Laura's Binge Eating Recovery Guide (Pro Copy)

CONTENTS
Click to follow any of the links to the appropriate section
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Neuroeducation (aka “Cool Brain Stuff”) ..................................................................................... 13
Weight Set-point .................................................................................................................................... 23
The Weighted Effects of Dieting (Pun Intended) ..................................................................... 36
If Dieting Causes All of these Issues…Why do We do it? ....................................................... 48
Why Does Someone Develop Binge Eating? .................................................................................. 51
So, What do I do with all of this Information? ............................................................................ 58
Regular Eating (Ceasing All Forms of Dieting) ........................................................................ 60
Implement Coping Skills .................................................................................................................. 70
Detach from Unhelpful Thought Patterns .............................................................................. 86
Learn to Feel All Emotions ............................................................................................................ 96
Prioritize Self-care & Pleasurable Activities .......................................................................... 112
Establish Supports .......................................................................................................................... 118
Embrace Your Body ........................................................................................................................ 122
Expanding Other Areas of Life and Pursuing Your Values .............................................. 128
Learn to Set Boundaries............................................................................................................... 131
Adapt a Mindset of Self-compassion ....................................................................................... 140
Additional Helpful Skills................................................................................................................... 149
Eating in Line with Your Values ................................................................................................. 149
Chain Analysis .................................................................................................................................. 151
Timeline .............................................................................................................................................. 157
Focus on the change you want to create, not the problem .............................................. 157
Interoceptive Awareness ............................................................................................................. 158
Example Eating Plan ....................................................................................................................... 162
Eating Regulalry After Overeating and Binges ...................................................................... 166
Intuitive Movement........................................................................................................................ 168
Catching Restriction Early........................................................................................................... 170
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Additional Reasons for Binge Eating that have Nothing to do with Restriction ...... 171
Unmet needs ..................................................................................................................................... 171
Cleaning up your Social Media ................................................................................................... 172
Dealing with Diet Talk .................................................................................................................. 173
Special Diets ..................................................................................................................................... 176
Tracking What Works .................................................................................................................... 177
Common Fears ...................................................................................................................................... 182
Lastly… ................................................................................................................................................... 184
Favorite Resources ............................................................................................................................. 189
References ........................................................................................................................................ 195
Appendix: .............................................................................................................................................. 203
Your Path to Food Freedom

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Comprehensive Binge Eating Recovery Guide: Your

Path to Food Freedom

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INTRODUCTION
Hello and welcome to this comprehensive manual on binge eating! My guess is

that that if you are reading this, either you or someone you know is struggling in their
relationship with food. Struggling with food is extremely common and I hope that if you
take away only one thing from this guide, it is that you (or your friend/ loved one) are
not alone in the struggle and that restoring one’s relationship with food is possible!
Throughout this guide, we will break down binge eating and discover everything from
how it develops, what maintains it, how to understand triggers, and most importantly,
how to decrease bingeing and restore one’s relationship with food. I have included
several concepts that I found helpful in my own recovery, from discovering the
empowering mechanisms of the brain, to learning how to set boundaries and prioritize
self-care.
I wanted to share with you each of the things that helped me through my recovery
journey and hope that you will implement the concepts that you find helpful. Binge
eating can be a very persistent and debilitating illness, however, with the right
knowledge, support, and coping mechanisms, developing a renewed relationship with
food is possible!
*disclaimer: the information in this guide is not intended to replace medical care or guidelines and anyone
struggling with an eating disorder is encouraged to seek help from a qualified professional. While I do have
my mental health credentials and considerable experience with eating disorders, they are best treated with
a team approach and an individualized plan is necessary to best meet the unique needs of each individual.
When does Eating become Disordered?
Before getting started, it can be helpful to understand the spectrum of eating behavior
to better comprehend how and when eating goes awry. Following, is a list of some signs
that eating might be crossing into the disordered range:
- Eating is resulting in an emotional reaction or being done regularly in response to

emotion
- Eating habits begin to interfere with life
- Food decisions begin to interfere with daily routines and/ or one is spending a
significant amount of time thinking about and planning what they will be eating
- Re-arranging one’s life to meet food “standards” or “rules”
- Behaviors and attitudes that indicate that weight loss, dieting, and control of
food are becoming primary concerns

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Overall, a quick way to recognize if eating has become a problem, is to notice if it has
become either obsessive or distressing.
(image retrieved from healthlinkscertified.org)
The Basics
I wanted to begin by sharing some basic facts about Binge Eating Disorder (BED).
It is important to note that these facts refer to those who have been officially
diagnosed with binge eating disorder and do not include those who binge eat but do not
meet full criteria. Additionally, just because someone overeats does not mean that they
have BED, and many people who do meet criteria for BED are undiagnosed.
About Binge Eating Disorder
• The MOST common eating disorder

• Over 4.2 million women and 2.3 million men in the US have a diagnosis of BED
• BED is more common than breast cancer, HIV, and schizophrenia
• ~3.5% women, 2% men, & 1.6% adolescents have a diagnosis of BED
• Seen among all age groups, races, and income levels
(Hudson, Hiripi, Pope, & Kessler, 2007; Schaeffer, 2016)

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Common Myths
You have to be obese to have Binge Eating Disorder

• Actually, 55% of those with BED are of normal weight or somewhat
“overweight.” (*I use quotations for terms such as obese and overweight
because these terms are entirely subjective and based on interpretations from
BMI charts).
Only women struggle with binge eating; men do not have eating disorders
• While more women are diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and other eating
disorders, BED is the most common eating disorder for men.
Everyone binge eats from time to time; it is a normal part of life

• While everyone overeats from time to time, everyone does not binge. Binge
eating is incredibly distressing and life-interrupting, and attempting to comfort
someone with Binge Eating Disorder with statements such as, “well, everyone
overeats from time to time,” can be incredibly invalidating.
People end up with Binge Eating Disorder because of family problems

• BED is not caused by any single factor, but rather from a mix of genetic and
environmental factors. See Why Does Someone Develop Binge Eating for a
better understanding.
The appropriate treatment for individuals with binge eating is going on a diet
• Being that calorie restriction is the leading cause for the development of binge
eating behavior, dieting is simply prescribing the problem rather than a solution.
See Appendix L or Why is Dieting a Leading Cause of Binge Eating for further
insight.
Individuals who binge eat should focus on losing weight

• Actually, weight loss treatments for BED deem ineffective and can actually
exacerbate symptoms in long-term. The overarching problem in BED is not the
weight, but the binge eating behavior. Furthermore, weight is sometimes
attributed to binge eating, and other times not. By treating the weight, we
completely miss the core issue.
Larger people can’t lose weight because they don’t try hard enough
• We know that this notion is wrong because of Weight Set-point theory.
Furthermore, being that naturally larger-bodied individuals are so commonly
encouraged to diet, this then initiates the development of binge eating, and
survival mechanisms that prompt weight-regain.

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All in all, binge eating disorder is a serious mental illness with a biological base. It has
nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with genetic traits; neurobiological
differences; and environmental risk factors such as dieting, bullying & body shaming,
trauma, and pressure from diet culture.
(Camps et al., 2013 ; Goldschmidt et al., 2011; Grodstein et al., 1996; Guido, 2016 ; Leibel, 1995 ; MacLean,
et. al., 2011; Tomiyama et al., 2010)
Click the links below to find out more about both of the common eating disorders that
involve binge eating:
Binge Eating Disorder

➢ https://youtu.be/cgg5q7jq8Fk
Bulimia
➢ https://youtu.be/U-7vtZnJPt4
Binge eating is a vicious cycle maintained by ongoing food restriction amongst

other things such as habit. Following a binge, some individuals restrict their calories or
go on a diet as a means of compensation and/ or as a result of feeling as though they
cannot trust themselves around said food. What happens instead however, is that
restricting these food items results in a preoccupation with these exact foods and a
physiological response encouraging the individual to pursue and eat more of these foods.
(Coletta et al., 2009; Crum et al., 2011; Finkelstein & Fishbach, 2010; Polivy & Herman, 1985; Massey & Hill).

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(image retrieved from the multi-service eating disorders association)
Binge eating is sometimes a habit someone has, and other times, a full-blown
eating disorder, whether that be Binge Eating Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa, or falling into
the category of Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder. There are also other eating
disorders that involve binge eating such as Anorexia Nervosa – Binge/ Purge subtype. A
full list of the different types of eating disorders and their diagnostic criteria can be
found in the appendix. Some of the common warning signs of an eating disorder are:
• An obvious increase or decrease in weight not related to a medical condition

• Abnormal eating habits, such as severe dieting, ritualized mealtime behaviors,
fear of dietary fat, secretive bingeing, or lying about food
• An intense preoccupation with weight and body image
• Mood swings, depression, and/or irritability
• Compulsive or excessive exercising, especially without adequate nutritional
intake or when injured or ill
(Gurze, 2021)
And, a list of symptoms more specific to binge eating:
Signs that Someone might be struggling with Binge Eating
• Appearing uncomfortable eating around others

• Withdrawing from usual activities, friends, etc.
• Eating in secrecy
• Disappearance of large amounts of food w/ no explanation
• Frequent dieting
• Preoccupation with weight and shape
• Fear of eating in public; anxiety around social gatherings that involve food
• Extreme concern with weight & body shape
• Change in normal eating habits (e.g. cutting out an entire food group, eating
extremely small portions at mealtimes, repetitive dieting, preoccupation with fad
diets, etc.)
What Binge Eating might look like
• Eating in secrecy
• Eating a large amount at a rapid pace
• Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
• Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
• Experiencing extreme guilt and shame surrounding eating habits

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• Hoarding food items

• Strange food combinations
• Examples of a binge:
• Eating half of a cake in one sitting
• Having a few slices of pizza, then going on to eat several things in the
pantry until feeling miserably sick
• Consuming half of a pan of brownies, a row of Oreos, some Little Debbie
cakes, some spoonfuls of cold meatloaf and mashed potatoes from the
fridge, a few pieces of chocolate & a bowl or two of cereal
Deciphering Binge Eating from “Overeating”
While overeating is a normal part of life, binge eating is a debilitating disorder

that significantly interferes with multiple aspects of one’s life from peer and social
relationships, to family, work, and hobbies. See the chart below for a better
understanding of the different types of as well as how to differentiate between binge
eating and overeating.
Large amount of food

Objective Binge Eating Subjective Binge Eating
Abnormally large amount Felt out of control, but did
Loss of control
of food consumed, plus felt not consume an
unable to stop abnormally large amount
of food
Overeating Life
Large amount of food Honoring hunger and
consumed, but could stop fullness cues, eating when
if wanted to – consciously hungry and stopping when
chose to eat more after full and satiated
feeling full
(adapted from Wisniewski, 2017)

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The Kinds of Overeating
Overeating is a normal part of life! Emotional Eating, like

Overeating, can be a normal part of life as well; it only becomes
a problem when it begins to cause distress or interferes with
one’s life. Compulsive overeating and binge eating tend to
present with similar health issues, however, look very different.
Ex: Overeating: “Wow, I feel stuffed – I feel miserable; I
just ate that whole bag of Oreo’s and I am not going to eat again
for a while.”
Binge Eating: all of those same feelings but goes on
to eat even more, and typically in private (only thing that stops
the bingeing is feeling too sick or stuffed to go on, or being interrupted)
• Overeating – eating Oreos and continuing beyond the point of satisfaction

• Compulsive Overeating – habitual overeating (e.g., eating only because others are
eating, eating just because something is offered/ free, eating past fullness on a
regular basis)
• Emotional Eating – eating Oreos when feeling upset, angry, stressed, etc.
• Binge Eating – eating a whole sleeve of Oreos, then going on to eat other things
even though feeling miserably full
Click the link below for a more in-depth explanation of Binge Eating, how it develops,
and how to tell the signs of Binge Eating Disorder:
➢ https://youtu.be/AQNlOVQt4X4

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NEUROEDUCATION (AKA “COOL BRAIN STUFF”)
Learning the remarkable capabilities of the brain can serve as a huge asset in
recovery as one discovers that they do have control after all and that the power is in
their hands to change any unwanted behavior or thought pattern. Neuroplasticity not
only applies to life-interrupting behaviors such as binge eating but can also be applied to
other areas of life such as anxiety or breaking unwanted habits or thinking patterns.
What is Neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s remarkable capability of rewiring itself in response
to our life experiences. Neuroscience has shown that neural networks are not fixed
but occur & disappear dynamically throughout one’s life depending on their experiences.
Therefore, when an activity is repeatedly practiced, neuronal circuits are formed,
leading to better ability and efficiency with performing the task. (Repeated actions
result in repeated outcomes as the brain rewires for efficiency!) At the same time, when
someone stops practicing a certain activity, the brain will redirect the neuronal circuits
involved, consequently, decreasing the behavior.
“Neurons that fire together wire together & those that fail to link, fall out of
sync!” Whatever we do at any time physically changes our brain matter as the brain is
very malleable (a buttery consistency)!
So why does this matter to us?
Whether we realize it or not, our brains are doing this & we have the capability to
change undesired thought patterns, behaviors, and habits.
Check out this 2-minute video for an even better understanding of neuroplasticity:
➢ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpfYCZa87g
The Psychodynamic Brain
Let’s first gain a better understanding of the brain…

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(image retrieved from the Book of Threes)
Lower Brain Higher Brain

Limbic system and brain stem Neocortex (including prefrontal cortex)
Basic bodily processes Logical thinking & cognitive functions
Automatic thoughts Concentration, reasoning, planning,

sensory perception, generation of
Emotions, motivation, arousal, motor commands, spatial reasoning,
temperature, respiration, heart rate, language, processing information
etc.
Making rational decisions
Concerned with keeping you alive
One’s “true” self
Thinks twice as fast as Higher Brain
Can decipher difference between
Very good at reinforcing pathways of actual wants and needs vs. those not
neurons that are given attention (habit in line with self
maintenance), but cannot decipher
difference between good and bad Also called the “human brain”
The higher brain consists of the cortex, or, the outer layer of the brain. The
higher brain allows us to think, reason, concentrate, and talk. Because of the higher
brain, we are able to do things like pick out an outfit, have a conversation, solve a math
problem, or put a rocket on the moon. The higher brain is where our values, goals,
desires, and truest “self” are stored. The higher brain also gives us the ability to control
impulsive actions and think twice before acting.
The lower brain, on the other hand, composed of the limbic system and brain
stem, is wired for survival. It regulates everything from your heartbeat and blinking, to
your automatic responses such as the quick reaction you have to touching a hot stove
or when you are about to get hit by a car. The lower brain has more connections than
the higher brain, and its purpose is to get us to react immediately, regardless of
consequences. Since the lower brain does not require logic or critical thinking to act,

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anything we do repeatedly, gets moved to the lower brain and reinforced, thus taking
less effort in the future and becoming more of an automatic response.
Now, in the case of touching a stove or doing anything that may cause us harm,
this functioning is very helpful. However, the lower brain’s functioning is not so helpful
when it comes to repeatedly doing things we no longer want to be doing (e.g. binge eating
and other destructive behaviors) Since the lower brain cannot decipher between what
we want and what we do not want, and it processes twice as fast as the higher brain,
we end up impulsively doing things that we later regret.
The Empowering Mechanisms of Neuroplasticity
That being said, the beauty of neuroplasticity is that if the neural networks of a
behavior practiced repeatedly can become deeply ingrained in the brain, then lessening
that very same behavior conversely lessens the strength of the neural pathway.
Furthermore, as we begin to replace an undesired behavior with a new, beneficial
behavior or coping, we introduce a new neural pathway in the brain. The more that this
new behavior is practiced, the more the neural networks that support it become
ingrained in the brain and reinforced. Thus, while taking considerable effort, taking a
moment to choose our response has considerable benefits. Obviously the previous, well-
worn neural pathway supporting the unwanted behavior is more ingrained in the brain
so it will take significant effort at first to stop and choose to respond differently.
However, when we do respond differently, we begin to build and reinforce the pathway
supporting the new behavior (e.g. choosing to journal or call a friend instead of drinking
alcohol following a triggering event). With continued effort, over time, the new pathway
is strengthened. Repetition is KEY! (Bonus: As the new behavior increases, not only
does this pathway grow, but the old becomes less and less until it eventually dies off. –
Remember, “Neurons that fire together wire together & those that fail to link, fall out
of sync!”)
We typically operate on
"autopilot", non-consciously relying on
early learning experiences to guide our
present thinking and acting. However,
with an understanding of the brain and
the remarkable abilities of
neuroplasticity, we realize that we hold
the ability to modify deeply ingrained
responses, allowing ourselves to move
from being passive observers to being
active participants in our lives. With

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neuroplasticity, we learn that change, however difficult, is possible.
Compassion and Patience
Understanding the concepts of neuroplasticity allows us to show ourselves

compassion and to be patient with our journey. With knowledge on the brain, we
understand that habits that have been ingrained for a long time are not just going to
change overnight and are going to take significant effort. This helps us to be patient in
our journeys while also providing motivation in that we can always choose to respond in
a more helpful way the next time.
(image retrieved from the National Institute for
the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine)
How to Replace Old, Destructive Neural Pathways with New, Helpful pathways
“Awareness allows for choice and the possibility of change.” – Dr. Dan Siegel
A great way to lessen old habits and retrain the brain is by using mindfulness.
Because mindfulness requires the higher brain, or cortex, to be involved, we are less
likely to be taken away by the lower brain’s demands (remember, the lower brain is where
immediate and automatic impulses live, whereas the higher brain contains one’s true self
and actual desires). In addition to helping us respond more effectively in the moment,
as we practice mindfulness regularly, we in turn strengthen our higher brain (cortex)
which helps inhibit lower brain reactivity, or, acting impulsively. For someone with an
impulse-control disorder, the use of mindfulness skills can serve as a top-of-the-line
treatment to help control things such as substance use, compulsive shopping, emotional
outbursts, cravings & urges, panic attacks, and so on. “Awareness allows us to do
something extraordinary. It’s a capacity; one that allows us to separate our internal
experience into two parts: into one that is watching and into another that is being
watched.” – David Daniels, MD
Framework for Dismissing urges

Urge: strong desire or impulse (remember, anything immediate is from the lower brain –
the lower is wired for survival so it “thinks fast”)
View Urge as Neurological Junk

Neurons flock to whatever is given significant attention in the brain. Viewing urges as
neurological junk rather than paying them attention is crucial to decreasing the
reinforcement of the pathway

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- Activity: Keep track of anything you find that helps you view urges as
meaningless, powerless and harmless. (Ex: “If I relax my face when experiencing
an urge, it helps it feel more harmless.”)
Separate the Higher, Logical-Thinking Brain from Urge
Until one begins separating from urges, they will continue to become emotionally
overwhelmed by them
- To discern your actual self from the lower brain’s mechanisms, common
attributes of the urge’s voice include: causing discomfort, demanding, sometimes
harsh & critical – other times alluring, urgent, might be repetitive…)
- "Rather than being swept away by our reactions, such awareness encourages the
ability to step back from the tight grip of our current experience and to notice
how our minds are pulled in one direction or another" - Bonnie Badenoch, PhD
- Activity: Think of an urge that wouldn’t even be slightly tempting for you to act
on (For example, running outside in the cold with no clothes on). Now try to
create a desire to entertain this thought, to focus on it, to want to think and get
all worked up about it. You’ll find that you simply can’t take these feelings
seriously.
Stop Reacting to Urge
Reacting to urges only gives them power, strength, and the ability to influence you
- Attempting to push an urge out of your head can result in anxiety; labeling it as
dangerous or scary gives it false power & can result in fear; changing your posture,
muscle tightness, facial expression, etc., allows the urge to have control of your
physical body, thus creating a feeling of powerlessness
- Activity: Consider these real-life examples of detachment to practice not

reacting (watching your own kids misbehave on the playground as opposed to
watching someone else’s kids misbehave) or (listening to a political debate about
an issue that really matters to you as opposed to listening to a politician talk about
an issue that has no significance to you)
Stop Acting on Urge

When you stop acting on urges, the neural connections that supported the destructive
behavior will fade and the urges will go away. Each time you don’t act on an urge, you are
utilizing neuroplasticity to rewire your brain.
- One of main reasons of acting is due to the momentarily discomfort of an urge

(plus, as discussed earlier, it takes less effort and mental energy to go to the more
reinforced pathway as this is less work for the brain)

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- Activity: List each of the discomforts you experience when the urge arises (list
& describe in detail). Next, list all of the negative attributes that occur as a result
of acting on the urge. Explore which discomfort you would rather have (consider
which lasts longer & which is more painful).
Celebrate! (Get excited about your accomplishment)
Praise, including praise from within, cements learning on a physical level in the brain
- Praise further strengthens connections & weakens old
- Celebrate aloud & share successes w/ others

(adapted from Kathryn Hansen)
For additional assistance with understanding this framework, check out these podcasts
more solidly breaking down each step:
➢ Dismiss Urges to Binge: Component 1 (View Urges to Binge as Neurological Junk)
https://brainoverbinge.com/episode-4-dismiss-urges-binge-component-1/
➢ Dismiss Urges to Binge: Component 2 (Separate the Higher Brain from Urges to
Binge)
https://brainoverbinge.com/episode-5-dismiss-urges-binge-component-2-separate-higher-
brain-urges-binge/
➢ Dismiss Urges to Binge: Component 3 (Stop Reacting to Urges to Binge)
https://brainoverbinge.com/episode-6-dismiss-urges-binge-component-3-stop-reacting-
urges-binge/
➢ Dismiss Urges to Binge: Component 4 (Stop Acting on Urges to Binge)
https://brainoverbinge.com/episode-7-dismiss-urges-binge-component-4-stop-acting-
urges-binge/
➢ Dismiss Urges to Binge: Component 5 (Get Excited)
https://brainoverbinge.com/episode-8-dismiss-urges-binge-component-5-get-excited/
Interventions that Promote Neuroplasticity

Thinking holistically (such as playing a musical instrument or learning a new language)

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Novelty (such as learning new skill or taking a different route)
Meditation
- Increases volume of the higher brain
- Increases activity in prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain specifically involved
with impulse-control and one’s ability to pause before acting)
Mindfulness
- Like meditation, strengthening of the cortex helps inhibit lower brain reactivity
Journaling (not only pausing and thinking about the experience, but writing about it)
- Sharing our thoughts & feelings and how we wish things would have gone
differently encourages and strengthens new and beneficial neural pathways that
support our desired response
Aerobic Exercise
- Increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), fuels growth of new

neurons and synapses
Envisioning
- Mental rehearsal activates the brain and central nervous system in the same way
as actually performing tasks in the real world
The Healthy Mind Platter – Dr. Dan Siegel (promotes optimal brain health & function)
Sleep Time:
Adequate rest consolidates learning & helps us recover from the day’s experiences
Physical Time:
Moving the body, especially aerobically, strengthens the brain in many ways & encourages
neurogenesis (the creation of new brain cells)
Focus Time:
Focusing on tasks in a goal-oriented manner involves taking on challenges that lead to

deep connections in brain
Time In:

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Quiet internal reflection (focusing on sensations, images, feelings, thoughts) aids in

better integrating the brain
Downtime:
Allowing the brain to wander without any focus or specific goal, helps the brain to
recharge
Playtime:
Spontaneity, creativity, and playfulness aid in making new connections in brain
Connecting Time:
Spending time with others and taking the time to appreciate our connection to the
world around us activates and reinforces the brain’s relational circuitry
Key Takeaway
The overall aim of understanding the power of the brain is to help us move away
from feeling afraid (as if we are waiting for things to happen to us) to feeling more in
control. We understand that due to our old, well-worn pathways, challenges and lapses
are part of the process and that by adamantly working to pause before acting and
choosing our response, we have the ability to create a different response-system in our
brain. We might not be able to change a situation, but we have the power to change
how we respond. We become no longer victims of our behaviors, but rather, empowered
individuals with a choice in the matter.
“This process creates a fundamental change in our

brain. We are no longer limited to just acting and
reacting. We become capable of reflecting on our
own thoughts, impulses, emotions, beliefs, decisions,
and actions. We create an independent inner
observer that monitors and recognizes what’s going
on in our brain. This gives us the ability to step back
and look at ourselves in much the same way that we
look at others.”
– Carnes, 1989, p. 12
(Carnes, 1989; Hansen, 2011; Miller and Minton, 2016; Rock, Siegel, Poelmans, & Payne, 2012)

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The cure to binge eating…is to stop acting on urges. The bad news is that this is
much easier said than done. The good news, however, is that everyone remains entirely
capable of producing this change.
Insert this link into your browser for an insightful podcast about urges & the lower brain!
➢ https://brainoverbinge.com/episode-3-lower-higher-brain/
Check out these additional podcasts from Kathryn Hansen for further insight into the
etiology of binge eating and the workings of the lower and higher brain
➢ Episode 2: The Cause of Binge Eating: Urges to Binge
https://brainoverbinge.com/episode-2-cause-binge-eating-urges-binge/
➢ Episode 3: The Lower and Higher Brain at Work in Binge Eating
https://brainoverbinge.com/episode-3-lower-higher-brain/

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WEIGHT SET-POINT
Understanding weight set-point is essential to overcoming binge eating.

