Binge eating pros and cons

witeacher127
witeacher127 Posts: 4 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hopefully the title wasn't misleading, but I have been wondering for some time as to whether healthy eating 6 days a week and binge eating on the seventh would be less healthy than spreading out the junk food over each day? In other words would it be better to eat a slice of pizza every day or eat no pizza for a week and then eat a whole pizza. Just wondering if there is a health difference.

Replies

  • witeacher127
    witeacher127 Posts: 4 Member
    Hopefully the title wasn't misleading, but I have been wondering for some time as to whether healthy eating 6 days a week and binge eating on the seventh would be less healthy than spreading out the junk food over each day? In other words would it be better to eat a slice of pizza every day or eat no pizza for a week and then eat a whole pizza. Just wondering if there is a health difference.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    Pizza isn't inherently unhealthy. In fact, a food by itself really isn't unhealthy unless it's toxic or you're allergic/intolerant - it's diets that are healthy or unhealthy.

    Is the pizza being eaten in the context of a balanced diet that meets your nutritional needs? Then it's perfectly fine. Are you eating just pizza and beer? You're probably malnourished but happy.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Your title is misleading. Binge eating is a clinically diagnosed eating disorder and not something that people plan to do once a week. What you are describing is more accurately called a "cheat day" although I personally don't care for that word either because it implies you are cheating on something, I guess your diet. Since I'm not on a diet, there's nothing to cheat on.

    But anyway, now that we are on the same page, it really comes down to a matter of personal preference. I prefer to work foods I love in every day - usually a glass of wine and a small piece of chocolate when I was losing, fast food or pizza once a week, etc. I find that fitting it into my daily consumption is a better approach for me, it's never restricted or off limits, if I don't have the calories for something I want that day, I can plan to fit it in later. Plus as I started losing weight, even meals I did plan to go out and really eat a lot, were not that pleasant because I just couldn't eat the same quantities as before.

    Other people really like cheat days though, but from a weight loss perspective, the weekly deficit would be the same and so no impact on your loss (maybe temporary water weight gain from the big cheat meal though).
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    Weight loss is about calories in being less than calories out.
    That can happen every day, or balanced over a week, or a longer period.
    If you're burning 2000 calories & eating 1700, you'll lose weight, whether those 1700 come from broccoli or twinkies.

    Health is about nutrition.
    Neither broccoli nor twinkies, exclusive of other foods, would be healthy.

    Denying yourself any food is giving it power over you.
    If you want to eat pizza, fit it into your calorie intake. Enjoy it. Heck, have a beer with it.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    Binge eating is not healthy, from a biological or mental perspective.
    Nor does it mean people are eating less, or lead to the development of healthy eating habits.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23244741
    Double trouble: restrained eaters do not eat less and feel worse
    "high levels of dietary restraint do not appear to reflect actual caloric restraint, it has been found to be a risk factor for a wide array of maladaptive eating patterns. ... restrained eaters do not eat less than they intend to do"

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18325547
    "We examine the comfort food preferences and consumption patterns of women with highly versus less developed schemas for cognitive restraint, emotional and situational eating ... complex eating schemas weaken biological signals and produce maladaptive patterns... High schematics reported a lesser post-consumption increase in fullness than low schematics. Low schematics favoured low and high calorie foods equally, their choice motivated by pleasure and positive emotions."
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Binge eating IS unhealthy. It's a clinical symptom of an eating disorder. Eating more one some days than others is called life.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    There are no pros about binge eating.

    Yes you can have a day where you eat at maintenance but that is by no means a ticket to binge eat.

  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    edited January 2016
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Your title is misleading. Binge eating is a clinically diagnosed eating disorder and not something that people plan to do once a week. What you are describing is more accurately called a "cheat day" although I personally don't care for that word either because it implies you are cheating on something, I guess your diet. Since I'm not on a diet, there's nothing to cheat on.

    But anyway, now that we are on the same page, it really comes down to a matter of personal preference. I prefer to work foods I love in every day - usually a glass of wine and a small piece of chocolate when I was losing, fast food or pizza once a week, etc. I find that fitting it into my daily consumption is a better approach for me, it's never restricted or off limits, if I don't have the calories for something I want that day, I can plan to fit it in later. Plus as I started losing weight, even meals I did plan to go out and really eat a lot, were not that pleasant because I just couldn't eat the same quantities as before.

    Other people really like cheat days though, but from a weight loss perspective, the weekly deficit would be the same and so no impact on your loss (maybe temporary water weight gain from the big cheat meal though).

    +1 nicely written! :)
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    There are no pros about binge eating.

