The Natural Dieter
I frequently get depressed and I tend to binge on comfort foods for relief. How can I stop? Many people turn to food when down in the dumps — a habit that can pile on the pounds unless you get it under control. Eating lifts the
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depression — but only temporarily. After the binge, you’re apt to feel even worse emotionally because you’ve overindulged. Guilt-ridden, you can slip into a vicious cycle of overeating and negative emotions. Emotional eating is a huge problem, particularly among women. It is estimated that fifty to eight percent of all dieters overeat to relieve depression and other negative emotions.
A major problem with emotional eating is the food that is chosen. It is usually high in sugar and refined carbohydrates – all foods that are easily metabolized into fat. There are various strategies you can use when you’re down in the dumps and want to eat. First, try reaching for natural foods, such as fresh fruit or vegetables or whole grains. Second, as a matter of habit, try to eat more fish. Fish contains beneficial fats that appear to increase levels of neurotransmitters – brain chemicals that transmit messages from one nerve cell to another – particularly serotonin. Serotonin is known as the “happiness neurotransmitter,” because elevated levels bring on feelings of tranquility, calm, and emotional well being.
Third, instead of bingeing when you’re depressed, be prepared to substitute alternate activities, such as exercise, reading, or other things you enjoy, to take the place of eating. Exercise, in particular, is a mood booster. I have a habit of snacking at night? How can I fight this impulse? Habitually eating or snacking at night is problematic because it promotes weight gain and obesity. When you go to bed on a full stomach, your body does not burn off the calories well because in the evening, during bedtime, your metabolism slows down to a crawl. Consequently, those calories are likely to be converted into body fat. One reason many people eat late at night is because they do not eat enough during the day, and their hunger catches up with them.
If you skimp on meals during the day, work on changing this behavior by religiously adhering to the Parrillo Nutrition Program, which purposely advises multiple meals throughout the day. In severe cases of nighttime eating, people will not only eat large amounts of food, but will get up during the night to binge. This is a form of compulsive eating termed Night Eating Syndrome (NES). If you think you may suffer from NES, you should contact your doctor without delay and ask to be referred to a qualified psychologist or therapist for help. I’m a vegetarian. Can I still go on the Parrillo Nutrition Program? The Parrillo Nutrition Program is flexible in this regard. For example, if you are a “lacto-ovovegetarian,” you typically limit your animal protein to dairy products and eggs; therefore, substitute these proteins for fish, chicken, and meat. And if you are a “semi-vegetarian,” who avoids red meat but eats fish or chicken, you can easily follow the diet. If you are a “vegan,” who avoids all animal protein, you may have some challenges. However, try substituting legumes and whole grains for animal protein. This will increase the carbohydrate content of the program but you should still be able to make progress.
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What do you think about “dieters’ teas”? Among the many herbal products touted for weight loss are dieters’ teas. Many of these teas contain natural herbal laxatives such as senna or cascara sagrada, which produce a temporary weight reduction due to the excretion of fluids. In other words, you’re losing water weight, not actual fat pounds. Further, these herbs can be very hard on your system and should be avoided by many people. Potential side effects of these herbs can include severe cramps, violent diarrhea, dehydration, and mineral imbalance. A better “dieter’s tea” may be green tea, which has been shown in research to impact fat-burning. For healthy liquid intake, the best beverage is pure water – eight to ten glasses a day.
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