Acknowledging the concept gives us the freedom of allowing our bodies to settle
naturally within their desired range. This occurs as we begin to honor our hunger and
fullness and free ourselves from all forms of dieting and excessive exercise.
How does Weight Set-point apply to me?
• Each individual contains a unique weight set-point at which the body is

programmed to function optimally, predetermined by several factors and
regulated by mechanisms in the brain
• The body defies shifting from this range as indicated by substantial metabolic
adjustments, hormonal shifts, and significant modifications at the
neurobiological level, following either weight loss or gain
• The brain holds an unwavering and impeccable grasp of the body’s needs,
demonstrated in the biological mechanisms it alters in response to both
undereating and overeating
• While possible to alter weight to a degree, weight lost or gained too rapidly or too
far out of an individual’s set range serves only to alarm the feedback control
mechanisms surrounding the individual’s unique weight set-point
(MacLean, et. al., 2011)
“Biological pressures emerge after weight loss to impart a more prominent influence on
the process of weight regain. It is the dieting and the deviation from the ‘steady-state’
weight that awakens the body's defense system. The biological response is persistent,
saturated with redundancies, and well-focused on the objective of restoring the
body's depleted energy reserves.”
- MacLean et al., 2011

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(image retrieved from Mexico Bariatric Center)
Significant Dieting & Weight-related Studies
Minnesota Starvation Experiment (1944)
Part 1: Restriction/ dieting phase
- Participants were given a starvation diet of 1,500 calories per day (<a special side
note that this was a starvation diet and many attempt to eat this little on a daily
basis in the modern age)
- Participants began exhibiting compromised psychological features and developed
an obsession with food, becoming preoccupied with cookbooks, recipes, making
food, and experiencing increased thoughts about food
- Participants reported intensified cravings and secret binges on large quantities
of food
Part 2: Participants allowed to eat as desired
- Following the restriction phase, participants were allotted 8-weeks to eat as

desired
- Participants reported intensified hunger and cravings, with multiple conveying
that they were still hungry after extremely large meals

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- Participants’ average consumption was 4,400 to 10,000 calories/ day

- Participants gained weight rapidly
Part 3: 8-month follow-up
- 8-months following, participants’ body weights were higher than their pre-dieting
weights
- Body fat stores raised an average of 40% from their pre-dieting levels
What we learned from this study was the consequences of dieting to physical,
emotional, and mental health, not to mention why we tend to surpass our previous
weights after a diet. Weights and fat stores eventually returned to pre-experiment levels
but took an average of 11.5 months across participants, indicating that the body stays
at a higher weight following a period of dieting so to guard for future food restriction.
Once an individual begins eating regularly again, the brain sees that food is once again
plentiful and releases the extra weight. Thus, the worst thing someone can do following
a period of weight gain after dieting, is go on another diet. This primes the body for
even further fat storage and preoccupation with food.
(Baker & Keramidas, 2013; Kalm & Semba, 2005)
Click here for a more in-depth look at the Minnesota Starvation Experiment of 1944
➢ https://youtu.be/oDhPh4GuxTY
Vermont Prison Study (1964)
- Participants were overfed for 3 months (approx. 5,000-10,000 calories/ day)

- Weight initially gained quickly, but became increasingly difficult as time
progressed, requiring recurrently more calories to maintain these high weights
- Participants exhibited significant increases in metabolism, body temperature, and
heartrate
- Following the study, participants’ body weights returned to their previous, lower
weights

26
This study illustrated how just as the body defies losing too much weight, it also
resists gaining weight too far out of its range. Our physiology fights for us if we only let
it.
(Salans, Horton, & Sims, 1971)
(image retrieved from Lena Lipatova)
Parabiosis Rats Study
(parabiosis is just fancy terminology for signifying that two things

share a joint blood supply)
- In this particular study, pairs of rats were joined

surgically (in order to share a joint blood supply)
- Once joined, lesions were made in the ventromedial
hypothalamus of one rat in each pair to induce
obesity
- As the obesity-induced rats exhibited an increased
appetite for food and gained weight rapidly, the
adjoined rats exhibited significant decreases in food
intake and began losing weight
- It was discovered that the obesity-induced rats’
blood supplies signaled satiety, thus decreasing
hunger in the adjoined rat
- Additional techniques were also used to induce
obesity in one rat of a parabiosed pair, with adjoined
rats consistently eating less and losing weight after
this occurred

27
The key takeaway from this study is that the body naturally balances itself out.
When we eat more than our bodies need at the time, the brain sends signals (one being
that of Leptin through the bloodstream) to decrease hunger, as well as increases
metabolism and desire for movement and physical activity, all in order to promote the
body to maintain homeostasis, or, its set weight range.
(Harris, 2014)
(image retrieved from Roy Martin, Douglas White, and Martin Hulsey)
Adoption Studies
- Data results from adoption studies consistently show that weights of adopted
children correlate with their biological parents rather than those of adoptive
parents, indicating that weight is influenced significantly more by biology than by
diet
(image retrieved from Colleen Dachille)
Twin Studies
- A significant study of twins included sets of identical twins separated for 100
days; one isolated in the wilderness given no access to foods other than those
provided by investigators, while the other was overfed
- Body weights and fat stores were evaluated following the study and the results
revealed a closer association in body weight and visceral fat within each twin pair
than among twin pairs
This study further indicates weight’s biological basis. If diet had more influence
than genes, then the weights of those within each of the environments would have had
closer-matched weights with each other; however, twin pairs, even though in entirely

28
different environments, still had weights closer in number than those within each
environment (who had been eating almost the exact same thing as each other!)
(Bouchard & Tremblay, 1997; Classen & Thompson, 2016; Sorensen et al., 1998; Stunkard et al., 1990)
“Accept your genetic blueprint. Just as a person with a shoe size of eight would not
expect realistically to squeeze into a size six, it is equally futile (and uncomfortable) to
have a similar expectation about body size. Respect your body, so you can feel better
about who you are. It’s hard to reject the diet mentality if you are unrealistic and
overly critical of your body shape.”
― Evelyn Tribole, MS, RDN

29
A helpful handout from the Centre for Clinical Interventions:

30
Dieting’s Influence on Weight Set-point
• Decrease in metabolism
• Reduced ambition to exercise & reduction in calories utilized during exercise
• Increased motivation to eat
• Reduction in satiety (satiety remains diminished after regaining weight, despite
the decline in metabolism)
• Decrease in lean body tissue
• Decreased levels of leptin (the hormone that triggers fullness)
• Lower caloric requirement becomes a burden that one must compensate for in
order to remain at the reduced weight
• Hypothalamus undergoes extensive changes promoting weight regain
• State of burning fewer calories persists throughout weight regain, rising back to
normal levels only after the lost weight has been regained or surpassed
• Considerable rise in body fat %, as the body prepares for future famine
• 2013 study on metabolic responses to weight change confirmed that maintaining
a 10% decrease in body weight results in a 20–25% decrease in 24 –hour energy
expenditure, as well as a 30% decrease in calories used during exercise
• Studies following weight-reduced individuals over the long-term indicate that 80–
90% return to previous weights
(Benton & Young, 2017 ; Cameron et al., 2014 ; Fothergil et al., 2016; Gilhooly et al., 2007 ; Kissileff et al.,
2012; MacLean et al., 2011; Redman et al., 2009; Rosenbaum & Liebel, 2010; Tomiyama et al., 2013)
(image retrieved from Seven Health)

31
Think about body temperature. If we become cold and our internal body
temperature drops, our body fights back to regain homeostasis in multiple ways:
shivering, narrowing of blood vessels to the extremities in order conserve heat in the
body. With dieting, the body works the same way by conserving energy in any way it can
(hence the lowered metabolism) and influencing calorie consumption (hence the
intensified cravings, preoccupation with food, and drive to binge).
(image retrieved from Brian Locsin)
How do I find my set weight range?
“Your ideal body weight is whatever weight you reach when you are mindfully
nourishing yourself with food and movement that you actually enjoy, and fully engaging
in your life.”
– Jennifer Rollin MSW, LCSW-C
Tips to finding your body’s designed set weight range:

32
 Learn to recognize your own hunger & fullness cues; able to eat when hungry and
stop when full & satiated
 Honor your cravings, while also recognizing how your body feels when you eat
certain foods
 Listen to your body, honoring it with the foods and movement it needs
 Instead of enforcing your own ideas or “rules”, listen to your body, allowing it to
determine your food decisions
 Accept that body weight does not require your logical intervention
 Aim for consuming a variety of foods
 Withhold from restricting any macronutrients
“Knowing if you’re at your body’s set-point can be a bit

challenging, but typically it involves a weight that is
easy for you to maintain over long periods of time and
doesn’t involve severe food cravings or hunger swings.”
– Lori Zanini, RD, CDE
Signs that you have reached your set-point (range):

 Your weight has remained stable for quite some time without any immense effort
towards keeping it so
 You feel properly energized
 Your bodily processes are all running as they should (given that there is not
medical condition that would affect something otherwise)
 You are not experiencing heavy survival drives to binge on large amounts of food
 Your resting heart rate falls between 60 and 100 beats/ minute
 You are attuned to hunger and fullness signals and maintaining regular movement
“You can only estimate that you are at set point if you have been eating “normally” and
participating in moderate exercise for about a year. It is estimated that it takes that
long, free of dieting, to allow your metabolism and weight to return to what is normal
for you.”
- Donna Ciliska, RN, PhD

33
Problems with BMI
“How can 29 million Americans become too fat overnight by not gaining a pound? The
answer is there is a lot of money to be made by telling people their bodies are a
problem and they need to lose weight.”
– Elisa Oras
The Body Mass Index, or, BMI has been widely accepted as a useful tool for
assessing health. How accurate is BMI however, and what is it even based in? Keep
reading to unveil the truth…
Quick Facts about BMI
• Invented in the 1800’s by Adolphe Quetelet, a mathematician for a single research

study with no intention of it becoming the norm for measuring weight and health
• In 1998, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) lowered the overweight

threshold from 28 to 25, declaring 29 million Americans as “overweight” with one
quick change
• The majority of those on the NIH board belonged to dieting companies or were
weight-loss manufacturers…with this change, the dieting Industry gained 29
million new potential customers overnight
• BMI assumes that something as simple as a height and weight ratio can indicate
an individual’s health
• BMI fails to consider body fat percentage or lean body mass
• BMI denies the concept of weight set-point
• The study that BMI is based on was completed on European males; it fails to
account for cultural differences
• BMI fails to consider biochemical markers (e.g. blood sugar, cholesterol, blood
pressure, etc.)
• BMI increases weight stigma by failing to take into account other factors of
health & wellness such as spiritual, social, emotional, or mental
• Numerous individuals living within their natural and appropriate set range qualify
as “overweight” or “underweight” according to BMI

34
• 70% of the US population rests between BMI’s of 23-31… If over half of the
population is naturally “overweight,” why is it referred to as “overweight” instead
of “average weight” given that BMI claims to identify averages, not standards…
• 54 million Americans are labeled “obese” or “overweight” but are metabolically

healthy
(Chopra, 2019; Tomiyama et al., 2016)

35

36
THE WEIGHTED EFFECTS OF DIETING (PUN

INTENDED)
We live in a prominent age of diet

culture. You do not have to go far to find
an advertisement, promotion, or some sort of
enticement for dieting. Diet culture lingo is
readily heard in society and most come
across several people in their day to day lives
who are dieting and/ or talking about their
diet, how “good” or “bad” they have eaten, or
their “need” to lose weight. Food restriction
has become so normalized, most of us do not
even give it a second thought and decide to
“jump on the bandwagon” ourselves…Most
all of us have tried some form of dieting or
food control at some point in our lives. Diet
culture has become so chronic, we no longer question its tactics and often fall right in.
While many will lose weight in the short-term, research has repeatedly shown that
dieting is a predictor for later weight gain and disordered eating. In fact, as many as 95%
of people regain the weight lost from dieting in the next five years. (Studies that claim
that their program leads to weight loss are notorious for only measuring results a few
months out.) Furthermore, weight stigma is a greater predictor of weight gain than
weight itself; for example, pressuring oneself to try to be a certain size is a predictor of
poor health outcomes because of the stress response it evokes in the body, as
consistently backed by research.
People often blame themselves for not being able to stick to their diet, not
realizing that diets are designed to fail and that dieting companies create their diets
with full awareness that food restriction causes intensified cravings, preoccupation
with food, and urges to binge eat, not to mention, alert the body’s survival drives and
promote weight regain. If diets actually worked, they would not receive any repeat
customers, and there is money to be made in causing people to think that they are the
reason for their diet failure and not the diet itself.
(Camps et al., 2013; Grodstein et al., 1996; Leibel, 1995 ; Mann et al., 2007)

37
“After sufficient calorie deprivation,

weight is lost, and therefore less energy
is needed to “run” the smaller body, and
less energy is expended to move the
smaller body during exercise (Leibel,
Rosenbaum, & Hirsch, 1995). Second, and
beyond the changes resulting from the
smaller body, metabolism becomes more
efficient, allowing the body to survive on
less energy than similar sized bodies that
were not calorie deprived (e.g., Camps,
Verhoef, & Westerterp, 2013; DeLany,
Kelley, Hames, Jakicic, & Goodpaster,
2014).
(image retrieved from Lauren Cadillac) - Traci Mann, PhD
The Presence of Diet Culture
Presenting itself as restrictive dieting,

rigid food rules, and through terminology such
as “cheat days,” “clean eating,” and “detoxing,”
diet culture assigns moral value to foods and
gives hierarchal significance to bodies. Most
dangerous of all however, diet culture prevents
people from making decisions based on their
own values and internal signals, instead
persuading one to conform to external ideals
and commands. When someone begins to make
choices regarding food and movement based on
external factors rather than internal cues and
desires, they begin to develop an unstable
relationship with food and movement. This can
become a problematic struggle that exacerbates
in the long-term.
The Stress Response

38
“There are biological reasons why you regain lost weight, and there are
psychological reasons why you regain lost weight. And then there is stress which
combines both of these in a uniquely powerful way.” – Traci Mann. An abundance of
research shows how stress leads to weight gain (specifically due to the body’s natural
stress response which releases cortisol, thus triggering the release of glucose into the
bloodstream) (Greeno & Wing, 1994; Peeke & Chrousos, 1995). Cortisol is directly linked
to fat storage in the abdomen region, not to mention, an increase in appetite and
decreased desire to workout.
We often think about how things such as work, school, finances, and other
obligations impact our stress level; however, do we ever consider the stress response
from dieting? A 2010 study explored this idea by measuring cortisol levels in the saliva
of individuals who were dieting, both several times before starting and after finishing
the diet. Results found that whether or not participants tracked their intake, the act
of restricting calories led to increased levels of cortisol. This study proved that stress
is inevitable while dieting, and moreover, provided further explanation as to why dieters
tend to gain back the weight lost from dieting (Tomiyama et al., 2010).
(Maclean etal., 2011; Tomiyama et al., 2010)
“Remember, the stress response is just one of the many biological and psychological
changes that happen when we restrict our eating. Each one on its own creates an
obstacle to keeping off weight. Perhaps you can surmount one of these obstacles, or
even two, for a while. But all of them, all of the time? It is unrealistic to expect
people to succeed when they are up against evolution, biology, and psychology.”
- Traci Mann, PhD
Aside from propensity for weight gain, having high levels of cortisol is associated
with numerous negative impacts on health from hypertension and inflammation, to
increased anxiety and depression symptoms, seep issues, and weakened immunity (Barlow
et al., 2011; Zaman; Gaete et al., 2016).
Check out this video for even more information on the ways stress (and cortisol) can
impact the body:
➢ https://youtu.be/v-t1Z5-oPtU

39
What Does the Research Say?
Dieting leads to increased focus on all things, food

Research demonstrates that dieters experience increased food-related
thoughts, cravings, and overall preoccupation with food. Brain scans on individuals
who are restricting their calories show increased activity in areas related to hunger,
motivation, and desire, while those done on individuals who are properly nourishing
themselves indicate increased activity in areas related to satiation and memory.
Dieters also report significantly more food and eating-related thoughts than non-
dieters.
(Coletta et al., 2009) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19685956/
(O'Connell et al., 2005)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15971244/#:~:text=Results%3A%20Restrained%2
0participants%20instructed%20to,mentions%20to%20food%20and%20eating.
Dieters experience more cravings than non-dieters

An ample amount of research has been done on the impact of dieting, each
indicating that restricting foods leads to increased cravings and increased
consumption of these very foods. “Compared with non-dieters, dieters experienced
stronger cravings that were more difficult to resist, and for foods they were
restricting eating.” Furthermore, it is found that trying to suppress food-related
thoughts leads to thinking about them even more.
(Massey & Hill, 2012) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22306437/
(Keeler et al., 2015) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.21098
(Barnes et al., 2013) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3779532/
Forcing oneself to eat “healthy” results in a competing motive to eat whatever

The desire to eat “healthy” is shown to compete with the desire to fulfill one’s
appetite, thus creating a conflict between one’s eating what they think they “should”
and what they actually want. Research attributes this to both diets requiring
restrictions and people’s belief that “healthy” food is generally less fulfilling.
Furthermore, it is found that eating something solely for the purpose of “health”
results in remaining just as hungry or, even more hungry afterwards. “Put simply,
imposed healthy eating would make people feel hungrier than not eating at all or eating
the same food without an emphasis on its healthiness.” Additionally, because humans
are wired to resist external controls, diets create an increased desire for whatever
items are “off-limits.”

40
(Finkelstein & Fishback, 2010)

https://academic.oup.com/jcr/article/37/3/357/1826407
Dieting and voluntary weight loss prompts the development of binge eating as well as
creates and/ or further complicates pre-existing mental health concerns
Dieting consistently shows to be a precursor for binge eating and other
disordered eating behaviors. Moreover, dieting is associated with increased symptoms
of depression, anxiety, and other mental health complications. “Independent of the
effect of body weight itself, dietary restraint is correlated with feelings of failure,
lowered self-esteem, and depressive symptoms. Dieting has also been shown to predict
stress.”
(Wilson, 1993)
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1020.2319&rep=rep1&ty
pe=pdf
Weight cycling is strongly linked to health complications and disruptions in overall

wellbeing
Not only is frequent dieting and weight regain associated with a heightened risk
of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and overall death rate, but the chronic stress of
worrying about weight and dieting further contributes to adverse health outcomes.
(Tylka et al., 2014) https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2014/983495/
Dieting leads to increased body fat stores

Not only does dieting teach the body to store fat, but the risk of this happening
is more likely in lean people than those naturally in larger bodies.
(Dulloo et al., 2012)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223957474_How_dieting_makes_some_
fatter_From_a_perspective_of_human_body_composition_autoregulation
It is what we tell ourselves about the food, not the food itself that causes our guilt.
Studies suggest that it is the dieting itself that causes eating-related guilt,
rather than the food that was consumed. “Those who associated chocolate cake with
guilt (vs. celebration) reported unhealthier eating habits and lower levels of perceived
behavioral control over their eating.”
(Kuijer et al., 2015) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25186250/

41
We Are What We Think
We know from research that it is not only calorie restriction that has adverse
effects. Simply the perception of consuming “diet” foods conveys a message to our
brains and bodies. With this being the case, what then is the biological response to
consuming “diet” foods?
Granola bar study
- This study involved 51 participants, divided into three

groups.
- All participants were told that they were taste-testing a
new chocolate raspberry granola bar (the bars were
unwrapped with no identifying information visible)
- One group was invited to rate the appearance of the bar
but not allowed to eat it; another, was told that the bar was a new health bar
containing high levels of vitamins, protein, fiber, and no artificial sweeteners.
The final group was told that they were sampling a chocolate bar that is very tasty
and yummy with a chocolate raspberry core. Participants were asked to rate their
hunger levels before and after eating the bar.
- After eating, participants of the group that was assigned the “healthy” granola
bar were not only hungrier than the group that was assigned the “tasty” bar, but
the group that ate NOTHING AT ALL
Milkshake study
On two separate occasions, participants consumed a 380-calorie milkshake under the

impression that it was either a 620 calorie “indulgent” shake or a 140 calorie “health”
shake.
- Participants’ ghrelin levels were measured both before and

after consumption (ghrelin is the body’s hunger hormone and
naturally decreases as we eat and the brain registers fullness)
- Participants who consumed the shake labeled “indulgent” –
their ghrelin levels dropped as normal, decreasing their
hunger
- Participants who consumed the shake labeled “healthy” –
their ghrelin levels REMAINED THE SAME, as though they
had not eaten anything

42
- Being that all shakes consumed were the exact same (380 calorie milkshake), this
study displays just how much one’s perception of what they are eating affects
not only their enjoyment of it but their body’s physiological responses to it
Key takeaway: The way that we perceive foods is incredibly impactful. Thus, if
we are eating something solely for the purpose of it being “healthy” and/ or consuming a
“diet” product, our body responds as though we ate very little or ate nothing at all. We
cannot outsmart our biology. Not only does dieting or “healthy” eating require certain
restrictions and food rules (which creates the perfect atmosphere for increased
carvings and bingeing), alter our body’s physiological responses (as evidenced by a lack of
response from ghrelin), but our belief that healthy food is less fulfilling further enforces
the idea of compensating.
(Crum et al., 2011; Finkelstein & Fishbach, 2010)
“Put simply, imposed healthy eating would make people feel hungrier than not eating at
all or eating the same food without an emphasis on its healthiness.”
- Finkelstein & Fishbach, 2010
As if we have not grasped this point by now, here is a summary of some of the effects
of dieting:
• Pre-occupation with food and body

• Decreased metabolism
• Decrease in hormones that trigger fullness (peptide YY, cholecystokinin, leptin)
*changes observed remain up to a year after dieting has ceased*
• Increased levels of cortisol – the body’s stress hormone, leaving us more
vulnerable to the effects of stress
• Development of binge-eating behavior
• Increased food-related thoughts & cravings, especially foods high in fat & carbs
(which is a survival mechanism – these foods are more likely to sustain us for
longer periods of time, and since we have not been eating enough to meet our
needs, our brain thinks that we need all that we can get)
• Intensified symptoms of depression and anxiety
• Distraction from other goals and life areas
• Diminished hunger & fullness cues; increase in “satiety boundary,” or how much
food it takes us to feel satisfied

43
• A developed “all-or-nothing” approach resulting in loss-of-control eating after a

perceived “diet violation” or emotional distress
• More likely to overeat when enjoying favorite foods
• Increased reward expectancy when viewing pleasurable foods (as evidenced by
brain scans)
• General irritability and moodiness
• Reduced feelings of self-worth
• Difficulty concentrating and/ or wonky sleep patterns
• Decreases in lean body mass
• Decreased levels of Leptin (the body’s fullness hormone)
• Increased risk for developing an eating disorder
(Coletta et al., 2009; Finkelstein & Fishbach, 2010; Massey & Hill, 2012; O’Connell et al., 2005;
Tomiyama et al., 2009; Tomiyama, 2010)
“A history of caloric restriction can alter opioid-receptor function and make one more
susceptible to binge eating.”
- Boggiano et. al., 2005
Ket-NO
A common trend these days is to eat “low carb” … However, not only does this
diet fad rob the body of its preferred source of fuel, but it leads to an abundance of
issues, impacting both the body and the brain. Furthermore, eating low carb is an
unsuccessful method for sustainable weight loss as once the individual begins eating
carbs regularly again, the body is more likely to store rather than use the intake in order
to prepare for a future “carb famine.”
Additionally, what many do not realize is that the brain uses roughly 20% of one’s
overall caloric intake, and glucose is its primary source of fuel… In fact, those who eat
low carb commonly experience a cognitive fuzziness that can only be explained by a
substantial decrease in carbohydrate consumption (Hardy et al., 2015; Raichle &
Gusnard, 2002). When the body is robbed of carbs, it resorts to breaking down glycogen
stores and then, producing ketones. Not only does this put your health at risk, but
ketones can only compensate for ~70% of the brain’s requirements.

44
The keto diet is commonly referred to as “the cardiologist’s nightmare” as it

throws the ratio of macronutrients out of whack… there is a reason that the
macronutrients are called macronutrients; they are meant to be taken in in considerable
amounts and the body is designed to handle them (macro = large). See below for a
concise list of some of the major problems of the “keto” diet:
• Glucose is the brain and body’s primary source of fuel

• Carbohydrates are our source of quick-energy, and the body’s stores deplete
every 4-5 hours (hence, it is best to eat a mix of carbs, protein, and fat every 3-4
hours)
• Ketones can only compensate for 70% of the brain’s requirements
• Decline in brain function/ cognitive performance
• Decreased ability to pay attention
• Mood imbalances, irritability, and increased cravings for carbs (isn’t it amazing
how our bodies tell us exactly what they are needing?? You are not crazy for
having cravings)
• Muscle loss
• Trains the body to store energy (the reason one often ends up surpassing their
original weight after following “keto”)
“Now you’re back at your starting weight, but you no longer have the muscle mass to
burn the calories that you did before. That can have lasting effects on your resting
metabolic rate and on your weight long-term.”
- Kristen Kizer, RD.
• *Keto is especially worrisome for athletes* (as glycogen is broken down, this leads
to muscle loss, not to mention that muscle tissue requires both protein AND
carbs for optimum growth).
• The brain needs roughly 320-520 calories per day from carbohydrates alone (80-
130g) – This is the equivalent of 8 slices of bread, and that’s not even taking into
account the needs of the body!
• There is a reason that carbohydrates are one of the MACROnutrients; our
bodies are designed to take them in and require them in large amounts to
function.
(Campos, 2017; D’Anci et al., 2009; Kanter, 2018; Hodges-Chaffee, 2020)
Lastly:

45
- There is no such thing as “good” carbs or “bad” carbs. An Oreo and a banana
both contain carbohydrates that can be used for energy. Foods that contain
carbs are all different and eating a variety is the most helpful!
- Eating carbohydrates does not cause diabetes, and diabetics can eat
carbohydrates. Eating an adequate amount of carbs throughout the day at
regular intervals, along with protein and fat, is the most helpful for regulating
blood sugar.
A good rule of thumb:
- any diet that cuts out an entire food group or macronutrient is unsustainable
and incredibly rough on the body, not to mention evokes a response from the
hypothalamus in the lower brain that alarms one’s survival mechanisms.
“When you rigidly limit the amount of food you are allowed to eat, it usually sets you
up to crave larger quantities of that very food.”
Types of Restriction
An important Side note! There

are more ways to restrict than just
physically. For example, we can
restrict mentally simply by thinking
about the calories we are eating,
planning out how we are going to eat
less or diet later on, or simply just by
having thoughts that lead to guilt
about what we are eating.
Additionally, restriction can occur
circumstantially when our schedule
gets filled up and we go hours without
eating.
To overcome habitual binge eating, it is crucial to not only be eating

enough to meet our bodies’ needs, but to honor our cravings, reframe unhelpful

46
food thoughts and judgements, and prioritize meal and snack times. Remember,
the part of your brain that controls hunger, weight, and survival has no clue that
restriction is temporary and takes it as an immediate threat.
(image retrieved from Brittany Brown)
“Throw out the diet books and magazine articles that offer you the false hope
of losing weight quickly, easily, and permanently. Get angry at the lies that have
led you to feel as if you were a failure every time a new diet stopped working
and you gained back all of the weight. If you allow even one small hope to linger
that a new and better diet might be lurking around the corner, it will prevent
you from being free to rediscover Intuitive Eating.”
– Evelyn Tribole, MS, RDN

47

48
IF DIETING CAUSES ALL OF THESE ISSUES…WHY DO

WE DO IT?
The Change in Eating Behavior Serves a Role
Any time we change our eating, we change our

brain chemistry. Therefore, we actually feel
different after either restricting our caloric intake
or bingeing on large amounts of food. As a result,
many of us learn to use food as a way to manipulate
our emotional state. Many emotions are unpleasant
to feel, thus, if we can rid ourselves of these
unpleasant feelings simply by changing our eating, it
seems like a viable option.
Another popular reason for changing one’s

eating is choosing to restrict one’s caloric intake with the hope of changing oneself to
better fit in, to feel happier, to find a date, etc. This becomes a dangerous issue
because one is attempting to use food to fix a problem that has roots in intrapersonal
issues. When we try to use food to solve a problem which’s core is in our worth, we will
be fighting a battle we will never win.
Spoiler Alert! Our Problems Still Exist Regardless of our Current Weight
Long-term effects of dieting:

– At Best: biological processes and hormones are thrown out-of-whack,
metabolism slows, and your body ends up regaining the weight
– At Worst: an Eating Disorder erupts
–
Diet culture brainwashes us into thinking that changing our weight is the solution to
any and all of life’s problems. In fact, it has become such a commonly accepted reality
that we no longer even realize when it has morphed into our own thinking

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But wait…what if I actually want to Lose Weight??
If you find yourself truly desiring to lose

weight, it is important to ask yourself where the
motivation is coming from. For, when coming
from place of shame or disgust, the changes you
make will be forever be connected to those
feelings and you will feel resentful about any
changes made.
For example, is the motivation coming

from the desire to look different, fit into a
different size, etc., or is it coming from the
desire to live a healthful life and possibly live a
few years longer, or perhaps wanting to have
more energy or an easier time getting around?
The issue with many individuals’ desire to “eat healthy” is not in their decision to,
but the motivation behind it. What’s their why?
The reality is that most individuals would rather honor their cravings while also
meeting their nutritional needs, than spend their lives accustomed to ways of eating
that are subpar to their actual wants and desires. There is nothing wrong with wanting
to lose weight. The reasons behind and the method used however, are the most
significant factors. Make sure that your motivation is more along the lines of a health-
related purpose or general wellbeing than simply wanting to “drop pounds for a trip” or
to fit into a particular size of pants… Remember, we do not get to pick our size anyway,
so anytime we choose a number to be at, whether that be a weight, jean size, waist size,
etc., we are setting ourselves up for a battle with our body’s natural set-weight range.
Additionally, after figuring out our reason for wanting to lose weight, it is crucial that
we abstain from dieting for any lasting changes to take place. (The alternative is
intuitive eating, and it will be discussed in-depth in later sections.)

