Why Do I Binge?

"If I let myself eat sweets then I'll never stop"

"I just don't have the self-control or the discipline"

The most surprising thing for client's to learn in the early stages of intuitive eating is that binging is not about discipline, or a lack of self-control, or even a "sugar addiction". In fact, binging is the body's natural response to starvation.

"But Sarah I don't looooooooook like I'm starving."

Another myth in the world of diet culture and diet messaging is that we have to fit a very specific size, shape, or number on a scale in order to be undernourished, sick, and stuck. Starvation aka restriction will always, always, always activate your body's biological instinct to survive... aka binge.

A binge does not happen out of no where. We do not just have a thought about cookies and then poof I've eating a whole dozen (although I recognize that maybe right now it does FEEL that way). If we zoom out a bit, we can see that binging is part of a larger cycle that we refer to as the Restrict - Binge Cycle.

Restriction leads to >>> cravings and urges which sets you up for >>> a binging episode which will almost always lead to >>> guilt and shame. The feelings of shame become so strong that we feel the urgency of "getting back on track" which is just more diet message speak for RESTRICTION.

You found yourself binging and feeling out of control with food and at odds with your body even while it was doing it's best to try to keep you fed. That sounds terrifying and confusing! Before you know it, you're back to restriction where you probably feel more safe and in control. The incredible part about this is that your brain doesn't actually know the difference between physical and mental restriction. So all the "I shouldn't have that" or "I can't have this" is actually fueling more restriction. Even the mental restriction will increase your cravings for the food you've labelled as special or off limits.

There is a way towards food freedom and putting an end to the shame. It starts with interrupting this cycle and friend, you don't have to do all that alone.