Top Signs of Compulsive Overeating

By John Davenport, Weight loss researcher and Author

www.EmotionalEatingSolution.com

Overstepped your daily calorific requirements? Big deal. How many of us don’t do that from time to time? There are even situations when our eyes light up on seeing a plate, and we dig in like it were manna from the heavens. But these instances cannot be termed as compulsive overeating. These are just small indulgences.  

Compulsive overeating is a repetitive pattern where the person feels an overriding desire to eat uncontrollably. So, eating an unscheduled cinnamon roll, or two for that matter, is not compulsive eating. But having three or four or five in a single day, and experiencing repetitive cycles of this kind on a regular basis is compulsive.  

Some of the most conspicuous signs of compulsive overeating are: 

• The person is driven to eat regardless of hunger levels so they eat until they feel physically ill. 
• Feelings of fear, despair and anxiety associated with food because the person is unsure if they can eat in a normal fashion. 
• Compulsive eaters are generally overweight, and deeply ashamed of it. So they diet rigorously to lose weight.  
• They avoid eating in public places because of their fear that someone might catch them ‘at it’. In most cases, the desire for secrecy is so great that even spouses may be unaware of the problem until something happens. 
• Emotional eaters feel deep depression due to their lack of self-control. Typically, victims berate themselves and are consumed by feelings of self-deprecation and guilt. Ironically, these feelings may trigger their next episode of emotional eating. As you can see, compulsive eating disorder is a vicious circle.  
• People suffering from this disorder experience extreme mood swings. 
• They show a distinct lack of interest in regular activities because of their obsession with ‘food’ thoughts. 
• Often, such people feel suffer from decreased libido due to their weight and food problems. 
• They are consumed by thoughts of weight gain and weight loss. 

Compulsive eating naturally leads to abnormal weight gain. So, in due course of time, certain physical signs of compulsive eating make an appearance. Many compulsive eaters put on tremendous amounts of weight. This leads to a number of medical complications like hypertension, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, arthritis, cardiac problems, mobility problems and sleep deprivation. A weight gain cycle may be followed by dramatic weight loss through a popular diet program. However, the cycle continues and the victim keeps putting on and shedding weight, never finding release from their problems.  

Note: Emotional eaters do not all suffer from weight problems. In the same way, not all people battling weight issues suffer from emotional eating.  

As the term suggests, compulsive eating is fanatic in nature and this behavior will have significant repercussions in other areas of life.  

About the Author

John Davenport struggled with weight loss problems and emotional eating since early childhood. Through rigorous research, trial and error, and a firm belief in himself, he managed to find the solution to emotional eating, lost over 30 pounds of fat, and became a long distance runner. He now devotes much of his time to help other people follow in his footsteps: lose weight, get lean, and become free from emotional eating. His articles have been features in many websites and publications.

To read more about John's unique method, the Emotional Eating Solution program, visit: www.EmotionalEatingSolution.com