Emotional & Binge Eating Help

So you’re going along your day, everything is fine and dandy, then it hits you. That urge, that craving, that NEED to eat that you just can’t say NO to.

From that moment on you can’t think of anything else but scouring the cabinets.

If binge or emotional eating has ever been a thing for you, I bet you know what I’m talking about. But have you ever wondered where those nasty binge urges come from, and why they’re almost impossible to resist?

Because after all, you’ve been down this road before. Your rational mind knows what’s going to happen if you give in to the binge again…

You’ll end up feeling tired, bloated, and guilty. Saying yes to that food frenzy never ends well, and you know it. But against your better judgment, you can’t say no.

This was a way of life for me for over a decade. I’ve lived under the power of binges, and it’s no way to spend your precious time.

If this sounds all too familiar to you, stay tuned!

I’m going to show you why those urges to binge feel like trying to stop a tidal wave.

You’ll learn why they happen, why it’s not your fault, and how to finally be free of them.

Read on and we’ll get to the bottom of binge eating triggers once and for all!

When it comes to urges to binge, it all truly comes down to one thing–your brain.

Sure, there is an emotional component to binge eating. But those overpowering, compulsive urges are, as they say, “all in your head.”

Now, I’m not saying you’re making these urges up, nor am I saying that you’re crazy. NOT at all. Let me explain what I mean by this, with the help of my lovely pet kitty!

I recently moved into a new home along with my cat. Ever since we arrived, my sweet kitty has been on edge. Every bump in the night or random noise sends her into a frenzy. She’s far more agitated than usual (even for a cat!).

In human terms, she’s in an unfamiliar situation, and it’s triggering a “fight or flight” response. The part of her brain that is wired for survival is on full alert.

This primal, survival-oriented part of the brain is powerful in animals. Needless to say, when I try to comfort her and reassure her that she’s safe in our new home, it doesn’t work well. I can’t reason with that survival oriented urge.

Humans and animals both have this primal, survival-oriented part of the brain. But one thing we have that our pets don’t is the rational thinking part of the brain.

Humans have a large frontal brain. It’s the place where you store your goals, your dreams, and your love for yourself and others. It’s where you find the rational, empowered version of yourself. In other words, it’s your “grownup” brain.

So what do my cat and your logical brain have to do with uncontrollable binge urges?

You have that empowered, rational brain in the frontal space. But like my kitty, we’ve also got the survival-mode brain. It’s the part of your brain that ensures you get plenty of food, shelter, water–everything you need to stay alive.

That primal area can be triggered if it perceives a threat to your safety. One of those threats it picks up on is a shortage of food.

If your survival-oriented brain thinks that food is scarce (whether it really is or not) it sounds the alarm bells. It’ll trigger you into what we call “survival mode.” From there, it drives you to do one thing–EAT.

Here’s the interesting part. One of the biggest food-shortage brain triggers out there is good old-fashioned dieting. Restricting or controlling what you eat makes your survival brain think that food must be in short supply, so you better grab as much as you can NOW.

For that matter, food deprivation of any kind can trick your primal brain into action, too, whether you’re on a “diet” or not. Sometimes even restrictive, dieting-like thoughts (like mentally counting calories) can set off the food-shortage panic!

So you restrict your food. Your survival mode brain perceives a food shortage. It thinks you might have to starve yourself next, so it does the only thing it knows how to do– it triggers you to binge right now.

What do you think happens next?

Over time, your brain forms automatic patterns, with binging as your go-to response. The more you repeat this pattern, the more established it becomes.

Before you know it, binge urges and giving in to those urges becomes regular.

Now, let’s get back to your higher-thinking brain for a minute.

Urges to scour the cabinets or raid the refrigerator come from your survival brain. They don’t arise from your rational-thinking, higher-level brain.

Now, you might think that the empowered, reasonable part of your brain could easily override your primal brain. Surely your rational brain can recognize binge triggers for the tripwire they are, and convince your primal brain not to go there when urges hit you. Seems logical, right?

