Those of you who read this
blog on a regular basis know a little about me. You know that I'm addicted to
food, that I tend to eat at night, and sometimes - more often than I want to -
experience binge-eating episodes.
What you may not know is
that up until just a few years ago, I was a dedicated world traveler - but
particularly to Europe. I've spent time
in Malta, France (Nice), Brunei,
Scotland (Aberdeen/Edinburgh),
Ireland, Saudi Arabia (Dhahran), England (London),
The Netherlands (Heemstede), and lived in Paris
for an extended period. If you know anything about the Europeans at all,
you know they usually eat their dinners late in the evening. That can be
nine o'clock, ten o'clock, etc., but never eating earlier than eight-thirty.
And for the most part, dinners are almost always accompanied by wine and never
considered to be "lighter fare." Accompanied by family and friends,
this custom makes for a decadent and memorable eating experience at the end of
the day. In the states, I've lived in Atlanta,
New York, Los Angeles,
Houston, Palm
Beach and other major cities. Currently I reside
in the great city of Chattanooga.
The good life in these U.S.
cities encompasses eating at night as well. Couple this factor with
parents who raised me to clean my plate for "all those starving
children" wherever, and you'll see why
eating at night is not only second nature to me, it's a lifestyle. And,
therein lies the problem.
We night-eaters, knowing that it's not the best thing for our
bodies, are soldiers who go to war with temptation every evening around
eight-thirty - particularly if our formative years were spent in countries
across the pond.
So, having said all of this, you can understand why light evening
meals are hard for me to even think about. Further, you can see why I am,
as I call it, "addicted to food" - and good food, at that. When
I have friends in for dinner, inevitably, they all mention something about how
much food is on the table. However, when I'm having a BED episode, all of
that craving for mass amounts of "good" food is usually put aside and
replaced with an irresistible one for anything that has a high content of salt and carbohydrates.
Hamburgers, French fries, any cheese snack, hot dogs, potato chips, dip,
black olives, ice cream ... and well, you get the picture. Salt, and
plenty of it, is the main - and defining - ingredient. And, true to
binge-eating form, I eat these foods as fast as I can, as I have to satisfy my
addiction quickly. And somehow, those high-carb and salty junk foods
serve as salve to my wracked soul. So then my battle becomes two, in that
I must not only replace the heavy, good foods with healthier substitutes, but
also replace the salty "junky" ones as well. This is where conscientious
and effective meal planning comes into play. Aside from identifying BED
triggers, it can be your strongest ally.
And, here's another.
You have to change not only your perception of yourself, but also the
perception of your being by those around you. There are
specific and expected behavior patterns associated with, and in response to,
certain circumstances. You have the power to change most of these
circumstances, and the above-mentioned perceptions. Start with small and
definitive steps. Change your atmosphere. It takes huge amounts of willpower and determination, but it can be done. Realize that you will not be able
to turn yourself inside-out, but you can make definitive and positive lifestyle
changes if you set your mind to it. Educate yourself further on the
benefits of good health - going well beyond the obvious.
Last night was a successful one for me - no night-eating,
binging, or over-eating. Last Friday night, I fell off the wagon. While
it wasn't an all-out-binge-eating episode, it definitely qualified as a
night-eating and over-eating one. Weekends are probably the most
difficult time periods to manage this eating disorder. Friends, family
and social events are in your world, and all encourage a little indulgence.
Mindfulness, common sense, and discipline are the keys to managing your food
intake in these scenarios. If those that claim to like and love
you really do, they'll respect your self-imposed boundaries, as no one wants to
see someone they care about suffer ill physical or mental health.
You can do this.
Copyright © 1/1/2015 - , CB, Bed Warrior
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