What Type of Overeater Are You?
According to Dr. Rossi, in "The 20-Minute Break", there are 4
types of overeaters. See if you recognize yourself.
1. Stress Overeater - You overeat and oversnack at any time of
the day in direct response to the stresses of everyday life.
Solution: Recognize your stress limits and learn how to say no
before you reach them. Break the stress syndrome by taking
breaks, which will help you gain perspective on those situations
you need to cope with more creatively.
2. Fatigue Overeater - In a futile effort to overcome stress and
fatigue, you snack almost continuously after 3:00 or 4:00 P.M.,
even after a full meal, until bedtime.
Solution: Pace yourself better throughout the day with several
breaks and a midafternoon rest to avoid fatigue buildup. Check
in with yourself many times during the day so that you are aware
of when you need to start restoring your energy level.
3. Addictive Overeater - You are a cyclic overeater or drinker
who regularly consumes addictive substances, such as caffeine
(coffee, tea, chocolate, soda) or alcohol. You may also use
sugary foods for their mood altering effects to stave off
depression.
Solution: Study the patterns of your addictive behavior. How
long is it between when you indulge and when you need another
fix? When you have the urge for these substances, use the
20-Minute Break to rejuvenate yourself.
4. Escapist Overeater - You often eat alone in an effort to
escape unpleasant realities that you don't know how to cope with.
Solution: Use the time that you would be eating as an escape to
make an inventory of your life and what you are using food for.
What is it you want to escape from?
Remember, it's not food that is the problem.
It's what we use food for.