“I’ve been suffering with binge eating disorder. I have always been conscious about my body, because I grew up in a family with weight issues, and my brother and friends would tease me for my large hips.

I gained 8 kilos in like 4-5 months and I started binge eating. I don’t know what to do anymore, I tried to lose that weight, but it was counter-effective because I restricted my diet too much and in fact, I gained more because of the binge eating episodes. My relationship with food nowadays is unhealthy and isolating, and I just want my life back.

I want to be free from diets and all those exhausting and useless habits.  

What do you suggest I do?” – Erica

You’re damn right the restricting was counter-effective.

Binge Eating Disorder is a reactive disorder. It never, ever starts with binge eating disorder.

You are bingeing (all of you out there, not just Erica) because of restriction.

If not actual physical restriction (forcing yourself to eat less than you are hungry for) then MENTAL restriction.

It is that simple.

Always.

So the answer, is to stop restricting. Once you stop restricting physically, you may find that mental restriction (guilt/rules/fears/insecurity) lingers. Do everything you can to become aware of, compassionate about, but fierce against your mental restriction.

That is the only reason we binge. Restriction.

And anyone worrying about emotional eating? Emotional eating is not the thing the Eating Disorders are made of. It’s restriction. (Should I repeat that a few more times? No?)

Binge Eating is not the problem, bingeing is just the symptom. The problem is trying to be thinner. The problem is hating ourselves. The problem is trying to control our food intake. The problem is the guilt over feeding ourselves, and having bodies. The problem is restriction

Take those factors away, and eating normalizes every. single. time.