Binge Eating…Lets Talk About it! (1 of 6)
This series focuses on common mental health issues associated with athletic lifestyles. I use the term “athletic” as it covers all spectrums and is not limited to the fitness and bodybuilding community. My first segment discusses Binge Eating. It’s something that happens to the best of us, and is often joked about, but can become a serious issue. Binge eating can be classified as one of the characteristics of the eating disorders Anorexia and/or Bulimia. By definition a “binge” is eating in a discrete period of time an amount of food that’s considerably larger than most individuals would consume under similar circumstances (American Psychological Association: Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition). A “discrete period of time” is defined as less than 2 hours.
Putting it in perspective, it is the entire bag of cookies you ate in one sitting. It’s the 2 entrees and 2 desserts you ordered and ate by yourself at Applebees. It’s the entire 2 .5lb bag of M&Ms or the 4 Big Macs you consumed. For many of us, this comes immediately following a show or on “cheat days”. Although not healthy, 
occasional binges are not too harmful, they just take a toll on your body and your mind. If it’s an occasional event, Don’t go out and kill yourself with cardio because of the guilt. Take it as a loss and start fresh the next day….I don’t care how perfect your diet is: YOU ARE HUMAN and you will slip. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going. It’s when the binges become repetitive that it’s problematic. My worst binges were during my first year as a competitor. I’ve downed a large stuffed crust pizza, an entire Chipotle burrito (I really paid for that), a half gallon of ice cream, two-2 lb bags of M&Ms, and almost 2 bucket-o-fries from McDonalds(they don’t even make that size anymore. It was the super-sized cup stuffed with fries). These were each in individual sittings…but obviously far too much food for one person to consume. These days I know a lot better and my binges are far and few in between…..but the point is that I still have them on occasion.
I raise this issue because after reading several posts on forums, blog sites, and discussion boards, I truly feel like many people struggle with chronic binge eating to a much more serious degree than is disclosed. My point is to bring awareness to the problem and enlighten others who struggle. If it is truly a problem that is of concern, I’ve provided a few resources below that can provide additional information. PLEASE use the information as you see fit or pass it along to others.
www.mayoclinic.com/health/binge-eating-disorder/DS00608
www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
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