How to Recover After Binge Eating: Fixing Relationship with Food

Food is definitely one of the guilty pleasures of life that we love to indulge in. No matter what we are doing or where we are, nothing says happiness like a good snack or tasteful meal here and there. However, just like all the positive and negative things in this world, everything has a limit and when that limit is reached, it would be hard to get back on track because problems will most likely arise from left and right. There will always be times in life where we get to the point that we overeat but eating habits can always be managed. In this blog, we will go through the struggle with binge eating, emotional eating, disordered eating, and how to recover from binge eating.

What is Binge Eating? 

Binge-eating disorder is a common eating compulsion that involves uncontrollable eating patterns that consists of overeating large amounts of food. However, it does not involve purging activities such as vomiting and excessive exercise. 

On the other hand, when we talk about binge eating and emotional eating, it just means that eating more than you usually do because you are coping with emotions such as sadness, stress, anger and anxiety, technically negative emotions. This may also be a symptom of binge-eating as well because it covers only one aspect. Binge-eating is known to be an extreme form of emotional eating. 

When you talk about binge-eating compared to disordered eating, disordered eating means a compilation of behaviors that restrict food intake and limit choices that both lead to discomfort, negative emotions such as shame and guilt and, a sense of being out of control.

Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder

Now that we know what binge eating means, the urge to binge eat often can manifest in various symptoms and it may vary based on different factors. Here are some of the symptoms you can keep an eye out for if ever you suspect you, a family member or a loved one has binge-eating disorder:

• Hasty Consumption– people with BED often eat at an accelerated phase leading to the consumption of large portions of food in a short period of time. 
• Eating over your body’s limits– eating continues until the point of physical discomfort.
• Eating without hunger– eating large quantities of food without feeling hunger or just labelling it as bored. This could also mean continuing to eat even after meals.
• Eating in secret- people with BED tend to eat alone because they are embarrassed with the quantity of the food, or they just want to hide their behavior from others. 
• Hoarding food– keeping a secret stash of food in places that no one will look.
• Emotional eating– using food as a way to cope with emotional stress.
• Feeling guilt or shame– these feelings are common, impacting the person’s mental health and esteem.
• Obsessive thoughts regarding food- being preoccupied about intense cravings about food.
• Unsuccessful dieting- consistent and repetitive cycles of dieting without success. 

People with binge eating compulsion experience the feeling of being unhappy while stressing heavily about their overeating, body shape and weight.

Causes of Binging

The real cause of binging may not have a definitive answer yet however, it could happen because of a variety of risk factors such as: 

• Genetics– people who that are in the cycle of binge eating are more sensitive to dopamine, the chemical that is responsible for the feeling of reward and pleasure.
• Gender– the disorder is more common with women compared to men. 3.6% of women in the US experience BED in some point in their life compared to 2.0% of men.  This may happen because of some underlying biological factors. 
• Changes in the brain– people with BED may experience changes in brain structure that result in an increased response to food and minimal self-control. 
• Body size– weight problems may be both a cause and a result of the disorder. Almost 50% of the people who have BED are obese and 25-50% want to undergo weight loss surgery meet the criteria for BED. 
• Body image-people with BED have a very negative perception about their body image. Dieting, overeating and being unsatisfied with your body are all things that could contribute to the development of the disorder. 
• Emotional trauma– events that caused excessive stress or trauma are risk factors. Some examples could be, being bullied due to weight, abuse, death of a family member, or a car accident. 
• Other psychological conditions– a majority or 80% of people have at least one other psychological disorder alongside BED such as phobias, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder. 

I Had a Binge Eating Session, Now What?

Every once in a while, you will find yourself going through binge-eating episodes. Having a healthy relationship with food does not mean you won’t have episodes of binge eating. However, if you take in the factor of binge eating frequency, professional help is a must in order to determine if there should be a diagnosis of an eating disorder or not. But remember, you are just human, you’re not alone.

Don’t beat yourself up for enjoying what life can offer through the flavors of your favorite food. Let’s break the cycle together and create a safer space for everyone to accept their bodies and learn how to take care of them without degrading or over-romanticizing someone else’s. 

How to Reset After Binge Eating

From time to time, whether it is a much-deserved food binge to reward a job well-done or an eat your feelings type of night, bouncing back should always be the next step in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Here are some tips to reset after a binge session and build a healthier relationship with food. 

Be gentle and kind to yourself

Guilt after a binge eating a larger portion of food than you usually do is normal. Do not beat yourself up for it. We are allowed to have bad days. Do not mind the number on the scale in front of you. Listen to your body if you are really hungry or not.

There are ways to address binge eating and tips to help us cope with the stress. Food and eating can also be something we enjoy, not something that makes us feel sick. 

Mindful eating

To practice mindful eating, you should be ready to listen to your body and what it needs. Just because you eat more, you’re eating like you can’t stop. Eating regularly and eating high-protein or just consuming food that will benefit you the most is important to get back to your normal state of mind and live a life free from stress and worry. 

Start exercising

Even as simple as to go for a walk could do a big difference because it is normal to start at something small and work your way up once you are stronger. Exercise is also a great distraction that would help you stay away from the things that trigger excessive worry and fear. Get your body the strength it needs! 

Reach Out for Help

Your thoughts and feelings are valid. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help to anyone that you feel like you can trust whether that is your family, friends or even a mental health professional. 

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment

Recovery from BED is possible. It may be a common disorder, but it can affect a person more than we will ever know until we actually go through it ourselves. Guilt about eating too much or too little is something that almost everyone struggles with. 

The following are the possible options there is to get you back to your normal routine and treat binge eating disorder. 

Psychotherapy (Talk therapy)

This type of treatment allows you to analyze and understand the harmful thoughts and behaviors that are associated with BED and slowly change them. The triggers such as stress that cause BED will also be explored and how this could be managed. This kind of therapy may be in a group setting or a one-on-one setting.

Medication Assisted Treatment

Medications such as anti-depressants and appetite-suppressants could be prescribed as needed. This would be based on each individual need. These medications could be beneficial for those who also experience anxiety or depression with BED. 

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for BED mainly focuses on the interaction of negative thoughts, emotions and binge eating behavior. It implements goal setting, self-monitoring, and developing a more positive outlook to food and self-image.

CBT has two versions available which are therapist-led or guided self-help offering flexibility to the patient on which version they are more comfortable with.  

Dialectical Behavioral Treatment (DBT)

Dialectical Behavioral Treatment for BED focuses on teaching skills on how to manage emotional distress better and improve interpersonal effectiveness. It revolves around being mindful, tolerating distress, regulating emotions and improving relationships. 

Let Us Help You Fix Your Relationship with Food

It takes a lot to recover from binge eating. It is more than just following tips to recover from binge episodes or talking to a registered dietitian to help you get your eating habits back on track.

Improved eating behaviors and regular eating is attainable with the right mindset. There will always be someone to hear your story or someone who is going through the same or similar things as you. 

Overcome the shackles of overindulging and practice intuitive eating with Twilight Recovery.