Break the Cycle and Recover from Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States, affecting an estimated 2.8 million adults. Yet despite being one of the most prevalent eating disorders, it is often the most misunderstood, medically and culturally.

To recover from binge eating disorder, it’s important to understand the warning signs and symptoms, so you or your loved one can receive proper treatment. Less than half of those diagnosed with binge eating disorder will seek help as a result of shame, access to care, and medical weight stigma.

What is binge eating disorder?

Binge eating disorder is defined as recurring episodes of eating large amounts of food in a short period of time. Many people describe feeling completely out of control during a binge, powerless to slow down or stop. As a result, binge eating often leads to eating rapidly, eating until uncomfortably full or sick feeling, and eating when not physically hungry.

Binge eating differs from other eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia in that other compensatory behaviors, like purging, is not present. Binge eating differs from emotional eating or overeating in that binge episodes occur at least once per week for three months. 

Not everyone who binges or overeats has binge eating disorder. Overeating, sometimes even to the point of feeling sick, can occur at any time for anybody without the chronic psychological stress that accompanies binge eating disorder.

Why do people binge?

Binge eating is often a direct response to restricted eating, which is all-too-common in a culture that celebrates dieting and weight loss. When eating a restrictive diet, the body becomes starved for energy and nutrients, ultimately altering one’s thoughts and behaviors around food and creating an intense drive to overeat. We call this the binge-restrict cycle.

The binge-restrict cycle is further perpetuated by guilt and shame. Following a binge, those with binge eating disorder tend to feel ashamed of their eating behaviors, wishing they could “get their eating under control.” The desire to control their binges results in further attempts to restrict their eating, which tends to lead back to bingeing.

Other times, binge eating can be fueled by stress or emotional eating. Many people with binge eating use food as a maladaptive coping skill to seek comfort or safety in times of distress. It is common for binge eating to co-occur with other mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, and PTSD.

What causes binge eating disorder?

There is no one cause of binge eating disorder. Instead, there are several environmental, psychological, and physical factors that put someone at risk. You are more likely to develop binge eating disorder if you:

• Have a family history of eating disorders or other mental illness
• Grew up around family that frequently dieted
• Have a history of trauma or abuse
• Experienced food insecurity
• Grew up in a home with little emotional support
• Were teased or bullied about your weight as a child
• Were put on diets or engaged in dieting at a young age
• Struggle with substance abuse or addiction
• Struggle with low self esteem or self worth
• Have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, or other mental illness

Many people who struggle with binge eating are misdiagnosed as simply being a “mindless” or “emotional” eater. Those with binge eating disorder in larger bodies are often told to go on a diet to manage their eating and lose weight, which often exacerbates the binge-restrict cycle and incites more guilt and shame.

Signs and symptoms of binge eating disorder

You cannot tell whether or not someone has binge eating disorder just by looking at them. Although binge eating disorder is more common among women in their early adulthood, men and women of all ages, sizes, and socioeconomic backgrounds can struggle with binge eating.

Changes in food thoughts and behaviors:

• Feeling preoccupied by thoughts of food
• Secret eating and hoarding food
• Avoiding social eating and eating alone
• Eating large amounts of food in a short amount of time
• Eating more quickly than usual
• Eating despite not feeling hungry
• Prolonged periods of fasting followed by overeating
• Scheduling times to binge eat in private
• Intense feelings of guilt, shame, embarrassment, or disgust following binges

Changes in body image thoughts and behaviors:

• Feeling preoccupied by your reflection in mirrors
• Perceiving yourself as much larger than you are
• Body checking or pinching/pulling on different parts of your body
• Weighing yourself multiple times a day or week
• Obsessively checking for changes on your body
• Social withdrawal and isolation
• Poor self esteem and self worth

Changes in physical health or appearance:

• Constipation or diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Weight fluctuations

Recover from binge eating disorder with nutrition therapy

Addressing disordered eating patterns

In order to correct the restrict-binge cycle, it’s important to follow a meal plan that emphasizes eating regular, adequate meals throughout the day. When the body is consistently and adequately fueled with the appropriate balance of nutrients, physical and mental stress around eating is drastically reduced.