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WHY DOES SOMEONE DEVELOP BINGE EATING?
Certain genetic traits can

predisposition an individual for
developing an eating disorder, however, it
is ultimately an environmental factor that
triggers these genes to “click into action”
in the form of an eating disorder. For
example, someone with the genes
commonly seen in those with binge eating
disorder such as impulsivity, might
experience bullying and decide to go on a
diet. The action of dieting then erupts
the individual’s survival mechanisms,
resulting in their impulsivity to dive into overdrive as they become programmed to act
more quickly on cravings and simply the sight of food in general. Other environmental
factors that might make an individual susceptible to binge eating and/ or any other
eating disorder behavior include family pressure or diet talk, stress, losing someone
important, life transitions, sports or activities with a weight focus, overt parental
control during the developmental stages, or growing up in an environment where there
was not enough food to meet one’s needs. Dieting however, remains the leading cause
of binge eating.
Another reason that someone might develop binge eating is linked to evidence
that some individuals experience problems in the reward circuitry of their brains.
Research suggests pre-existing genetic differences in the reward circuitry of those who
suffer from binge eating. These individuals are shown to experience an increased neural
response when anticipating food or taste, and a neutral or decreased reward response
when actually tasting the food (Ely et al., 2017). It is proposed thus that these individuals
have a heightened response to seeing or imagining foods, but a decreased response when
actually eating said food. Binge eating then, is postulated to be an attempt to match the
anticipated taste, as the individual continues eating in an attempt to get an increased
response. There is evidence that this abnormality in reward circuitry exists long before
binge eating ever develops and that ongoing binge eating alters it further (Brooks et al.,
2011; Frank, 2014; Kenny, 2011; Wierenga et al., 2014). This knowledge offers not only
compassion for the struggling individual but understanding for their friends and loved
ones. Now, while it can be simple to begin feeling like a victim of one’s genes, it is
essential to remember the remarkable capabilities of neuroplasticity and how our new
behaviors and thought patterns can change the brain overtime.

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We know that dieting also manipulates reward circuitry, and additionally, that
stressful events like early-life trauma or lack of proper caregiving can also result in
reward circuitry irregularities (Bragulat et al., 2010; Boukezzi et al., 2020; Carr, 2011;
Flores, 2004). (To learn more about “attachment” check out this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjOowWxOXCg, or this post
https://markmanson.net/attachment-styles by Mark Manson; one’s attachment style is
another significant factor in determining whether one might develop a propensity for
binge eating, depending also of course on genetic factors. One’s attachment style not
only plays a role in forming the dopamine pathway and what an individual finds rewarding
in life, but also plays significant role in one’s capability to regulate their emotions. For
example, it is proposed that individuals with early-life trauma or other developmental
stress experience a decreased dopamine reward from interaction with others, thus
creating the likelihood that they will seek out other things such as food or drugs to
receive that dopamine response (Cortés-Garcia et al., 2019; Flores, 2004; Han & Kahn,
2017).
See below for a graphic illustrating some of the possible causation factors of
altered reward circuitry, as well as some of the factors that might maintain, and how
these factors might further alter reward response with time.

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This chart shows some of the propensities for eating disorders in general.
(image retrieved from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)

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Why is Dieting a Leading Cause of Binge Eating?
Have you ever wondered why you seem to think about food so much more,
cravings seem to skyrocket, and the foods you are avoiding suddenly seem so irresistible
when dieting? Your body is doing exactly what it was designed to do.
Our bodies were not made for dieting. They actually oppose it. Dieting (eating less
calories than one’s body requires on a day-to-day basis) erupts our survival mechanisms
as if our bodies are going to starve to death. That is right. Your brain could not care
less about the jeans you want to fit in or that dream weight you want to reach before a
certain day; your brain is concerned with keeping you alive, thus any form of dieting, it
perceives as a threat (Hansen, 2011).
Why is this so dangerous? Any time the body faces a prolonged period of
undernourishment, it undergoes a plethora of biological processes (e.g. substantial
metabolic adjustments, hormonal shifts, and significant modifications at the
neurobiological level) unbeknownst to the individual. Dieting sends a message to the
brain that food is no longer plentiful, and with food being a requirement to survive, the
biological response is to do absolutely anything and everything to promote the individual
to think about food, be more attracted to food, and eat in surplus when consuming
food, In addition, dieting primes the body for storing excess calories, hence the slowed
metabolism.
Therefore, it is not by coincidence that while dieting, individuals experience

increased food thoughts, intensified hunger and cravings, and a preoccupation with all
things food. This is the body’s natural response when threatened nutritionally. And
this is exactly what diets do. Furthermore, many who diet try not to think about the
foods that they want. Consequently, they end up thinking about these foods even more,
as trying to suppress a thought actually creates a preoccupation with this exact
thought.
So…if dieting plays such a role in binge eating, why do so many continue bingeing after
they start eating regularly again?
There are a few possibilities for this; one is that the individual feels as though
they are no longer dieting, however are somehow still restricting their intake, either
physically (not eating enough for their body’s needs) or mentally (avoiding certain food
items they crave or only allowing themselves certain amounts of these foods) which is
referred to as pseudo-dieting. Another reason is habit formation.
What initially started as an eruption of the survival mechanisms, becomes

ingrained as the behavior is continued. Urges to binge, thus become no longer an

55
indication of any true need but merely a mechanism of the lower brain on autopilot
(Hansen, 2011).
As mentioned earlier, the brain has a remarkable capability of maintaining habits

to help us stay alive. As also mentioned, however, the lower brain is unable to decipher
between good and bad, thus, whatever becomes a repeated behavior, it works adamantly
to remain an ongoing process. The destructive habit of bingeing, then, is maintained
steadfastly, as both the body and brain have been trained to expect and demand binges.
Regardless of what led to the habit of binge eating (e.g. dieting, compulsive
emotional eating, etc.), the brain becomes programmed to become dependent on binge
eating after repeating the behavior so many times. As mentioned previously,
neuroscience shows us that neurons that fire together, wire together, becoming so
coordinated and strong that the pathways involved compel the individual to continue
the behavior.
Typically, when one gives in to an urge to binge, it is due to the extreme

discomfort of the urge and the individual simply wanting relief which as they have
learned from experience, will only come if they “obey” the urge. What we many times do
not realize however, is that each time we “cave” to the urge, we actually strengthen the
neural pathway involved, thus making the habit even stronger. It can be helpful to
remember that while an urge seems to grow increasingly stronger until we “give in,” urges
actually come and go similar to a wave. For this reason, it can be helpful when
experiencing an urge, to envision it as a wave rather than a line continually increasing
uphill with no end. If we simply allow it to be, and “ride out the wave,” rather than
attempting to push it out of our minds, we build new neural pathways in line with our
true selves!
*a special note on purging
Some who struggle with binge eating attempt to compensate for their binge
eating episodes through some type of purging. Purging behaviors include anything
intended to compensate for calories consumed. Some examples include self-induced
vomiting, excessive exercise, misuse of laxatives, use of diet pills, caloric restriction,
chewing and spitting, or the use of tobacco or other drugs for weight control. The
problem with purging is not only that it is ineffective at “undoing” a binge, but it actually
further exacerbates the issue by intensifying and increasing the fuel of the binge-purge
cycle.
How does it exacerbate the cycle? Purging signals to the lower brain that the
individual is continuing to deprive the body of food, thus the brain becomes more

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powerfully primed for binge eating, the urges become stronger, and the relentless cycle
increases. To the lower brain, purging is the equivalent to a continued food shortage,
thus, the brain perceives ongoing starvation and intensifies its survival drives to take in
more food.
While comforting in the moment, purging alarms the lower brain that starvation
is once again occurring, thus, further enforcing all of the mechanisms to protect against
future famine. (Purging offers short-term anxiety relief with long-term consequences).
All in all, the act of purging further convinces the lower brain that binges are necessary
for survival. And consequently, the cycle intensifies, becoming stronger and more
reinforced with time. All in all, when someone purges, their brain becomes more
powerfully primed for binge eating.
“The lower brain and survival drives don’t listen to reason. My lower brain was not my
enemy – it only encouraged me to binge because it sensed I needed to binge in order to
survive.”
– Kathryn Hansen

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SO, WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL OF THIS

INFORMATION?

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REGULAR EATING (CEASING ALL FORMS OF

DIETING)
REGULAR EATING (CEASING ALL FORMS OF DIETING)
“Any attempt to prioritize external cues over our own internal body cues when it
comes to food is a diet.” - Unknown
It cannot be stressed enough that once the body and brain have engaged with
the binge-purge cycle for a prolonged time, that the brain must be reassured that food
is plentiful and that there is no need to continue living in an alarmed state of the
unknown, wondering as to whether or not regular amounts of food will come. How does
one replenish this norm? By eating plenty and eating often. In fact, as discussed in the
section on weight set-point theory, many surpass their previous weights when they begin
to eat freely, and this is completely normal not to mention a good thing as it proves to
the body that food is available and that there is no longer any reason to store excess
calories or to obsess over food. This weight is shown to redistribute with time as the
individual continues to eat without restriction.
As mentioned earlier, after the body has gone through prolonged starvation, it
alarms several mechanisms to influence energy storage and promote weight regain. It is
therefore crucial that the individual feeds their body enough food and to aim for
allowing no more than 3-4 hours to pass between meals and snacks. Eating regularly not
only reassures the brain that food is plentiful and that there is no need to continue
storing extra calories for energy but helps stabilize the individual’s hunger-related
hormones and hunger and fullness cues, not to mention keeps the individual from
becoming overly hungry by the time they do eat. “Your body has survived a nutritional
trauma, and your cells need to know that they will be fed and taken care of, which will
take repetition and consistency.” – Evelyn Tribole.
Additionally, it is critical that no particular foods, nutrients, or food groups are

omitted from one’s intake (the only excuse being an allergy, personal disliking of a food,
or cultural reason). You might think that you can outsmart yourself by cutting a certain
food group out of your diet, but your lower brain knows when it is deprived, and by now
you should have a good understanding that it is in your favor to do everything you can
to not reinforce the alarming mechanisms of the lower brain. Being that one must eat
to survive, it must be an enjoyable experience to remain sustainable. Therefore, deprival
is simply not an option. It is essential that we are not only eating enough to meet our
body’s particular needs, but that we are including the foods we truly desire as feeling
not only full but satisfied helps to reduce feelings of deprivation.

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Finally, while ever tempting to compare what one eats to that of others, remember
that your body is exhausted and that you are likely suffering from malnutrition. Your
basic nutritional needs may be vastly different from those around you. Having a good
relationship with food will never happen as long as we are allowing external things to
control our food choices (e.g., What someone else is eating or a new fad diet).
Intuitive Eating
While dieting tells us what to eat, when to eat, and how much, intuitive eating
involves trusting one’s own instincts. Intuitive eating is an approach to food that
involves using our internal cues to guide food choices, eliminating the morality of foods

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(e.g., labeling foods as “good” or “bad”), and

honoring our hunger, fullness, and cravings.
An enjoyable and sustainable relationship
with food happens when we eat when
hungry, stop when full, honor our cravings,
and mindfully savor what we do eat. As
Evelyn Tribole says, “If you don’t love it,
don’t eat it, and if you love it, savor it.” Our
entire relationship with food can be
summed up in this statement. Establishing
a healthy relationship with food involves
developing and fine-tuning our mindful
eating skills. In this way, we are honoring
both hunger and fullness while also not
wasting our time with foods that we do not truly enjoy.
There is no better person to explain how to develop a healthy relationship with

food that Evelyn Tribole, author and co-founder of Intuitive Eating.
1. Reject the Diet Mentality
Throw out the diet books and magazine articles that offer you the false hope of losing
weight quickly, easily, and permanently. Get angry at diet culture that promotes weight
loss and the lies that have led you to feel as if you were a failure every time a new diet
stopped working and you gained back all of the weight. If you allow even one small hope
to linger that a new and better diet or food plan might be lurking around the corner, it
will prevent you from being free to rediscover Intuitive Eating.
2. Honor Your Hunger
Keep your body biologically fed with adequate energy and carbohydrates. Otherwise,
you can trigger a primal drive to overeat. Once you reach the moment of excessive
hunger, all intentions of moderate, conscious eating are fleeting and irrelevant. Learning
to honor this first biological signal sets the stage for rebuilding trust in yourself and in
food.
3. Make Peace with Food
Call a truce; stop the food fight! Give yourself unconditional permission to eat. If you
tell yourself that you can’t or shouldn’t have a particular food, it can lead to intense
feelings of deprivation that build into uncontrollable cravings and, often, bingeing.

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When you finally “give in” to your forbidden foods, eating will be experienced with such
intensity it usually results in Last Supper overeating and overwhelming guilt.
4. Challenge the Food Police
Scream a loud no to thoughts in your head that declare you’re “good” for eating minimal
calories or “bad” because you ate a piece of chocolate cake. The food police monitor
the unreasonable rules that diet culture has created. The police station is housed deep
in your psyche, and its loudspeaker shouts negative barbs, hopeless phrases, and guilt-
provoking indictments. Chasing the food police away is a critical step in returning to
Intuitive Eating.
5. Discover the Satisfaction Factor
The Japanese have the wisdom to keep pleasure as one of their goals of healthy living.
In our compulsion to comply with diet culture, we often overlook one of the most basic
gifts of existence—the pleasure and satisfaction that can be found in the eating
experience. When you eat what you really want, in an environment that is inviting, the
pleasure you derive will be a powerful force in helping you feel satisfied and content. By
providing this experience for yourself, you will find that it takes just the right amount
of food for you to decide you’ve had “enough.”
6. Feel Your Fullness
In order to honor your fullness, you need to trust that you will give yourself the foods
that you desire. Listen for the body signals that tell you that you are no longer hungry.
Observe the signs that show that you’re comfortably full. Pause in the middle of eating
and ask yourself how the food tastes, and what your current hunger level is.
7. Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness
First, recognize that food restriction, both physically and mentally, can, in and of itself,
trigger loss of control, which can feel like emotional eating. Find kind ways to comfort,
nurture, distract, and resolve your issues. Anxiety, loneliness, boredom, and anger are
emotions we all experience throughout life. Each has its own trigger, and each has its
own appeasement. Food won’t fix any of these feelings. It may comfort for the short
term, distract from the pain, or even numb you. But food won’t solve the problem. If
anything, eating for an emotional hunger may only make you feel worse in the long run.
You’ll ultimately have to deal with the source of the emotion.
8. Respect Your Body
Accept your genetic blueprint. Just as a person with a shoe size of eight would not
expect to realistically squeeze into a size six, it is equally futile (and uncomfortable) to
have a similar expectation about body size. But mostly, respect your body so you can

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feel better about who you are. It’s hard to reject the diet mentality if you are unrealistic
and overly critical of your body size or shape. All bodies deserve dignity.
9. Movement—Feel the Difference
Forget militant exercise. Just get active and feel the difference. Shift your focus to
how it feels to move your body, rather than the calorie-burning effect of exercise. If
you focus on how you feel from working out, such as energized, it can make the
difference between rolling out of bed for a brisk morning walk or hitting the snooze
alarm.
10. Honor Your Health—Gentle Nutrition
Make food choices that honor your health and taste buds while making you feel good.
Remember that you don’t have to eat perfectly to be healthy. You will not suddenly get
a nutrient deficiency or become unhealthy, from one snack, one meal, or one day of
eating. It’s what you eat consistently over time that matters. Progress, not perfection,
is what counts.
(BALANCE, 2021; IntuitiveEating.org)
“Make food choices that honor your health and taste buds while making you feel
good. Remember that you don’t have to eat a perfect diet to be healthy. You will not
suddenly get a nutrient deficiency, or gain weight from one snack, one meal, or one day
of eating. It’s what you eat consistently over time that matters. Progress, not
perfection, is what counts.”

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Weight stigma has proven

to be a predictor of poor health
outcomes and disordered eating
(Balance, 2021; Emmer, Bosnjak,
& Mata, 2019). Intuitive eating,
on the other hand, has proven to
have considerable health
outcomes to both physical and
mental health. To the side are
listed, just a few:
Click here for a podcast from Becca Clegg: Balancing Your Relationship with Food

66
➢ https://www.edcatalogue.com/episode-154-becca-clegg-balancing-relationship-
food/
Follow this link to order the latest edition of Intuitive Eating
➢ https://www.amazon.com/Intuitive-Eating-4th-Anti-Diet-
Revolutionary/dp/1250255198/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_0/132-3581749-
2953641?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1250255198&pd_rd_r=807ac249-c957-46ed-b418-
ed14eb72f625&pd_rd_w=UmMdo&pd_rd_wg=QjEv6&pf_rd_p=337be819-13af-4fb9-
8b3e-
a5291c097ebb&pf_rd_r=YCNBRMMDY72WJ5QZA1A9&psc=1&refRID=YCNBR
MMDY72WJ5QZA1A9
Why it is Important to Honor our Cravings?
Honoring your cravings does not mean that you have to have something the
moment it is craved or that you eat every little thing that you want. Honoring your
cravings simply means that you do not cut any of the foods you enjoy out of your diet
(unless of course you have medical or cultural reason to; for example, someone with
Celiac disease would likely avoid wheat products as these could cause damage to the
G.I. tract). We know that keeping a food we love out of our diet or not allowing
ourselves to eat a food that we enjoy creates a preoccupation with this food to the
point that when we do find ourselves with it, we typically end up bingeing. When our
brain thinks that a food is “off limits,” then it will naturally entice us to eat large amounts
of this food when it is available so to “stock up” while we can. One of the most
important things you will ever learn in binge eating recovery is the following: The only
way to stop bingeing on foods is to start eating the foods that you binge on regularly.
Yep, you read that right. See below, why:
• Decreases obsessive thinking about specific foods

• Teaches the brain that the food is allowed
• Reduces impulsive decisions about food in general
• Decreases the assigning of moral values to food such as “good” or “bad”
• Increases enjoyment of food in general

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The “Pause”
An easy skill available to anyone is simply pausing at any point during your meal or
snack to ask yourself how full you are and to assess your enjoyment of the food. Think
about the many aspects of taste: texture, temperature, smell, flavor, etc., and check-in
with yourself to see how much you are actually enjoying your food.
“Listen for the body signals that tell you that you are no longer hungry. Observe the
signs that show that you’re comfortably full. Pause in the middle of a meal or snack
and ask yourself how the food tastes, and what your current fullness level is.”
FREE Webinar: What is Intuitive Eating? An Introduction to Anti-Diet Nutrition

➢ https://youtu.be/vIc41GnpET4
Watch this comprehensive training by Evelyn Tribole! Intuitive Eating: Make Peace with
Food, Mind & Body
➢ https://youtu.be/eSpzf72S6IY

68
All in all, our bodies tell us what they want and need if we only listen. For example,
if all you are eating is grilled chicken and salads, your body will likely produce cravings
for something more satiating like potatoes or chocolate. At the same time, after a
period of eating a lot of processed foods and rich desserts, you might find yourself
craving something less heavy such as fruits and vegetables. Our bodies are always
communicating to us. We just often override this with our self-imposed dieting rules.

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IMPLEMENT COPING SKILLS
IMPLEMENT COPING SKILLS

The purpose of coping skills is to help get us through difficult times so to not act
in a self-destructive way or so that we are not left suffering through a distressing time.
Someone might use a coping skill when experiencing an urge to binge so to keep them
from acting on the urge. Additionally, someone might use a coping skill when feeling
sad, as a way to soothe their suffering.
Coping skills are completely individualized and look different for everyone. It is
important to find ones that work for you and to have a plan ready to implement them so
that when times are rough and the lower brain takes over, we have a set way to cope. It
is also much easier to work on exploring coping skills when calm rather than the
emotionally charged moment when we actually need them. Common coping strategies
include journaling, coloring, going for a walk, taking a hot shower, or calling a friend,
but there are so many more. You will likely find that different coping strategies work
better for different situations. For example, “containment” might work well for you
when experiencing an urge to binge, while “painting” might work better when you are
feeling down.
See below for a list of 99 coping ideas, and feel free to dream up your own! It is
important that coping skills be something enjoyable to us so that it is more appealing to
implement them during difficult times and as urges arise. If you do not enjoy writing for
example, then journaling might not be the best option.
Many of the coping skills shared in this section are specific to disordered eating,
while others are more versatile and can be applied in any situation.

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Favorite Coping Mechanisms!
Containment
“Between stimulus and response there is a space; in that space is our power to choose
our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
– Victor Frankl, PhD
Containment is a technique that involves pausing, to “hold” our experience, thus

allowing us to choose how to respond. Upon noticing an uncomfortable emotion,
unwanted feeling, or other undesired process such as an urge, we acknowledge the gap
– the space between this item and acting. We recognize that between our internal
process and external action, there lies a space in which we have the ability to choose
how to respond. Containment is a powerful technique that can have huge impact
towards interrupting the process of having an urge to binge and actually bingeing, not
to mention assist with any area in which we tend to react impulsively. “There is a tiny
little gap we crawl into with practice that can make all of the difference in the world.
This take-advantage-of-it gap – the pause – may only be a millisecond long; but it does in
fact sit right there , between stimulus and response, if we will only honor it, right inside
our minds.” – David Daniels
Containment is not intended to ignore the feeling/ urge/ etc., nor force the
feeling/ urge/ etc. to be something else, but rather is about pausing to allow it, be with
it, and see if for what it is. “Containment is not sedating nor suppressing nor denying.
Rather, it is training into ourselves the capacity to gently ‘contain’ the charge, to ‘hold
it’” – Michael Brown. Containment involves paying mindful attention to our internal
state when noticing an uncomfortable feeling or urge, and instead of reacting to it
impulsively, just simply holding it in awareness. When we do this, we grow able to choose
how to respond and no longer feel a victim to what is happening in our internal world.
David Daniels discusses containment as happening in a momentary, cognitive-

emotional suspension. As humans, we tend to do things on autopilot, reacting
automatically before even taking the time to think it through; therefore, the space
between stimulus and response can be easy to miss if we are not paying attention. Once
we have recognized the thought, emotion, or urge without acting, we can then observe
it and choose a pathway of response that is best.
Containment is all about holding the charge of whatever emotion, urge, or

impulse arises and instead of acting, taking a pause to choose a response. As we
practice the pause of containment daily, we train our ability to contain our reactivity,
until this gradually becomes our body’s natural response.

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>>Practice Exercise!
Containment is a skill that improves with practice. To get the hang of

containment, close your eyes right now and put your attention on your breath, allowing
it to breathe you in and out and allowing your body to release any tension with each
repetition. Really focus in on your breath and notice the way your body fills with air and
puts it back with each recurrence. After you are established in your breathing, simply
notice whatever thoughts, feelings, and sensations come to mind, holding them in
nonjudgmental awareness – simply just noticing them. With neutrality, accept whatever
has come to mind (this does not mean that we condone the content of the thought,
image, etc., it simply means that we are willing to allow it to take up space in us instead
of handing over control to it or trying to fight with it.) After noticing the thought,
return your attention to your breath, focusing on each inhale or exhale. Continue doing
this as long as your desire, whenever you feel ready, bringing your attention slowly back
to your environment.
What you just did was take advantage of the gap between stimulus and response,
you practiced containment! By noticing whatever feelings, sensations, urges, etc. came
to mind and returning to your breath, you took advantage of the space between the
internal process (stimulus) and your response. You utilized the gap between urge and
action! You can probably imagine how helpful this same activity would be in situations
where you experience an urge to binge. Next time you notice an urge, simply hold it in
nonjudgmental awareness (it is not something to be feared because you get to choose
your response!!), direct your attention back to your breathing, then choose how you
would like to respond.
As humans, we are far from perfect, but practice certainly does make permanent!
Therefore, it is helpful to practice containment when in a state of calm or just at
random point throughout our day so to strengthen the skill so that when a stressful
experience or crisis arises, we are better prepared to respond effectively.
*Bonus!! As we practice containment in our everyday lives, we strengthen our prefrontal

cortex, the part of the brain involved with impulse-control and emotional reactivity.
(Daniels, 2018)

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Susan Albers addresses the skill of containment in her book “Eat Q”:
“Riding the Wave” is a popular coping technique used for difficult emotions that can be
applied to urges to binge.

