard I desired phsically mentally I’m much before for it. I am now prepared for disappointment and it certainly won’t stop me achieving my goals!

Have a wonderful day! )

What is binge eating disorder?

Most people overeat every now and again and it is not uncommon to occasionally feel as though we have eaten more than we should have. However, regularly consuming large amounts of food when you are not feeling hungry, usually to the point of feeling overly full, and at a much faster rate than usual is known as binge eating disorder. Binge eating disorder is similar to bulimia except that the person does not get rid of the food after eating.

Some of the characteristics of binge eating include:

Feeling that eating is out of control
Eating what most people would consider to be a large amount of food
Eating to the point of feeling uncomfortable
Eating large amounts of food, even when you are not really hungry
Being secretive about what is eaten and when
Being embarrassed by the amount of food eaten
Feeling disgusted, depressed or guilty about overeating.

If you think you do one or a number of these things, you may want to speak to someone like a doctor, nutritionist psychologist or counsellor.

Causes of binge eating

Binge eating is caused by a number of factors that often affect one another. These include physiological factors (such as our brain chemistry), social and cultural factors (including the thin body ideal), dieting, and negative moods states. Dieting is a common cause of binge eating. Dieting involves setting rules about what to eat and when. If those rules are occasionally broken, for example, by eating a food you are not allowed or eating more than you should, some people think that their diet is ruined. As a consequence, they eat all they want and plan to start their diet again the next day. Negative emotions are also common causes of binge eating. People often overeat as a way to make themselves feel better or to distract themselves from their problems.

Effects of binge eating

There are a number of physical and emotional effects of binge eating disorder. Some of these may include:

Not getting enough vitamins and other nutrients – Often the food that is eaten during a binge is high in fat and sugar and low in important nutrients. This may lead to other health difficulties.

Depression may occur as the bingeing increases feelings of guilt, anger and sadness.
It is not uncommon for people who have binge eating disorder to be overweight or obese, although it is also possible for people to be within their healthy weight range.

Being obese may contribute to the onset of:

Diabetes
Gall bladder disease
Heart disease
Various forms of cancer
Bone and joint problems

Suggestions for getting help

Managing your eating habits may include speaking to a professional. You can do some things yourself in order to get your eating under control. Some suggestions for managing your binge eating may include:

Eating regularly – It may be helpful to eat small meals regularly so that you are giving your body enough nutrients throughout the day.

Avoid skipping meals – If you can, try to avoid missing meals. Missing out on a meal may make you hungry later on in the day which may result in you bingeing.

Eating a balanced diet – You may find it helpful to look at Nutrition Australia’s site for more information about a balanced diet. If possible avoid going on diets which suggest that you leave out certain foods or only eat at certain times of the day.

Have a distraction – Having something else you can do when you feel like bingeing may be helpful. This may be going for a walk, hanging out with friends, reading or listening to music.

Exercise – Doing a little bit of exercise each day may be helpful. You may want to check out the factsheet on the benefits of exercise. If you haven’t exercised before it may be a good idea to talk with your local doctor about what exercise would suit you.

The reasons for bingeing are complicated and it may be hard to manage your bingeing on your own. Try not to be too hard on yourself if you don’t reach your immediate goal.

It may be helpful for you to talk with a dietitian or psychologist. They should be able to help you work out how best to manage your bingeing. There are a number of options for doing this and by talking it through you can find the best one for you.

Check out the Finding Help section of the site for more information about what these people do and how they can help. Check out the Help Near You section or yellow pages to find a counsellor in your area. Your local doctor, hospital, community health centre or youth worker should also be able to help you find information.

More Information
http://www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=316