5 Things You Need to Know About Overeating

Oct 22

With the holidays right around the corner, the topic of overeating can become significant. Today, CCN founder and RD, Lauren, shares 5 things you need to know about overeating. Take it away, Lauren!

5 Things You Need to Know About Overeating

Weekends tend to be very chaotic for people when it comes to eating. Do you struggle with overeating? Let me guess when you overeat you beat yourself up for it? Feeling extra full or even just a little full has the ability to ruin your mood and maybe your day? I am hoping what I have to say about overeating with ease your mind a bit and offer you a better understanding of why you are overeating. Below are 5 things you need to know about “over” eating:

Overeating is a normal part of eating; yes you heard that correctly. First of all, feeling full doesn't mean you overate. Furthermore, feeling very full does not mean you have done anything wrong. It is a beautiful thing to trust that your body knows what to do with the food and that your body will tell you when to eat again.
Overeating is a symptom of restriction. Going too long without eating, skipping meals, not eating enough at meals, not eating a variety of foods (carbs, fat, and protein), and not feeling satisfied are just a few examples of restriction. When you don't give your body what it needs consistently, when you do go to eat it's likely you are going to take in extra. Think holding your breath underwater and when you come up for air you take in a GIANT BREATH.
Dopamine deprivation leads to overeating or feeling out of control with food. Eating food releases dopamine in our brains (aka brings us joy) even when we are not hungry (no, I am not implying that food is addictive). If food is the only way you are experiencing a dopamine release then yes it would make sense that you are feeling controlled by it. How are you experiencing joy in your life outside of food?
Feeling guilt and shame about “over" eating is actually more problematic than the “over” eating itself. Why? Well mentally it's just not healthy to associate guilt with feeding yourself, a basic human need. Also, when we feel shame and guilt we immediately go into problem solving mode which generally includes some type of compensation/restriction leading us back to overeating (holding breath eventually leads to taking in a big breath).
Bloating after eating does not mean you overate or did something wrong. Bloating is a normal part of digestion. However, keep in mind that the longer you go without eating your stomach fills up with gas overtime. Then when you do go to eat and the food sits on top of the gas bloating is the outcome.