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Envisioning/ Mental Rehearsal
Envisioning is a skill available to all that serves considerable benefit to those who
use it. The skill involves envisioning ourselves in the actual situation with things going
the way that we desire; for example, if you have an upcoming dinner event or potluck,
taking some time before to close your eyes and clearly envision all of the details, making
it as real as possible in your mind. Imagine yourself doing all of the things you desire
such as serving yourself a plate of food then interacting with the people, then going up
for dessert and selecting only the items that truly appeal to you, etc. Mental rehearsal
activates the brain and central nervous system in the same way as actually performing
tasks in the real world.
“One of the most surprising findings in neuroscience is that mental rehearsal activates
the brain and central nervous system in the same way as actually performing tasks in
the real world. In this sense, imagining doing something in as much detail as possible
actually provides a form of practice or training.”
- www.neurotrackerx.com
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is a powerful tool that involves intentionally thinking of a

peaceful place in order to calm your mind. With imagery, it can help to close your eyes
and to really focus on recreating the sights, scents, sounds, and all of the other
important details of the place. The goal is to create a relaxed, peaceful state right
where you are by visiting this “place” in your mind.
Exercise: What is your happy/ peaceful place? Feel free to describe it as clearly
as possible, thoroughly illustrating each detail using your senses. The next time you feel
distressed, remember what you wrote down and try going to this place in your mind.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
*You can also find scripts and audio recordings online to use if you are having difficulty
coming up with your own place. Keep your favorite recording handy to implement when
experiencing an urge or other difficult inner experience. We cannot always change what
is happening around us, but we can choose to find peace internally.

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Urge 911 for Eating Disorder Thoughts & Behaviors
Urges to use eating disorder behaviors are a combination of cognitive, physical and
emotional sensations which can feel strong, confusing and overwhelming. The following
steps will help you make different choices, rewire the brain and move forward in
recovery.
STEP ONE: NAME IT
State precisely what it is you are experiencing.
Say out loud: “I’m aware that I’m having the thought…”
That I need to lose weight
That I must exercise
That I shouldn’t eat
That it would feel good to binge
Say out loud: “I’m aware that I’m having the sensation of …”
Shoulder tension
A pit in my stomach
Tightness in my jaw, neck…
Racing thoughts
Fidgeting
An adrenaline rush
Say out loud: “I’m aware that I’m having the feeling of…”
Sadness Loneliness Impatience Panic Anticipation

Depression Anger Fear Tension Shame
Irritation Anxiety Confusion Boredom
Emptiness
Frustration Concern Guilt
Despair

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STEP TWO: FRAME IT
These strong sensations signify that your brain and body are responding to triggers in your
environment and beliefs about yourself.
Remind yourself, “Just because I’m having these sensations doesn’t mean that I have to
act on the urges. I have choices.”
STEP THREE: EXPLORE IT
Many times, these urges represent an attempt to meet a real, legitimate need in your life.
It can help to name the need behind the urges. Begin by identifying the need you are
trying to meet through the eating disorder behavior.
Examples:
I need to feel safe or in control
I need to feel accomplished or valuable
I want to escape/numb out
I need to feel comfort or pleasure
STEP FOUR: SEE RECOVERY
Visualize how you can act as you find healthy ways to meet your needs.
See yourself acting in accord with recovery and your long-term goals. Rather than
imagining yourself using eating disorder behaviors, picture yourself living a life of recovery.
Examples:
I see myself choosing to reach out to people rather than bingeing
I see myself working on a project that I enjoy
I see myself being present with people rather than thinking about calories
I see myself using my voice to state my needs
I see myself learning to accept that I can’t be perfect
If negative thoughts come to mind (such as “I don’t deserve recovery” or “I can’t do

this”) do your best to let those thoughts go and write them down to discuss later with your
treatment team and/ or support system.

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STEP FIVE: REFOCUS
If the urges are still strong, focus your attention on something that requires concentration.
This is more than distraction. Immerse your mind as fully as possible into something other
than the behavior. This focus, along with abstaining from the behavior, actually rewires
the brain in healthy ways.
Examples:
Deep breathing or yoga exercises
Games that require strategy
Listen intently to music
Learn a new, challenging skill
Talk with a friend and practice good listening
Solve a challenging puzzle
Read/watch a mystery
(adapted from Travis Stewart, 2017)
“Playing the Tape through”
This skill involves simply pausing when noticing the urge to binge eat. After
pausing, think through how bingeing typically goes. “Play the tape through” in your mind;
consider how you usually feel after the binge is over – what about the next day? Think
about all of the typical things that result from a binge such as discomfort, guilt, sadness,
even pain in your throat or abdomen area. Since the mind likes instant gratification, we
usually do not think through the consequences until we have already started bingeing.
For this reason, “playing the tape through” can be a helpful skill to get us in touch with
all of the things we later regret after bingeing.
“Remember that the discomfort of an unsatisfied binge craving goes away rather
quickly; but post-binge discomfort lingers and grows and affects all areas of your life.”
- Kathryn Hansen

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H.A.L.T.
Many times when experiencing the urge to binge, we are experiencing one of the
following. Therefore, it can be helpful to pause anytime we feel like bingeing to see if
we feel one of the following ways:
Box Breathing
Box breathing is a powerful coping skill that aims to return breathing to its normal
rhythm, and in the process, slow one’s racing thoughts. Perhaps one of the coolest

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things about box breathing is that it is always available to us at any point in time and in
any situation, making it a go-to skill to learn!
The method:
1.) Breathe in through your nose while slowly counting to four

2.) Hold your breath as you again slowly count to four
3.) Slowly exhale trough your mouth as you count to four
4.) Again, hold your breath as you slowly count to four
Repeat these steps until a sense of calm arises
This exercise can be done by yourself in a private space or just as easily in a public
environment such as in the middle of the workday or in a grocery store. Because box
breathing is so subtle, it is hardly noticeable to others, making it an even more versatile
tool
(image retrieved from Lori Mihalich-Levin)
Coping Cheat Sheet for any Situation:
Feel free to fill in the chart on the next two pages by thinking of actual events, places,
and situations that trigger your binge urges as well as restriction, and plan out coping
skills to use in each situation. You can even take a picture of this and keep it on your
phone or fold up the paper and carry it with you so that you always have them ready to
use in stressful situations.
Anxiety-evoking Situations & Coping Interventions
Anxiety-producing situations that trigger urges to binge: (& interventions)
Example:
▪ Social gatherings, events and parties w/ large quantities of food present

o Incorporate mindfulness techniques & engage with the company
o Pack toothbrush & toothpaste to brush teeth as a way to refocus after
eating
▪ __________________________________________

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o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
Anxiety-evoking situations that trigger restriction, calorie counting, purging behaviors,

etc.
Example:
▪ Eating more than I am comfortable with___

o Run through the “Urge 9-1-1” steps to center myself
o Ask someone in support system how they might handle the situation
differently

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▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
▪ __________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________
o ______________________________________________________________________

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DETACH FROM UNHELPFUL THOUGHT PATTERNS
DETACH FROM UNHELPFUL THOUGHT PATTERNS

Many people do not realize that they fear certain foods. However, in observing
our language, it can become extremely clear. Describing foods as “bad,” “unhealthy,”
“fattening,” etc., and/ or making statements about foods such as “I can’t eat that,”
“that’ll make me fat,” or “I’ve eaten horribly today” all indicate a fear of foods.
There are a plethora of adverse effects that occur as a result of this type of
thinking, but for times’ sake, let’s just focus on the thought underlying the fear. Any
time we see or think about a food, we have a reaction based on our thought about that
food. When we see a food we feel “threatened” by (say someone is fearful of donuts
due to the fat content), the brain falls more and more a victim to the food…
If someone has an aversion to donuts because they believe that the donut will
make them “fat,” the amygdala (fear center/ panic station in the brain) learns to produce
anxiety any time this person crosses a donut. How does this spiral downhill with time?
Well, it is as simple as understanding neuroplasticity ; neurons that fire together wire
together. This individual has thus, trained their brain to feel afraid, anxious, scared,
and a victim of said food. Thus, every time they come across the food, the amygdala
triggers the fear response and the anxiety skyrockets, becoming more and more intense
with time as the individual continues to hold this belief about the food, and the neural
pathways involved continue to be reinforced. Moreover, the individual becomes
preoccupied with said food, thinking about it and craving it in ways they would not if
they viewed it the same as any other food or allowed themselves to eat it without judging
him or herself for it…
Another thing that commonly happens is turning down items that we actually
want for the sole purpose of fear – what will it do to my body? My diet told me I can’t
eat that. I don’t have enough “calories left”… (*Of course, if we truly do not want to
item or are not hungry, turning down the item would be justified; however, a simple “no”
or “I am not hungry but thanks” will suffice as any statements that assigns morality to
food are unhelpful to our relationship with it). For example, say someone offers you a
donut and you respond with, “I shouldn’t…” By saying that you shouldn’t, you are
implying that it is wrong to have a donut. You have just given the food moral value. You
have thus, reinforced the idea that eating donuts is wrong, thus now you will not only
feel anxious when having a donut, but you will feel like a bad person for doing so. The
item has become laden with guilt. Being that developing a positive relationship with
food requires getting into tune with our bodily signals and honoring our desires, this
further hinders our journey.

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“As soon as words like ‘shouldn’t’ or ‘naughty’ are used, we begin to absorb a sense that
sweet, calorific foods have a specific status and are mixed up with complex feelings
about the self.”
- Jo Cormack
In binge eating recovery, the aim is to have the same emotional response to all
foods. This means that whether we eat an apple or a bag of chips, we have a neutral
response. We do not feel high and superior for eating the apple, and we do not feel
“bad” or “fat” for eating the donut. We simply view all food items as what they are –
food items, and do not become preoccupied with positive (“I’ve been so good) or
negative (I’ve been so bad) judgments.
So how then do we break this maladaptive cycle and learn to view all foods the
same? We first learn to become more attentive to our thoughts, listening in a mindful
manner so that we can decide which ones are worthy of our attention. (While we do
not have control over the thoughts that arise, we do have control over where we choose
to direct our attention, and we know that what we focus on or pay attention to, grows
stronger in the brain.) As we become more observant of our thoughts, we become able
to recognize which are judgments; for example, having the thought, “I am so good for
eating this salad for lunch” or “I can’t believe I am eating this cake; I really need to eat
better.” We can also consider whether the thought is serving us (in line with our long-
term goals and desires) or working against us. By using this mental process, we mindfully
observe our thoughts and simply choose which ones we want to pay attention to and
which we do not. For the thoughts that are not serving or benefiting us in any way, we
simply take a moment to recognize that they are not in line with our true selves, label

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them as what they are – thoughts (or judgements), and dismiss them. While we cannot
control what thoughts pop into our head, we can always redirect our attention
elsewhere so that we stop entertaining thoughts that are damaging our relationship with
food.
Another method is to replace any unhelpful food thoughts with more realistic
and/ or effective thoughts (e.g. “I actually really enjoy the taste of donuts and having a
donut is not going to result in me gaining an extreme amount of weight”). You can also
ask yourself; will this even matter in a year? As we become more observant of our
thoughts, we often discover just how many unhelpful thoughts we spend time dwelling
on and/ or accept as truth. And since what we feed, grows (neurons that fire together
wire together), the thoughts that we give our attention have a huge impact on our
relationship with food, not to mention, our life overall.
Second, we train ourselves to respond differently to the foods we fear. And we

do this with every food we are afraid of. For example, the individual with negative
judgements about the donut, when coming across one can practice pausing and relaxing,
even incorporating some relaxation breathing and observe any thoughts that arise,
labeling and dismissing any that are unhelpful, and reminding themself of their reasons
for having the donut in the first place, as well as all of the positives it brings. With time,
the brain will learn to respond differently to donuts as the previous neural pathways
become used less and die down, and new, beneficial ones are built and reinforced each
time they are “fed.”
Finally, remember that food has no moral value. Giving labels to foods such as
“good” or “bad,” “clean” or “junk,” reinforces a maladaptive relationship with feared
foods and only primes our brains to think about and crave these foods even more.
Reframing Unhelpful Food Thoughts
• When I eat fast food, I must order the “healthiest” option. → When I eat fast
food, I will honor both my cravings and what feels best for me in the moment. I
understand that enjoyment of food impacts my health as well, so I am going to
order what I truly want.
• I can’t eat sweets because I can’t control myself around them. → Actually, by
allowing myself to have sweets, I train my brain to respond to them as it would to
any other food, thus I don’t crave them constantly and then binge on them later.

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• I shouldn’t snack between breakfast and lunch → I will honor my hunger whenever
it arises, understanding that hunger looks different from day to day and trusting
that when my “fuel is running low,” it’s time to refuel. I can trust my body!
• I’ve been good today. → I feel energized after eating the way that I have today.
• I feel like crap after eating so badly. I should have never eaten so much. → I
don’t feel the best after the choices I made this evening. It is not the end of the
world however, and I learned from this experience. Each meal is a new
experience to tune into myself and my eating experience.
• I’ve eaten horribly today. → I don’t feel the best after the food decisions I’ve
made today.
Changing your “Language” around Food
• Remind yourself that food has NO moral value
• Omit words, phrases, and thoughts from your vocabulary that assign moral value,
pride, shame, and other judgments to food choices
– E.g., “clean,” “detox,” “cheat day,” “I’ve been bad today,” “I shouldn’t have
eaten that,” “I ate so good today,” etc.

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Food is Food to the Body
We often create anxiety for ourselves through statements such as, “I can’t have
a sandwich for lunch because I already had toast for breakfast and that would be too
much bread in one day.” The truth is however, our body does not see through the lens
of diet culture, but rather through that of macro and micronutrients. For example,
when having another slice of bread, whether it be our first, second, or fourth slice for
the day, all our body recognizes is, oh, more carbs I can break these down to glucose
that I can use to fuel the body and brain.
Our brains know food; our bodies do not and only recognize the macro or
micronutrients coming in. And since we aim to have some sort of carbohydrate at each
meal, it does not matter if it comes in the form of rice, bread, potatoes, or a brownie.
Food is food to the body and whatever we take in, it will be able to break down and
utilize depending on the nutrient profile of that particular food.
(inspired by Balance, 2021)
Debunking My Unhelpful Food Thoughts
Unhelpful Thoughts and Helpful Thoughts that

Food Rules: promote a Positive
Relationship with Food:

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And lastly… a skill to use with any unhelpful thought or unwanted internal experience:
Cognitive Defusion
Cognitive defusion involves separating our internal experiences from our external
behaviors by increasing mindful awareness of our thoughts and other inner experiences.
We acknowledge that we have the thought, while also recognizing that it is not the end-
all-be-all of our existence and that we exist as a distinct entity from the thought; we are
the individual who is observing the thought. Dr. John Blackledge defines cognitive
defusion as seeing thoughts as what they are, instead of what they say they are (2018).
No matter how distressing the thought, it is only distressing when we pay attention to
it and give it power. By labeling it and recognizing that it is simply a thought and not
whatever it says it is, we can come from a place of observing it rather than feeling under
its control. Cognitive defusion changes the way that we experience our thoughts so to
take the power out of them and consequently, take away their ability to impact our
behavior and experience.
As these strategies are implemented in our daily lives, it gradually becomes more natural
for the brain to respond to thoughts with curiosity rather than judgement, and we
become better able to take our thoughts as what they are and pause before
automatically reacting in unhelpful ways.
(Blacklegde, 2018)
Defusion Strategies
(*thoughts is used here to refer to any thoughts, feelings, urges, sensations, and/or memories you might
feel “hooked” by)
 Name and acknowledge the thoughts, feelings & urges

o Here’s an urge to binge, I am noticing a judgment, I am feeling sad
 Ground yourself through “tapping” or other methods
o Check out this link for an overview (and video!) on tapping:
https://www.thetappingsolution.com/what-is-eft-tapping/
 Add the statement “I am noticing I am having the thought that…” (can be
adapted to any inner experience (e.g. “I am noticing the urge to…”)
o I am noticing I am having the thought that I am a failure, I am noticing the
urge to binge
 Sing the thought to the tune of a silly song (e.g. “Happy Birthday”)
 Imagine the thought being spoken in the voice of a cartoon character, comedian,
sports commentator, or unfavorite politician

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 Imagine that you are reading the thought as words on a computer screensaver,
seeing it in different colors, fonts, animations, etc. (close your eyes and really
visualize it)
 Observe the thought as though it were an object: describe its location, size,
color, solidity, volume, texture, speed, etc.
o If this thought had a color, what would it be? If it had a speed, what
would it be – is it fast or slow?
 Write down the thought(s); paint, type, sculpt, dance it, act it out, mime it, text
it, etc.
 In your imagination, place the thoughts one by one onto leaves as they “float down
the stream” at their own pace – whatever pace they choose
 Genuinely thank your mind for producing the thought while choosing to engage
with your present experience rather than the thought
o Thank you Mr. Mind; I appreciate you trying to help but I actually have
other things to do right now such as this project I am working on (then use
mindfulness skills to connect to your present experience whether that be
feeling the pencil in your hands, noticing the feel of your feet pressing into
the floor, the sounds in your environment, etc.)
 Stop and ask yourself, “Who is talking here; me or my mind?”
o Ooo, this thought does not feel good; I think my mind is talking right now.
I am going to take a moment to connect to myself – to me.
 Say the thought v e r y s l o w l y
o I am noticing I am having the thought that h e i s g o i n g t o
b r e a k u p w i t h m e.
 Write the thought(s) down on an index card, flip it over and give them a name
such as “The _______ Story” or “Mr. Mind,” then fold it up and carry it around
with you. Anytime a thought, feeling, memory, etc., associated to “the story”
shows up, say to yourself, “Ah, I know what this is – it’s just ‘The _______ Story’
(or whatever name you give it), patting your pocket or whatever location you are
carrying the card around in. You can also pat the location where the card is
numerous times throughout the day to remind yourself that although you are
carrying around these difficult thoughts, etc., you can still engage with your life
in the way that you want and do the things that matter to you.
Create your own! What strategies do you personally think would help you “unhook” from
problematic thoughts?
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________

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*Unhooking is not an attempt to get rid of thoughts, etc., but rather a way to take the power out of them
so that we can still engage with our lives in a meaningful way and focus on the things that matter
(defusion ideas adapted from Steven Hayes and Russ Harris)
Check out the following links for additional defusion techniques and for more
information on defusion!
➢ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXAzdXJGMeE&list=PLR792LvknL3lsqiSEo
brGQFU_ZVny2--Q&index=14
➢ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK9G0yhMxNg&list=PLDd_ebVYrjDN2Iwrh
NxMxh8HC1-iFhod9&index=26
➢ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=206WtwEyqzg
➢ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z29ptSuoWRc&list=PLDd_ebVYrjDN2Iwrh
NxMxh8HC1-iFhod9&index=4&t=0s
➢ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCp1l16GCXI
➢ https://youtu.be/Bu2k0EGXAVo
➢ https://contextualscience.org/cognitive_defusion_deliteralization

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LEARN TO FEEL ALL EMOTIONS
LEARN TO FEEL ALL EMOTIONS

As humans, we have a natural inclination to want to “fix” any emotional pain we
might feel. As our mind is wired for problem-solving, it is only understandable why we
view painful emotions, sensations, and memories as problems to be solved or processes
to be avoided. However, vast research indicates that these methods only result in giving
the thoughts, feelings, and sensations more value by training the mind to think about
them more (Wegner, 1997; Wegner, Scheider, Carter, & White, 1987; Wood, Perunovic, &
Lee, 2009).
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy encourages us to consider a crucial

component of healing from human suffering: it is not by changing our thinking but by
changing the way that we relate to our thinking, that the journey of healing can begin.
Rather than viewing the world from the vantage point of our pain, we become able to
look at our pain. This allows us to use the meaning lying within our pain while minimizing
the suffering that results from struggling with our pain. Contrary to what we might
think, it is not our psychological pain that causes suffering but rather our choosing to
struggle with it, and this happens when we try to avoid our emotions, or by allowing our
emotions to have complete control and becoming completely ensnared by them through
rumination.
When something painful arises, our natural tendency as humans is to enter

problem-solving mode, thus attempting to get rid of the sensation, fix it, or figure it out;
we perceive uncomfortable emotions as unacceptable or unbearable. “We are paying a
psychological price because what is really wrong within is treating life as a problem to
be solved rather than a process to be lived” - Steven Hayes (Hayes, 2019, p. 10). Extensive
research demonstrates that allowing our uncomfortable emotions, sensations, etc. to
occupy space in us while acknowledging the fact that they are present and that we
ourselves are a separate entity, decreases the struggle (Barraca, 2012; Marcks & Woods,
2005; Marcks & Woods, 2007).
Acceptance
Acceptance can be understood as a willingness to feel emotions, or a willingness

to experience whatever comes up whether that be sadness, anger, guilt, fear, loneliness,
or even a distressing memory. Acceptance does not mean that we accept wrongdoings
and violations from others; it means that we accept whatever pain and difficult
memories surface, without trying to fight them. Acceptance also means that we accept

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whatever fears and anxieties might arise from taking the necessary steps to work
through our pain (e.g. breaking up with someone, confronting someone, going to
counseling, etc.)
A good metaphor for willingness is to imagine a family member coming over to

your house at the holidays who you do not necessarily care for. Suppose that when they
come to the door, you slam the door and yell about not letting them in. Suppose you
spend the evening guarding the door making sure they do not come in. First of all, think
of all of the attention and energy you are putting into keeping them out (much like we
do with our unwanted emotions). Secondly, by trying so hard to make sure that they do
not come in, you are now being pulled away from engaging with guests and the
meaningful things going on all around you (much like the life we miss out on as we put
forth immense efforts fighting the internal battle of trying to keep our emotions at bay).
Now, suppose that instead of working so hard to keep this unwanted family
member out, you invite them in and allow them to go about as desired. You are now no
longer tying up your energy trying to keep them out and are free to come and go and
mingle with guests as desired. You acknowledge that you do not care for this particular
family member, however, decide to be willing to experience them as this frees you to do
what you desire instead of spending all of your energy on them. You decide to welcome
them in because you know it frees you from the struggle; “Welcoming is not the same as
wanting,” – Steven Hayes, PhD
How can you apply this same concept to your unwanted emotions?
(adapted from Steven Hayes, 2005)
All in all, acceptance is choosing to allow whatever arises in the moment without
judgement. “Acceptance is validation. In the personal-development world, acceptance
is neutral acknowledgment. It’s the skillful art of being ‘with’ something, as it is, without
judging it.” – David Daniels, MD

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Binge eating shows a high correlation

with difficulty identifying emotions, emotional
avoidance and or lack of emotional regulation
Situation
(Brockmeyer et al., 2014; Dingemans, Danner,
& Parks, 2017; Wolz et al., 2015). A critical
concept of recovery then, is growing in
Intense acceptance of emotions – all emotional states,
emotion as well as learning how to self-soothe when
feeling difficult emotions.
Eat to avoid or
“When people experience emotions intensely,
soothe
or have trouble identifying what their
emotions actually are, they may feel that
they cannot cope with their feelings and may
then try to avoid the discomfort by
distracting themselves with food.”
– Mary Ann Farmer, EdS, LPC, NCC
Emotions are VERY important because they tell us what we are needing and
inform us of what needs changed, boundaries that need to be set, measures that need
to be taken, and so much more. When we ignore our emotions, we not only become out
of touch with our needs, but we end up suppressing the emotions we are trying to avoid.
Much like cravings, these feelings we try so hard to avoid intensify with time and affect
us in all sorts of maladaptive ways from increased stress and irritability, to the ongoing
attempts we take to try to numb out from them (e.g., binge eating, self-harm, substance
use, and other self-destructive behaviors).
“One of the saddest side effects of the chronic unwillingness to feel is that we begin
to lose our ability to know what it is that we are avoiding.”
– Steven Hayes, PhD
An EXCELLENT book to learn about emotions and how to effectively cope with them,
not to mention, transform your entire experience with them:
➢ The Happiness Trap – Russ Harris

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Find even further resources and free videos on Russ’s site!
➢ https://thehappinesstrap.com/
Because life is diverse and variable, there is no single way of expressing your
emotions that will always work. For example, calling a friend when feeling down is a great
way to cope; however, friends are not always available. For this reason, we want to have
a good amount of emotional processing skills. In the scenario listed, the individual might
choose to take a candle-lit bubble bath instead, listen to soothing music, or color. The
more ways to process emotions that we have, the better we will be able to meet our
needs when heavy emotions arise. What is even more is that the more we practice
showing up to ourselves with self-soothing and other coping techniques, the less fearful
and ambivalent we are towards having emotions in the first place. Because we know

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what to do when any feelings arise, we become more willing to allow any emotion to come
instead of attempting to push down or suppress whatever our body is trying to tell us.
Ideas for Expressing your Emotions
• Talking to a friend or family member

• Writing about your feelings in a journal or on scrap paper
• Writing a poem about how you feel
• Painting a picture to depict your feelings
• Singing a song that reflects how you feel
• Crying
• Screaming into a pillow
• Working out
• Dancing
• Punching a punching bag
• Playing a musical instrument
• Making a collage of your feelings
Think of your own:
• ____________________________________________________
• ____________________________________________________
• ____________________________________________________
(Gratz & Chapman, 2009)
Self-Soothe with the Senses
Self-soothing involves focusing in on one or more of the five senses by doing

something to activate them. Activating the senses helps ground us in the present so
that we do not feel so overwhelmed or caught up in our emotions. Self-soothing works
best when we focus our attention on the sensations that arise from whatever we are
doing whether that be touching something soft, holding an ice cube, sucking on a mint,
or smelling a candle. Try to really focus in on the activity as though it is your first time
ever feeling the sensations that come from it.
See below for just a few ideas!

