SCIENCE, HEALTH
Photo by Jeffrey Grospe 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.
For Week 3, we dived into hydration, and why staying hydrated helps to manage binge eating.
Now we’re going to talk about physical movement and how that plays into our binge eating urges.
I don’t know about you, but when I’m going through times of binging more regularly, then I feel more depressed and lethargic. These feelings are not conducive to making you want to move your body much.
A lot of people that binge regularly, are not moving at all. The idea of ‘exercise’ is a bold one, and often not something that sounds appealing.
Often people who binge eat may feel that they are not the weight that they’d like to be. If this is the case, then the idea of going to a gym or fitness class can be very intimidating. There can be feelings of shame or discomfort, or feeling like the body is in pain or injured.
People may feel judged or like they don’t belong in the gym. Maybe they have bad memories of sports class at school (I know that I do!). Sometimes people feel very little desire to exercise or join a gym.
So instead of focusing on ‘exercise’, it can be very helpful to focus on ‘physical movement’. Instead of thinking “Ah I need to exercise to lose weight”, try reframing it to think of physical movement as something to do for fun. That might sound like a tall order, but bear with me!
Firstly, we need to know the difference between exercise and physical movement.
Exercise is something that we do when we have a measurable goal in mind. For example, we could exercise to improve flexibility or our cardiovascular endurance. Exercise with a measurable goal could be training to walk or run a 5K, or strength training with a trainer to build up to a certain weight.
Physical movement on the other hand, is moving your body without a measurable goal in mind. It usually involves raising your heart rate somewhat. It could be things like walking your dog, taking a dance class, swimming in a lake, yard work, or using the stairs instead of the elevator.
If you’re someone that doesn’t currently move very much, it can be scary to imagine adding in some physical movement. There are ways to do so however, where it feels safe and fun.
First off, it is important to understand what the benefits of physical movement are, so that we can then anchor into WHY we want to move our bodies. This helps with motivation to start moving in the first place.
There are MANY positive outcomes from moving our body, but here are some of my personal favorites-
What is YOUR personal motivation or reason for wanting to move your body? Think about it for a moment, and then remind yourself of this reason regularly.
Maybe you want to feel less depressed, maybe you want to have more energy, or maybe you have a trip coming up that you want to feel awesome for.
Whatever it is, really anchor into that reason and hold onto it. This will help you to find motivation when things feel tough.
Starting any new activity or habit can feel very overwhelming at first, and can be impossible to imagine partaking in.
Sometimes we set goals that sound attainable, but in reality are too much too soon. We then end up being overwhelmed and avoid doing the thing.
For example, you may not be someone that moves much at all, so setting the goal to attend a gym 4 times a week for an hour each time may be too much. You could start out with aiming for 2-3 walks a week instead, maybe 5-10 minutes long per walk.
This might not seem like enough to some people, but what we’re actually doing is setting attainable goals. Once we achieve the goals, then we feel good about ourselves, and this feeds into the cycle to continue with the activity.
This also trains our brain to the new routine of movement. We start to see ourselves as people that move our body, and we get into the routine of doing this regularly.
Over time, we can build up slowly until we are moving in the way we would like to.
Finding ways to move your body where it doesn’t feel like a chore is key to success with this. Physical movement can become part of the things you’re already doing in your day. Here are ways you can tap into this-
What can you do to ADD movement to your day?
Sometimes the idea of moving your body can feel like an absolute chore, and motivation can be hard to find.
The best way to tackle this? Make moving your body FUN for you!
Have a think about what you love, and explore how you could add movement to those things. Try asking yourself these questions to come up with fun ways to move-
Physical movement can help to make you feel awesome, sleep better, have more energy, improve mood, and reduce stress/anxiety.
All of these benefits will in turn help to reduce cravings and urges to binge, and will help to minimize reaching for ‘quick energy’ sugary or refined carb foods.
So do some soul searching and find some movement that speaks to you. Then anchor into your reason for WHY you want to move.
Move and make it fun!
For more information, check out Relish Life’s Binge Eating and Physical Movement webinar from our free Facebook Group
During the month of July, my weekly webinars in our Facebook Group have been dedicated to all things binge eating.
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 Six Steps To Freedom’. Perfect for helping you conquer binge eating.
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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