ADHD and Impulsive Eating
“Just as adults with ADHD may struggle to understand what people are saying, they may also misinterpret what their bodies are telling them. They mistake feeling upset or bored for hunger.”
The Link Between ADHD and Overeating
Those who live by impulse eat by impulse. Eating compulsively is a main cause of obesity in many adults with ADHD. I have found that the condition is five times more prevalent among over-eaters than in the general population. Just as adults with ADHD may struggle to understand what someone is saying, they have difficulty interpreting what their bodies are telling them. They mistake feeling upset (or bored) for feeling hungry and many reach for food to combat boredom.
I’ve come up with tips specifically designed for overeaters who have ADHD. Notice that there are no recipes. It’s all about changing the way you think, feel, and behave.
Use Your ADHD Brain to Lose Weight
Having ADHD is like having a good engine and lousy brakes. Instead of focusing on “not eating,” focus your high-revving brain on something positive — such as cooking healthy food or starting an exercise program.
Don’t Expect to Resist Food Temptations
Try to avoid them instead. Keep the foods you typically overeat out of the house. If you must eat ice cream or a Big Mac, do so infrequently, and only with a watchdog friend or in public.
Take Time to Exercise
Do what doesn’t come naturally, when you feel a slump in energy or mood. Force yourself (without asking whether you feel like it) into a short burst of activity, such as a brisk 10-minute walk. This will leave you with greater energy, decreased tension, and less subjective hunger.
[Are You “Chemically Wired” to Gain Weight?]
Avoid Boredom and Stimulate Your ADHD Brain
Get your minimum daily requirement of stimulation. Boredom and restlessness frequently translate into hunger. Doing interesting tasks will decrease your reliance on food for amusement. Avoid TV, which provides little brain stimulation, and is a common trigger for overeating.
Schedule When You Eat
People with ADHD are often unaware of their feelings. The tendency to think three steps ahead often disconnects them from what they feel at the moment. They need to be reminded to eat, in order to avoid getting hungry and overdoing it. Eat something every four hours. The stimulation may lessen feelings of restlessness.
Pay Attention to the Experience of Eating
More than the actual enjoyment of food, it’s the anticipation of pleasure that causes most binge eating. The next time you binge, ask yourself whether you are enjoying your food, and ask again every five minutes. Are you tasting your food or gulping it, so you can move on to something else?
Teach Yourself When to Stop Eating
Use preset serving sizes. Focus on your changing feelings during a meal; practice stopping at different feeling states that precede “stuffed.” Eat with a friend who can make you aware of these states.
[Free Guide: What to Eat (and Avoid) for Improved ADHD Symptoms]
Don’t Give Up If You Blow it
Don’t berate yourself when you make a mistake. If yelling at yourself were effective, wouldn’t you be perfect by now? Restart your healthy eating plan and forget the past.
Slim Up Faster with these Tips
- Eat less by using a smaller plate — and always leaving something on it.
- Do sit-ups, crunches, and core exercises to firm up your stomach and decrease the size of your waist.
- Make your stomach look smaller by making other parts of you look bigger. Lift weights to build up your chest, shoulders, and arms.
- Avoid perfectionism and don’t give up. Results take time. Go easy on yourself and be patient. One day — and one pound — at a time.
–Bob Seay
[Is There a Link Between Eating Disorders and Women with ADHD?]