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Much of the time, simple techniques like those discussed so far will work for
expressing and processing emotions. However, there are times when emotions, urges, or
impulses are so overwhelming in the moment that we are unable to calm ourselves (e.g.
the urge to binge eat or the impulse to self-harm), or we might find ourselves in a
situation where our emotional response would not be appropriate/ not the time or place
(e.g. the urge to burst into tears right before giving a presentation to a room full of
people). In these cases, we might use a different type of strategy to help us stabilize so
that we can make it through without losing it. Strategies that we use in these instances
are referred to as distress tolerance skills.
When using distress tolerance to put our emotions on standby, it is important

that we go back at a later time to process whatever sadness, pain, grief, overwhelm, etc.
arose in that moment of distress. If we do not, this is the same as suppressing the
emotion and by now, we know where suppressing our emotions leads… Many find it
helpful to use “container” technique in the distressing moment, which involves
envisioning putting their strong emotions into “container” they visualize in order to lock
it up and get through the moment. At a later time, they then go back to this “container”

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and open the contents to process whatever is inside in a safe and comfortable
environment.
*Additionally, it is important to recognize that using distress tolerance skills such

as distraction should be reserved for dire situations, as using them too often can
become habitual and just another way to avoid our unwanted feelings.
Distress Tolerance Skills (For difficult and strong emotions)
The purpose of distress tolerance skills are get us through emotional overwhelm
in situations where we are unable to change the outcome, periods of suspenseful
waiting, and/ or for situations where we experience strong emotional urges but it would
either be inappropriate or unsafe to act. As mentioned previously, when using distress
tolerance to manage strong emotions, it is important to go back and visit these emotions
at a later time, as we know that making a habit of avoiding emotions leads to a downhill
spiral.
Check out this video for a thorough overview of distress tolerance
➢ https://youtu.be/VXHfb5ko2mk

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S.T.O.P Skill

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Distress Tolerance “ACCEPTS” Skill

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Healthy Distraction Strategies
By doing something else, we steal away neurons that are maintaining the overwhelm and
get them focused on a new activity. This is an especially helpful skill to use when
experiencing an urge to binge eat, as one of the best ways to cease obsessive thinking is
to engage the mind in something that requires concentration.
• Make your mind work (ex. crossword or sudoku puzzles, read, fix something, etc.)
• Use your imagination
• Create strong sensations with the 5 senses
• Do something active
• Play an instrument
• Do something with your hands such as organizing
• Do something you enjoy that keeps you busy
• Watch a movie or show that captures your attention
(Gratz & Chapman, 2009)
In a nutshell, you can remember what can be done to tolerate high distress with the
simple acronym, TAGS:
T – Thought replacing (phrases you can tell yourself that bring about a positive mindset,
singing a song you find uplifting, etc.)
A – Activities (actively engaging the mind in something else such as going for a walk,
calling a friend, or drawing)
G – Guided imagery (closing your eyes and going to your “happy place” in your mind,
wherever that might be, also fully imagining each sensation involved from the smells,
sights, and sounds of the place)
S – Sensations (activating the senses through things such as holding an ice cube,
splashing your face with water, putting a breath mint in, smelling a candle or lotion,
doing a wall sit, etc.)
(adapted from Dawn-Elise Snipes, 2021)
Make a list of your own so they are available to use in distressing situations (such as
when you experience an urge to binge, feel overwhelmingly sad in an environment where
it is unsafe to cry, or are in a difficult situation that is out of your control):
T __________________________________________________________________________________

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____________________________________________________________________________________
A __________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
G __________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
S___________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
What about Emotional Eating??
As mentioned in the first section, emotional eating is a normal part of life and can
actually be useful in many cases. However, it can become a problem when it begins to
cause distress or interfere with life. If emotional eating is becoming a regular habit for
you, feel free to peruse the information below for ideas on dealing with it and possibly
gain some insight on your own triggers.
Excerpt from Jessi Hagerty
Food serves so many purposes. Food is the cornerstone of some of life’s most
important moments: family celebrations, evenings with friends, and romantic dates.
But food can also feel grounding and soothing when you feel lonely or
overwhelmed. Diet culture calls it a lack of will power, I call it eating some food
because it’s delicious and provides comfort.
Here are some strategies to help you navigate the experience of eating for comfort,
stress relief, or other emotions:
• Name the feeling. Often, we jump to trying to “fix” our behaviors. In this
case, notice and name your feelings (both emotional and physical) and
identify your desire to eat food for comfort. Allow yourself full permission
to engage in the eating. The point of the exercise isn’t to stop yourself from
eating, but to tune into the experience, and become more aware of food’s
role in that moment.
• Eat adequately throughout the day. Having satisfying, filling meals

throughout the day will help prevent the perfect storm of stress and hunger

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that can lead to stress eating at the end of the day. This way, when you want
to eat at the end of the day, you’re able to do so from a more mindful and
self-compassionate place.
• Grant yourself unconditional permission to eat. There is no one “right”

quantity of food to eat. Some days you will require more food than others,
and this is okay. Use this as an opportunity to lean into the fun, calming,
pleasurable experience of eating.
(Jessi Hagerty, 2020)
“Peek Behind the Craving”
• Research shows that eating a food to honor a craving results in the craving
passing, while eating a food to alter a mood state or to self-soothe results in
unsatisfied craving (prolonging the desire for more of the food & the undesired
mood state)
• Check in with yourself the next time you notice yourself craving a particular
food. How are you feeling? If you find that it is hard to stop once you have
started eating the food, chances are, it was not the food you were after but
rather calming yourself or changing your emotional state in some way
• It might also be helpful to revisit our “H.A.L.T.” coping skill to notice if you are
feeling hungry, angry, lonely, or tired as often we will get into the habit of using
food to soothe these uncomfortable states
(Susan Albers, 2013)
Instead of trying not to think about your cravings, try this instead:
Since we know that trying not to think about something only results in us thinking about
it more, attempting to not think about cravings can be a relentless task… Instead, try
those cognitive defusion skills to directly acknowledge your cravings.
Here is a cinnamon roll
There are those brownies again
I am noticing that I am having thoughts about pizza…
Then of course, if you actually want the food and are not simply eating in response to
your feelings, sit down and savor it!

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And let’s also not forget the two types of eating decisions as discussed previously by
Susan Albers:
Emotion-driven decision:
Feeling → Moment of decision → React → “I can’t handle these emotions,” → Automatic behavior (eat)
“what the heck,” give up…
Insight-driven decision:
Feeling → Moment of decision → Mindful pause → Embrace and accept feelings, → Empowered choice:
Turn to positive alternatives Eat or don’t eat
With an insight-driven decision, your emotions are valid and you still take them into
account. However, as you make a food decision, you create a pause to improve the
quality of your decision making.

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8 Traits of Emotional Hunger:

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PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE & PLEASURABLE ACTIVITIES
PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE & PLEASURABLE ACTIVITIES

Self-care is one of the most important factors in
maintaining a binge-free life. That being said, it is one of
the most commonly neglected. We live in a world where
we stay so constantly busy getting everything “done” and
being there for everyone and everything that we tend to
miss a very important factor…OURSELVES.
“Self-care is giving the world the best of you instead of

what is left of you.” – Katie Reed
What happens when we constantly go, go, go with

no breaks?? Our battery drains. And without ever
pausing to refill our battery (so-to-speak), we end up
draining ourselves beyond our limit and pushing ourselves
past our mental capacity to cope with life’s adversaries.
When this happens, even the tiniest thing can set us off and triggers become significantly
harder to overcome.
While stress is an inevitable part of life, humans were not designed to remain in
stress for an extended period of time. Chronic stress has adverse effects on us
mentally, emotionally, and physically. We cannot always control what stress is brought
on, but it is our obligation to manage it and to protect and care for ourselves. We can
play a direct role in litigating this stress by incorporating self-care into our DAILY
regimen; yes, that’s right – I said DAILY.
Self-care does not have to be something extravagant, and it can look different
every day. For example, you might spend a free evening coloring while listening to a
favorite playlist, lighting a candle and taking a bubble bath, or watching a favorite TV
show. On a day with a jam-packed schedule, you might pick up a special coffee drink on
the way to work, take a 5-minute pause to go outside during the day, or read some that
evening before going to bed. Self-care is flexible and must be a priority in one’s recovery
from binge eating.
(image retrieved from Gemma Correll)

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Hold Yourself Accountable
As it is easy to neglect self-care, it can be helpful to schedule it into our routine

so that it is nonnegotiable. Just think, your recovery is worth it!! YOU are worth it!!!
For some, this means writing it into their planner week by week. For others, this means
setting reminders on their phone or sticking post-it notes out. It is also necessary to
explore different types of self-care as we do not always know all of the things that bring
us pleasure or help us to relax. To discover things that might be good self-care options
for you, try to recognize those moments that you feel relaxed, content, fulfilled, and
“free,” as this can be a sign that whatever you are doing is a good relaxation or break
for you.
Effects of including self-care in daily routine:
• Increased productivity
• Improved resistance to disease
• Better physical health, higher-functioning immune system
• Enhanced self-esteem
• Increased self-knowledge/ self-discovery
• Better capacity to give or be available to others
Whereas, neglected needs lead to things such as…
• Poor habits
• Agitation and irritability
• Disrupted sleep
• Difficulty concentrating, and confusion
• Burnout
• Relationship difficulties, etc.

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But, I don’t have TIME for Self-care…
“Many people believe that self-care means

spending an entire day of pampering or ‘it’s not
worth it,’ - I believe that self-care is really found
in the small moments of life – when you choose
to take a deep breath because you notice you’re
feeling stressed, or when you give yourself three
minutes before bed to sit quietly and reflect on
your day.”
- Anna Guest-Jelley
(image retrieved from Kelly Counselling)

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(image retrieved from Tamara Kulish)

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ESTABLISH SUPPORTS
ESTABLISH SUPPORTS
Our motivation is not going to constantly be at its tippity-top level. Neither is
our mood or stability. For this reason, it is essential to enlist in the help of others to
remind us of our reasons for recovery and to re-connect us with our long-term goals,
wants, needs, and desires, as these can be difficult to remember when motivation is
lacking. Furthermore, you have probably picked up by now that we as human experience
all sorts of emotions. For this reason, it is necessary to have individuals in our lives we
can lean on when the going gets rough. While autonomy is an important life factor, no
one was made to handle life alone all of the time. Supportive relationships can help us
feel good about ourselves and optimistic about the future. Additionally, as shame
thrives in isolation, sharing our struggles and lapses releases internalized pain from the
binges, purges, body judgements, and so on.
When choosing supports, it is important to think about those individuals who are
able to listen to you with a nonjudgmental stance and provide authentic encouragement
and feedback – those enriching relationships. If we choose people who we tend to feel
shut down by or who seem to never have time for us, not only will we not get the support
that we need, but this can lead to further emotional avoidance and isolation.
Social support can come from a wide variety of people, including family members,
friends, peers, significant others, coworkers, members of a church group or other
community group, mental health clinicians, and more.
Create a list of people you can go to who offer genuine encouragement, support, and a
listening ear:
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
To create a more comprehensive list, see the next page:

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If you feel that you have no supportive and enriching relationships in your life, try
meeting people in some of the following locations:
- Community organizations
- School or the workplace
- Support groups
- Volunteer programs
- Parks
- Museums
- Concerts
- Health or fitness clubs
- Church
- Special interest groups
- Bookstores, coffee shops

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EMBRACE YOUR BODY
EMBRACE YOUR BODY

Since diet culture places body sizes on a moral hierarchy, it can lead to second-
guessing one’s own body size. If you think about, people do not generally spend immense
sums of money and put forth endless efforts to change their shoe size or height;
however, when it comes to body size, it happens all the time…Why? Because of diet
culture. The dieting industry knows that there is money to be made by telling people
that they should look different or should be a different size. Thus, this multi-billion-
dollar industry makes ~$70 billion per year simply by telling people they need to change
their size and that who they are is not good enough (Marketdada LLC, 2020).
The truth of the matter is, it is not size that determines happiness level but rather
one’s perspective. “Your body image is stored in your brain cells, not your fat cells.” –
Ashlee Bennett, AThR
The world also paints a picture that we must LOVE our bodies. If this were the
case, practically everyone would be waiting their entire life until they feel satisfied.
Adapting the mindset that you have to love your body can also lead to furthered
dissatisfaction with yourself and attempts at dieting. You do not have to love your
body; accepting where it exists in its natural state can alleviate a lot of stress and
discontentment.
Health At Every Size
Health At Every Size, or, HAES, is a movement that promotes the pursuance of
health regardless of size and advocates that “health” is not synonymous with size. HAES
encourages an intuitive approach to eating, promotes enjoyable physical activity, and
recognizes that health is multifaceted (Sugar, 2020). “It is an anti-diet approach to
healthcare that's designed to help people take care of their bodies without trying to
shrink them." - Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CDN
“Health at Every Size is the new peace movement. It helps us recognize that health
outcomes are primarily driven by social, economic, and environmental factors,
requiring a social and political response. It also supports people of all sizes in adopting
healthy behaviors. It is an inclusive movement, recognizing that our social
characteristics, such as our size, race, national origin, sexuality, gender, disability
status, and other attributes, are assets, and acknowledges and challenges the
structural and systemic forces that impinge on living well.”

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– Linda Bacon, PhD, HAES founder
The truth is, that people can be healthy at a much wider range of body sizes than
society portrays, and that natural body diversity exists. The purpose of HAES is not to
claim that people are healthy in their current body but rather that health is
multifaceted, and weight is only one aspect (rather than the end-all-be-all that diet
culture paints it out to be). HAES focuses on the fact that one can pursue health
without a focus on intentional weight loss “This includes eliminating harmful weight
stigma that many people in larger bodies experience in our culture, like when doctors
assume they know the health status and health behaviors of a patient simply by seeing
the size of their body." – Kirsten Ackerman, MS, RD, CDN
“HAES was developed in response to substantial scientific research showing that

"intentional weight loss doesn't work and actually causes more harm than good, and
that weight stigma and weight cycling likely explain most or all of the excess health
risks we see in higher-weight people." She added, "HAES is an evidence-based method
that healthcare providers use to help support the well-being of people in larger bodies
without recommending weight loss."
- Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CDN
Follow this link to learn more and to sign the HAES pledge!
➢ https://haescommunity.com/
Rewiring Unhelpful Thoughts and Body Judgments
Berating our bodies has become the norm. You do not have to go far to hear
someone putting down their body in some sort of way. This type of talk must stop if we
intend to develop a healthier self-image. The bad news is that this can be a hard habit
to break; the good news however, is that the more we begin to catch and reframe our
body judgments and affirm our bodies, the easier it gets with time. Remember the
concept of neuroplasticity we talked about earlier? The beauty of this is that as we
decrease the unhelpful statements coming from our minds and replace them with
helpful, life-giving messages, we retrain our brains to think more positively about our
bodies, and in turn, naturally feel better about ourselves. “It’s possible to rewire your
brain to be happier with your body through practice.” – Tanya Mark
Gratitude Towards the Body

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We spend so much time focusing on the look of our bodies, we often overlook all
that they do for us. For this reason, it can be helpful to acknowledge all of the functions
one’s body serves and the things it allows them to do. For example, we often overlook
the impressive physiological functions our bodies perform such as keeping our vital
organs warm when we are cold (as observed by the numbness we often feel in our
extremities as the heart pumps blood to the vital organs located in our core region), or
the physical activities we are able to perform, from sitting and standing and hugging
someone we love, to playing a musical instrument, painting a picture, or playing a sport.
There is much to be grateful for about our bodies if we only look.
Pampering Yourself
Doing simple things for yourself can go a long way such as painting your nails,
taking a bubble bath, getting a massage, or going to the spa. These acts might seem small
but are a keen reminder to yourself that you are there for yourself and care about you!
This in turn, results in feeling better overall about oneself, which then trickles into one’s
having a more positive self and body image.
Healing Your Relationship with Your Body
Consider the following scenario:
Suppose that you are in an invested relationship and currently trying to heal some
problems. Which way would be the most helpful way of interacting with your significant
other?
Option 1.) Constant criticism, ignoring their needs, pointing our their every “flaw,”
wanting them to be different, etc.
or
Option 2.) Compassionate kindness, remaining open-minded to their ideas and desires,
adapting an attitude of affection and acceptance to even the things you are annoyed
with, etc.
Which option would best improve the situation? Which way of interacting would likely
be the most helpful towards healing the hurt in the relationship? That’s right, the
second!

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Just like when any life relationship gets rocky, after years of criticizing, shaming,
and trying to change our bodies, we have to take the time to heal our relationship with
ourselves – and just like with anything else, healing takes time. Much like in a
relationship with anyone significant in our lives, we might not like everything they are
doing, but we try our best to accept them and put forth effort anyways. It is the same
with our bodies. We might not like that our bodies are hungry at certain times, craving
the foods that they are, and/ or gaining weight in a certain area, but criticizing these
things only makes everything more difficult.
(adapted from Brittany Brown)
“Even if you are not comfortable with where your body physically is, you still need to
show up and care for your body as it is.”
– Brittany Brown
And lastly…a few favorite body image quotes:
“You are so much more than a body.” – Ro Gonzalez
“Body confidence does not come from trying to achieve the ‘perfect’ body; it comes
from embracing the one you’ve already got.” – Jenne and Lindsey Co.
“Don’t value your body over your being.” – Unknown
“We have a saying in our house. ‘There’s no wrong way to have a body’.” – Amy Pence-
Brown
“It’s not what you see in the mirror that needs changing, it’s culture.” – Unknown

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EXPANDING OTHER AREAS OF LIFE AND PURSUING

YOUR VALUES
EXPANDING OTHER AREAS OF LIFE AND

PURSUING YOUR VALUES
One of the reasons that dieting and weight obsessing
are so hard to give up is simply the fact that we allow them
to take up so much space in our lives. For example, if you
were to draw out a pie chart of your life, how big of a slice
would weight and dieting take up compared to other areas?
For many, their pie chart looks like the one pictured. When
we give weight and shape this much value in our lives, we
will likely find it impossible to give up our preoccupation
with food.
In fact, any time any one life area takes up a

significant chunk of our pie chart, it is risky because if
things do not go the way we want them to in that area, we feel bad. Our happiness
and fulfillment become contingent on our evaluation of how we are doing in said
area. For this reason, it is important to explore areas where we would like to invest
more time and energy as well as to discover new things we would like to add in. This
can be anything from picking up an old hobby, learning a new skill, taking part in a
community club of interest, volunteering for a meaningful organization, taking a
class, traveling, or simply spending more time with family and friends.
• Can you think of any activities you would like to try out that might contribute to
your pie-chart?
• Can you think of any old interests or hobbies you used to enjoy or people you
have lost touch with you would like to reconnect with?
• What sorts of things do your friends or colleagues do in their spare time that you
find interesting?
• Are there things you could do with your friends or colleagues? It can be helpful
to do things with other people to encourage you to try these things out.
Try to pick activities you are likely to do and that do not seem too daunting
right now. It can also help to think about activities that could gain momentum
and that you could really keep going.

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(image and content adapted from CBT-E, Credo)

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LEARN TO SET BOUNDARIES
LEARN TO SET BOUNDARIES

A lack of boundaries is associated with disordered eating behavior. One of these
reasons is due to the fact that when we do not exercise our right to say “no,” we end
up overcommitting ourselves and extending ourselves until nothing is left, thus our inner
resources become barren and we feel depleted, a common trigger for binge eating.
Another reason is that when we become a people pleaser and chronic “say yes-er,” we
lose touch with our own values, wants, and desires and no longer know what we are
living for. When this happens, it can lead to binge eating as a comfort or escape from
our reality of unfulfillment. Furthermore, individuals with unhealthy boundaries tend
to allow others to determine their choices and behaviors. When we feel controlled by
others or by life’s circumstances, it is common to go to food to regain some sense of
control.
Personal boundaries are the limits and rules we set for ourselves within
relationships and obligations. A person with healthy boundaries can say “no” to others
when they want to, and yet are also comfortable opening themselves up to intimacy and
close relationships.
Know Your Boundaries:
Boundaries should be based on your values, or the things that are important to you. For
example, if you value spending time with family, it can be helpful to set firm boundaries
around working late.
Your boundaries are yours, and yours alone. Many of your boundaries might align with
those who are close to you, but others will be unique.
Know your boundaries before entering a situation. This will make it less likely you’ll do
something you’re not comfortable with.
HEALTHY BOUNDARIES
• You can say no or yes, and you are ok when others say no to you.
• You have a strong sense of identity. You respect yourself.
• You expect reciprocity in a relationship-you share responsibility and power.
• You know when the problem is yours and when it belongs to someone else.

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• You share personal information gradually in a mutually sharing/trusting

relationship.
• You don’t tolerate abuse or disrespect.
• You know your own wants, needs and feelings. You communicate them clearly in
your relationships.
• You are committed to and responsible for exploring and nurturing your full
potential.
• You are responsible for your own happiness and fulfillment. You allow others to
be responsible for their own happiness and fulfillment.
• You value your opinions and feelings as much as others.
• You know your limits. You allow others to define their limits.
• You are able to ask for help when you need it.
• You don’t compromise your values or integrity to avoid rejection.
COLLAPSED BOUNDARIES
• You can’t say no, because you are afraid of rejection or abandonment.
• Your identity consists of what you think others want you to be. You are a
chameleon.
• You have no balance of power or responsibility in your relationships. You tend to

be either overly responsible and controlling or passive and dependent.
• You take on other’s problems as your own.
• You share personal information too soon. . .before establishing mutual

trust/sharing.
• You have a high tolerance for abuse or being treated with disrespect.
• Your wants needs and feelings are secondary to others’ and are sometimes
determined by others.
• You ignore your inner voice and allow others expectations to define your
potential.
• You feel responsible for other’s happiness and fulfillment and sometimes rely on
your relationships to create that for you.
• You tend to absorb the feelings of others.

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• You rely on others opinions, feelings and ideas more than you do your own.
• You allow others to define your limits or try to define limits for others.
• You compromise your values and beliefs in order to please others or to avoid
conflict.
RIGID BOUNDARIES
• You are likely to say no if the request involves close interaction.
• You avoid intimacy (pick fights, stay too busy, etc.)
• You fear abandonment OR engulfment, so you avoid closeness.
• You rarely share personal information.
• You have difficulty identifying wants, needs, feelings.
• You have few or no close relationships. If you have a partner, you have very
separate lives and virtually no shared social life.
• You rarely ask for help.
• You do not allow yourself to connect with other people and their problems
(Grady, 2009; TherapistAid, 2019)
Boundaries as Fences & Gates Exercise
The same way that homeowners set property lines around their land, we need to
set mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual boundaries for our lives so that we have a
clear definition of what is and what is not our responsibility.
Imagine that you have a yard representing you and your responsibilities. The
object is to keep things in that will nurture us, and to keep things that will harm us,
outside. To make this happen, we need to put a “fence” up, or boundaries to keep the
good in and bad out.
Now, sometimes we end up with bad on the inside and good on the outside. In
these cases, we need to be able to open up our boundaries to let the good in and the
bad out. In other words, our fences need “gates” in them.
Let me explain, if we are holding hurt or pain on the inside, we need to open up
and communicate it to others so that it can be healed, or write down our thoughts
through journaling. Discussing pain helps to “get it out” so that it cannot continue to

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affect us negatively on the inside. Too often, we hold our deepest pains and
uncomfortable emotions in, thus prolonging our suffering.
In the same way, when there is good on the outside, we need to open up our gates
and “let it in.” Other people have good things to give us, and we need to accept and
receive them. We too often close our gates to good things from others, keeping
ourselves in a state of deprivation.
All in all, boundaries are not walls; we certainly do not want to close ourselves
off from others. However, we do need to establish a clear line as to where we and our
responsibilities end and others begin. For this reason, it is important that our “property
lines” so to speak, be permeable enough to allow passing and strong enough to keep out
danger.
(image retrieved from wdrfree)
In what ways have you overcommitted yourself or allowed too much in? How has this
impacted you?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
In what ways might setting up “fences” help?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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In what ways have you closed yourself off from others, held your pain inside, or refused
help or other good things from others? How has this affected you?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
How might creating “gates” help?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
What is one thing you can do to create “fences and gates,” or to practice setting
boundaries in this upcoming week?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
(*Inspired by “Boundaries” by Cloud & Townsend, 1992)
“The only people who get upset about you setting boundaries are the ones who were
benefitting from you having none.”
- Unknown
“Stop asking why they keep doing it and start asking why you keep allowing it.”
- Unknown

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Click the link below for a 62-page guide on building better boundaries by The Self Help
Alliance!
➢ https://cmhawwselfhelp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/WorkbookBuilding-
Better-BoundariesFeb2011.pdf
Check out this book to learn how to set boundaries in all categories!
➢ https://www.amazon.com/Boundaries-When-Take-Control-Your/dp/0310247454
Listen to Dr. John Townsend explain boundaries better than anyone!
➢ https://youtu.be/QdLKBabv2OA

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(image retrieved from ganeeban)

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ADAPT A MINDSET OF SELF-COMPASSION
ADAPT A MINDSET OF SELF-COMPASSION

How often do we take the time to tune-in to our own self-
talk? More often that not, we find that we are rather harsh
and critical with ourselves when it comes to making a mistake
or falling short to one of our goals. The issue with this is that
not only are we gradually beating our self-worth down further
and further, but we are doubling our pain. We already feel bad
about doing something we regret, but then we compound our
pain with our self-criticism. Moreover, we do not feel safe to
make mistakes due to knowing that criticism will meet us on the
other side; and what happens when we stop risking mistakes? We stop trying anything
new. We stop trying anything we might fail at. We miss out on opportunity after
opportunity as we stay within our comfort zone.
Criticism Doubles our Pain
• Self-criticism is often used as a cover for the desire to control

• By attacking ourselves, we can take on the role of not only the criticized but the
criticizer
• Self-criticism brings feelings of strength and power
• When we cut ourselves down after doing something we regret, we have the
chance to feel superior to those aspects of ourselves that we do not feel
good about
“By taking the perspective of the one holding the whip as well as the one quivering on
the ground, we are able to indulge in feelings of righteous indignation toward our own
inadequacies, and righteous indignation feels pretty good” (Neff, 2011, p. 28).
“People are often very hard on themselves when they notice something they want to
change because they think they can shame themselves into action – the self-
flagellation approach. However, this approach often backfires if you can’t face
difficult truths about yourself because you are so afraid of hating yourself if you do.”
– Kristen Neff, PhD
So…what IS Self-compassion??

