Cheat Meals Associated with Eating Disorders

Table of Content

• What are Eating Disorders

• What are the Types of Eating Disorders?

• Causes of Eating Disorders

• How Eating Disorders are Diagnosed?

• Symptoms of Eating Disorders

• Cheat Meals Associated with Eating Disorders

• What's the Relation Between Eating Disorders and Cheat Meals?

• Are Cheat Meals Important?

• Treatment of Eating Disorders

• Take-Home Points

• FAQ on Cheat Meals Associated with Eating Disorders

What are Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are complex mental health problems that affect one's eating behaviours, thereby affecting physical and emotional health. People affected with eating disorders have an unhealthy relationship with their appearance, weight and food intake. For example, they may eat food to release their anger and frustrations rather than for hunger. This is called emotional eating! 

There are many types of eating disorders and they are usually common meals associated with them. These meals associated with eating disorders are usually called cheat meals. The cheat meals usually are loaded with sugars and calories ( though this may not always be the case). In the article, we would introduce you to the concept of eating disorders and the cheat meals associated with them. 

What are the Types of Eating Disorders?

Before going further into eating disorders, we would like to introduce you to the types of eating disorders. Here are some of the common eating disorders, 

1. Anorexia Nervosa

People with anorexia nervosa starve themselves to the point of exhaustion and dizziness. This behaviour comes from the obsession with reducing weight. People generally think that only obese people have anorexia nervosa but anyone of any size can have it. 

2. Bulimia Nervosa

People suffering from bulimia nervosa eat large amounts of food in a short period and feel guilty for loading themselves with more calories afterwards. This behaviour is usually followed up by rigorous exercises, taking laxatives and vomiting to get rid of the excess calories in the body. 

3. Binge Eating Disorder

This is the same compulsive overeating disorder as bulimia nervosa but here after bingeing people don't purge or burn their calories. They feel an intense amount of guilt, regret and shame. 

Causes of Eating Disorders

The causes of eating disorders can be caused by a combination of genetic, environmental and social factors. In recent terms, mental health has played a very important role in causing food disorders. Many people have started bingeing on foods to distract themselves from difficult emotions. Thus food disorders are more about an individual's emotions than food. 

How Eating Disorders are Diagnosed?

Eating disorders are usually diagnosed by using ChEAT eating disorder assessment. ChEAT can be elaborated as the Children's Eating Attitude Test. Though there are many different methods of diagnosis, this is widely used for diagnosing eating disorders in schools and colleges. The basic concept behind this assessment is that early diagnosis can help in giving timely treatments, thereby avoiding possible psychological and physical conditions. 

Symptoms of Eating Disorders

The notion that all eating disorders show up in people's weight is wrong. The fact is people of any size and shape can have eating disorders. Since eating disorders are difficult to find out, they remain hidden and can get worse over time. If you or your loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, the following symptoms can occur. 

• Thinning hair or hair loss

• Fatigue and tiredness 

• Unexplained weight changes 

• Mood swings

• Hot flashes 

• Heavy sweating

Other than these common symptoms, there are also some behavioural symptoms to look up for. They are, 

• Reservations about dining with groups and wanting to eat alone.

• Withdrawing from group activities.

• Obsession with counting calories.

• Checking body weight almost daily.

• Hiding foods or throwing large amounts of food. 

Cheat Meals Associated with Eating Disorders

Cheat meals are occasionally taken by many people who are observing diets like keto diets, intermittent fasting, veganism and so on. These meals are usually taken for relief from the diet schedule as these foods are otherwise restricted in their diet plan. Mostly, all cheat meals are high-calorie foods that are high in sugar and salt. Some of the common cheat meals are, 

• Pizza

• Cheeseburger

• Burgers

• French fries

• Pancakes

• Nachos

• Tacos

• Macaroni and cheese

What's the Relation Between Eating Disorders and Cheat Meals?

A recent study on Cheat Meals by the University of Toronto discovered that the percentages of eating disorders are high in people who have cheat meals. This research concluded that cheat meals make people slowly wean off from a healthy diet and make them develop unhealthy eating patterns again. 

Are Cheat Meals Important?

Everything can be boiled down to one thing - that is 'discipline'. Though cheat meals can increase your cravings and make you develop unhealthy eating behaviours, they are also proven to be useful if taken in calculated quantities. 

Cheat meals when taken in limited amounts, can boost your metabolism and help your weight loss goals. This is possible because cheat meals are usually loaded with calories and give your body wrong signals (that there are more energy reserves to burn) about the energy that needs to be burnt for metabolism, thereby prompting the body to burn more calories. So cheat meals are not a problem but their frequency decides their consequences on your body. 

You can also try taking healthy cheat meals so that you can enjoy both their taste and also remain steadfast in your diet plan. Some of the healthy cheat meals are,

• Bananas 

• Yoghurt

• Red meats 

• Avocado

• Whole grain bread 

• Fatty fishes 

• Beans 

• Whole milk 

• Nut butter 

• Salad dressings

Treatment of Eating Disorders

There are various treatments for eating disorders depending on your type and needs. Here are some of the common treatments for eating disorders. 

1. Medication

People with eating disorders usually struggle with mental health. So, the treatment of eating disorders also involves the prescription of medicines for depression, anxiety and other conditions. 

2. Psychotherapy

It is a form of psychological therapy aimed at helping you in forming a healthy connection with foods. The treatments usually include changing your thoughts, beliefs and distorted ideas about foods. 

3. Counselling 

Here a dietician or nutritionist would help you in chalking out a plan that reduces your burden while handling eating disorders. 

Take-Home Points

• Eating disorders affect both emotional and physical health.

• Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are common types of eating disorders.

• ChEAT eating disorder assessment helps in the early diagnosis of eating disorders.

• Cheat meals when taken in limited and calculated amounts don't cause any negative consequences.

• Cheat meals examples include high salty foods, sugary foods and dairy foods.

References

• Cheat meals: A benign or ominous variant of binge eating behaviour?

• Characterising cheat meals among a national sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults