ADHD – World Champion of Yo-Yo Dieting
Being a woman living with ADHD often means struggling with food, weight and a cycle of yo-yo dieting. Many women swing between restricting their eating and overindulging, making it hard to find balance. In this post we dive into the unique challenges ADHD presents with food. You’ll get practical tips for to escape from unhealthy habits.
So, this thing with ADHD, food and weight!
You either stick to your diet so strictly that you barely eat anything. Or you just give up and eat whatever you feel like.
You first gain a lot of weight and feel awful about yourself. And then go back to eating less and working out like crazy.
It’s common to bounce between:
being obsessed with counting calories, which leads to losing weight, and
being obsessed with food, which makes the weight pile back on.
It’s not unusual for women with ADHD to swing 60-80 pounds up and down within a year. Or, to go from being a couch potato one week to a manic fitness enthusiast the next.
Maybe it feels impossible to stick to a “normal” portion. Or you’re always hungry after what’s supposed to be a regular meal. This means you either have to walk around hungry all the time or constantly overeat.
Basically, finding some kind of balance seems impossible.
A Struggle Many with ADHD Face
Maybe you thought you’d grow out of your disordered eating?
Maybe you keep falling back into this yo-yo dieting that feels both undignified and unhealthy.
It’s deeply unfair, I know!
But it’s something that people with ADHD often just have to deal with.
Having a complicated relationship with food and struggling to establish healthy eating habits is, unfortunately, more the rule than the exception for women with ADHD of all ages.
Maybe you’ve already tried everything to get a handle on your persistent hunger, problematic body image, or your constant yo-yo dieting.
So, is there a way forward where your life isn’t just a parade of yo-yo dieting and unhealthy thoughts about food?
Yes, we think so!
Here are some basic tips about ADHD and food that are good to know, along with some practical advice:
Routines, Routines and Routines!
An “all-or-nothing” approach to eating throws your body between starvation and stress, making your brain focus on food for survival. For both your body and brain to feel secure in getting essential nutrition, they need to know they’ll receive energy regularly.
Otherwise, your body will grab nutrients when it can. In the meantime, your brain will fill with thoughts about food and sweets.
Can you use the same determination you have during periods of self-starvation to create routines and stick to them, even if you feel hungry after a meal?
Can you fight the impulse not to adjust portions if you overeat once?
Give yourself a month to test sticking to a routine focused on moderation.
The hardest thing with ADHD, we know. Remember, every meal is a new chance to start fresh.
Don’t look back, only forward!
Chew, Chew and Chew!
Many ADHD: ers eat too quickly. And have lost touch with hunger and satiety cues.
A good trick is to chew each bite well until there are no solid bits left in your mouth.
This gives your brain the chance to recalibrate hunger and fullness signals by registering all the nutrients and calories you’re taking in.
It won’t happen overnight. But in the long run, this method helps stabilize both your appetite and weight.
Plan, Plan, and Plan!
If your ADHD brain works like many others and you struggle to control your reward system. Then it’s smart to stay one step ahead with hunger and meals. You don’t want to end up too hungry or too full.
Plan snacks between larger meals and avoid eating until you’re stuffed.
Your brain will quickly understand it will get food soon, even if it’s not 100% full. The goal is to eat until you feel about 70% full.
If you’ve worked out, it’s a good idea to add a little extra. But exercise shouldn’t be about counting calories; it should be about body balance and health.
Don’t forget to bring healthy snacks so you’re not overpowered by sugar cravings when your blood sugar drops between meals.
Balance Yourself with Mindfulness!
A lot of the disordered eating that many with ADHD describe comes from discomfort with interpreting the body’s signals. With ADHD, it’s often harder to tolerate temporary discomfort so you might eat because you feel uneasy, restless or lost.
Try grounding yourself when you feel overwhelmed by hunger.
Though these feelings are tough, they’re what we need to practice to find our body’s balance.
Focus on how your feet feel on the ground, your arms in the air, or the breeze on your skin.
Try starting your day with a short mindfulness exercise to calibrate your body. Why not make it a habit?!
Try a “Mindfulness Meal,” where you pay attention to how it feels to eat. Get curious about how the food looks, smells, and feels in your mouth.
Follow the food’s journey from the plate to your stomach and be present as you chew and swallow. This helps your brain and body connect, regulate appetite and gradually eat healthier.
Keep Track of Your Medications!
Some medications used for conditions related to ADHD, like anxiety and depression, can increase hunger and weight gain. On the other hand, stimulant medications for ADHD often reduce appetite and can help stabilize weight.
Many people feel ashamed of their lifelong weight struggles and don’t think binge eating or yo-yo dieting is something a grown, intelligent woman should deal with. This can lead to missing the chance to talk to your healthcare provider.
But we promise, your doctor or nurse has heard this before.
So, take the opportunity to discuss different strategies related to your treatment.
Medication alone can’t solve the complex issues of appetite and ADHD. But it can be an important factor in your journey to control and quality of life.
Best of luck on your food journey ahead! We’re with you all the way! 🙌💪
Remember, in the knowledge bank MindHub in the app, there are more life hacks you can try out!
Lotta Borg Skoglund
MD PhD & Letterlife Co-founder
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