Binge eating and weight loss? What are the myths surrounding these two? What is the truth behind many weight loss articles?
Some people are prolific readers of food and nutrition articles, but as a dietitian, I’ve seen a lot of misinformation online, which is unfortunately spread by doctors and others in positions of power!
Diet is a major concern for many people who have binge eating disorders.
The majority of food and nutrition articles on the internet are also unreliable, having been derived from these contradictory and potentially dangerous sources of information.
1. There is no ‘Healthy diet’
Many people who suffer from binge eating disorders are concerned about their eating habits. Some people are voracious readers of food and nutrition articles, but as a dietitian, I see a lot of misinformation.
A healthy diet is one that meets our nutritional needs while also optimising our physical health. Our nutritional requirements change with age and life circumstances, as well as what constitutes a “healthy diet.”
There is a different diet recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as specific diets for people with diabetes – there is no one-size-fits-all healthy diet.
The ideal diet is one that reduces the risk of weight gain, heart disease, and cancer while also allowing you to eat foods you enjoy in moderation to reduce the risk of disordered eating.
When I say “foods you enjoy,” some people think of pizza and donuts, but it can also mean a salad, fruits, or vegetables! Including foods we enjoy in our diet in moderation helps us maintain a healthy relationship with food.
2. Weight loss diets are not healthy diets
Weight loss diets are not healthy diets. – Weight loss diets are diets that are intended to assist people in losing weight. They are not in and of themselves healthy, though they can assist you in achieving a healthy weight if you are overweight, and weight is just one of many factors that affect your health.
3. Weight-loss diets are for people who are obese or overweight.
There is no reason to follow a weight loss diet if you are not overweight. Being underweight can have a negative impact on physical health as well as major psychological and social consequences.
4. Weight loss diets are subject to fashion
What is ‘in’ one year may be ‘out’ the next. Carbohydrates, for example, were considered bad in the 1960s and 1970s and were the villain, but in the 1980s, they were reintroduced. -In the 2000s, carbohydrates became the enemy again.
5. Differentiating between weight loss and weight maintenance
Weight loss diets are not recommended for long-term use because they do not meet our nutritional needs.
Certain weight-loss diets can be harmful if followed for an extended period of time. In practise, only a small percentage of people stick to a weight-loss diet for more than 4 or 5 months. What they do after that is critical; if they want to keep their new lower weight, they must switch from a weight-loss to a weight-maintenance regimen. Many weight-loss programmes overlook this, which explains why regaining weight is so common.
6. A healthy diet involves cutting food groups out
In addition, we should drink plenty of water. When discussing diet, we should use the word REDUCE rather than RESTRICT. Pay attention to the wording!
Salt, sugar, and two types of fat – saturated and trans – are all present. This is due to the fact that these types of fat raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Trans fats are found in hard margarine, fried foods, and many commercially baked foods.
Saturated fats are mostly found in red meat.
But not all fat is created equal; we overlooked unsaturated fat (found in fish, seafood, nuts, and olive oil), which helps to lower the risk of heart disease.
7. You don’t have to eat perfectly to be perfectly heathy.
Healthy eating recommendations are just that: recommendations. They are meant to be followed in a flexible manner, not as a set of rules to follow for the rest of your life.
8. You might be thinking ‘well how do I put the healthy eating guidelines into real food
Healthy eating recommendations are just that: recommendations. They are meant to be followed in a flexible manner, not as a set of rules to follow for the rest of your life.
Hope that list was helpful! Follow me on social media for more binge eating diet advice in Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok!
I have recently created a Binge Eating Freedom Online course in this link. It will support you in being binge free with lifetime access and guided videos and articles to help unlearn your binge habits and escape the binge restrict cycle for good so check it out!
