How are you doing with food?  Are you eating healthy foods, in moderate or small amounts?  Or is your eating out-of-control, are you fast and furiously stuffing as much food into your mouth as possible?

If you’re feeling empty and constantly hungry, and no amount of food truly satisfies, the problem may be much deeper than you think.  It could be several things: unbalanced nutrition, old unhealthy habits, an underlying medical problem, and/or emotions.

Start by having a medical checkup.  Go see a doctor for a full physical assessment.  Make sure there’s no biological problem going on.  There’s no need to fear doctors, on the contrary, undiagnosed and untreated medical problems are the things to fear!  It’s much better to solve a problem early, than it is to ignore it and let it get worse.  If you have a bingeing problem, per se, it’s much better to get medical help as soon as possible so that the damage can be reversed.  You’ll feel better when you are taking care of yourself.

Take a look at your nutrition.   Are you eating in a healthy, balanced way, with a good mix of all food groups?  Are you eating the right amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables and fruits?  You could make an appointment with a registered dietitian and have them do a full assessment, or you can check for yourself at www.mypyramid.gov.  My book, “The Joy of Weight Loss” also has a lot of information on eating well, with nutritionally balanced menus and food plans.

Are old habits controlling you?  Do you eat the same unhealthy thing every day, such as high-fat, high calorie donuts, sodas, cookies, candy, burgers and fries?  Or unhealthy salty items such as potato chips, corn chips, and snack crackers?  Becoming consciously aware of old habits is the first step in finding relief from their power.  Making substitute healthy food choices is the next step: carrots or apples instead of sweets, low-salt crackers or pretzels instead of chips.

Emotions, I believe, have a huge role in eating disorders such as bingeing and general overeating.  Is there something that’s bothering you that makes you feel hopeless, unloved, or empty?  Perhaps it’s a fear or dread of something that may happen to you.  Perhaps some aspect of your love-life, relationship, or marriage is eating away at you deep down.  Is there some unresolved childhood trauma that’s so ingrained and painful you just can’t get relief from it, other than by eating?  Don’t let hope evaporate, just take the first step and try to identify what it is, exactly, that’s emotionally painful – and write it down.  Then, try getting down on your knees and praying to God or your Higher Power for help, naming the problem and putting it into His hands.  Then, you might want to share this problem with a trusted friend, counselor, clergy, or at an anonymous self-help group such as Overeaters Anonymous.  Find a meeting by clicking here. 

I know the feeling of compulsive, out-of-control eating, and it’s awful.  Endless stuffing food into your mouth in hopes of feeling better, despite your good intentions against it, is really a desperate situation.  Rest assured, though, dear reader, your life is more important and precious than this problem.  There is hope, and relief is possible with God’s help, and your desire to find a better way leading you to take one small step of action to make a change.  That’s all it takes.