I'm constantly eating... Is this binge eating or just overeating? How do I tell the difference?

Weight gain can be caused by a variety of factors, but most often it's due to excessive food intake relative to activity levels. In particular, prolonged binge eating and overeating can lead not only to weight gain but also to various chronic diseases, including diabetes. However, because both binge eating and overeating share the commonality of excessive consumption, they can be difficult to distinguish. Let's explore how to distinguish between binge eating and overeating.

 

◇Binge eating, difficult to control

 

Binge eating is a condition in which the body consumes an excessive amount of food in a short period of time, and loses control over the food intake while eating. It is broadly divided into "bulimia" and "bulimia nervosa." While both cases involve binge eating in private and subsequent regret, the post-binge reactions differ. People with bulimia often become obese because they do not consume calories after binge eating. Many people do not realize they have bulimia until they seek medical attention due to obesity and are diagnosed with bulimia. On the other hand, people with bulimia nervosa often force themselves to vomit or take laxatives or diuretics to excrete the food they have consumed, and many are of normal weight or thin.

Bulimia is a condition requiring psychiatric treatment. Psychological counseling can help patients improve their perceptions of food and weight. Antidepressants, which regulate serotonin, a hormone that suppresses appetite, can also be prescribed. If you experience excessive consumption of condiments (sauces) or beverages, an obsession with weight or body size, a need to use the bathroom immediately after every meal, or a loss of interest in previously enjoyed hobbies, focusing solely on food, you may be considering bulimia.

 

◇Overeating: If you gain more than 5% of your body weight each month, you should be suspicious.

 

Overeating is harder to define than binge eating. Overeating is defined as eating more than the average person can digest, but this varies from person to person. To determine whether you're overeating, consider your total daily calorie needs. This number varies based on your standard body weight and activity level. A moderate activity level is given a score of 30, a moderate activity level 25, and a moderate activity level 35-40. A man weighing 60 kg with moderate physical activity would need 1,800 kcal per day, or 60 (standard body weight) times 30 (moderate activity level).

 

If it's difficult to keep track of the calories in your food, you can also check your weight fluctuations. If you weigh yourself at least once a month and your weight has increased by more than 5% compared to the previous month, this suggests you're overeating relative to your activity level. In this case, it's best to deliberately reduce your food intake. Also, if you find yourself habitually reaching for digestive aids or carbonated drinks after meals to avoid feeling full, you should consider whether you're overeating.

 

Overeating can be controlled through dietary habits. Eating vegetables first during meals is helpful. Vegetables provide a quick and long-lasting feeling of fullness, reducing overall food intake. Protein should be added after vegetables. It's also important to focus solely on eating during mealtimes. Watching videos while eating can interfere with the brain's ability to clearly perceive the act of eating, leading to uncontrolled hunger and satiety.

 

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If your body weight increases by more than 5% every month, you are overeating.

 

I thought it was something like overeating and binge eating,

It seems that binge eating can become something that the body cannot handle.