BUT, this rational-thinking part of your brain actually can’t talk your survival brain down from the ledge very well. That’s why trying to rationalize your way out of an urge to binge works about as well as trying to reason with my cat!

Not that I’m comparing your brain to a cat, necessarily! But I’m sure you see the analogy I’m making here. Try as it might, your rational brain can’t reason very well with your hardwired survival instincts.

Some people say the battle between the rational and survival brain feels like an “angel and devil” thing. On one shoulder there’s the angel trying to convince you NOT to give in to urges. On the other is the devil, prodding to eat like there’s no tomorrow.

It’s an interesting analogy, but it’s not exactly the truth…

Binge urges are not the “devil.” Your survival-oriented brain is not evil, and it’s not attempting to hurt you by driving you to eat.

The truth is that your survival-oriented brain is trying to help you. It has ONE job–to keep you alive. But sometimes it does that job a little too well. Sometimes it’s strategies to keep you safe morph into destructive mental patterns, like binge eating.

But know this. Your survival brain isn’t out to get you.. It’s not this demon that intentionally torments you by pushing you to overeat.

For that matter, binge patterns are NOT a disease that you’re destined to battle for the rest of your life. They don’t mean you’re broken, flawed, or beyond hope. These patterns CAN be broken, no matter how long you’ve had them or how powerful your binge urges are.

And the news here gets even better…

With the right steps and the right system, you can not only stop fighting binge urges but actually eliminate them. (Really!)

There are several steps to this process…

One step is ensuring that you eat enough food to meet your body’s needs, so your survival brain doesn’t panic. Another is learning to manage your emotions rather than push them down with food. Yet another is replacing unsupportive habits with empowering ones.

Of course, it’s not an overnight thing. Take it one step at a time, and it’s important to follow the steps in the right order. You need the right system, plus the guidance to make it work for you.

But when you’ve got the right support and the right system, magic starts to happen!

So how do you begin? I’ve created something special that will help you start using everything you’ve learned here in a powerful way. It’s a special training that I know you’re going to LOVE!

It’ll help you get a grip on those binge urges the right way, and set yourself up for the ultimate food freedom. We’ll go deeper into why these urges happen, and what you can do to take back your power over them once and for all.

Click the link below and get access to everything you need to start on your journey to Food Freedom Forever!

Now, once you’ve got that training, leave me a comment and tell me what you think about all this…

Have you ever been hit by those uncontrolled binge urges, and how did my explanation here land with you?

Leave me a comment, share your thoughts, and let me know how my team and I can support you!

I remember when I first came across the term “Binge Eating”. It was years ago while the word “binge” wasn’t even a thing.

I’d been desperately Googling for answers. I typed in searches like “I can’t stop eating,” and “how to control cravings.” Then I stumbled across something called “binge eating disorder” in my search.

I was like, What the hell is that?! Honestly, I was shocked to find out that this was even a thing.

So of course I clicked on the results. Then I read through the list of signs and symptoms of this “binge eating disorder” thing. With every single indicator on the list, I kept saying, “this is me.”

It was the very first time I felt like there was someone out there who might get what I was going through. For the first time in my life, I felt understood. That was the plus side.

But the flip side? Tremendous amount of fear followed. My mind was overflowing with doomsday thoughts such as…

Do I have an eating disorder? Am I gonna have to go to treatment? Does this mean there’s something wrong with me? What do I do now? Is there a way out?!

This “binge eating disorder” thing was an unsettling discovery, on the one hand.

But finding out about it did send me on a journey to find some real answers for myself.

And find them, I DID. But the answers weren’t quite what I was expecting, either….

Today, I’m sharing my binge eating discoveries with you. I’m doing this not only so you can get clearer about where you stand, but also move toward food freedom for yourself!

Disclaimer: I’m not here to make a medical diagnosis. I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on the internet. But I have had a lot of experience in the binge eating space. I’ve healed my struggle, and have helped thousands of women heal themselves, too.

