5 Tips to Recover from Binge Eating Disorder
Hey there. :) I’m Kelly, a registered dietitian here at Sunrise Nutrition supporting folks with eating disorder recovery.
Let’s talk about Binge Eating Disorder (BED). I’m so glad you’re here, and I want you to know that you are not alone. I repeat: You are not alone. In fact, did you know that BED is the most common eating disorder? This might be surprising since it isn’t as talked about or depicted in pop culture as other eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia. BED is also relatively new to the ED diagnoses, as it was added to the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition (aka the DSM-5) in 2013.
You probably have lots of questions about BED. Some of you might be totally new to the concept of BED as a diagnosable eating disorder while others might be years into your recovery journey. Wherever you are in your experience, here are 5 tips to support you on your way:
If you are holding any shame about BED, begin to let it go by exercising self compassion and kindness. You may be using binge eating as a coping mechanism, and thank goodness we have tools to help us cope with the challenging things we deal with in our lives. Some of our coping tools might not be sustainable, and you may desire to find other more effective tools over time. This is something you can work on and change, but start that work with a huge dose of self-compassion and acknowledgement that you are human and doing the best you can to deal with life’s difficulties.
Seek community. There is so much power in shared experience, and this stuff is hard – you shouldn’t have to do it all on your own. Community can look like attending virtual or in-person support groups. For folks new to support groups or nervous about getting started, a nice way to dip your toes can be to join social media support spaces on platforms like Facebook or Instagram. It can also be helpful to listen to other people’s stories through podcasts focused on eating disorder recovery or through books or other forms of media.
Build a care team you trust. If you can, connect with a mental health therapist, a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist, and medical provider. Eating disorders are multi-faceted and best addressed with interdisciplinary care. In addition, consider who in your life you turn to when you need someone to lean on. These support people are another important part of your team.
Binge eating is often linked with restriction. Consider what eating looks like throughout the day. Are meals being skipped, or are there long periods of time between eating? Are you limiting your portion sizes or denying yourself certain foods or food groups? Restriction is what triggers binge eating. Ravenous, disconnected eating is a natural physical response to extreme hunger. Similarly, bingeing on foods you restrict is a natural response to deprivation. Every time I have worked with someone on binge eating, I have supported them in addressing their food restrictions first, as restriction naturally sets one up to binge. Learning how to give your body the food it needs can be difficult, and working with a nutrition provider can be really helpful during this process.
Take a look at what food rules and beliefs you might be carrying. Bingeing often involves foods that we may believe are “bad” or that we feel guilty for eating. You might refrain from buying these foods or bringing them into the house for fear of feeling out of control when eating them. We give these foods power that they do not inherently have when we cover them with negative labels in our minds. Consider how we eat different foods for different reasons - sometimes for satiation, sometimes for pleasure, and sometimes for nostalgia. All foods can play a role in your dietary intake, and by listening to your body’s eating cues, you can learn which foods naturally make you feel your best and that you may prefer to eat more of, and also how much your body wants to eat to feel comfortably full.
Remember, you are enough just as you are. Wherever you are in your journey with BED, you’re not alone, and you are deserving of care. If you would like help learning more about care options and want to pursue binge eating disorder therapy, you can reach out to us for more support by completing our Get Started form.
Kelly Wolffe, RDN, CD is a dietitian based out of Seattle, WA. She specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, disordered eating and chronic dieting and relationship with food concerns.