We all overeat sometimes, whether it’s down to a celebration, special occasion, or just a Thursday night in with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s. For many men, stress from work, late-night TV snacks, or social drinking can make these moments more frequent. But when does it become something more than an oops on your MyFitnessPal record?

Binge eating disorder

The occasional episode of overeating isn’t something you need to worry about. You’re human, food is delicious and tempting, and sometimes despite your best efforts you may find yourself gorging on food.

But overeating can become concerning if it’s something that happens a lot, or if it’s something you find difficult to move on from. Here’s when it rings alarm bells for bing eating disorder (BED):

• If you’re eating a very large amount of food in a short period. How much food constitutes as a binge varies from person to person, and there’s no one answer. But if you’re feeling uncomfortably full after eating, it’s probably too much.
• If you’re feeling out of control. You feel like you can’t stop eating, even though you feel full. This loss of control is often what frustrates men most when trying to manage their weight.
• If you’re finding your overeating distressing. Feelings of shame, guilt and disgust often accompany or follow binging.
• If you’re lying about or hiding your overeating. You might try and downplay your overeating to others, or eat in secret so no one sees you binging. Again, this may be out of feelings of shame, guilt, or embarrassment. Remember, many men experience this silently and it is nothing to be ashamed of.

What causes binge eating disorder?

Binge eating disorder is a serious eating disorder that can cause real mental health problems. Like other eating disorders, it’s not known what causes binge eating disorder, but a combination of things is thought to make it more likely.

These include a family history of eating disorders or depression, factors like low self-esteem, anxiety, previous trauma, and other mental health conditions. Extremely restrictive dieting can also contribute to binge eating disorder, especially if you’re putting yourself under a lot of pressure to lose weight. Something to note – trying extreme “quick fix” diets or cutting out entire food groups can backfire and trigger binge episodes.

When to seek help

If you’re reading this and you recognise yourself in the descriptions above, don’t hesitate to get help. See your GP ASAP, as they can refer you to eating disorder support services. Treatment typically includes a combination of therapy and self-guided programmes.

If you’re concerned about your overeating but you don’t think it’s progressed to being a problem yet, you might want to try a few self-help resources to get your relationship with food under control. Here are some that come highly recommended:

• Log your meals: Using the MAN v FAT digital tracker or one of our approved partner apps like Nutracheck to spot patterns in your binges.
• Healthier Snacks: Keep these visible and easy to grab instead of high-calorie foods.

• Try the BLAST technique when cravings hit: Breathe, Leave the room, Activate a distraction, Snack mindfully, Talk to a friend.
• Book: Overcoming Binge Eating: The Proven Program to Learn Why You Binge and How You Can Stop by Christopher G. Fairburn. This book is included in the NHS’ so-called ‘bibliotherapy’, and is often used within binge eating disorder services.
• Book: Crave by Cynthia M. Bulik.
• Book: Never Binge Again by Glenn Livingstone. This book is available for free for Kindle, and is backed up by various worksheets on the author’s website.
• Book: Getting Better Bite by Bite: A Survival Kit for Sufferers of Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorders by Ulrike Schmidt, Janet Treasure and June Alexander.
• Book: The DBT Solution for Emotional Eating: A Proven Program to Break the Cycle of Bingeing and Out-of-Control Eating by Debra L.Safer, Sarah Adler and Phillip C. Masson
• Online resource: Beat offers a one-to-one web chat, plus an online support group called Nightingale, specifically for people struggling with binge eating disorder.
• Podcast: Brain Over Binge
• Support group: Overeaters Anonymous Great Britain have groups across the country, and they also offer online and phone-based support groups.

If you want extra support, join the MAN v FAT community Facebook page, share your experience, and connect with men who understand exactly what you’re going through. Taking that step can be the first move to regaining control over your eating.