| Eating disorders are characterized by an abnormal | | | | health, to improve their lifestyle, or for cosmetic |
| obsession with food and weight. Eating disorders | | | | reasons. The generally recommended treatment |
| are much more noticed in women than in men | | | | for being overweight is a modified or controlled |
| due to the fact that men often don't seek help. | | | | diet in conjunction with increased exercise. For |
| We believe, that for most people, a link exists | | | | those who are obese rather than overweight, |
| between habits formed long ago and eating | | | | more intensive therapies such as drugs or surgery |
| disorders. | | | | are sometimes used. |
| An eating disorder is a complex compulsion to eat | | | | Studies suggest that reducing calorie intake by |
| in a way which disturbs physical, mental, and | | | | itself (dieting) may have short-term effects but |
| psychological health. The eating may be excessive | | | | does not lead to long-term weight loss, and can |
| (compulsive over-eating); to limited (restricting); | | | | often result in gaining back all of the lost weight |
| may include normal eating punctuated with | | | | and more in the longer term. For this reason, it is |
| episodes of purging; may include cycles of binging | | | | generally recommended that weight-loss diets not |
| and purging; or may encompass the ingesting of | | | | be attempted on their own but instead in |
| non-foods. | | | | combination with increased exercise and long-term |
| Being overweight is generally caused by the | | | | planning and weight management. |
| intake of more calories (by eating) than are | | | | Moreover, for all individuals, repeatedly losing |
| expended by the body (by exercise and | | | | weight and then gaining it back ("yo-yo dieting"), is |
| everyday living). Factors which may contribute to | | | | believed to do more harm than good and can be |
| this imbalance include: | | | | the cause of significant additional health problems. |
| * Limited exercise and sedentary lifestyle * | | | | Is there a underlining issue that may work better |
| Overeating * Genetic predisposition * A high | | | | than dieting for eating disorders? |
| glycemic index diet (i.e. a diet that consists of | | | | Definition: Habit - Noun - Singular |
| meals that give high postprandial blood sugar) * | | | | 1. an action done on a regular basis. |
| Hormone imbalances (e.g. hypothyroidism) * | | | | Example: It's become a habit of mine to have a |
| Metabolic disorders, which could be caused by | | | | cup of coffee after dinner. |
| repeated attempts to lose weight by weight | | | | Let's take the above example. Many years ago, |
| cycling * An eating disorder (such as binge eating | | | | we started a habit of drinking coffee after dinner. |
| disorder) * Stress * Insufficient sleep * | | | | It was a time to relax and talk about the day. |
| Psychotropic medications * Smoking cessation | | | | Unfortunately, the coffee must have 2 teaspoons |
| The amount of body fat is regulated to some | | | | of sugar for our tastes. If we wanted 2 cups of |
| extent subconsciously by the brain (by controlling | | | | coffee that became 4 teaspoons. Every night, |
| caloric intake through appetite and food | | | | day after day, week after week the sugar and |
| preferences). Although the exact mechanisms by | | | | calories added up. |
| which this occurs are not entirely known, one | | | | Another example was our lunch time at work. |
| common theory suggests that each person may | | | | The sub sandwich shops figured out years ago |
| possess an inherent "set point" weight which the | | | | that to increase the revenue per customer, a |
| brain attempts to maintain, and that this set point | | | | combo meal made a great "up sell". Unfortunately, |
| may vary for each individual depending on a | | | | the combo meal usually included a large selection |
| variety of factors including genetic predisposition, | | | | of chips. High in fat and questionable nutrition |
| environment, and past experience. A habit link | | | | value, chips have become a habit in our eating |
| from the past can trigger this set point. | | | | styles. |
| This leads to the conclusion that some individuals | | | | How many of you also stop at the local coffee |
| may be predisposed to naturally maintaining | | | | store on the way into work for calorie loaded |
| different body weights than others, and thus it | | | | coffee and maybe a muffin to make you feel full |
| may be easier for some people to avoid being | | | | going to work? |
| overweight, while others may find it much more | | | | Each of these examples OVER TIME becomes a |
| difficult. It also suggests, however, that an | | | | habit. The habit makes your brain crave the food |
| individual's set point may be changeable with | | | | drink/mood when you stop or alter the routine. |
| appropriate environment and conditioning. | | | | We now know that good habits can replace bad |
| Treatment | | | | habits if the desire is truly there. |
| A large number of people undergo some form of | | | | Our next article will talk about what steps you |
| treatment to attempt to reduce their weight, | | | | must take to change the habits creating a chaotic |
| usually either in an attempt to improve their | | | | eating disorder. |