Why Do I Overeat?

Do you eat unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time (for example, over a two-hour period)?

Do you eat until you're uncomfortably full?

Do you feel that you can’t control your eating behavior?

Do you feel depressed, guilty, or disgusted about your eating behavior?

Do you eat even when you're full or not hungry?

Do you eat rapidly during binge episodes?

Are you frequently on a diet, possibly without weight loss?

Do you frequently eat alone?

While it is unlikely that you have a serious problem with overeating, you may show some signs of an unhealthy eating pattern. It happens to almost all of us that on occasion, we eat more than we should. Maybe on a wedding or when we are on holidays, we feel more free to overeat. But for some people, overeating that gets out of control and becomes a habit may become binge-eating disorder. Sometimes overeating is linked to depression, stress, anxiety or a low self-esteem.

Based on your answers, you are experiencing some symptoms that are typically seen among people with an eating problem. Binge-eating disorder is characterized by overeating and then compensating by dieting or eating normal meals. But by dieting, you are likely to overeat more. The condition is different from bulimia, where a person after binging vomits, uses laxatives or exercises excessively. Besides, unhealthy eating behavior may be caused by depression, stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem. By talking to your doctor and receiving a diagnosis, you will understand what is needed to stop overeating.

Unfortunately, you are displaying symptoms typically seen among individuals who have binge-eating disorder. It’s a serious problem in which people often consume unusually large amounts of food and feel out of control. It is very important to talk to your doctor about your symptoms to determine the underlying cause. Only then you will know what type of solution will help. What can help is to keep a food diary, to understand when you are likely to binge. Besides, you should eat meals every 2-3 hours to keep your blood sugar steady and will keep you from feeling hungry. Also, try to eat small portions. For example instead of bringing a whole bag of cookies to the couch, put some cookies in a bowl.