I’m here to help you eliminate some of the confusion around binge eating. I want to help you become more aware of your current body-food relationship, so you can take the steps to break FREE.

Watch the video below I reveal how to know if you’re actually binge eating. We’ll get into what binge eating is, and how to know if you’re in eating disorder territory (or not). I’ll break down the definitions, then I’ll show you a step-by-step way to break free from your struggle with food for good.

Now, before we start, l want you to know one important thing. No matter where you fall in the binge eating disorder categories, you are not broken.

Even if you read this and end up convinced that you’re a binge eater, don’t worry. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you. It doesn’t mean you’re destined to struggle with food forever, either.

So with that in mind, let’s get down to what binge eating is all about.

There is a lot of clinical criteria to officially diagnose Binge Eating Disorder. One of them is that to be true “binge eating,” you have to consume a certain large amount of food, and several times per week.

For this blog, I’m not talking about medical diagnosis. To me, it’s not the criteria you check off it’s the feeling and energy behind you eating that determines a binge.

“Binging,” by our definition, implies a compulsive feeling. It’s that trigger that sets you off, and once you start, it takes over. It’s a feeling that you’re not in control anymore, and some unknown force is making you eat uncontrollably.

I’m not talking about a momentary desire for a piece of chocolate, a cookie, or a pizza night. This is wanting a special treat, and allowing yourself to have it.

Wanting, say, a burger, ordering it, and eating every bite because it was tasty? That might be a bit of overeating, but it’s not binge eating.

What would be binge eating, by our definition?

A binge is driven by a compulsion. It’s an aggressive urge in your mind for that said burger. As in you have to have it NOW, and you most likely consume it ravenously when you get it.

Binge eating is eating with such ferocity that you lose touch with your body. It’s almost an unconscious thing. It feels like you’re eating from a place of compulsion instead of conscious enjoyment.

Then when it’s over, you don’t feel full or satiated. There’s no warm-bellied, satisfied feeling, just the desire to keep eating.

You might even feel this drive for more food, whether you’re hungry or not.

This is getting into binge territory.

So where do these compulsive urges come from?

For some people, compulsive urges stem from emotions and traumas. For others, they’re simply the body’s response to some sort of deprivation.

What constitutes “deprivation” here?

Think of things like strict dieting. Or thinking like a dieter, doing things like obsessively counting calories. Even circumstantial food restrictions (like being in quarantine, for instance) can trigger binges.

Once these restrictive actions start, they keep going. From there, your brain and body create binge eating patterns. Then those patterns keep repeating–and losing control with food becomes a regular thing.

Regardless of the reason, binge patterns are easy to establish. They sometimes happen before you know what hit you, too.

But here’s the most important part. Having these behavioral patterns does NOT mean that you have a disease. It doesn’t mean that you’re broken. It also doesn’t mean that you’re destined to struggle with food until the end of time.

All it means is that somewhere along the way, you started binging, and kept binging. And your body and brain made it easy for you to continue.

So if you discover that you’re leaning toward binging (or are already there), what do you do about it? Here’s what I have to say on that…

Traditional eating disorder therapy does have some beautiful aspects. If you feel like this kind of treatment would help you, then consider it. I’m not here to knock traditional therapy.

And I will ALSO say this…

In my experience, most mainstream methods are a little on the old-school side. They teach some outdated ideas, like binge eating disorder is a disease. A disease that you’ll only be able to manage, but something that will never go away.

I can tell you for certain that this is NOT true. Through my personal journey, and the thousands of women that we’ve helped, I know that binge eating CAN go away.

Now, it’s not necessarily easy. It’s definitely a challenge to heal yourself on your own. For best results, you need support, guidance, and a proven step-by-step system. A system that takes you from where you are to where you want to be, and in the most effective order.

If those binge urges feel compulsive and out of control for you, there IS hope. If you feel like there’s something inside that is driving you to eat but you can’t quite put your finger on it, we can help!

