Do you eat to feed your emotions? Does feeling deprived cause you eat more to make up for lost time, and end up yo-yo dieting? Get help for rebound eating. Imagine waking up hungry, experiencing cravings before lunch, munching on rabbit food and feeling hungry even after you've eaten dinner, only to see a disappointing number on the scale. You've worked so hard and given up so much for nothing.
If you've followed a calorie-restricted diet before, you probably don't have to imagine the scenario. Dieters often feel hungry and deprived. It is these feelings that often cause rebound eating.
Deprivation Causes Rebound Eating A good example of deprivation causing rebound eating is when you attend a social event and are strong enough to eat healthy while watching everyone else eat whatever they want and indulge in dessert. You sip on water all night and clasp your hands to keep from reaching for or any of the tempting foods in front of you. It is mentally exhausting to keep from eating the foods you loved in the past.
It is not uncommon for people in the situation to turn to food after the social event is over. The feelings of deprivation linger long after the food is removed from your site. It can make you feel depressed and you know from experience that carbs and sugary foods work to quickly lift your depression.
Depression and deprivation cause you to eat on the rebound. Eating to feed your emotions rather than your hunger, you are more likely to binge on the foods you've been craving.
Help for Rebound Eaters If you are tired of bouncing back and forth between feeling deprived and binge eating, there is hope and the answer is simple. When faced with food in a social situation, it is best to have a small piece of your favorite foods without overdoing it.
- Share a dessert was someone.
- Share a meal with someone.
- Place half of your meal in a to-go box before you even start eating.
- Take only a few bites of the foods you feel like you are depriving yourself from.
- Order a hot drink like tea or coffee to have something to sip on while others are eating.
- Look for light or low-fat versions of your favorites, since many restaurants now offer these options.
Following a restrictive diet is not the right plan for everyone. Restrictive diets cause depression,binge eating and rebound eating that can actually set back your weight loss goals and discourage you from trying to lose weight.