Cycles Of Binge Eating: How To Take Back Control

Have you ever found yourself eating a lot of food and said to yourself, "I can't stop eating!"? If so, you could be dealing with what's known as binge eating disorder, sometimes known as "BED" for short. We live in a society that has levels of peer pressure never seen before, coupled with an unhealthy diet culture. 

Add this to a rise in mental health issues and low self-esteem; the result can be this eating disorder that consists of cycles of dieting and binge eating. Binge eating can grow in severity, leading to health issues or other more severe eating disorders. This article will help explain it and how to stop eating so much, even when you know you shouldn't be.

What Is Binge Eating Disorder?

Binge eating is one of three common eating disorders. Its characteristics include eating large quantities of food in a short period, which is usually accompanied by a sense of loss of control. 

To be clear, the defending feature is this sense of no control – the person is usually aware and may even feel a sense of shame as they eat.

Binge eating occurs impulsively and uncontrollably, leading to feelings of; 

• Distress
• Guilt
• Shame

It can also lead to other disorders, such as bulimia or extended periods of fasting in an attempt to "fix" the binge eating.

The medical definition of binge eating disorder is;¹

'Recurring episodes of eating significantly more food in a short period than most people would eat under similar circumstances, with episodes marked by feelings of lack of control. Someone with Binge Eating Disorder may eat too quickly, even when he or she is not hungry. The person may have feelings of guilt, embarrassment, or disgust and binge eat alone to hide the behavior. This disorder is associated with marked distress and occurs, on average, at least once a week over three months.

What Are Common Symptoms Or Signs Of Binge Eating?

It's important to understand that binge eating is different from overeating. It's generally thought 

to be a psychiatric health issue that has distinct characteristics.

Here are some symptoms that separate binge eating from overeating:

• Eating much more rapidly than usual
• Often occurs in secret and alone.
• Eating until uncomfortably full
• Eating large amounts without feeling hungry
• Eating alone due to feelings of embarrassment and shame
• Feelings of guilt or disgust with oneself after binge eating
• Eating even when not hungry
• Eating when triggered by emotions like stress, sadness, or boredom.
• Loss of control during the episode and inability to stop eating despite the physical discomfort.
• Emotional distress following the binge, such as guilt, shame, or disgust.

Binge Eating Vs. Anorexia Vs. Bulimia Nervosa

To further help identify binge eating, we want to compare it to two other common eating disorders.

• Binge eating - Repeated occurrences of eating very large quantities of food in short periods, often with feelings of guilt and loss of control.
• Anorexia - Prolonged durations of eating very low calories or no calories.
• Bulimia - The practice of forced vomiting after eating in an attempt to receive the pleasure of eating while "expelling calories."

What Causes Binge Eating Disorder?

Numerous causes can lead to binge eating. Again, it's generally referred to as a psychiatric disorder, much like other addictions.

The individual knows it's bad and shouldn't do it (which is why it's often done in secret) but can't control it. Here are some reasons why a person may suffer from binge eating.

1. Genetics: Individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) may have an increased sensitivity to dopamine, a brain chemical responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward. There is substantial evidence indicating that the disorder can be inherited.

2. Gender: BED is more prevalent in women than in men. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 1.25% of women and 0.42% of men experience binge eating disorders, potentially due to underlying biological factors.

3. Body image: People with BED often struggle with negative body image, perceiving flaws that others may not notice. Both dieting and overeating can play a role in the development of the disorder.

4. Emotional trauma: Stressful life events, such as abuse, loss of a loved one, or family separation, can increase the risk of developing eating disorders. Childhood bullying related to weight may also contribute to the disorder.

5. Other psychological conditions: Many individuals with BED also have at least one other psychological condition, such as phobias, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, anxiety, or substance misuse.

Risks Of Binge Eating

The risks of binge eating can be long-lasting. 

The most obvious potential negative outcome is the overconsumption of calories, which results in obesity. Obesity, in its own right, brings about a host of health issues, as we all know.

In addition, unchecked binge eating can result in a ton of health issues;¹

• Increased depression
• Increased consumption of low-quality foods
• Increased heart disease
• Lower levels of self-worth
• Manifestation into more dangerous eating disorders.

While compared to other eating disorders, binge eating may not seem "as bad." However, if left unchecked, it definitely can have serious effects.

Perhaps more importantly, it points to a deeper mental issue. As we know, mental issues that aren't dealt with can easily spiral into serious issues.

What Is The Binge Eating Cycle?

Binge eating generally operates on a predictable cycle of events. Most professionals divide this cycle into four stages.

1. Trigger or Emotional Distress

This can differ for everyone, but most people have a trigger that will initiate binge eating. These triggers can be both emotional and external. 

• Emotional triggers: Stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, or boredom can often trigger the urge to binge. People may eat to cope with negative emotions, even if they are not physically hungry.
• External triggers: Certain situations, such as being around food or engaging in social events, might also provoke the cycle.