You don’t have to struggle anymore. We are here for you! Right now, we have a special opportunity for you to get a little personalized help, too.

My coaching director and I have opened up our calendars for a host of FREE 1:1 calls. So if you don’t know what your next step is and you’re ready to get some real help, grab a spot while they’re still available!

Here’s what you’ll get…

This call will give you clarity on where you are now. We’ll help you uncover why you’re struggling, and give you a personalized plan to stop that struggle.

We’ll help you determine your next best steps, whether that be working with us or something else altogether.

These spots are going quickly, so get on this one fast! Check out the calendar and book your call TODAY by clicking the image below!

So just a reminder. You are NOT broken. You are not going to struggle forever with this. I promise, you have everything you need to get to the other side of this. You just might need a little help. That’s where we come in!

Check out the calendar and book your call while they’re still available. We can’t wait to help you get on the path to Food Freedom Forever!

I believe in you, I’m sending lots of love, and we’ll see you on the next post!

I’m here today with a BIG confession that might shock you. So here goes…

I still emotionally eat.

Yes, you read that correctly

Emotional eating is still a part of my life, even after beating binge eating. BUT… it’s not the kind of “emotional eating” that you think it is.

I’ve got a bold statement for you that is VERY contrary to popular opinion: emotional eating isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Believe me, I get why you might think I’m crazy for even saying this. After all, I know how devastating it can be to stuff down your feelings with food.

As you already know I was on an emotional and physical rollercoaster with food for over a decade. Emotional eating, as most of us know it, RULED MY LIFE.

Things are highly different for me now.

These days I have a free, easy, and fulfilling relationship with food. Believe it or not, that relationship includes what some might call emotional eating.

I’m sure you’re wondering how can anyone find food freedom and still emotionally eat.

Isn’t that whole “eating your feelings” thing exactly what keeps you stuck in binge eating misery?

NOT necessarily

The key is knowing that there is more than one way that emotions affect your appetite.

One way supports you, the other keeps you stuck in a place where food wreaks havoc on your life.

Watch the video below to find out why everything you’ve ever heard about emotional eating isn’t entirely correct–AND how to use this information to change how you relate to food!

You’ll learn the difference between the two types of emotional eating.

Then I’ll show you how to free yourself from the not-so-good version of it once and for ALL — and put the supportive version to work for you!

Ready? Let’s talk about how to use your emotions to create an amazing relationship with food rather than a miserable one…

As of this writing, the Coronavirus pandemic is still in effect. I’m guessing that you’ve got a lot on your mind now, as we all do. We’re stressed out, anxious, overwhelmed, even bored. All these intense emotions could drive anyone to the cabinets in search of a break.

So “emotional eating” is a thing for a lot of us right now and I get it. It is even worse if the struggle with food has ever been a thing for you.

Binging to bury my feelings was once a WAY of life for me. I battled it for over a decade, from my mid-teens to my mid-20s, and let me tell you–it wasn’t pretty and it honestly felt like I was always in a battle with myself.

All those years, I tried every diet there was, hoping they would put an end to those painful cravings and binges. But all dieting did was pour fuel on the binge eating fire.

Then I began to wonder if my uncontrolled binging was a purely emotional thing. Maybe I binged because I was an emotional wreck, and needed a ton of inner healing to make it stop. So off I went to therapy…

After diving head first into traditional therapy, I quickly learned two things. First, inner healing and emotional work does help. BUT second, it also doesn’t take you all the way to food freedom, either.

During this time, I also discovered that I had a preconceived belief that ANY eating based on emotions was a BAD thing. Period.

I believed that if I EVER chose food based on emotions instead of just hunger, there was something wrong with me. Surely it had to mean that I was an emotional eater, and I needed more inner healing and therapy before I’d be free, right?

Turns out that I wasn’t seeing the entire picture about food and feelings.

What did I ultimately discover about food and emotions you ask?

