Expert: Joanne - 11/20/2006

Question

-------------------------------------------
The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
hi, I've been dieting for three years now and it has been very successful. However, lately I've been having serious hunger prang. I mean SERIOUS hunger prangs that I can't just drink water and ignore. I crave for carbs. It mostly happens most strongly at night after 9. Sometimes, I wake up in the night to eat cos' the prangs are bothering me. I don't just eat, I binge on muffins, cookies, bread, nuts, dried fruits---all the unhealthy stuff. I don't know why I'm having this problem now and it's very very hard to stop even though I keep telling myself I won't do it again. I'm so ashamed because I've lost my self-control. Do you know what is causing this now and how can I stop it? It has never happened before until these recent months. I am a vegetarian and I've never craved this crazily before. Thanks.
-----Answer-----
By 'dieting' what do you mean?  Are you following a diet as such, or have you just changed to healthier eating?

Sometimes, actual 'diets' cut out food groups in order to help you lose weight?  Does this apply to you, or can you pretty much eat anything?

I really can't think of a reason for binging other than that your body is missing out on something that it needs.  Your willpower maybe able to deny yourself having something for some amount of time, but if your body is needing something, your physical body will actually override your mind in a way in order to gain what it needs.

How many calories do you eat during the day?

I recommend visiting your Dr and getting him to do some blood tests to see if you are deficient in anything, and if this doesn't show anything, maybe ask to be referred to a dietician/nutritionist.  They should be able to sit and go through your daily food and work out a 'better' way of eating which will hopefully help beat the cravings.

Please do not be ashamed!  You have not lost self-control.

I hope this is of some help, and can only apologise at what seems to be an answer which is really lacking what you may be looking for.

All the best
Holly

I'm on a 1300 calorie diet and yesterday, I didn't eat much of anything for breakfast or lunch because I was busy and besides I binged the other day. (I had like well over 3000 calories.) During dinner I had salad but I was so hungry so I ate three sweet rolls with filling. Then I went to bed. I woke up at 1 a.m. and I was still starving so I had some cookies. I don't know why but I'm eating yet I'm still hungry. Right now, I'm hungry and i had a full breakfast today. I ate a full bowl of oatmeal and a fat-free yogurt. What is going on? Could it be from the stress in my life? What can I do to stop this crazy eating habit? I need to lose the eight pounds I've gained as a result of this.

Answer
I think that you should go and see your Dr just to get him to do the blood tests.

I'm not sure what diet you are following, but it is recommended that you eat a minimum of 1500 calories a day to lose weight, and then increase that to 1800-2000 in order to maintain that.  So there is a chance that your body is noticing the lack of calories and you are binging to make up for it.

As you didn't eat properly earlier in the day yesterday, this may have resulted in you feeling hungry at night and more likely to binge late last night or today.  It is important that you try to follow the three proper meals a day idea.  If you are managing that, it should be able to help combat hunger.

If not though, you may need to discuss with your Dr the possiblilty of Binge-Eating Disorder.  This may not be so much of a physical thing as it is a psychological thing.

Holly