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Self-compassion involves recognizing that suffering and personal inadequacy is

part of the shared human experience – something that we all go through rather than
being something that happens to “me” alone. Self-compassion involves three concepts:
Self-kindness, sense of common humanity, and mindfulness.
• Showing oneself kindness

– Rather than ignoring our pain or meeting ourselves with criticism when we
suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, we recognize our pain, are gentle with
ourselves, and show ourselves kindness
• Recognizing our common Humanity
– Rather than thinking that we are the only person suffering or making
mistakes, we acknowledge that suffering is part of the human experience
and that the very definition of being human means that we are fallible,
vulnerable, and imperfect
• Being mindful of our experience and emotional state
– Rather than suppressing or exaggerating emotions, we are willing to
observe our thoughts and feelings with openness and curiosity, holding
them in mindful awareness
“We cannot ignore our pain and feel compassion for it at the same time. At the same
time, mindfulness requires that we not be “over-identified” with thoughts and feelings,
so that we are caught up and swept away by negative reactivity.”
– Kristin Neff, PhD
What Self-compassion is NOT
Self-compassion is not about erasing uncomfortable feelings; it is about embracing them

with care and kindness
• Self-pity
– Instead of feeling alone in our suffering and that we are the only one in
the world who makes mistakes or feels this way, we recognize our suffering
as part of the shared human experience. Self-compassion involves
adopting a more balanced perspective instead of becoming carried away
with our emotional drama
• Self-indulgence

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– Being self-compassionate involves making decisions to best help ourselves

to be happy and healthy in the long term
• Self-esteem
– Rather than basing our worth on self-evaluations or on the fact that we
possess a particular set of traits, we understand that all human beings
deserve compassion and love
• A way to get rid of uncomfortable feelings
– If we use self-compassion as a method to make our pain go away by
suppressing it or fighting against it, things will likely get worse. With self-
compassion, we give ourselves the comfort and support needed to bear
the pain while also providing the conditions for growth
Benefits of Self-compassion:
• Better relationship with uncomfortable emotions
• Improved emotional regulation
• Provides a powerful motivational force for growth and change
• Coping better with stress, anxiety, pressure, and setbacks
• Processing grief and loss
• Ability to handle emotional and physical pain more effectively
• Building resilience

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• Strengthening relationships
• Stronger immune system
• Significantly more motivating for self-improvement/ implementing changes
• Easier to accept responsibility for our mistakes and shortcomings
• Increased overall positivity
(image origin unknown)
Strategies for Self-compassion:
Taking the time to Acknowledge our Pain

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(image retrieved from West Broward Insight Meditation Community)
Changing our Critical Self-talk
• Become observant of inner self-talk

– Whenever you feel bad about something, think about what you have just
said to yourself
• What words do you use when you are self-critical?
• Are there key phrases that come up over and over again?
• What is the tone of your voice?
• Does the voice remind you of anyone in your past who was critical
of you?
• Soften the inner-critique
• Meet your inner-critic with compassionate statements (e.g. “I know
you’re worried about me and feel unsafe, but you are causing me
unnecessary pain. Could you let my inner compassionate self say a
few words now?”
• Reframe your critical self-statements
• Reframe the statements from your inner-critic in a friendly,
uplifting way
• If you are having trouble, think of what you would tell a close friend
or loved one if they were struggling with the same thing (e.g. “I know
that I made a decision that I regret, but I am only human and
mistakes are inevitable. Other people make mistakes as well – all
humans are fallible. What can I do in this moment to bring myself
comfort and be gentle with myself?”)

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Self-compassionate Pause
• When you find yourself stressed out in a difficult situation, take a moment to
pause.
• Reach up and touch your heart, or give yourself a hug if you are comfortable with
that.
• Take a few deep breaths.
• Acknowledge that you are suffering and see if you can treat yourself with as
much kindness as you would a dear friend or child who was struggling.
• Offer yourself phrases of compassion, first by acknowledging your suffering:
– “This is suffering.” or “This is really painful/difficult right now.”
– “Suffering is a part of being human.”
– May I hold myself with compassion.
– May I love and accept myself just as I am.
– May I experience peace.
Identifying what you really want

• Think about the ways that you use self-criticism as a motivator
– Is there any personal trait that you criticize yourself for having (too loud,
too lazy, too impulsive, etc.) because you think being hard on yourself will
help you change? If so, first try to get in touch with the emotional pain
that your self-criticism causes, giving yourself compassion for the
experience of feeling so judged.
• Next, see if you can think of a kinder, more caring way to motivate yourself to
make a change if needed
– What language would a wise and nurturing friend, parent, teacher, or
mentor use to gently point out how your behavior is unproductive, while
simultaneously encouraging you to do something different. What is the
most supportive message you can think of that’s in line with your underlying
wish to be healthy and happy?
• Every time you catch yourself being judgmental about your unwanted trait in the
future
– First notice the pain of your self-judgment and give yourself compassion.
Then try to reframe your inner dialogue so that it is more encouraging and
supportive. Remember that if you really want to motivate yourself, love is
far more powerful than fear
Mindfulness
• By regularly practicing attention skills, mindfulness eventually becomes the
automatic response, thus helping us in challenging situations

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• Allows us to be aware of our difficult emotions without running from them,

pushing them away or dwelling on them
• Keeps us from ignoring or overexaggerating feelings of failure
• Common Barrier to Mindfulness: Overidentification (becoming so carried away
by our personal suffering that we cannot clearly see what is actually occurring in
the present)
(image retrieved from Finding Bliss)
Additional Strategies for Showing Yourself Compassion in Difficult Times
• How would you treat a friend or loved one in this same situation?
• Take a moment to stop and recognize
your pain, then ask
yourself how you can comfort and
care for yourself in this moment
• Honor and accept your humanness
• Pause a few times a day – especially
when you are a feeling stressed or
overwhelmed – and practice self-
compassion
• Set an alarm to go off throughout
the day to check in with yourself and
practice compassion
• Hold your hands in front of you, palms cupped and rested in lap. Visualize kind,
warm energy flowing up your arms and into your body
• Mindful Meditation – noticing each painful feeling arises, holding it in non-
judgmental awareness, sending yourself compassion for it, then holding and

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savoring the feeling of compassion in your awareness, noticing how good it feels
to be cared for
• Pleasure Walk – notice how many beautiful or inspiring things you see, hear, smell,
etc., also noticing the experience of walking itself and expressing gratitude for
having that ability (By intentionally noticing good things, it brings about feelings
of happiness and improves current mental wellbeing)
*A simple rule of thumb: Refuse to say anything to yourself or others that you would
not say to a child or animal
(content in this section inspired by and adapted from Kristen Neff)

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ADDITIONAL HELPFUL SKILLS
EATING IN LINE WITH YOUR VALUES
EATING IN LINE WITH YOUR VALUES
Eating for me
What are my:
- top 3 priorities in life
- top 3 values
- top 3 characteristics I desire to possess
priorities values characteristics
If my food & movement choices aligned with my priorities, values, and desired
characteristics, how would my choices differ?

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Putting it into action:

What are some specific ways that I can eat and incorporate movement that line
up with my priorities, values, and desired characteristics?
(ex: focusing on the conversation and engaging with those I am sharing a meal
with, fueling my days with nutrients that fit my specific purpose for that day,
honoring my craving by enjoying a treat, allowing myself to enjoy the foods that I
love while also doing so mindfully, engaging in movement that I actually enjoy,
etc.)
(adapted from Brandice Lardner)

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CHAIN ANALYSIS
CHAIN ANALYSIS
Chain Analysis
A chain analysis is a helpful skill to use to gain awareness of binges and what
triggers them, not to mention factors that might have caused vulnerability such as lack
of sleep or increased stress. When we begin to recognize the things that create an
increased risk for bingeing, we broaden our awareness to areas that could use extra
support and accountability. For example, if we recognize that we typically binge after a
stressful workday, we can start planning in intentional self-care time following days with
a busy schedule. Or say, we begin noticing that we tend to binge on days following nights
we did not get enough sleep; with our newfound awareness, we can recognize this ahead
of time, preparing for the likelihood of increased binge urges throughout the day and
take appropriate actions such as asking for extra support on these days. See below for
an example of a chain analysis, and feel free to use the blank sheet after your next binge
to begin utilizing this incredible tool. More copies can be found at
https://cls.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3019/2016/06/Chain-Analysis-
Worksheet.pdf; feel free to print some for yourself!
“Awareness without action, is not awareness at all.” – David Daniels, MD

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(images retrieved from Spacious Mind Counselling & Nina Barlevy)

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TIMELINE
TIMELINE
All behavior is purposeful
• Looking back at your life, at what point did you discover that binge eating
was useful to you?
• What function does the behavior of binge eating serve for you?
• When you first binged, what happened before? What emotions were you
experiencing?
• What events were happening the first time you became self-conscious
about your body?
Draw out a timeline including years/ dates and any pertinent details related to changes
in eating and body preoccupation
FOCUS ON THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO CREATE,

NOT THE PROBLEM
FOCUS ON THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO CREATE, NOT THE PROBLEM

“Whatever we put our attention on will grow stronger in our life.”
– Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
• Focus attention on what you want more of in your life

Examples:
• You want to start eating mindfully and accept where your body goes as a
result, so you focus on learning to feel acceptance and peace
• You desire a positive relationship with food, so you focus on how your
body feels after eating
• You are wanting to have more energy and feel better overall, so instead of
saying “When I am hungry, I will not have chips, you say, “When I am hungry,
I will have an apple and peanut butter.” (and so on and so forth)
INTEROCEPTIVE AWARENESS

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INTEROCEPTIVE AWARENESS
Interoceptive awareness (IA), or bodily awareness, involves the physical
sensations within the body such as heartbeat, breathing, hunger and fullness, and even
the physical sensations triggered by emotions (Tribole & Resch, 2012). IA plays a
significant role in developing a healthy relationship with food as after years of dieting
and exerting control on one’s food intake, one loses touch of their hunger and fullness
cues.
Interoceptive Awareness:
• Allows us to sense when we are hungry, stop eating when full,

and be in tune with our body’s needs and desires
• Is entirely unique to each individual
• Relies solely on internal signals
• Allowing oneself to assume when and how much they eat is associated with
- Normal eating patterns
- Healthy relationship with food
- Positive body-image
- Keen awareness of hunger and fullness cues
Long story short, each individual has their own IA and no one is capable of detecting
another’s hunger, fullness, or cravings except for the individual themself.
How can one’s Interoceptive Awareness get messed up?
We come into this world with flawless interoceptive awareness. Think of a baby;
they let you know when they are hungry by crying, just as they do when full by presenting
with frustration when any more milk is forced their way. They have perfect, innate
knowledge of their hunger and fullness levels, and let caregivers know. For many, their
disconnection with IA begins in early childhood as their parents or caregivers keep them
on a specific feeding schedule and/ or force them to “finish their plate” or forbid them
from snacking in between meals. Rigid commands around food are the birth of an out-
of-touch relationship with hunger and fullness levels. When we start ignoring our bodies’
natural signals and instead rely on self or others-imposed rules, we lose touch with our
physiological responses and signaling.
Therefore, one becomes out-of-touch with their IA by:

- Self-imposed dieting or food rules

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- Parental rules around eating behaviors growing up (especially risky since brain is
most malleable during childhood & adolescence)
- Additional factors shown below:
When someone decides to allow external things such as diet culture and/ or societal
pressures to determine what and when they eat and should not eat, they:
1.) Teach themselves that they cannot trust their own physiological signaling
2.) Lose their ability to be aware of their own hunger and fullness.
How can I learn to recognize Hunger and Fullness again?
“Every time you experience biological hunger and you respond by honoring that hunger
with nourishment, you build trust and connection with your body.”
- Evelyn Tribole, MS, RDN
Many people choose to follow a more structured plan of eating until fully
embracing intuitive eating. If someone has a long history of bingeing and restricting, it
can take some time for the body to begin recognizing hunger and fullness again. As one
practices incorporating mindfulness skills into their eating experience, however, they
increase awareness around all things having to do with the experience of eating from

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recognizing physical sensations and comfort level, to bringing all of your senses to the
meal by remaining attune to color, texture, aroma, and consistency.
Peeing Analogy:
Think of Interoceptive Awareness like using the bathroom. When

you notice that you have to pee, you try to honor that need as soon as
you can by using the bathroom. Furthermore, once going, you do not
attempt to just let a little of the pee out and ignore the rest, you honor
your need to the fullest, then go on with your life. Honoring hunger
should be done in the same way. We should honor our need for fuel
shortly after noticing ourselves becoming hungry. We also want to
honor our hunger to the fullest rather than “deciding” what we should
be hungry for and stopping ourselves before our hunger is satisfied.
“Taking a break to the bathroom and hunger are both biological cues – the only
difference is that people don’t usually feel guilty or believe they did something wrong
if they need another trip to the bathroom. It’s just a bit annoying, not a moral
indictment.”
- Evelyn Tribole, MS, RDN
The Hunger and Fullness Scale
Taking the time to check in with oneself before, throughout, and after eating is
a helpful asset in one’s rediscovery of hunger and fullness and simply in trying to create
a happy relationship with food. Looking at the following chart, what does your “1-2”
look like? What about your “3-4,” “6-7,” and “8-10?” Getting familiar with what these levels
look like for you can serve as a huge help along your journey. Better yet, the more that
you check in with where you are on this scale before and after eating, the easier it
becomes to recognize your hunger and fullness.

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(Center for Young Women’s Health; Katelyn Castro, 2018)
Important Reminder: No one will respond to their hunger and fullness cues accurately
100% of the time. We all overeat from time to time and there might come times when
we are not able to honor our hunger until it reaches a 1 on the hunger scale. There are
times when we might choose to have another plate at the buffet because we do not get
to eat at the restaurant much or have an extra round of dessert because we do not get
the particular recipe often; these are normal parts of life and to be expected. What
matters most is that we are trying to honor our hunger and fullness the majority of the
time.
“It’s healthy and natural to eat for reasons other than hunger, like in social situations,
during holidays and celebrations, or when you’re just really craving something. Your
body is very adaptive and adjusts when you may eat more or less than your body needs.

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The goal of intuitive eating is to be able to recognize and respond to hunger and
fullness appropriately the majority of the time.”
– Katelyn Castro, MS, RD
EXAMPLE EATING PLAN
EXAMPLE EATING PLAN

*Disclaimer* The following is intended for reference and is not meant to be followed religiously. Many find
structure and guidelines to be helpful when working towards intuitive eating. However, our bodies are not
intended to follow a set plan for any extended period and respond adversely to any form of rigidity or food
rules.
Regular Eating
The Purpose:
Regular Eating (eating every 2-4 hours and eating a variety)
- Provides organized eating pattern & sustained energy

- Pre-planning when needed takes the “mood” out of
food by decreasing emotion-based eating decisions
- Reassures the brain that food supply is not scarce
- Decreases obsessive thoughts about food
- Essential for re-establishing hunger & fullness cues
- Helps stabilize blood sugar & metabolism
- Prevents overeating & undereating
- Consistent meal & snack times serve as “traffic cones” during the “construction”
of establishing a positive relationship with food
Honoring cravings & Incorporating forbidden/ “fear foods” into plan
- Decreases obsessive thinking about specific foods

- Teaches brain that all food is allowed
- Reduces impulsive decisions about food
- Reduces assigning moral values to food such as “good” or “bad” that reinforce
unhelpful thoughts & eating behaviors

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- Increases enjoyment of food
Practicing Mindful Eating
- Increases awareness around eating behavior

- Emphasizes how to eat rather than getting eating plan “right”
- Helps separate food & feelings at mealtime
- While intuitive eating can be difficult to jump into right away, mindfulness can
be incorporated into each eating activity at any time
Making Food Choices based on Values & Internal Cues
- Gets us in tune with making our own food decisions
The Plan:
Regular Eating
- Eating every 2-4 hours

- Consuming roughly 3 meals & 2-3 snacks (in the early stages, it can be helpful to
select times in advance to establish a pattern)
- Increase meal variety throughout the week
- Planned, Predictable, & Public (if anxiety is high, aim for planning meals & snacks
24 hours in advance, both what AND when)
o Meals:
▪ Protein + Starch + Fat + Produce
▪ Entrée + 1 or more sides or Mixed bowl/ Combination dish
o Snacks
▪ Choose 2: _____ + _____ Protein, heart-healthy fat, (whole) grain,
produce
▪ Snack of choice (ideally a “fear food” or some processed yumminess
you tend to avoid)
At meal & snack times:
- Pre-choose portions & place on plate, putting rest of food away before sitting to
eat
- Utilize Table, Plate, Chair technique
o Eating at the table, sitting down, eating from a plate
- Practice Mindful Eating - slow down & savor; become curiously observant of each
aspect of the food

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- Following meal, move onto pre-planned post-meal activity to decrease any post-
meal guilt, ruminating thoughts, or binge urges
- Avoid eating while standing, walking, working, driving, watching TV, etc. (again,
not a rigid command, but rather something to aim for the majority of the time)
- Avoid eating out of containers, bags, boxes, etc.
Cravings
- Honor them!! ☺
- Depending on the scenario, some find it helpful rather than having an item the
instant it is craved, scheduling into their plan for the next day or later in the
week
- Purposefully schedule “fear foods” into meals
Protein examples:
- Chicken, beef, pork, fish - Cottage cheese

- Greek yogurt - Tofu
- Beans & legumes - Hummus
- Eggs
Starch examples:
- Bread, rolls - Chips - Cookies, brownies, cake

- Pasta - Breadings - Bagels, English muffins
- Potatoes, sweet potatoes - Crackers - Corn
- Rice - Tortillas
Whole grain starches:
o Whole wheat bread o Oats

o Many cereals o Popcorn
o Whole wheat pasta o Quinoa
o Brown rice o Tortilla chips & corn tortillas
Heart-healthy Fat examples:

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- Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, - Nut-based bars such as KIND bars

hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, macadamia - Olive oil
- Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, chia, flax) - Nut butter spreads (peanut
- Avocado, guacamole butter, almond butter, sun-butter)
Produce examples:
- Fruits (Canned, fresh, frozen)

- Vegetables (Canned, fresh, frozen)
Common Forbidden Foods, or “fear foods”:
- Baked goods such as cake, donuts, brownies, cookies, pastries

- Packaged treats such as Oreos, Pop-Tarts, Little Debbie’s
- Candy, soda, vending machine items
- Cheese, high-fat foods, fried foods, greasy foods
- Ice cream & other frozen treats
- Pizza, pasta, burgers, breaded items
*And obviously many foods are a combination* (Pizza, sandwiches, fatty fish, salads, stir fry, soup…)
*not exhaustive by any means; just for reference*
Overall, while eating will look different every single day, it is generally not helpful
to go more than 4-5 hours without eating (for blood sugar’s sake), and in addition, to
make sure that meals and snacks match your energy level at the time. It is important to
make sure that your foods and meals have adequate energy to sustain your body and
your specific and unique needs that particular day.
(Evelyn Tribole, 2017)
EATING REGULAELY AFTER OVEREATING AND

BINGES

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EATING REGULALRY AFTER OVEREATING AND BINGES
It is imperative to remember that regardless of

what you ate yesterday, you need to eat today. Some
days can be especially stressful, such as those filled
with special gatherings, events, and larger quantities of
food than we are used to. However, food cannot be
earned, thus, what we eat today is not contingent upon
what we ate yesterday. When we restrict calories after
an episode of overeating, we only further fuel our
obsessive food thoughts as well as our preoccupation
with food in general and feeling out of control around
it.
Furthermore, any attempt to compensate for calories consumed only results in

the brain’s prompting us to binge again, as purging is translated by the brain as further
food deprivation, thus exacerbating the binge-purge cycle.
*Purging includes but is not limited to: vomiting, compulsive exercise, use of laxatives
or diet pills, caloric restriction, or any other method whose intention is to save calories.*
Regardless of strategy, attempting to compensate for calories consumed creates a
reverse effect in the brain, priming the brain for further binges and storing whatever
calories are consumed.
The best thing you can do after a day of overeating is to stay attune to your
body’s needs, as well as eating regularly and engaging in movement that is enjoyable and
appropriate.
Physical activity the day after overeating can be helpful when the motivation is
coming from a desire to show ourselves love and engage in mindful movement that we
enjoy. However, when done out of self-hatred and/ or in an attempt to “make up” for
calories consumed, has adverse effects and only exacerbates symptoms and increases
the likelihood for future binges.
Lastly, eating enough is essential as the brain must be ensured that food is
plentiful and can be expected. When one restricts caloric intake following a binge, it
not only results in a significant decrease in metabolism and higher storage of nutrients
but increases the likelihood of future binges as the brain now believes that food is scare,
thus believes that when food is available, it must be binged on to store for later. It might
seem contrary to eat regularly following a day of overeating, but binge eating is
maintained by the lower brain which has no way of knowing when or if food will come
again. We might logically know that we can eat again when we decide to, but the lower

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brain does not hold this capability, thus, it learns that food cannot be counted on and
must be binged on when eaten.
When we starve ourselves (and this goes for fasting and/ or not eating enough in
general), we logically know that we can acquire food again at a later time. We must
remember however, that the lower brain has no way of knowing this, so our attempts to
compensate for calories consumed are not only unproductive but actually encourage
further episodes of binge eating. This is one of the many reasons that eating both
frequently and enough in quantity is crucial to developing a positive relationship with
food.
“Skipping breakfast or starting your day with a hardboiled egg when what you really
want is a piece of toast with peanut butter and banana, is like pulling back a bow and
arrow; you can hold that tension for a little while, but eventually that arrow is going to
fly hard and fast in the opposite direction- hello, weekends! As long as you continue to
do these types of things you set yourself up to repeat this cycle over and over.”
-Lindsey Mathes, RDN
If you gain one thing from this, let it be that you allow yourself to eat regularly
following overeating and/ or binges. Check in with your body. Sense how it feels. Feed it
when hungry and respect it when full. Honor your cravings and engage in movement only
if you truly feel up to it. And while you are at it, show yourself some compassion and
realize that falling short or feeling as though we have fallen off track is all part of the
human experience.
Lastly, remember that absolutely everyone overeats from time to time and that
our bodies are designed to handle this. The increase in heart rate and body temperature
you feel after overeating? That’s just one of the remarkable mechanisms of the body
associated with weight set-point, designed to keep your body weight stable by speeding
up metabolism to begin burning the excess calories consumed. And if you struggle with
regular binge eating, remember that binge eating disorder is the most common eating
disorder in the world and that you are not alone.
INTUITIVE MOVEMENT

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INTUITIVE MOVEMENT
Intuitive movement, much like intuitive eating,

involves connecting with your body’s internal cues
and allowing these cues to determine:
– Type of movement
– Duration
– Intensity
Intuitive Movement involves:
• Emphasizing movement rather than “exercise.” Instead of solely engaging in

intense workouts where the focus is on calorie burn or “getting into shape,” we
celebrate and acknowledge the activity that we already get on the day to day
such as through grocery shopping, cleaning, or even walking up the stairs. We
understand that movement does not have to be specifically planned or some
orchestrated process to count.
• Incorporating mindfulness by fully tuning into the movement. Instead of just
going through the actions, we tune into ourselves to notice how our bodies feel,
and how we feel – our mental state. We also recognize when our body needs rest
and allow it, understanding that rest is a need and not an excuse or being “lazy.”
• Focusing on enjoyment and how the body and mind feel rather than on burning
calories or losing weight. Instead of telling ourselves that softer forms of
movement are not difficult enough, we take part in any activity we enjoy whether
that be yoga, splashing around in the pool, or simply going for an afternoon stroll.
• Taking part in forms of movement that feel good intrinsically. We engage with
forms of movement that feel gratifying without the calorie counting apps or
smart watch.
(Jessi Haggerty, 2021)
“Instead of exercising to burn calories or lose weight, it’s about exercising because of
the positive health and mood benefits you see. Instead of forcing yourself to do X
days of cardio and X days of weight-training, you get to explore movement that feels
good in your body. This shift in mindset allows exercise to become more enjoyable, less
stressful and ends up being something to look forward to, rather than dread.
Practicing intuitive movement can help you nurture a healthier relationship with
exercise and your body.”

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– Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD, CDN, CSCS
Significant Exercise Studies: “Fun Movement” or “Work”
A 2015 study tested framing movement as “fun” versus “exercise” and its effect
on the amount of M&M’s consumed following. Participants were all assigned the same
walking route on a college campus; however, one group was told that they were going
on a one-mile route of exercise while the other was told that they were going on a one-
mile sightseeing journey. Offered self-serve M&M’s afterwards, the “exercise” group
served themselves far more than the “fun” group. Researchers concluded that when
exercise is viewed as work, individuals are more likely to reward themselves with
pleasurable snacks, whereas focusing on having fun while performing a physical activity
reduces the amount eaten afterwards.
(Werle et al., 2015)
An additional study interviewed marathon runners and provided a choice of two

snacks following the race. Researchers found that those who claimed to have had fun
during the race chose the cereal bar, while those who interpreted it as exercise chose
the chocolate bar (Werle et al., 2015).
Key takeaway: Take part in movement that you ENJOY, not what you feel like
you “should” be doing or what appears to be the societal norm. When the sole focus is
calorie-burn, it will be interpreted with a negative connotation by the lower brain. This
creates a sort of “rebel” affect in which we attempt to reward ourselves through later
pleasurable food consumption (not to mention reinforces an internal voice of body
hatred and low self-image). When it comes to pleasure and feelings, the lower brain is
much more subtly aware of our motives than our higher, logical-thinking brain will ever
be, so there is no point in attempting to outsmart it. Choosing to take part in forms of
movement that we enjoy is far more likely to be sustainable, not to mention, is entirely
more motivating.
Take a Look at all of the Benefits of Exercise unrelated to Weight loss:
• Improved brain function and neurogenesis (birth of new brain cells)

• Decrease in anxiety
• Improved focus
• Self-discipline and perseverance
• Improved cardiovascular health

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• Boost in mood (dopamine)

• Allows a mental release
• Increased bone density and muscle mass
• Better balance and flexibility
• Increased memory
• A productive way to use the cortisol produced by anxiety
Follow this link for even more information on intuitive movement and tips for getting
started!
➢ https://alissarumsey.com/fitness/intuitive-exercise-
tips/#:~:text=Intuitive%20exercise%20also%20means%20that,lose%20weight%20
or%20burn%20calories.
In what ways can you incorporate intuitive movement into your life?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
CATCHING RESTRICTION EARLY
CATCHING RESTRICTION EARLY

Many binges occur out of habit. However, it is impossible to break these binges
if you are still restricting in any way (whether that be physically, mentally, or
circumstantially). For this reason, it is important to get familiar with your patterns of
restriction as well as the types of ways you most commonly restrict so to be able to
detect the first sign. This will provide great advantage, as interrupting at the earliest
recognition of restriction can keep the brain from cycling further into survival mode
and triggering bingeing more intensely.

