Top 6 Binge Eating Myths

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Myth: Binge Eating means you eat a massive amount of food at one time.

It’s not necessarily the amount of food you eat, but the way you eat it. Normally, though, binge eating is defined as eating an amount of food that would be considered more than most people would eat, in a short period of time, accompanied by feeling out of control or anxious about the eating. There’s also such a thing as a subjective binge. People who follow very restrictive diets can experience a subjective binge when they eat something that’s not on their “allowed” food list, even if it’s only a small amount.

Myth: All binge eaters are overweight.

“Not all people who binge eat are overweight or feel they struggle with their weight,” says Chevese Turner, founder and CEO of the Binge Eating Disorder Association and recovered binge eater herself.

“Many people binge eat at different times throughout their lives: some in response to emotional cues and some who are perhaps enjoying a meal at a gathering and not mindful of the amount of food they are eating or how quickly.” Bottom line: It’s not about what the scales say, it’s about the behavior.

Myth: Binge eating is always emotional.

Getting too hungry is one of the most common triggers for a binge. It’s definitely been one of my common triggers. This isn’t emotional, this is more biological.

It becomes emotional, however, when guilt, anxiety and depression move in, or when food becomes a way to avoid feeling a certain emotion (e.g. boredom, sadness, loneliness, guilt, anxiety).

Myth: If you don’t let yourself ever have sugary foods, you’ll be fine.

Deprivation often triggers binge eating. We avoid a food as long as we can, then give in at vulnerable moments either because we’re hungry or using food to cope with an emotion or an unmet need.

Because we believe, however, that we shouldn’t eat the food we give in to, or shouldn’t use food to cope, we feel guilty or defeated. We often rationalize, “tomorrow I’ll go back on my diet” and then go hog wild.

The key to recovering from binge eating is learning how to not have to strictly avoid a food. It involves developing a relationship with food where you allow yourself to enjoy exactly what you want and learning to eat in a healthy portion.

It’s also about learning to check in with yourself to see how you feel after eating a food.

You might very naturally find that the foods you thought you’d never be able to have control with become less desirable. This happens as you begin to understand what’s driving the impulse to fill up with food: the emotion or need that’s being met by the food.

Then you can find other ways to fulfill those emotions and needs, and the food becomes less important.

Myth: Binge Eating isn’t an eating disorder like anorexia and bulimia.

As someone who has gone through all three, I can assure you that each one is a disorder. While the physical consequences of binge eating disorder may be less “severe” than bulimia or anorexia, the psychological and emotional effects are still as vital.

Most people don’t realize, however, that binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder. It’s estimated to afflict over 15 million Americans, more women than men.

Myth: Giving yourself permission to binge may help you stop binge eating.

It seems contradictory, but giving yourself permission to binge can actually help stop you from doing it. This was a method that worked in my recovery.

Here’s how it works: When you feel a binge coming on and don’t think any other option will work to calm you, tell yourself it’s OK to binge. This recognizes how binge eating has helped you deal with difficult emotions in the past.

Then, pick out what you want to eat and find a comfortable spot to enjoy your food. Finally, eat-but the key is to stay present the entire time. Focus on the food, savor every bite, really make it worth it. Eat until you simply don’t want it any more. If you’re truly indulging without distraction, you will reach this point.

After you have finished, the next critical component is to be kind to yourself. Like over-the-top: give yourself a bath, go for a massage, take a trip, go buy yourself a new dress…whatever it is that makes you feel doted upon.

Loving yourself is a ninja move because it’s the direct opposite of what you will want to do.

It takes strength and audacity to do it anyway. But the more you love and nourish yourself in this way, the more you’re teaching yourself that you are not “bad” or “wrong” or “weak”. You’re re-programming your subconscious, which has endured years of self flagellating.

When you feed your mind thoughts that you are bad, weak and wrong, you will continue to pour fuel into the fire. There’s no way you can re-wire and get a different result if you continue to do the same thing.

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