Recognizing these triggers is an important part of combating binge eating.

2. Binge Eating Episode

The individual will then engage in binge eating to satisfy their need. 

Many people indulge in specific foods. Most of the time, these are unhealthy foods such as pizza or ice cream. In fact, the individual may refrain from eating these foods during normal circumstances.

The individual consumes an excessive amount of food in a short period, often in secret. During the binge, the person usually experiences a temporary feeling of pleasure or relief.

3. Emotional Consequences and Guilt

After the binge, individuals often experience negative emotions. This can include; 

• Guilt
• Shame
• Disgust
• Loss of control

Further, the person will often eat to the point of discomfort. All this then results in a sense of helplessness or self-loathing.

4. Restricting or Compensatory Behaviors 

To fix the problem, many people try to compensate for their overeating. This can include; 

• Food intake
• Fasting
• Excessive exercising 

The duration of this phase can be different for many people, including a few days to a few months. However, as it's excessive, it sets the person up for failure and future binge eating.

The Cycle Repeats

Eventually, the person is triggered, and the cycle repeats. Again, this may occur just a few times a year for some, while it may be a relatively consistent cycle for others.

How To Overcome Binge Eating?

First, we need to make clear that we are not psychiatrists or doctors. This information is for educational purposes but should not be taken as medical advice. If you feel like your binge eating is becoming a major health problem and you can't decrease its occurrence or magnitude, please seek professional help.

With that said, there are some things you can do.

Keep A Diary

If you want to change your eating habits, it's crucial to understand your current eating patterns. One effective way to do this is by keeping a detailed daily record, including the following;

• When you eat
• What you eat
• Portion size
• If you felt out of control
• Were you eating for hunger or enjoyment?
• Were you triggered
• Did you feel as if you were eating excessive

This can do 3 things;

1. Help keep you accountable
2. Identify how certain foods make you feel
3. Identify any triggers

Be honest, even if you have another binge session. This is a crucial step to help you identify why you binge eat. From there, you can work to keep this from happening.

Stop "Dieting" (Especially Fasting)

There's nothing inherently wrong with dieting. However, when done incorrectly, it can be a major trigger to binge eating – this seems to be especially true with fasting.

Remember that binge eating often follows a cycle of dieting and bingeing – if this is true, stopping dieting can lead to the end of binge eating. 

When we say dieting, we are referring to restrictive or strict diets. This can look like;

• Fasting
• Zero "bad" foods (i.e., never allow any chocolate or pizza)
• Very low calories

To be clear, dieting doesn't mean you will begin binge eating. However, for some people, it is the root trigger.

Try Intuitive Dieting Or Flexible Dieting 

Intuitive and flexible diets are forms of dieting that allow some foods to be considered "unhealthy." We encourage individuals to try the 80/20 diet, which has three rules;

1. Control your calories and macros
2. Make sure 80% of your diet is whole or minimally processed
3. This then allows 20% for other choices

This allows you to enjoy these foods without feeling guilty. Further, as you are allowed to, you won't "miss" it.

Further, many people report that merely having the choice can make it easier to manage. This can apply to many addictive-type issues – the brain is a crazy thing.

Regardless, this can have a snowball effect and solve not only the physical issue of eating but also the mental side and prevent feelings of guilt.

Further, by focusing on whole foods, you can eat more volume with fewer calories.

Spread Out Meals With High Protein

This is another eating habit that can help mitigate binge eating.

Protein is the most filling macronutrient in food. We have spoken about this in numerous articles because it's so important!²

High-protein diets have been shown to be very effective, and one mechanism is higher satiety rates. 

Further, spreading meals throughout the day can mitigate hunger or the urge to eat.

Meal Prep And Learn Delicious, Healthy Recipes

One common misconception is that healthy food can't be good. This is definitely not true. 

There are a ton of awesome websites out there where you can learn some awesome recipes. 

Therefore, you can eat delicious food without feeling guilty!

At the same time, learning food prep can help. Food prep is a practice of preparing your food beforehand. This does a few things:

1. Let's you plan your diet to ensure you have healthy meals
2. Ensures you always have a healthy meal to eat
3. Forces you to be more accountable

How To Overcome Binge Eating: Final Thoughts

Suffering from binge eating can sometimes feel hopeless – you want to quit but don't know how.

The first step is acknowledging your problem, which is awesome because that's why you're here! From here, be honest and decide what you need to do. Again, if your issue is out of control, please seek professional help. Taking back control can help your diet, mental well-being, and body image.

References

1. Berkman, N. D. (n.d.). Table 1, DSM-IV and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder - management and outcomes of binge-eating disorder - NCBI bookshelf. Management and Outcomes of Binge-Eating Disorder [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK338301/table/introduction.t1/ 
2. Pesta, D.H., Samuel, V.T. A high-protein diet for reducing body fat: mechanisms and possible caveats. Nutr Metab (Lond) 11, 53 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-11-53