If you are currently struggling with binge eating, it can be puzzling to understand why you can’t seem to shake off binge eating when you have proven to yourself you can be disciplined with dieting. It’s important to understand why your response is normal after restricting food or dieting. Let’s talk about some of the common reasons for binging after dieting and how binge eating disorder treatment can help.
Common Reasons for binging after a diet
The following reasons can help you make sense of why you’ve been led to binge after dieting or restriction. You will also have unique reasons that are personal to you that may not be listed below.
Deprivation:
When we go on diets or restrict certain foods, it can create a sense of deprivation. This deprivation triggers a psychological response where the forbidden foods become more tempting and desirable. Telling ourselves we can't have something, will increase cravings. When the restriction ends, there's a strong inclination to overeat on those previously restricted foods. This is truly a normal response when you’ve been dieting or only allowing yourself certain foods. It doesn’t mean you are weak or lacking in self-control.
Listening to Hunger and Fullness:
Diets often come with strict rules about when and what to eat. These rules or guidelines can cause us to ignore our body's natural signals of hunger and fullness. Intuitive eating encourages us to reconnect with these signals. However, after a period of not paying attention to these cues, there can be a lack of awareness when we finally start listening again. Not only that but your body will have likely stopped sending you hunger and fullness signals during dieting because it lacked the energy to. It will take some time for your body to be able to send this information again. This may lead to overeating because we're not attuned to our body's signals.
Emotional Eating:
Diets typically focus on the nutritional aspects of food and may neglect the emotional connection we have with what we eat. When we stop restricting, suppressed emotions may surface. Food can become a way to cope with these emotions. If emotional eating isn't addressed, it can lead to overeating or binging as a means of soothing or distracting from emotional discomfort.
Permission to Eat:
Intuitive eating encourages us to give ourselves permission to enjoy all kinds of foods without guilt. After a period of strict dieting, where certain foods are labeled as "bad" or off-limits, there can be a psychological rebound effect. When given permission to eat those foods again, there might be a feeling of needing to consume them in larger quantities, almost like making up for lost time or indulging before the restriction starts again.
Practicing intuitive eating can help stop binging
Intuitive eating helps people stop binge eating by teaching them to pay close attention to their bodies and their needs and emotions. Intuitive eating places emphasis on building a positive relationship with food, free from the constraints of strict diets. It involves learning to trust our body's signals, understanding our emotional connection to food, and giving ourselves the freedom to enjoy a variety of foods without judgment. Intuitive eating considers both the physical and emotional aspects of eating for overall well-being. It lessens the feeling of missing out on certain foods, which often triggers binge eating after a period of restraint. Intuitive eating also says it's okay to enjoy all kinds of foods without feeling guilty
Binge Eating Disorder Treatment in Utah for binge eating
Getting help from an eating disorder therapist can make all the difference in stopping binge eating. A binge eating disorder therapist will create a safe space for you to figure out the reasons you binge eat. In binge eating disorder treatment, you can learn about what triggers your binge eating and find different ways to deal with stress and emotions. Eating disorder therapists use techniques that help change negative thoughts about food and negative body image, making your mindset more positive. Working with a therapist can help you understand more about the root causes that started your cycle of binge eating and develop more self-compassion for yourself.
Start working with an eating disorder therapist in Utah
If you find yourself trapped in the cycle of binge eating, seeking the support of binge eating disorder treatment can be an important step in feeling better. This Utah Eating Disorder Clinic has an eating disorder therapist who specializes in binge eating disorder. To start therapy follow the steps below:
Meet with a binge eating disorder therapist
Find relief from the cycle of binging
About the Author
Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is the dedicated owner of Maple Canyon Therapy, an online eating disorder clinic in Utah. bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her practice. Holding dual bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Family Life and Human Development from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Ashlee's academic foundation provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the intricate dynamics of human behavior and relationships. She continued her academic journey by earning a Master's degree in Social Work from Utah State University in Logan, Utah. With a passion for mental health and a commitment to making a positive impact, Ashlee has garnered extensive experience working in all levels of care for eating disorders.