Your meal plan may have you eating every few hours, with a total of 3 meals and 2-3 snacks. It’s important not to go too long without eating so you never get overly hungry. Meals and snacks will include foods that contain carbohydrates, protein, fats, and fiber so you stay nourished and satisfied.

Everyone’s body is different. You may need more food than you think to fuel yourself appropriately, even if you are in a larger body and believe you need to lose weight. Working with a dietitian to recover from binge eating can help ensure you are eating the right foods in the right amounts to support your body and your activity levels. 

Making peace with food

Binges are often accompanied by intense guilt and shame surrounding the amounts and types of foods eaten. A key part of recovery from binge eating is making peace with food and dispeling guilt that is associated with eating. You will learn in recovery that there are no “good” or “bad” foods, and that all food is morally neutral– even fun foods like chips, cookies, and pizza!

Mindful and intuitive eating

As binge eating treatment progresses, you may graduate to a more intuitive eating pattern. When eating intuitively, you will learn how to recognize your hunger and fullness cues and allow them to guide your food choices. Even when eating intuitively, it will be important to be intentional about eating enough so as not to perpetuate the restrict-binge cycle.

Mindfulness practices can also benefit your binge eating recovery. Mindful eating involves being present and grounded throughout your meal so you can experience and derive satisfaction from the sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel of your food. Mindful eating also encourages the eater to explore their thoughts and emotions around food and eating, focusing on pleasure and gratitude, not guilt and shame.

Understanding triggers and cravings

To recover from binge eating, it’s also important to understand your binge triggers. For many people with binge eating disorder, emotional triggers can signal a binge. This is why it is important to work with a therapist on identifying and processing your emotions without the use of maladaptive coping skills. 

Many people wrongly believe that not keeping “trigger foods” in their home will resolve their bingeing episodes. In reality, this tends to make bingeing worse in the long run. Your dietitian can guide you through the process of exposure and habituation of your “trigger foods” so you no longer feel the need to limit or restrict them.

Finding the right support

Levels of care

Determining the right level of care is crucial to recover from binge eating disorder. Depending on the severity and the frequency of your binge episodes, you may be appropriate for a higher level of care, like residential, partial hospitalization, or intensive outpatient. Outpatient level support, like what our dietitians offer here at RBA, is appropriate for someone who is capable of following a meal plan with weekly support and shows motivation to recover.

Building a support system

Your treatment team to recover from binge eating disorder can include your primary care provider, a dietitian, a therapist, and a psychiatrist. You may recruit friends and family as well who can help you prepare meals, offer support at meal times, and hold you accountable to your recovery goals.

Helping a loved one recover from binge eating disorder

The first and best thing you can do to help your loved one recover from binge eating disorder is educate yourself about their condition. Binge eating disorder is not “just overeating” nor is it a “lack of willpower.” Like other eating disorders, binge eating is a serious health condition that can impact someone’s physical and mental health.

Here are some ways you can support your loved one as they recover:

• Prep balanced meals ahead of mealtime
• Sit down and eat meals, snacks, and desserts together
• Keep conversations positive and not about food at meals
• Avoid talking about foods as “good” or “bad”
• Do not hide or lock up food
• Keep a variety of foods available in the house at all times
• Do not engage in dieting or weight loss
• Keep talk about body image and weight neutral
• Remove all the scales from the house
• Encourage them to share their feelings in a safe space

Next steps

If you are ready to recover from binge eating disorder, or to help a loved one recover from binge eating disorder, reach out to one of our expert eating disorder dietitians today. Early intervention is key– those who get help sooner rather than later have better treatment outcomes. We can help you end the restrict-binge cycle, nourish your body, and heal your relationship with food for good.