SCIENCE, HEALTH
Photo by Bluewater Sweden on Unsplash
During Week 1 of the Binge Eating Blog Series, we discussed how to nourish the body effectively throughout the day so we are satiated. This helps us to handle cravings, and reduces stress so we are less likely to binge.
In Week 2, the focus was on mindfulness and how to use this practice to become present around food. To become more aware and curious about WHY we binge.
This week we’re diving into hydration, and why staying hydrated helps with binge eating!
90% of humans walk around the earth being dehydrated, and we often don’t even know it.
Dehydration stimulates anxiety, stress and brain fog. Your body goes into stress mode when it doesn’t have enough water to function. This actually makes you feel hungry and reach for unsupportive foods. Stress=binging.
Drinking more water helps with brain fog, with stress and anxiety, and will help you manage your cravings a lot better.
Aim to drink at LEAST 40-60 oz of water a day. Ideally try to drink half of your body weight in oz of water. So if you’re 200 lbs, then aim to drink 100 oz of water a day.
If you don’t currently drink any water, then start by adding a glass or two each day. You can build from there.
As I mentioned, we often don’t know that we are dehydrated. Here are some signs that indicate you may not be drinking enough water. If you notice any these symptoms, then get chugging on some H2O
Being dehydrated puts your body under stress. Chronic dehydration leads to chronic stress.
So, what does that mean?
Problems arise when stress is chronic because it elevates stress hormones, like cortisol, along with blood pressure and blood sugars. This isn’t good because it causes cortisol to spike. It’s like putting your body into perpetual overdrive; inevitably things start to malfunction.
When you have high cortisol levels, your body may begin to crave high-carbohydrate or sugary foods. When we’re stressed we’re tired and moody, so we reach for these quick energy foods.
They make us feel good in the moment, as we get a blast of dopamine when we eat refined carbs or sugar. Over time, however, this chronic consumption can lead to weight gain and other metabolic issues.
When we’re chronically stressed and we give in to cravings more often, we release excessive amounts of insulin to deal with our elevated blood sugar.
When excess insulin and cortisol are released together, they create lipoprotein lipase (LPL), a fat-storing enzyme. The more of this enzyme we have, the more fat we store. It also throws our hunger hormones out of whack, making it difficult to perceive when we’re full.
As an extra kicker, cortisol causes fat to be stored around our middle. It does this to protect our organs from the perceived ‘threat’ of the stress response. Hello belly fat!
So… dehydration causes stress. Don’t know about you, but when I’m stressed I’m much more likely to binge.
Stress and fatigue make us crave more refined-carb and sugary foods. They also make our hunger hormones act bizarrely, so we don’t know when we’re full and we remain in a state of hunger, even after eating a meal.
Binges happen for many reasons, they’re often down to emotions or triggers. When we’re also stressed and tired however, then this throws our emotions even further out of control and so binging is WAY more likely to occur.
I traveled recently, and did not drink as much water as I usually do while I was in transit and away from home. I really noticed the difference, as I felt thirsty all the time, and I had INTENSE cravings to binge. I actually did binge one night before going to bed while I was away. Alone in a hotel room with unlimited room service…..
It was wild to see what dehydration did to my urges and my ability to resist them.
Try drinking more water and see what happens. Does it help manage your cravings to binge?
It can be hard to remember to drink water in our busy lives. We get distracted and are running from one place/task to the next. Here are some tips to increase your water intake each day-
Shannon Shearn, co-founder of Relish, has this awesome tip-
“This is a quick, simple test to check if you are well-hydrated. Pinch the skin on the back of your hand to create a little tent. Release and count how many seconds it takes for the skin to return to normal. If you are well-hydrated, the skin should snap back into place quickly. If it takes more than 2-3 seconds to return to normal, you are dehydrated.
Staying hydrated will help you better differentiate between hunger and thirst so you can lose weight and keep it off. It’ll also help you stay happy, healthy, and energized throughout the day.”
Try this now- how hydrated are you??
In summary- drink more water. It will make you feel energized and happy!
If it sounds impossible to drink water, just start small. Add in one glass of water a day and see how you feel. Then add an additional glass a week later. Build up in this way until you are at your water goal. A good place to aim for is at least half your body weight in LBS, in Oz of water each day!
During the rest of this blog series, we’ll be discussing other ways to help manage binge eating. Stay tuned for the next one!
For more information, check out Relish Life’s Binge Eating and Hydration webinar from our free Facebook Group.
Join our supportive Facebook Group today to check out this webinar and lots of other awesome information. Join your tribe here in the Relish Life Facebook Group
I have dedicated the next month to focusing on binge eating- so join our Facebook group for all the good information.
If you are struggling with binge eating, know that you are not alone. Seek help. Ways you can do this-
Find support groups in person or online. Try these:
Here at Relish Life we have Health Coaches that specialize in helping you navigate addictions like binge eating. We also have group therapy sessions to explore the root of WHY we binge, and FDA approved medications that help to balance hormones and cut our cravings down. Additionally we have online courses that help you explore the root cause of unwanted behaviors, and how to navigate changing them.
Included in your membership are free cohort groups that take you through our signature course for changing unwanted habits- ‘The 6 Steps To Freedom’. Perfect for helping you conquer binge eating.
You can find information about our memberships at Relish Life here:
To read Week 4: Binge Eating CLICK HERE
Melissa is a British-born Health Coach who knows firsthand how difficult it can be to manage the emotions that surround weight. After decades of weight control and yo-yo dieting, Melissa studied to become a Health Coach and effectively coached herself through the process. Through learning how to eat intuitively, Melissa gained a new perspective and shifted her focus from ‘dieting’ to nourishment. She also learned how to recognize and address trauma and stress in her life. The stubborn weight she had held onto for years just melted away.
Melissa LOVES to help others figure out and conquer their own personal health and wellness goals. Following a life-long enthusiasm for alternative medicine, Melissa trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where she received in-depth training in nutrition, health and wellness, and coaching skills.
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