Break Up With Binge Eating.
It’s not your fault.
Have you been on a diet before? Were you able to lose the weight but then gain it back again?
Did you try a different diet because this time will be different? How long were you able to stick with it?
Do you feel constantly out of control around food? Do you blame yourself for it?
There are so many diets on the market, all preaching how losing weight will bring you the happiness and satisfaction you are longing for. Diets also preach that if you’re unable to stick with it, it’s your fault. You lack willpower. And when we fail those diets, and 95% of us will fail, we feel this deep sense of shame and failure. Take that shame and add the restriction you’ve been doing from your diet and what do ya get? Overeating. Binging. Emotional eating. Whatever word you want to use, you probably feel out of control around food. There is hope to overcome this struggle, but it takes time. Binge eating therapy in Pennsylvania can help.
The Binge Eating Cycle Often Seen in Binge Eating Therapy
Diet culture preaches food restriction in some form. Short term, this may work. Long-term, not so much. When we restrict it sends a message to our brain that we are entering a period of famine. Let’s go back to cavemen. When there wasn’t enough to eat, their bodies would go into starvation mode in order to survive. This means their metabolism slows down and when they do have access to food, they are going to eat as much as possible to stay alive. This is because they don’t know when they’ll have access to food next. Let’s apply this to the present day. When we engage in any form of food restriction, it sends that same message. It’s not a matter of if you binge, it’s more so of when. And it’s not because you lack willpower, it’s because you’re body is hijacking your brain and triggering a binge in order to stay alive.
Here is the pattern. You binge at night after being “good” on your diet all day. You feel guilty because you binged so you restrict the next morning and afternoon to “make up” for your binge the previous night. You get home and end up binging again. Put this on repeat and there is the binge eating cycle.
Get out of the cycle
Once you are in this cycle, it feels impossible to get out. In order to stop this cycle, there are several things that you can do. The first step is creating more structure around food. That means you need to eat consistently throughout the day. Secondly, you need to eat enough throughout the day. Third, you need to honor your cravings and STOP restricting food
For most people, the 3rd step will be the hardest because you don’t trust yourself around food. You’ve told yourself for years to restrict certain foods. Here’s what will happen if you stop restricting.
You will feel out of control- at first.
When we’ve put limits around food, we typically want it more. However, with time, that urge to follow through with the cravings you had previously when restricted will diminish. Think of it like this. You take a kid to a candy store and tell them they can have whatever they want. At first, they will eat as much as they can until they are sick to their stomach. Imagine doing this daily for a period of time. After a while, there are going to be days when the kid won’t even want any candy. Why? Because they know they have access to it anytime.
Things start to settle down.
This is because you know you have access to whatever you want, you no longer need to inhale the things that are “off-limits.” You’ll be able to keep foods in your house that you previously would never buy. You’ll be able to have a bag of chips and a pint of ice cream in your house that lasts more than one day.
Breaking out of the binge eating cycle will go against your gut feeling of what you should do. However, remind yourself that what you feel like you should be doing is not working either.
It’s hard but life is bigger than food. and you deserve to experience it.
Really freaking hard.
The big question though, is it really worth it?
Hell yes.
Begin Binge Eating Therapy in Pennsylvania With A Skilled Clinician Today!
Binge eating disorders come along with shame, embarrassment, lack of control, and trauma. Breaking up with your binges is a grieving process that you should do with support and guidance. You do not need to go through this alone. Try talking to a therapist who gets it. When working in binge eating therapy with Revive Therapy in Pennsylvania, you will work with Hannah Guy, your online binge eating therapist. When you’re ready to get started, follow these simple steps:
Meet your binge eating therapist, Hannah Guy
Start gaining control and letting go of the shame with food!
Other Services at Revive Therapy
You don’t have to go through disordered eating alone. Get support from someone who has been right where you are and has helped many overcome. If you’re looking for other services at Revive Therapy in Pennsylvania, I offer other services. This includes binge eating therapy, eating disorder treatment, PTSD treatment and trauma therapy, and body image issues. I offer support with EMDR therapy if you’re in need of more specialized support. Get support in a safe space via online therapy in Pennsylvania!