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ADDITIONAL REASONS FOR BINGE EATING THAT

HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RESTRICTION
ADDITIONAL REASONS FOR BINGE EATING THAT HAVE NOTHING

TO DO WITH RESTRICTION
By now, you have probably picked up that binge eating is the body’s natural
response to dieting. Food restriction, however, is not the only thing that can lead to
bingeing. There are additional functions binge eating can serve as well.
Additional functions of binge eating:
- A coping mechanism for anxiety, depression, or other mood and emotional

distress
- A form of self-punishment or self-harm
- A response to trauma as a means to feel grounded and safe
- A way to replay old patterns from childhood as a means of seeking connection,
avoiding waste, or secrecy around eating
- An escape from boredom, dissatisfaction, or constant chatter in your head
- A habit as discussed previously
- Hormonal influences and imbalances
(Sarah Dosanjh, 2020)
UNMET NEEDS
UNMET NEEDS
Another common cause of binge eating is neglecting our needs. When we get caught up
in the busy go of life, we can easily forget about doing for ourselves the things that we
need. It is common to then end up binge eating as a way to “meet” these needs in the
short-term. Common needs that go unmet are time for hobbies, personal time, time for
relaxation, time with friends, or could be something as simple as forgetting to take a
shower or not eating regular meals.
What are your top three needs that typically go unmet?
1.) ___________________________________________________________________________
2.) ___________________________________________________________________________

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3.) ___________________________________________________________________________
Looking at your schedule, what are you prioritizing that tends to get in the way of these
needs being met? If you frequently get caught up in the needs of others, just remember
that you cannot properly meet anyone else’s needs without first meeting yours (we
cannot pour from a half-empty glass).
What 3-5 things can you begin implementing to fit these needs into your schedule?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(adapted from Witt & Dodge, 2018)
CLEANING UP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA
CLEANING UP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

The messages that we see can really impact us, and social media is a sneaky route
we do not always realize. While subtle, the messages we see as we scroll through social
media leave an imprint, overtime, becoming a part of our core belief system. For this
reason, an essential part of making peace with food includes re-vamping our social media
sites by weeding out any pages entrenched with diet culture or body shaming.
In addition, start following food freedom and body positive sites to fill your feed
with the truth. Rebuilding one’s relationship with food is a difficult journey, so the
extra validation and affirmation can go a long way. Moreover, as we begin seeing these
messages on the regular, we rebuild our core belief system, a huge asset to the journey.
For a good start, check out some of the social media sites listed in the resources section
at the end of this guide.
DEALING WITH DIET TALK

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DEALING WITH DIET TALK

The high prevalence of diet talk in society can be a barrier to recovery as it can be
difficult when making progress to hear statements that contradict our new belief
system and reaffirms all of the old messages. Additionally, (similar to not going along
with gossip) it can be tough to stand separate and hold a different opinion, as diet talk
has become the norm for so many groups. In the early stages, it can feel extremely
difficult to reject diet talk, however, by either removing ourselves from the toxic
environment or rejecting and redirecting the diet comments, we can help not only
ourselves but those around us.
“What I’ve learned professionally and personally is that if I remain passive to diet
culture and don’t boldly reject diet talk…diet culture will persist. And it will affect
me. It’s like getting on a kayak going downstream and hoping to make it upstream
without paddling. It just doesn’t happen.”
– Robyn Nohling, FNP, RD
Redirect when Desired
When finding yourself immersed in diet talk, feel free to redirect with a simple
statement like the ones that follow. There are all sorts of routes you can take, from
sharing some facts about dieting to just simply stating that you have no interest in talking
about diets. It is also important to assess the situation, who all is involved, and how
much energy you have, as redirecting can be draining. A commonly used one is simply,
“ope, I don’t do diet talk; sorry,” and then changing the subject or excusing yourself
from the conversation.

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• “It doesn’t make me feel good when our conversations are about diets and weight
loss.”
• “Research shows that most people who lose weight from dieting gain it back—are
there any smaller, more sustainable lifestyle changes I can support you with?”
• “There are so many things that are good for our health that have nothing to do
with weight loss.”
• “Intuitive eating has really helped me develop a healthier relationship with food
and my body. If you’re interested in learning more, let me know and I can share
some of my go-to resources.”
• “I read this really great book that redefined how I saw health. I can let you borrow
my copy or send you the title if you want to take a look.”
• “I recently listened to this podcast episode that totally changed how I think
about fitness—do you want me to send you the link?”
• “I actually discovered this new way of eating that is more about well-being over
weight loss. I feel so much more liberated. Let me know if you want me to share
some articles about it with you.”
• “You can’t determine how healthy someone is by how much they weigh.”
(Wendy Lopez, 2020)
Take a Break
While redirecting diet culture-infused comments can be beneficial for everyone

involved, it can also be very draining and you will likely not find yourself feeling up to it
in every scenario. In these instances, try shifting the conversation to something less
triggering; you might be surprised by how quickly people can forget what they were
talking about. For example, try asking how things are going at work, what hobbies they
have been doing, a new book they have been reading or shows they have been watching.
Another option if you are not feeling up for a conversation change, is to remove yourself
completely from the situation. Walk to a different part of the room, engage in a new
conversation, or even, simply excuse yourself to the restroom.
All in all, it is important to remember that we always have the power to set
boundaries for ourselves by taking action to protect ourselves from hazardous, diet
talk. While we cannot always control what is talked about in our company, we can
choose to remove ourselves from the toxicity or redirect the damaging comments.

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Not Falling into Diet Culture Language, Ourselves
In order to combat diet culture, it is also

necessary to consider how you are talking about
food. Comments such as “how can you still be
hungry?,” “wow, got enough food there?,” and/ or
“I am being so bad,” are not only unnecessary and
damaging to your attempts at restoring your
relationship with food, but can also be
detrimental to those struggling in their own
relationship with food. Comments such as these
serve only to reinforce the self-defeating
thoughts that those with eating disorders and
others attempting to restore their relationship
with food struggle with on a daily basis and are
working so hard to reframe.
When you notice the need to comment on someone else’s eating habits, this is
usually a good time to do some self-reflection to notice the feelings and thoughts that
come up. What types of feelings come up for you? If this discomfort could speak, what
would it say? The urge to comment on someone else’s food choices is usually attributed
deep down to our own discomforts with food and projecting the guilt and/ or feelings
of deprivation that we feel onto another. For example, someone who feels the urge to
ask someone how they could be hungry for dessert when they just had a whole plate
might deep down desire to have dessert themself but feels that they have to earn it or
save calories; their feelings of deprivation are then projected onto the individual eating
what they want in the form of judgement or criticism. Interoceptive awareness is unique
to each person and only the individual gets to decide what they want to eat and how
much. The next time you are finding yourself wanting to comment on someone else’s
food choices, instead, take some time to look inward. Inside of ourselves lies a plethora
of insight.
Finally, when attending special events, large food gatherings, holidays, etc., allow
yourself unconditional permission to enjoy every bite and relish in the occasion without
worrying about how you are going to “work off everything.” This reinforces the false
concept that we have to earn our food which only serves to further strengthen
unhelpful thoughts and food judgments, thus maintaining the binge cycle. And
remember, we cannot “earn” food as it has no moral value. Secondly, think about it; is
what and how you ate going to affect you in a month? What about a year from now? We
tend to catastrophize when it comes to special events and holiday meals, assuming that

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we have lost all control and will somehow ended up gaining a surplus of weight.
Obsessing over what we eat at these functions neglects acknowledging the truths of
weight set-point theory, not to mention insinuates to the brain that weight gain is a
negative, thus something to be feared.
Do not create an unnecessary battle with food. It has no control over you so do
not allow it to persuade your behaviors. If you are working out later simply because you
enjoy it and actually feel like it, go for it. Typically, however, that is not the case and
when it comes to post-holiday/ event/ special occasion workouts, people are exercising
with the sole purpose of “undoing” the calories, further implying that their worth is tied
to how much they eat and teaching their brain that food is dangerous and something to
be feared.
Start allowing yourself to enjoy every moment of these events, refraining from
any sort of negative commenting on what others have chosen to eat. You might even
find that with time, as you stop commenting on others’ food choices, you begin to feel
a little more confident with your own.
SPECIAL DIETS
SPECIAL DIETS
Lastly, just a reminder that what might seem
“healthier” is not always the best option. Using
meatless diets as one example, many people make
choices surrounding eating meat based on their
personal values or cultural purposes. However,
others may base their choices on what they perceive
to be more “healthy.”
It is important to remember that companies and

businesses market to whatever the current health
trend is, and as things such as going vegan are
currently all the rage, seeing non-animal products
infused with all sorts of additives is becoming increasingly common. “There’s a reason a
beyond burger or impossible burger has those names, because there’s no way you can
recreate meat from plants without all kinds of crazy processing, questionable
ingredients, and extra additives.” - Amanda Rocchio

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This is just something to be aware of when making food choices. Stop and ask
yourself, am I choosing to eat this product because it is in line with my values/ culture,
or am I attempting to be “healthier.”
The entire concept of “health” is subjective in itself and is influenced by a

plethora of things and entirely unique to each individual. So, if you find yourself
resonating with the latter, I encourage you to figure out why you might be sacrificing
your values to eat differently. Societal pressure is very real and is at constant work to
morph our minds. Therefore, it is incredibly important to conduct regular check-in’s
when making food choices to ensure that we are eating in line with our values and not
attempting to fit external expectations.
All in all, if you’re choosing a “beyond” burger, let it be because of personal

preference, taste, or cultural desires, NOT because you are aiming for “health.” (And if
you find yourself fearing consuming meat, just remember that this is the body’s
preferred source of protein, so it is designed to handle it – imagine that )
*additional side note: there is nothing wrong with consuming additives; just take some
time to assess why you are choosing that option. If you truly like the taste better and
the food item fits your personal values, go for it!
TRACKING WHAT WORKS
TRACKING WHAT WORKS

The following chart was adapted from Kathryn Hansen. Use it to track your progress
and track what seems to work for you!
Date and Time Urge Description What you did while What you learned
(physical the urge was (what worked)
sensations, present
thoughts, feelings)

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Additional Resources in the Appendix!

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181

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COMMON FEARS
But what if I just want to eat EVERYTHING all the time??
• When you allow yourself to eat what you want, the food loses its power
• The brain learns that all foods are allowed, thus there is less of a drive to binge
on those foods that were previously “off-limits”
• Before making any sort of options based on nutrition, we have to first prove to
our brain that ALL foods are allowed by maintaining an open and “all foods fit”
approach to food. It takes a while of doing this before any sort of nutritional
decisions can be made without alarming the brain and sending it into binge-
restrict mode
But what if when I honor a craving, I end up just wanting MORE??
• Wanting more of a food after eating it is more attributed to our internal beliefs
than the food itself actually producing more cravings
• If you tell yourself that this is a “bad” food or limit your intake of it on a
regular basis, then the brain’s natural response is to want more of it when
you do have it. Try enjoying this food on a more consistent basis.
• If you tell yourself that “if some is good, then more is better,” then you
might truly believe that consuming more of this item will prolong the good
feelings or pleasurable taste. We know from research however, that while
food can comfort us to some capacity, that the first bite is the most
fulfilling and that each subsequent bite is only an attempt to match that
first bite. When honoring cravings, we want to also stay attune to our
physiological signals like fullness and satiety, a skill that comes with time.
• What sparked the consumption? Were you truly craving this item and
hungry or were you experiencing an undesired emotional state? Remember,
use your “Peek Behind the Craving” skill to decipher if you actually want
the food or are just attempting to distract yourself from emotional pain,
as we know that attempting to use the food as a means to cope with
emotional toil results in wanting more of the food rather than feeling
fulfilled with a reasonable portion.
Ex: Think of someone in your life who has a positive relationship with food. Does
honoring one of their cravings result in a binge?
But what if I just want to lose weight?

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There is nothing wrong with the desire to lose wight (as long as the motivation is
coming from a healthy place as discussed earlier). However, as long as weight loss
remains the sole focus, your lifestyle will involve some form of restriction and this simply
is not feasible in the long-term. Weight loss is often a biproduct of healing one’s
relationship with food if it aligns with their needs but should never be the focus.

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LASTLY…
Remember that you have the Power to Choose
Remember that no matter the heaviness of an urge to binge, we remain in control

over the lower brain’s mechanisms. While extremely difficult in the moment,
reconnecting with the higher brain and our own wants and desires, even distracting
ourselves if need be, allows us to contain the energy of the urge to look at the urge and
choose our response. There is no concept more empowering!
Trusting the Process
As you work on dismissing binge urges, it

is important that you have compassion and
patience with yourself. If you have been
struggling with binge eating for several years, it
does not make sense that you would just cease
all binges overnight. Just as those neural
pathways have been ingrained and reinforced
for years, it will take both time and effort to
weaken them. For this reason, it is important
to have patience with yourself as you begin the
process of working to dismiss and not act on urges. Lapses are extremely normal; the
brain is only doing what it has been trained to do and has done for so long. The idea is
that as we work to rewire our brain with new, beneficial neural pathways, we will
gradually experience less binge urges. In addition, with practice, containment becomes
the body’s more natural response, thus making it easier over time to pause before acting
on binge urges.
(image retrieved from alcoholicsguide)
“Acting on an urge doesn’t mean your habit has control again; it only means you’ve
acted on one urge and quite possibly just failed to detach from one destructive
thought.”
– Kathryn Hansen
Furthermore, as shame thrives in isolation, it is vital to have a good support system

consisting of those you can lean on and be completely transparent with about lapses
along the way. By sharing your struggles and lapses, you release that internalized pain
from binges, purges, etc. Give it a try; it’s hard to believe until you experience it!

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Various things might trigger Urges to Binge
Numerous things can trigger urges to binge, and these are unique to each
individual. Some common examples include eating foods that you frequently binged on,
experiencing an uncomfortable emotion, eating until past fullness, feeling bored, and/
or taking part in events, atmospheres, or situations where you previously binged. (For
example, if you frequently binged following potlucks, birthday parties, bridal showers,
etc., then just anticipating these events can result in binge urges.)
Dealing with Triggers
Because triggering situations evoke anxiety and discomfort, not to mention

heighten urges to binge, it is normal to want to avoid them. However, without facing
the very situations that trigger binges, it is impossible to create a new positive
experience with the food, situation, etc. and build new neural pathways associated with
the food, situation, etc. When we experience a trigger, have an urge to binge, and do
not act, our brains learn to dissociate that particular trigger from the binge. Moreover,
as this is repeated, the brain will gradually stop sending the urge in response to that
trigger. This is how we create the brain changes that we desire. Without reexperiencing
the urges in the situations that evoked such powerful urges, the brain cannot learn to
dissociate urges with the situations.
For example, if someone frequently binged at or following potlucks, they might be

tempted to skip out on these events. When they do this, they will likely experience less
urges. However, the moment that they attend a potluck event again, an urge will arise
as they have never taught the brain that it does not need to send urges to binge in
response to being at potlucks. They must take part in potlucks to provide their brains
the chance to reexperience the atmosphere without bingeing so that the brain can learn
to stop sending urges to binge at potlucks. By utilizing the learned concepts and using
one’s individualized coping strategies, one can practice dismissing and not acting on
urges in these situations, thus, weakening the associated neural pathways while building
new, helpful ones!
Several additional strategies can aid this process as well such as envisioning
yourself in the triggering situation and playing out mentally what you would like to
happen, envisioning yourself mastering the situation. You can also think of all of the
reasons that urges typically give you to “give into” their commands, and practice
detaching yourself from them, allowing them to flow through your mind without
reacting to or giving them any power (activities such as mindfulness mediation or simply

186
writing the thoughts and feelings down are a great place to start as well as trying some
of the cognitive defusion skills discussed earlier). Activities like this can both help
prepare you for triggering situations and help you to feel less vulnerable when urges
arise. Additionally, engaging in mindfulness practice has profound effects on promoting
neuroplastic changes in the brain by increasing cortical volume (volume of the higher
brain), thus strengthening one’s “pause capacity” and ability to contain the power of
urges before choosing a response. This further increases self-control and can boost
one’s motivation to dismiss future urges as well.
Wrapping it all up
Regardless of what led to your starting to binge eat, due to the remarkable ability
of the brain to rewire itself, you hold the capability of changing your behavior (and any
behavior for that matter). While requiring immense effort and determination, you can
experience extraordinary changes by continually practicing detaching from and not
acting on binge urges.
Additionally, it is essential to understand that binge eating does not occur in a

vacuum and that working on other areas such as our self-talk, capacity to be with and
regulate emotions, and self-care are an essential part of recovery. Keep the content in
the “So what do I do with all of this information?” section at the forefront of your mind,
as each of the aspects included here play a vital role in sustaining recovery. When you
notice your binges or restriction picking up, revisit this section to assess what might be
contributing.
Food was created to be enjoyed and you deserve to have an amazing relationship
with it in its entirety. With time and commitment, you have the capacity to create great
changes! Remember that recovery is a PROCESS, not a destination. Have a little
patience with yourself and be honest with your supports along the way. You have
everything you need to create a renewed and positive relationship with food.
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
- Isaiah 41:10

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188

189
FAVORITE RESOURCES
Podcasts and Trainings:
“Food Psych” – Christy Harrison (making peace with food & breaking free from diet
culture)
“Brain Over Binge” – Kathryn Hansen (bulimia & binge-eating recovery)
“ED Matters” – Gurze-Salucore Eating Disorders Resource Catalogue (healthy

conversations about eating disorders)
“Dietitians Unplugged” – Aaron Flores & Glenys Oyston (improved relationship with
health, body image & movement)
Iaedp (International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals) Institute Webinars
The Bodylove Project - Jessica Haggerty
Follow the Intuition – YouTube channel
Balance Eating Disorder Tx Center
Online Webinars:
https://balancedtx.com/eating-disorder-recovery-webinar-classes
Youtube Chanel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6FNWjY30kMH1cFzVz2qvhw
Social Media Accounts & Blogs:
Jennifer Rollin
Evelyn Tribole
Follow the Intuition
Kathryn Hansen
Dietitian Corinne – Corrine Dobbas
Emily Murray
My Signature Nutrition

190
Alix Turoff
No Food Rules – Colleen Christensen
Food and Fearless
Molly B Counseling
Break Binge Eating
Laura Bauman, Food Freedom Advocate
Websites and Tools:
National Eating Disorders Association
Missouri Eating Disorders Association
Missouri Eating Disorders Council
Health At Every Size – https://haescommunity.com/
Gurze-Salucore Eating Disorders Resource Catalogue
The Alliance For Eating Disorders Awareness
URGE911
IntuitiveEating.org
intuitive-eating-worksheets.com
Multi-service Eating Disorders Association
Feast-ed.org
National Eating Disorder Information Centre
Academy for Eating Disorders
AEDRA Eating Disorder Centre
Bulimiaguide.org
NEDA Parent Toolkit
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/sites/default/files/Toolkits/ParentToolkit.pdf
Additional help:

191
Find a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist in your area: https://iaedp.site-

ym.com/search/
Find eating disorder professionals here as well!

https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/therapists-
specialists?fbclid=IwAR3IgMKlWArBnR-
X172RmmDRibkYlyamKvuyGJ0ICm58PBx9EFK8r5uRqGc
Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor Directory

https://www.intuitiveeating.org/certified-counselors/
Eating Disorder Groups in the St. Louis area -

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/groups/eating-disorders/mo/saint-louis-county
Alsana Eating Recovery Center (residential, partial hospitalization, and outpatient

services) – St. Louis, MO location
https://www.alsana.com/st-louis-
missouri/?fbclid=IwAR3nU6JCeThXGcBJn_be4s5XlFTW1NU9u7atEmrHBF7zlC7DnoGd
THiNEfI
Partners in Wellness (outpatient treatment) – St. Louis, MO

http://www.partnersinwellnessstl.com/?fbclid=IwAR0xHbuPoToMXXSIopnu2VO7BBvr
OgfyWl__L0XyGvXpLJTZorYkSHFaky8
Balance Eating Disorder Treatment Center Support Groups

https://balancedtx.com/blog
(Updated 2020 - Laura Bauman)

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Recommended Readings for an Improved Relationship with Food
Binge Eating:
Brain Over Binge – Kathryn Hansen
Brain Over Binge Recovery Guide – Kathryn Hansen
Overcoming Binge Eating, 2nd – Christopher Fairburn
Eat Q: Unlock the Weight-Loss Power of Emotional Intelligence - Susan Albers
Binge Control: A Compact Recovery Guide - Cynthia M. Bulik
Getting Better Bite by Bite: A Survival Kit for Sufferers of Bulimia Nervosa and Binge
Eating Disorders
The DBT Solution for Emotional Eating – Debra Safer
The Binge Eating Prevention Workbook: An 8-week Individualized Program to Overcome

Compulsive Eating and Make Peace with Food – Gia Marson & Danielle Keenman-Miller
Emotional Eating
Eat Q: Unlock the Weight-Loss Power of Emotional Intelligence - Susan Albers
50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food – Susan Albers
Body Image:
Embody: Learning to Love Your Unique Body (and quiet that critical voice!) - Connie
Sobczak
Your Body, Your Best Friend: End the Confidence-Crushing Pursuit of Unrealistic
Beauty Standards and Embrace Your True Power – Erica Mather
Body Kindness: Transform Your Health from the Inside Out--and Never Say Diet
Again Paperback – Rebecca Scritchfield
Living with Your Body and Other Things You Hate: How to Let Go of Your Struggle
with Body Image Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy – Emily Sandoz

193
Compulsive Exercise:
The Truth About Exercise Addiction: Understanding the Dark Side of Thinspiration –
Katherine Schreiber
The Exercise Balance: What’s too much, What’s Too Little, and What’s Just Right for
You! – Pauline Powers
Any & All:
Ending the Diet Mindset: Reclaim a Healthy Relationship with Food and Body Image –
Becca Clegg
Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works – Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch
The Intuitive Eating Workbook – Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch
Life Without ED – Jenni Schaefer
Secrets from the Eating Lab – Traci Mann
The Food and Feelings Workbook: A Full Course Meal on Emotional Health – Karen
Koenig
Sick Enough – Jennifer Gaudiani
The Eating Instinct: Food Culture, Body Image, and Guilt in America – Virginia Sole-
Smith
Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight – Linda Bacon
Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, and Just Plain
Fail to Understand about Weight – Linda Bacon
Words to Eat By: Using the Power of Self-Talk to Transform Your Relationship with
Food and Your Body – Karen Koenig
Living FULL: Winning My Battle with Eating Disorders – Danielle Sherman
Eating by Faith: A Walk with God. My Eating Disorder from the Inside Out – Lisabeth
Kaeser
For Loved Ones & Friends
Ed Says U Said: Eating Disorder Translator - June Alexander

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Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense – Ellyn Satter
Family Eating Disorders (FED) Manual, Guiding Families Through the Maze of Eating
Disorders – Laura Hill et al.
Almost Anorexic: Is My (or My Loved One’s) Relationship with Food a Problem? (The
Almost Effect) – Jennifer Thomas
How to Nourish Your Child Through an Eating Disorder – Casey Crosbie & Wendy
Sterling
Emotion-Focused Family Therapy: A Transdiagnostic Model for Caregiver-Focused

Interventions – Adele Lafrance, Katherine Henderson, & Shari Mayman
Additional Reads:
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and
Embrace Who You Are – Brene Brown
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself – Kristin Neff
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life – Henry
Cloud & John Townsend
The Happiness Trap – Russ Harris
The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism – Sharon Martin
You Are Not Your Brain – Jeffrey Schwartz & Rebecca Gladding
Get Out of Your Mind & into Your Life – Dr. Steven Hayes
A Liberated Mind – Steven Hayes
The Enneagram, Relationships, and Intimacy : Understanding One Another Leads to

Loving Better and Living More Fully – David Daniels & Suzanne Dion
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma – Bessel van
der Kolk
(Laura Bauman, 2020)

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APPENDIX:
Appendix A
151 self-care ideas

*Adapted from infocounselling.com – Rachelle
1. Go for a leisurely walk.

2. Try out a new recipe
3. Schedule personal self-care time each day.
4. Put on a homemade face mask.
5. Do one thing at a time. Multi-tasking is a stressful road.
6. Watch a chick flick (or whatever type of movie you like best).
7. Listen to your favorite music. Sing. Yell sing. Especially if no one is
around. Never mind if you are off key. And even if people are around, singing is
part of what makes us human!
8. Read a book just for fun, just for yourself.
9. Enjoy a long, hot, bubble bath
10. Schedule 5 – 10 minute “play” breaks during the workday. You can do anything
fun and non-work-related during this time. For example, you could spend 5
minutes coloring while listening to music you really like. This all depends on your
job, of course.
11. Go to a spa. If you can’t afford a spa, go to a spa school — get worked on by
students and get services at a discount. Many of these self-care ideas suggest going
to see a student when you cannot afford a professional. That way, you can enjoy
the service being offered without paying a premium.
12. Order in dinner. Or take a cooking class if you like cooking. Or try out a new
and bold recipe (if you enjoy cooking).
13. Sew, knit, crochet, cross-stitch, or quilt. If you want to, you can start a
group that meets weekly at a local coffee shop for a stitching group, thus giving
yourself an evening out, an opportunity to meet new people, and a chance to enjoy
a relaxing stitching session all in one…
14. Do beading and/or jewelry-making or any other craft you love.
15. Do crossword puzzles or sudoku
16. Enjoy high quality chocolate.
17. Go to the library. For the books, for the ambiance, for people-watching, to get out
of the house, and the list of reasons goes on…
18. Color. It is one of the most fashionable self-care ideas these days. Some awesome
coloring books for adults:
A. Mandala Coloring Books
B. Johanna Basford’s Popular Coloring Series
C. Inspirational/Religious Coloring Books
D. Sweary Coloring Books – If swearing cheers you up…
19. Hug someone you love or a beloved pet.
20. Relax outside.
21. Relax inside.
22. Volunteer in the community in a way that is meaningful, energizing, and
challenging.

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23. Become a “tourist” in your own town, State, Province, or Country. Explore
your environment. Find its beauty. Discover its secrets.
24. Make a lunch date with a close friend.
25. At the core of mindfulness is the idea of being physically, mentally, and
emotionally present with your feelings. It takes time and practice to learn to be
with and accept your own feelings. Feel free to brainstorm a list of ways you
can be more mindful including general ways such as yoga and meditation,
and specifics such as “keeping track of what I eat using this cool new app on my
phone”. One good place to get started is with the excellent and bestselling
book “Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World” by
Mark Williams and Danny Penman.
26. Unplug!!! Plan to spend a certain length of time each day disconnected from the
internet, the computer, my cell phone, my television, and all artificial
distractions. After the length of time has elapsed, journal about what this
experience was like and whether it is something you would like to plan to do
regularly.
27. Read poetry. It is better to read it out loud. Note any interesting quotes or
ideas that come from the poem.
28. Attend church services. Keep seeking until you find a church that meshes well
with your beliefs.
29. Refresh yourself with mindfulness: have a three minute mini-meditation
session in the middle of your day: one minute of awareness of your thoughts,
feelings, and sensations followed by one minute of concentrating on your “belly
breathing”, and one minute of considering how the whole body feels.
30. Exercise (of your choice).
31. Spiritual prayer.
32. Attend a caring support group. Or make new friends by attending a local event
at meetup.com for example.
33. Practice diaphragmatic breathing aka “belly breathing”.
34. Do stretching exercises, yoga, or tai chi for relaxation.
35. Head for the water… Go for a swim, scuba diving, wading, relaxing in a pool, or
boating.
36. Meet a friend at the swimming pool, lake, or ocean instead of going for coffee. It
is very relaxing to float and chat (or even to float in silent companionship).
37. Go to an aquafit class.
38. Scratch one nagging item off the list: Write a “to-do” list if you don’t already
have one. Find the item that annoys you the most and do it.
39. Make a list of your positive qualities in your journal, starting with “I am…” on
each line and listing as many as you can think of…
40. Keep track of compliments in your journal. Often, we might overlook or
downplay the wonderful things that people say to us to the point that we might
even forget what they said. By documenting these things, you can read them later
and enjoy. (Career tip: it is also a good idea to keep a log of your achievements and
all the things you have learned because this is not only an ego boost, but is your
ally in earning stellar job performance reviews.)
41. Receive a massage. If you cannot afford a massage, consider going to a massage
school. For half the price, you can have a massage from a massage student.
42. Journal a reflection around the idea of “I appreciate…”. To do this, set a timer for
15, 25, 0r 45 minutes. Then write “I appreciate…” and keep writing (uncensored
— no erasing, no judging) until I feel stuck. Then write “I appreciate…” and keep
going. Repeat until the timer rings.

