Help for the Jekyll and Hyde Dieter

Do you remember Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Dr. Jekyll, a respected physician, spent his days tending the sick and doing good deeds. But in the nighttime, he was transformed into the evil, out-of-control Mr. Hyde. The good and bad sides of Dr. Jekyll’s personality were split asunder, allowing the bad side to run amok.

Many people turn into Jekyll and Hyde when they are dieting. Part of the time, they feel in complete control—just like Dr. Jekyll. They make healthy food choices. They stop eating when full. Chocolate is viewed as a treat—not a matter of life and death. But, seemingly without warning, they morph into Mr. Hyde. There they are eating straight out of the refrigerator, choosing the richest food on the menu, or making a mad dash to the store for a favorite treat.

As was true for Jekyll and Hyde, some people split into the dieter and binger on a daily basis. In the first half of the day, they find it easy to eat sensibly. But around four in the afternoon, Mr. Hyde makes an unwanted appearance. The kind of eating behavior that seemed effortless in the morning seems impossible at the end of the day. One woman said, “I starve for breakfast. Diet at lunch. And binge the rest of the day. If you were to film me from the time I got off work until bedtime, you would think I was trying to gain weight, not lose it.” The net result for her and for many people like her was a steady weight gain. Self-disciplined Dr. Jekyll can rarely make up for the daily visitations of Mr. Hyde.

Other people find that Mr. Hyde takes over during times of stress. When their lives are on an even keel, they can lose or maintain their weight. But when the pressure mounts, their will power shrinks. Gwen has been trying to lose the same 30 pounds for three years. All goes well until stress enters the pictures. The type of stress doesn’t seem to matter. It can be a minor disappointment, a work deadline, an injury, a prolonged visit from relatives, or a spat with her spouse. Whatever the cause, stress triggers compulsive eating.

And then there’s the hormone-induced split personality. Millions of women find that they can eat sensibly during the first half of the menstrual cycle, but clean out the refrigerator during the second. Typically, they lose a few pounds from menses to ovulation and then pile it back pre-menstrually---plus an extra pound or two.

Finally, there’s the woman who greedily devours food only when she’s very hungry. Most of the time she feels in control. But if she lets herself get too hungry, she finds herself standing at the refrigerator, dipping her fingers into the chocolate syrup.

It is not surprising that many Jekyll and Hyde dieters give up entirely. It’s too stressful to keep ricocheting from being in control to frenzied eating; from hope to despair. Over time, those “10 unwanted pounds” can becomes 30 or more, resulting in life-limiting obesity, a fate shared by 30 percent of the adults in this country.

Do you have a secret, out-of-control self? If so, how do you keep her from taking over. First and foremost, acknowledge that the Mr. Hyde side of you has little or no self-control. When those eating urges are upon you, the sensible part of you vanishes. The distant goal of being trim and healthy is overwhelmed by the urgent need to devour.

Second, use Dr. Jekyll to shackle Mr. Hyde. In other words, rely on your rational side to control your compulsive side. How do you do this? Identify those times when you are the weakest. Is it the moment you walk in the door after work? The week before your menstrual cycle? A stretch of cloudy or rainy weather? Times when you are under stress? Moments of intense hunger? All of the above?

Once you've pinpointed your vulnerabilites, take steps to protect yourself in advance. For example, if you tend to binge in the late afternoon, fix a healthy, low-calorie snack earlier in the day. (Suggestions: unbuttered popcorn, a broth-based soup, a salad, an apple or orange, a high-protein bar or drink, jerky, cottage cheese, or yogurt.) Then eat the snack before your gluttonous self takes over.

If you tend to overeat only when you are really hungry, DON”T LET YOURSELF GET REALLY HUNGRY. Always have a healthy snack at hand and eat it at the first sign of genuine hunger. Many women have found salvation simply by keeping a protein bar or apple at the ready.

Do you spend the week before your menstrual period joined at the hip with your refrigerator? Before your symptoms overwhelm you, stock your kitchen with safe, healthy food. Just as important, throw out all the chocolate chip cookies or other foods that trigger an eating binge. Eliminating temptation is a form of self-love.

Stress-induced eating can be moderated in a number of ways in addition to the LEVITY Program. Talk with a friend, treat yourself to a bath or massage. Meditate or do a few yoga poses. Breathe deeply and slowly for five minutes. Write in a journal.

In addition to these time-tested methods, purge your kitchen of the foods you overeat. Even though you've just had a cup of chamomile tea, you still may not choose the salad over the triple cheese pizza.

Will power is fleeting. When you have it, use it.

Copyright 2003 by Jo Robinson