5 Reasons You Might be Overeating
You’re not alone. If you clicked on this, you probably struggle with overeating. The struggle is real, hard, and there are many other people in this boat with you. It’s not as easy as just STOPPING.
Overeating, sometimes known as emotional eating, is not cause you’re hungry. It’s not a matter of calories, or macros. It can come across as a nasty habit, but really I’m here to tell you that there are often physiological reasons for this pattern.
If you frequently find yourself eating when you’re bored, lonely, not hungry, and not in a social setting where it would otherwise be appropriate to indulge, you are probably frustrated.
I get it. I’ve been there. Overeating is complicated.
Food is often a vice. An idol. It’s annoying.
Oftentimes I see people try to muster up the willpower to stop overeating, only to be dissapointed that it keeps happening again. The reality is, there are some real imbalances in the body that may contribute to strong cravings, the need for more calories, or the lack of self-control.
It’s important to differentiate from Binge Eating disorder and Bulimia. If you cannot control the amount you eat, are gulping down everything in sight more than 3x per week, eating from the garbage after throwing something out, hiding to eat, and feeling ashamed or frustrated with your inability to stop, seek psychological and/or medical attention as you may have an eating disorder.
But if you’re just sneaking too many cookies during your child’s naptime, eating too many chips before bed every night, or still ravenous after a solid meal, there may be a reason.
Here are 5 common reasons you might be in this position.
Your adrenals are shot.
You aren’t eating enough at some point.
Your cyclical nature is not being nurtured.
Your soul is missing something.
You’re hosting some critters in there!
Let’s break ‘em down.
Your adrenals are shot.
When you are running on empty, it’s really common to overeat. In theory, this is necessary, as the nervous system needs more fuel to function, BUT it’s not sustainable, or good on the gut. So, getting your adrenals checked out (this is something we can do via live blood analysis) can be a really good thing to rule out. Incorporate a glandular extract or some adaptogenic herbs, being intentional about adequate macronutrients, and not skipping breakfast can all help the adrenals repair.
You aren’t eating enough at some point.
Often people are overeating at night because they aren’t eating in the morning. I hear it ALL the time that “I’m just not hungry for breakfast when I first wake up.”
There’s a few reasons this may be the case. One of them, logically, is that you’re eating too late before bed. This shifts your circadian rhythm, can decrease the quality of your sleep, and mess with your appetite in the morning. Secondly, hormonal imbalances (both stress hormones like cortisol, like mentioned in #1 and reproductive hormones) can alter our hunger cues. So if you aren’t hungry in the morning, try having a protein shake and see … you might actually feel a lot better…. and might even realize how hungry you really are!
I am a huge fan of intuitive eating, but not everyone is ready for it. Sometimes, we need to tell our body who is boss and fuel it even when we aren’t hungry. This can be a key in stopping patterns of overeating.Your cyclical nature is not being nurtured.
Ladies, do you know your cycle? Are you aware of the four phases, and do you know where you’re at every day? If not, it can be really detrimental to your energy levels, and your ability to eat intuitively.
For example, you may be hungrier in your luteal phase. If you try and suppress that and NOT give it an extra meal, it’s more likely to overeat on your period. Your body is actually crying out for more nutrients at different times of the month.
If you’re interested in learning more about eating for your cycle, check out my e-book “Cycle Aware.”Your soul is missing something.
It’s amazing how food can quickly become a filler for things that we are hungry for - even emotionally or socially!
Ask yourself, is ALL of me being fed? Am I being spiritually nourished? Socially fed?
Do I have good relationships that are both challenging and encouraging me? Am I lonely?
Am I getting enough exercise? (it takes energy to exercise, but it also gives it back to you two fold)
Am I getting enough rest? Enough time working hard? Enough time doing things I love? Enough time doing things that challenge me? Being creative?
There are so many things we humans hunger after. It isn’t always going to satisfy you to just have another snack.You’re hosting some critters in there!
Ok, the final reason you might be overeating? You’ve got little guys inside eating all your nutrients! Pathogenic microorganisms, parasites, or fungal overgrowth all essentially eat your nutrients. They feed off of what you feed them.
The way to break this is to KILL and to STARVE. So, first you want to clean up your diet. Remove excessive carbs, sugar, and eat plenty of green vegetables.Add in some killing items like SCRAM! (available soon on Roots & Fruits Market, Oct/2023) or Cell Core Biosciences.
To avoid picking these things up, eat a mostly whole foods diet consisting of produce that is well washed, high quality meat, minimal if any pork, and lots of filtered water.
It’s not a bad idea to do a parasite cleanse twice a year. Once in the spring, once in the fall.So, all in all, I hope you feel VALIDATED. You are not crazy.
There are reasons beyond will power that contribute to overeating. This list is by no means complete, but they are common.
If you want help on your journey, I’m here! Book your first appointment now, and we’ll dig in.
If you think you might be struggling with binge eating disorder (eating a very large amount of food in a very small time, in secret, multiple times per week followed by feelings of shame) please seek professional psychological help immediately.
