Does Restricting Calories Cause Overeating?
A member emailed:
"Doesn't calorie restricting put the body into starvation mode and set us up for gaining weight and binging? McDougall's plan encourages people to eat as much as you want (of only good things of course). I find that when I restrict, I always think about food and end up caving into a craving."
"Starvation mode" doesn't exist, but you certainly don't want to starve yourself, eat too few calories, or make yourself go hungry. (You can read more about lower calorie limits and the myth of starvation here: Does Starvation Mode Really Exist? Does Calorie Restriction Work for Weight-Loss?)
I love Dr. McDougall. He changed my life! But I'm not sure he has ever been overweight, or been a food addict or overeater ;)
If I overeat, even if it's healthful foods like carrots, I will eventually gain weight. If I'm overeating with carrots instead of cookies, the gain will surely be slower, but it still happens. I find that's true for most of my clients, too.
I'm also an overeater. The act of overeating is the problem for me, not the food. Sure it's better for me that I'm stuffing myself on green beans and not cookies, but at the end of the day, excess is still excess, and eating well beyond what I actually need, and not finding a balance with true hunger or satiety is not optimal.
I also find with most people who tend to overeat like me, overeating often leads to more overeating or binging. (This actually came up in my Overeaters Anonymous group a couple weeks ago). Many people said overeating and stuffing themselves made them binge even more...even way past painful discomfort. Some people said that if they overeat just one meal, they will then overeat at every other meal that week...like it triggered something.
One member explained that once she overeats she gets so mad at herself and depressed that she "punishes" herself by eating more. Someone else remarked that by overeating just once, it makes them want to do it again, or it makes the next meal feel too small or that they are deprived, even though they aren't.
Many others said a single act of overeating discourages them to the point that they "give up" saying "I already messed up, this week is a wash" and spiral outward for several days, until they solemnly swear to try again the following week. Interestingly, one member admitted he enjoyed the feeling of being overstuffed, at least, until the guilt from the overeating set in. He said he often eats to suppress his emotions, and so overeating once is like a high he chases.
Of course there are overeaters in my group who don't have these experiences and have completely different strategies. For example, a member allows herself to eat as much as she wants of three specific foods. Those are "unlimited" and she purposely eats them when she feels like she might drive to the store and get lost in the chocolate aisle. Dr. McDougall's advice seems to be on point for her.
Being hungry has never really lead me to overeat. I do eat too fast if I'm hungry, and consequently, eat more than I should, and I usually grab whatever is quickest (which may not be the healthiest), but hunger has never caused me to overeat per se. It all depends on the person and their unique quirks and habits I suppose!
Of course, it's important you eat enough calories. If you eat too few calories, or not enough satiating foods, you won't feel your best and you'll be hungry--you never want to go hungry. That's why the meal plans only start at 1200 and we add suggestions for increasing the calorie load in a healthful manner for people who needs more than 1200.
We also base the plans around the concept of caloric density -- more food, fewer calories, so you're always satiated, full, and never deprived, even when you're restricting calories for weight-loss.
Hope that helps!