    Yes you can have a day where you eat at maintenance but that is by no means a ticket to binge eat.
    absolutely agree! Not as in 'real binge eating as in clinically diagnosed ED'

    I found the title misleading as well, perhaps worded differently you might receive more responses geared toward what you were actually discussing.

    Cheers and Happy New Years! B)
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Binge is a strong word. If you would like some freedom on the weekend, shave 100 calories off per day during the week and have some extra on Saturday. That STILL doesn't mean you can't eat a slice of pizza during the week.

  • witeacher127
    witeacher127 Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you everyone who commented to help me understand the difference between binge eating and cheat days. My title was more misleading than I had feared. I am still curious regarding whether a ceat day is less healthy than the same amount being spread evenly throughout the week. Thank you.
  • Protranser
    Protranser Posts: 517 Member
    witeacher127 wrote: »
    Thank you everyone who commented to help me understand the difference between binge eating and cheat days. My title was more misleading than I had feared. I am still curious regarding whether a ceat day is less healthy than the same amount being spread evenly throughout the week. Thank you.

    In weight management, It's all about calories in vs calories out.

    If you're experiencing significant quality of life impairments related to your eating behaviors, then that's an area to address for being "unhealthy." e.g. feeling significant distress over how you're eating.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    witeacher127 wrote: »
    Thank you everyone who commented to help me understand the difference between binge eating and cheat days. My title was more misleading than I had feared. I am still curious regarding whether a ceat day is less healthy than the same amount being spread evenly throughout the week. Thank you.

    I think a 'cheat meal is safer than a 'cheat day' as the entire day can get out of hand if we feel it's a free for all. I cringe at the word 'cheat' as to me it makes me think who exactly are we cheating? The word treat gives a bit more positive connotation.. If you want to have something special but it will go over your days allotment on Sat or whatever day you're planning it..you can make it work. Either by saving cals or working out more, there's ways. Some ppl track their calories weekly instead of daily so they don't actually go over daily but bank it, make sense?

    It's all in how you think of it and how important it is to you to stay on track. There's nothing wrong with having something higher in cals at a meal. Regarding your actual question.. lol I do better with the cals spread out then in one day but that's more about my feelings and not actually science. :D

    Hope you figure out what works for you, maybe it'll just take some experimenting since you're just starting out! :)
  • RebelDiamond
    RebelDiamond Posts: 188 Member
    witeacher127 wrote: »
    Thank you everyone who commented to help me understand the difference between binge eating and cheat days. My title was more misleading than I had feared. I am still curious regarding whether a ceat day is less healthy than the same amount being spread evenly throughout the week. Thank you.

    I used to enjoy cheat days when I began my journey (I'm also not a fan of the term but it's necessary to get the point across) I now will occasionally have a "cheat" meal.

    The point that most are making above is that there is no health difference in having a "cheat" snack each day versus a "cheat" meal once a week.
    Neither is inherently "unhealthy" or "healthy". The important thing is to have a balanced diet (for general feeling of well being and satiety) that fits into your calorie target (for weight-loss).
    Whether you prefer for the total calorie target to be daily or weekly is personal preference.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    edited January 2016
    I don't do cheat anything. I do set weekly goals, not daily ones. I know from doing this several years that I usually am over a few hundred Friday night, and am almost never over during the week. I have learned to watch my appetite so find I'm not hungry after a big day and just go with that. All this time the only week I'm ever over is Christmas, and usually just by a few hundred calories.
  • JoeCWV
    JoeCWV Posts: 213 Member
    This is an interesting thread for me because I don't plan anything. Yes I do plan what I am going to eat tomorrow because I have to cook. That being said if I decided I want pizza instead, or a few beers I do it.

    The only consideration I make is my total calorie count. If today it looks like I'm going over I either don't eat as much or ponder the ramifications. If I have been good all week, or it's something I REALLY want I go for it. The key for me is day to day I stay within my goals and infrequently go over my calorie count.

    Last weekend I had a large amount of pizza. I still managed to stay within my calories because I went to the gym and worked my *kitten* off before pizza. It's all about balance and lifestyle. I'm not sure there is a "best" or "healthier" way to consume food. It's the overall balance that is key.

    What I found interesting is that my body will crave what it wants. I recently started lifting weights. It is just not something I have been drawn to but I want more lean mass so what's a guy to do? When I started lifting I immediately and without intention started consuming higher amounts of protein as it is reflected in my nutrition results.

    To the OP: Your body is a magnificent machine so long as you are not abusing it your body will last a lifetime. :)

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