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43. Write your thoughts, feelings, ideas, hopes, and dreams in a personal
journal.
44. Get sporty... Attend an athletic event.
45. Belly dancing. Dancing that is even better when you have a belly…
46. Go to a foreign movie.
47. A good glass of wine or other special beverage at the end of the day.
48. See a counsellor, life coach, or pastor to work through life’s challenges.
49. Watch the sunrise.
50. Watch the sunset.
51. Laugh.
52. Concentrate on a relaxing scenic image from a book, the internet, etc. Imagine
that you are there. Use all five of your senses to think of what it would look, smell,
sound, feel, and taste (?) like to be there. Feel free to journal about this.
53. Create a collage representing “Who I really am”. You could also make a
collage representing “Who I am not” since often our dislikes help us understand
ourselves also.
54. Listen to your favorite podcast(s).
55. Start your own podcast.
56. What do you want to watch next? Plan what movies or TV shows you would
like to watch next using IMDB’s top and most popular movies and TV shows
or Amazon’s suggestions geared towards you to guide your search. Or you can
browse through Netflix.
57. Go to the theatre and see a play.
58. Watch improv theatre.
59. Go to the ballet.
60. Go to the symphony or a concert.
61. Go to a festival. If there is an event you want to attend, but cannot afford, often
venues look for event volunteers and, if you have time for that, that might be a way
to enjoy the event. However, this is about self-care ideas, so please only do that if
it increases the self-care in your life as opposed to adding stress.
62. Give yourself a manicure, get it done by a friend, get it done professionally, or get
a student to do it.
63. Give yourself a pedicure, get it done by a friend, get it done professionally, or get
a student to do it.
64. Sit and relax in the back yard.
65. Try something new and thrilling such as skydiving.
66. Sometimes self-care is about winding down and sometimes it is about letting off
steam. In the spirit of letting off steam, do one thing that scares you (but is
not actually too dangerous).
67. Read a magazine.
68. Catch up on your favorite blogs.
69. Start your own blog.
70. Be musical: hum, whistle, or play a musical instrument. (P.S. You do not have to
be good at any of these things.)
71. Act like a kid again: Go to the playground and swing, slide, see-saw. It is
amazingly refreshing to do child-like activities sometimes.
72. Go to a lake, beach, or neighborhood outdoor pool on a hot, sunny day.
73. Pack a picnic lunch and make a date with yourself in the park with a nice book.
74. Go to the park and watch ducks or other wildlife.
75. Go to an ethical zoo, if there is one nearby.
76. Meditate.

206
77. Garden.
78. Make a list of new things you would eventually like to learn how to do.
79. Learn how to do something new from the list made in 78 or take steps towards
learning it such as signing up for a course or starting in on reading about it.
80. Ride a bicycle.
81. Go for a photo walk. This is exercise, nature, and photography (artistic
expression) all in one. This is one of the most awesome self-care ideas!
82. Go to the forest and be with the trees.
83. Walk in the grass or sand with your bare feet (beware of pieces of glass, etc.).
84. Get up early and enjoy the quiet tranquility of the morning.
85. Walk your dogs
86. Make sure you get enough sleep on a regular basis (going to bed and getting up
at about the same time each day). This is called sleep hygiene and can make a big
difference to how we feel.
87. Good nutrition: Make yourself a nutritious and interesting meal. Try to make
this a habit.
88. Draw/paint a picture. Talent not required.
89. Put on some music and move to the groove. It doesn’t matter if anyone else calls
what you are doing “dancing,” you do your thing!
90. G one of those big blue exercise balls, sit on it and have bouncy fun to some music
(because no one’s watching). Bouncing creates a sense of euphoria; it is good for
the immune system; and it will get your heart rate up without causing problems
with your joints. Most of these balls can hold up to 600lbs, so you are likely not
going to burst the ball if that concerns you. (Disclaimer for all the exercises on this
page: Please consult a physician before starting any sort of exercise regime,
particularly if you have not been active in a while or have health issues.))
91. Trampoline. If you don’t have room for one, how about a mini-trampoline? If you
do, be sure to get one for adults. Personally, I would get one with a bar to hold
onto. As I mentioned before, bouncing is healthy and fun. You can do it to
music.
92. Make a list of special places in your city or in nearby cities and towns that you
would like to visit. Maybe you have been there before or maybe it is somewhere
new. Visit one of these special places.
93. Keep a special journal for quotations that inspire you. Whenever you find
a new quotation, write it in this quotation journal. When you need inspiration,
read from this journal.
94. Worry list: Make a list of all the things that are worrying you and take a few
minutes to take some deep calming breaths and visualize the best possible outcome
to each situation. Worry can be an important tool to help us know when we need
to take action, but sometimes we get trapped in a cycle of worrying about things
when we cannot affect the outcome (e.g. worrying that a train will be late). Imagine
the best possible outcome. If that does not cure the worry, consider what you
might do if the outcome is not what you would prefer. In that way, you can turn
the worry from a little “worry spiral” in your mind to a decisive action
plan. For example, instead of worrying that the train will be late, imagine that it
comes on time. If you still feel worried, ask yourself what the consequences of the
train being late would be and how likely those are. If the train is usually late and a
late train could cost you an important interview, be proactive and contact the
people you are interviewing with to let them know you might be late on account of
this train. Or take an earlier train. These types of things might not immediately
seem like self care, but they really are because alleviating the little anxious noises

207
inside our minds helps us to be more peaceful and focus on what is important in
our lives.
95. Look yourself in the eye in the mirror and say, “I love you.”
96. Go horseback riding.
97. Write a reflection in your journal about “my best memories”.
98. Enjoy a decadent, relaxing mid-day nap.
99. Take a mental health day.
100. Burn a candle.
101. For that matter, make beeswax candles. It can be an easy, fun, and rewarding
craft.
102. Sit in a coffee shop and people watch.
103. Make a list of museums and art galleries that you would like to visit and visit
one.
104. Relax in a whirlpool/sauna at the local swimming pool. I sometimes like
to go to the wave pool because it feels great and reminds me of my childhood.
105. Enjoy a cool, refreshing glass of water. Staying hydrated is so important. Feel
free to infuse your water with fresh fruits, lemon, lime, or just drink it as is.
106. Start a gratitude journal. Not only does Oprah think it’s a good idea, but there
is research to back that up.
107. Set limits for yourself. It is okay to say no.
108. Ask for what you need from others/the universe/etc.
109. Go outside the city and gaze at the stars on a clear night.
110. Go camping.
111. Wake up naturally (i.e. with no alarm clock).
112. Go window shopping.
113. Write a love letter to yourself.
114. Buy you something nice! Treat yourself to a gift that you have been wanting
and can afford.
115. Go on a vacation. Or, if you can’t afford a vacation, go on a staycation — where
you put all your worries on hold, ignore all your chores, and simply enjoy each
moment while staying at home.
116. Create with clay/pottery.
117. Pet an animal. Preferably a friendly one.
118. Go on a wine tasting tour.
119. Watch funny or cute YouTube videos. This has been clinically proven to
release stress and be very good for your mental and physical health.
120. Lie down on the grass and stare up at the sky, watching the clouds and imagining
shapes in them.
121. Make a list of positive affirmations and then practice saying them out loud.
122. Write a reflection in your journal about your abilities and successes in
life. Start each sentence with either “I can…” or “I have succeeded in…” Do this
as a timed writing exercise for 15 – 45 minutes.
123. Write a poem expressing your innermost thoughts and feelings. It does not have
to rhyme.
124. Make a bouquet of flowers from the garden.
125. Read a motivational book.
126. Read an uplifting book.
127. Write a reflection in your journal about what you value most in
life. Start with, “What I value most in life is…” Similar to the other reflections,
write as long as you can on this topic (set a timer for 15 – 45 minutes). Keep writing
until the timer runs out. If you run out of things to say, rewrite the original phrase,

208
“What I value most in life is…” and begin again. Remember: There is no “wrong”
way to do a reflection.
128. Spend time with someone you care about: Take the time to phone, Skype, or
text a special friend. Better yet, go meet with them in person. Socialize.
129. Go to a restaurant or bar. Maybe go to a karaoke bar if you are so inclined.
130. Plan and take a road trip (or take a road trip with no plan).
131. Buy a decadent treat at the grocery store or your favorite bakery.
132. Get your hair done at the salon or if you cannot afford the salon, the hair styling
school.
133. Make or buy a batch of ice cream and eat it. Okay, maybe not all of it. Or all of
it. I am not judging.
134. Cook a fancy meal for some close friends.
135. Set boundaries. Say “no” to someone. Did someone ask you to do something and
you have no “reason” not to? Well, here’s your reason: you have plans. Self-care
plans. Often we agree to do things just because we have no reason not to. If you
don’t yet feel comfortable with the word “no,” or you don’t know what to say when
someone just springs something on you, here are some magic words, “oh — that
sounds good, but let me get back to you about it.” “Off the top of my head, I don’t
think I am busy, but let me get back to you about it…” This buys you some
time. Learn to be more vague and get your life back.
136. Go to the farmer’s market.
137. Wear a dress or clothing that makes you feel great. Or simply wander
around naked. Betty Page spoke about how she liked to take “air baths” by simply
walking around her home naked. She found it liberating and it made her feel
more comfortable in her own skin.
138. Declutter a room.
139. Bake something. Just for fun. (You can use unusual-shaped silicone cake
pans for fun.)
140. Preparing and drinking good tea can be a peaceful ritual of self-care. Choose a
tea that you really enjoy and drink out of cups that are special to you. Note that
you can often get very interesting cups second hand at the Salvation Army or other
charity thrift shops, which is a triple blessing because you save money, you help
others, and you get a beautiful item that no one will know was second hand.
141. Listen to a guided meditation CD or mp3. Just allow yourself to fully relax. This
is another one of my favorite self-care ideas.
142. Treat yourself to a delicious restaurant meal
143. Go to bed early. Because if you go to bed early, you can get up early and the early
bird gets the worm… and if you have worms, you can go fishing… have you ever
gone fishing? I haven’t, but I have always wanted to. That’s the sort of thing one
should do for self-care: if you have always wanted to go fishing, find a friend who
fishes and ask him/her to take you along.
144. Crafting. And making your own lemonade. Because there’s nothing better
than homemade lemonade and also, when life gives you lemons… but, seriously, if
you feel like it’s all lemons lately, why NOT make lemonade? You can invite
some friends over to do some crafting and serve them homemade lemonade.
145. Sleep in. Can you afford to sleep in for one day? Can you afford NOT to sleep in
for one day? Choose a day when you don’t have anything critical on the go and just
allow yourself the luxury of sleeping in and lounging around in your pajamas long
past when you consider it decent to do so.
146. Take an on-line course.
147. Create an on-line course.

209
148. Write a novel, screenplay, short story, or whatever else you have inside of
you. Write your memoirs. Write for yourself, not just because the best writing is
that which we do just for ourselves, but because it is most satisfying and
therapeutic. And cathartic. And good.
149. Forgive. Forgiving is about letting go of anger, hatred, and so many

negative emotions. It is not about the person being forgiven or whether they
“deserve” to be forgiven. It is we who deserve the peace that comes along with truly
forgiving someone. This might not happen overnight. For now, perhaps just write
a “release letter” letting the person you want to forgive know how they have
wronged you and why it is upsetting. End the letter by forgiving them if you are
ready. You do not have to send the letter — in fact it is often better to throw it out
when you are done. It might not be immediately obvious how this fits in with the
other self-care ideas. However, this process can be very cathartic.
150. Plan a surprise for someone you know who truly deserves it. It doesn’t
have to be expensive. Being kind, thoughtful, and making someone’s day can be a
really wonderful way to nourish your soul. Often, when we focus on helping others
and giving to others, it makes our own struggles and burdens seem smaller
somehow.
151. Do one thing today just because it makes you happy. It’s funny how,
often we might think of self-care activities as “wasting time,” when
actually they are the very activities that keep us going, prevent burnout
and make life worth living!
(Retrieved from www.infocounselling.com)

210
Appendix B

211

212
Appendix C

213

214
Appendix D
Exploring my Responses to Foods
With the following prompts, I invite you to reflect on your experiences with various
food items. I encourage you to choose foods in which your psychological dialogue
varies greatly. For example, choose an item that is very easy to eat (mentally), an item
that you are more hesitant to eat (possibly due to fear or worry that arises), and an
item that is even more difficult to eat. Additionally, it is important to choose items
that you do enjoy to fulfill the purpose of this activity.
1.) When I eat ____________________
I notice feelings of
__________________________________________________________________
I notice thoughts of
_________________________________________________________________
I notice sensations of
________________________________________________________________
I experience the urge or impulse to __________________________________________________
When do I first remember experiencing these feelings about this food?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
When do I first remember noticing these thoughts about this food?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

215
2.) When I eat ____________________
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Is there a time I remember eating this food without a struggle? What was it like?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What do I feel like influenced me to experience this food differently?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

216
3.) When I eat ____________________
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Is there a time I remember eating this food without a struggle? What was it like?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What do I feel like influenced me to experience this food differently?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

217
Say I was to eat all foods regardless of whatever thoughts, feelings, or sensations
showed up.
What would I be giving up to do so?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What would make this difficult or scary?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What are some of the barriers I would face?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
How could I plan to get through these barriers to still eat these foods in the presence
of whatever shows up?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What did I learn about food from my parents/ caretakers?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What did I earn from my friends?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What did I learn from society?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

218
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

219
Appendix E
Who is making my food decisions?

In the current age of diet culture, it has become increasingly common to allow external things
to dictate how one eats. Diet culture assigns moral value to foods and gives hierarchal
significance to bodies, attempting to prevent people from making decisions based on their own
values and internal signals, instead persuading one to conform to external ideals and
commands. When someone begins to make choices regarding food and movement based on
external factors rather than internal cues and desires, they develop an unstable relationship
with food and movement. This becomes a problematic struggle that can exacerbate in the
long-term.
The last meal I ate was:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Next, break down each item:
1.) ____________________________
2.) ____________________________
3.) ____________________________
4.) ____________________________
5.) ____________________________
Solely focusing on item 1.)
How did I choose this item?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Which of the following had the largest say in choosing this item?
 My personal desires & values (remember, health can be a value)

 Society/ the media
 My family
 Seeing what others were getting/ ordering
 Other __________________________________
How did I choose the portion of this item?

220
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Which of the following had the largest say in choosing the portion of this item?
 My personal desires & values (remember, health can be a value)

 Society/ the media
 My family
 Seeing what others were getting/ ordering
 Other __________________________________
How much did I enjoy this item?
_____________________________________________________________________________________

221
Appendix F
Dissecting my Food Thoughts
1. Write down all of your thoughts both positive or negative about the foods
you eat and/ or your overall eating style (don’t rationalize, don't try to solve,
just write)
2. Read them over and try to notice if there is a pattern or recurring thought.
Circle or underline the thought that keeps surfacing.
3. Ask yourself if this main thought is yours or does it come from someone else.
If it comes from someone else, identify where it comes from.
4. Ask yourself if it is a fact. If the answer is YES and it is not a problem, well
then there isn’t anything you need to do. BUT if the answer is YES and it is a
problem, then ask yourself what you can do to make it better.
5. If the answer is NO it is not a fact…then try and identify why this is not true
or use one of the following defusion strategies to give the thought less power
anytime it pops up in your mind:
 Name and acknowledge the thought

 Add the statement “I am noticing that I am having the thought that…
 Sing the thought to the tune of a silly song (e.g. “Happy Birthday”)
 Imagine the thought being spoken in the voice of a cartoon character, comedian, sports
commentator, or unfavorite politician
 Imagine that you are reading the thought as words on a computer screensaver, seeing it in
different colors, fonts, animations, etc.
 Observe the thought as though it were an object: location, size, color, solidity, volume, texture,
speed, etc.
 Write down the thought(s); paint, type, sculpt, dance it, act it out, mime it, text it, etc.
 In your imagination, place the thoughts onto leaves as they float down the stream
 Genuinely thank your mind for producing the thought while choosing to engage with your present
experience rather than the thought
 Stop and ask yourself, “Who is talking here; me or my mind?”
 Say the thought v e r y s l o w l y
Create your own! What strategies do you personally think would help you “defuse”?
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
*Defusion is not an attempt to get rid of thoughts, etc., but rather a way to take the power out of them
so that we can still engage with our lives in a meaningful way and move towards things that matter
(adapted from Jay & Suzanne, Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling and Pommetta Nutrition)

222
Appendix G
Looking at the Bigger Picture
Many people find that they are so invested in their pre-occupation with food, that
they do not realize how much time and mental energy is being pulled away from
meaningful areas of their life. For this reason, it can be helpful to “zoom out” so to say
and look at the whole picture. I invite you to explore the how your food thoughts
might be impacting you:
How would my life look like if I would get up every morning without second guessing
my food choices or spending hours every week figuring out my weekly meal-plan to hit
my caloric goals and macros?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
What would I do with all this time that would free up?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
What would I do with all the mental space I would have all of a sudden?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
What is my true passion? What do I hope to accomplish in life?

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
(adapted from Rini Frey)

223
Appendix H
“ED’s in my Head”
Eating Disorders tend to fill one’s mind with a plethora of thoughts. These thoughts
are not innately bad, however what we often find is that these thoughts tend to be
rigid, narrow, inflexible, and situationally insensitive, thus becoming demands and rules
one “must” abide by. When thoughts take on this form, they tend to do more harm
than good, becoming quite unhelpful and interfering with one living the life they
desire.
Record any of your eating disorder-related thoughts below.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Next, choose 3 to use for this exercise and write them below:
1.) __________________________________________________________________________________
2.) __________________________________________________________________________________
3.) __________________________________________________________________________________
Finally, reflect on each thought asking yourself the following questions:
How old is this thought? Where might it have come from?
1.) __________________________________________________________________________________
2.) __________________________________________________________________________________
3.) __________________________________________________________________________________
How has this thought protected you? What has it guarded you from or allowed you to
get away from?
1.) __________________________________________________________________________________
2.) __________________________________________________________________________________

224
3.) __________________________________________________________________________________
What has this thought provided you?

1.) __________________________________________________________________________________
2.) __________________________________________________________________________________
3.) __________________________________________________________________________________
How else has this thought served you?
1.) __________________________________________________________________________________
2.) __________________________________________________________________________________
3.) __________________________________________________________________________________
What has it taken away? What have you missed out on as a result of this thought?
1.) __________________________________________________________________________________
2.) __________________________________________________________________________________
3.) __________________________________________________________________________________
What feelings does this thought bring up?
1.) __________________________________________________________________________________
2.) __________________________________________________________________________________
3.) __________________________________________________________________________________
Do you notice any similarities regarding the function, purpose, costs, etc.?
Feel free to repeat this exercise with your additional eating disorder thoughts to see if
you notice any other similarities.
How would you respond to someone you love if they were having these thoughts?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Laura Bauman (2020)

225
Appendix I

226
Appendix J

227
Appendix K
Binge Eating Disorder
A.) Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by

both of the following:
1.) Eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any 2-hour period),
an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would
eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances
2.) A sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g., a
feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much
one is eating)
B.) Binge-eating episodes are associated with three (or more) of the following:
1.) Eating much more rapidly than normal
2.) Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
3.) Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
4.) Eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating
5.) Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating
C.) Marked distress regarding binge eating is present.
D.) The binge eating occurs, on average, at least once a week for 3 months.
E.) The binge eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate
compensatory behavior (e.g., purging, fasting, excessive exercise) and does not occur
exclusively during the course of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.
Bulimia Nervosa
A.) Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by

both of the following:
1.) Eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any 2-hour period),
an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would
eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances

228
2.) A sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g., a
feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much
one is eating)
B.) Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors in order to prevent weight gain,

such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications;
fasting, or excessive exercise.
C.) The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average,
at least once a week for 3 months.
D.) Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
E.) The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa.
Anorexia Nervosa
A.) Restriction of energy intake relative to requirements, leading to a significantly low

body weight in the context of age, sex, developmental trajectory, and physical health.
Significantly low weight is defined as a weight that is less than minimally normal or, for
children and adolescents, less than minimally accepted.
B.) Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, or persistent behavior that interferes
with weight gain, even though at a significantly low weight.
C.) Disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight or shape experienced, undue
influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or persistent lack of recognition
of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
Specify whether:
Restricting type: During the last 3 months, the individual has not engaged in
recurrent episodes of binge eating or purging behavior (i.e., self-induced vomiting or the
misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas). This subtype describes presentations in which
weight loss is accomplished primarily through dieting, fasting, and/ or excessive exercise.
Binge-eating/ purging type: During the last 3 months, the individual has engaged
in recurrent episodes of binge eating or purging behavior (i.e., self-induced vomiting or
the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas

229
Avoidant/ Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
A.) An eating or feeding disturbance (e.g., apparent lack of interest in eating or food;
avoidance based on the sensory characteristics of food; concern about aversive
consequences of eating as manifested by persistent failure to meet appropriate
nutritional and/ or energy needs associated with one (or more) of the following:
1.) Significant weight loss (or failure to achieve expected weight gain or faltering
growth in children)
2.) Significant nutritional deficiency
3.) Dependence on enteral feeding or oral nutritional supplements
4.) Marked interference with psychosocial functioning
B.) The disturbance is not better explained by lack of available food or by an associated
culturally sanctioned practice.
C.) The eating disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of anorexia
nervosa or bulimia nervosa, and there is no evidence of a disturbance in the way in which
one’s body weight or shape is experienced.
D.) The eating disturbance is not attributable to a concurrent medical condition or not
better explained by another mental disorder. When the eating disturbance occurs in
the context of another condition or disorder, the severity of the eating disturbance
exceeds that routinely associated with the condition or disorder , the severity of the
eating disturbance exceeds that routinely associated with the condition or disorder and
warrants additional clinical attention.
Pica
A.) Persistent eating of nonnutritive, nonfood substances over a period of at least 1

month.
B.) The eating of nonnutritive, nonfood substances is inappropriate to the

developmental level of the individual.
C.) The eating behavior is not part of a culturally supported or socially normative
practice.
D.) If the eating behavior occurs in the context of another mental disorder (e.g.,
intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, or medical condition
such as pregnancy), it is sufficiently severe to warrant additional clinical attention.

230
Rumination Disorder
A.) Repeated regurgitation of food over a period of at least 1 month. Regurgitated food
may be re-chewed, re-swallowed, or spit out.
B.) The repeated regurgitation is not attributable to an associated gastrointestinal or

other medical condition (e.g., gastroesophageal reflux, pyloric stenosis).
C.) The eating disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of anorexia
nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or avoidant/ restrictive food intake
disorder.
D.) If the symptoms occur in the context of another mental disorder (e.g., intellectual
disability or another neurodevelopmental disorder), they are sufficiently severe to
warrant clinical attention.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
This category applies when symptoms characteristic of a feeding or eating disorder

cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other
important areas of functioning predominate but do not meet the full criteria for any of
the disorders.
(American Psychiatric Association, 2013)

231
Appendix L

232

233
Laura Bauman, MA, PLPC, NCC, 2021

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CONTENTS

Click to follow any of the links to the appropriate section

Your Path to Food Freedom

Comprehensive Binge Eating Recovery Guide: Your

Your Path to Food Freedom

Hello and welcome to this comprehensive manual on binge eating! My guess is

When does Eating become Disordered?

- Eating is resulting in an emotional reaction or being done regularly in response to

Your Path to Food Freedom

(image retrieved from healthlinkscertified.org)

About Binge Eating Disorder

• The MOST common eating disorder

(Hudson, Hiripi, Pope, & Kessler, 2007; Schaeffer, 2016)

Your Path to Food Freedom

You have to be obese to have Binge Eating Disorder

Everyone binge eats from time to time; it is a normal part of life

People end up with Binge Eating Disorder because of family problems

Individuals who binge eat should focus on losing weight

Your Path to Food Freedom

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating is a vicious cycle maintained by ongoing food restriction amongst

Your Path to Food Freedom

(image retrieved from the multi-service eating disorders association)

• An obvious increase or decrease in weight not related to a medical condition

And, a list of symptoms more specific to binge eating:

Signs that Someone might be struggling with Binge Eating

• Appearing uncomfortable eating around others

What Binge Eating might look like

Your Path to Food Freedom

• Hoarding food items

Deciphering Binge Eating from “Overeating”

While overeating is a normal part of life, binge eating is a debilitating disorder

Large amount of food

(adapted from Wisniewski, 2017)

Your Path to Food Freedom

The Kinds of Overeating

Overeating is a normal part of life! Emotional Eating, like

• Overeating – eating Oreos and continuing beyond the point of satisfaction

Your Path to Food Freedom

Your Path to Food Freedom

NEUROEDUCATION (AKA “COOL BRAIN STUFF”)

So why does this matter to us?

The Psychodynamic Brain

Let’s first gain a better understanding of the brain…

Your Path to Food Freedom

(image retrieved from the Book of Threes)

Lower Brain Higher Brain

Basic bodily processes Logical thinking & cognitive functions

Automatic thoughts Concentration, reasoning, planning,

Your Path to Food Freedom

The Empowering Mechanisms of Neuroplasticity

Your Path to Food Freedom

neuroplasticity, we learn that change, however difficult, is possible.

Compassion and Patience

Understanding the concepts of neuroplasticity allows us to show ourselves

Framework for Dismissing urges

View Urge as Neurological Junk

Your Path to Food Freedom

Stop Reacting to Urge

- Activity: Consider these real-life examples of detachment to practice not

Stop Acting on Urge

- One of main reasons of acting is due to the momentarily discomfort of an urge