I learned that there’s a difference between supportive emotional eating and unsupportive emotional eating. One is energizing and grounding. The other is draining and exhausting.

Let me break them both down here for you:

Unsupportive emotional eating means numbing out your emotions with food. It’s grabbing a snack when the stress, sadness, fear, or anxiety is too much. It’s disconnected, unconscious, and reactive. We’re talking about things like grabbing a cookie when you’re emotionally triggered. Or numbing out in front of the TV with a bag of chips so you forget your troubles.

This is the default definition. But there IS a second option, and here it is:

Supportive emotional eating is different. It’s based on connecting to your body. It’s checking in with yourself and determining how you want to feel. Then, it’s about making a food choice that supports the emotions you want to feel.

Want a clear picture of the difference between the two?

Let’s look at a few examples so you know what I mean, starting with one from my own life.

One morning a while back, I woke up feeling groggy, exhausted, and way out of sorts. I needed to lift my spirits and energize my body (and fast!). I knew that to feel the way I wanted to feel, I needed something green and energizing, like a raw food filled smoothie. Something that would make me feel energized, grounded, and human again.

Technically speaking, I made an emotional decision about what to eat. If you called that “emotional eating,” you’d be right! But this kind of emotional eating is healthy and supportive. It comes from a place of connection instead of compulsion.

So what might supportive emotional eating look like for you? Here’s another example:

Say you’re out with your friends for a fun dinner. Before you order, you decide to check in with yourself, and decide what you want from this dining out experience. There are a few different ways this scenario could go…

Maybe you know you’ve got a crazy schedule the next day. So with this in mind, you choose a meal that will leave you feeling energized not only now, but for the next day too.

Then again, you might just want to enjoy time with your friends, have some of your favorite food, and chill out. In this case, you choose to order those tacos or have a margarita–and allow yourself to enjoy every moment of it. Because connection and fun are your main objectives.

BOTH decisions are emotionally-based. But they’re based on the emotions that you want to feel, not the emotions that you want to squelch. You’re staying connected to your body. You’re making a choice based on what you do want, not what you don’t.

Here’s the bottom line:

Supportive emotional eating is about the experience you want to have, both during and after the meal. It’s a choice you make from a place of connection to the moment, and consideration for the future.

Unsupportive emotional eating is disconnected. It’s automatic and habitual. There’s no connection, no presence, and no honoring yourself. (Definitely no thought of the food hangover that might happen as a result!)

These are two different worlds, both rooted in emotion. But one is way more conducive to a happy relationship with your body and your food.

So what’s the secret to making the most of supportive emotional eating in your life?

Before you make ANY food choice, check in with yourself FIRST. It doesn’t matter where you are. You could be at home on quarantine, back at work, or out for a post-lockdown celebration dinner with friends. Know how you want to feel, and choose your food to support those feelings.

Connect with yourself, and figure out what you want, both physically and emotionally. Then make a food choice that will support how you want to feel, both now and in the immediate future.

Sure, circumstances aren’t always perfect. You might not always have all the food options in the world (especially in the quarantined world!). That’s OK. Just do your best with what you have. This way, food becomes your friend rather than your scapegoat.

That is emotional eating at its finest!

After seeing the difference between the two, I bet it’s easy to see why emotional eating might not be so bad after all! The main key is distinguishing between the two types, staying connected to yourself, and making the most supportive food choice you can in every moment.

I made you a FREE 20-minute training that will show you how to stop overeating while stuck at home. Click the link below and get this training now! You’ll learn how to recognize unsupportive emotional eating. Then you’ll learn how to shift to a space of supportive food choices based on how you want to feel.

You’ll learn tips and tricks that will support you in these times, AND that you can take with you for the rest of your life. It’s a huge win-win!

So grab that training and learn how to take back your power with food while on lockdown and beyond! Get instant access at the link below.

Until next time, stay safe, stay strong, and be well, and we’ll see you in the next post!