I've gained three stone on nightly binges

I've gained three stone on nightly binges

Dear Coleen,

My weight has gone up and down over the years because I binge-eat when I’m stressed.

I’ve gained three stone in the past year and am miserable. But I can’t snap out of it.

If I’ve had a bad day I come home and eat slices of cheese on toast or a family-size box of chocolates while making dinner.

I live on my own and I want to meet somebody. I eat to cheer myself up, but I feel so bad about my weight I don’t have the confidence to get out there. Please help me.

Coleen says..

This is a vicious circle and I’ve been there myself. It’s hard when you’re on your own.

When the house is empty I tend to eat more out of boredom or for comfort.

I know how hard it is when the more you think about dieting, the more you want to eat.

So you binge and you think you’ll diet tomorrow but tomorrow never comes.

But it has reached the stage where it is making you incre dibly unhappy.

If you can’t lose weight on your own, why not join a slimming club?

It’s a great way to meet people and it will get you out of the house.

It’s amazing how quickly the first stone comes off and this motivates you to keep losing weight.

If you don’t fancy a club, try a Wii Fit or a fitness DVD to do a couple of nights a week and go for a brisk walk every day.

Dump the junk food because it will make you feel more depressed.

Studies show that bingeing on sugary foods temporarily raises serotonin (the feel-good hormone), but then causes it to crash.

Think of your future health, too.

You don’t want to be writing to me again when you’ve gained another three stone.