Overeating: The Physiological Response to Restriction
So often I have clients start working with me and they come believing they have a binge eating disorder or that they are a compulsive overeater when I would actually put them in the restrictive eating camp. But how can I think that when they are telling me:
“I binge every evening.”
“I have no control around food.”
“I can’t just have one.”
“If I start I can’t stop.”
“I’m secret eating.”
“I have NO WILLPOWER!”
Ok, I hear you and I understand BUT, if we look closer, what else is gong on?
Often these clients are not “out of control” at all they are simply under eating and a physiological response to under eating is to over eat! This is not about willpower, it is about biology and our bodies amazing drive and desire to keep us fed and… alive!
If you consistently eat too little or follow rigid rules, your body sees it as a threat. It doesn’t understand that you have decided to starve it. Our inner cave-person responds to a drop in blood glucose levels, is confused and our body in order to survive this perceived threat (starvation), ramps up hunger signals, slows your metabolism, and makes food feel urgent.
In todays society it is tricky because disordered eating and restrictive eating patterns have become socially accepted and praised. Breaking it down though, restriction can look like:
Skipping or delaying meals
“Being good” all day, then overeating at night
Cutting carbs or other food groups
Having a list “good” or “bad” foods
Only allowing “safe” foods or certain quantities of certain foods
Following strict dietary practices because they are a socially accepted way to restrict
Constantly thinking about food, even when you’re “not hungry”
Experiencing negative emotions after eating certain foods and maybe telling yourself you have “failed”
Trying to balance out eating with exercise
Eventually, the binge happens. Not because you’re weak and lack willpower but because your body is trying to protect you.
The Cycle
1. Restrict
2. Increased food thoughts
3. Binge
4. Intense feelings of failure / guilt and/or shame
REPEAT
So how do you break the cycle?
Stop the rules!
Work on relearning to listen to and respond calmly to your innate hunger and fullness signals.
Eat at regular intervals throughout the day - every day.
Give yourself permission to eat, all food types!
Work on accepting that all bodies are different.
Be patient and compassionate with yourself, learning new things takes time!
Accept that there is more to life than hyper-fixating on the shape or size of your body.
When the body feels safe and nourished, the urge to binge naturally stops.
If this resonates with you, please know: you’re not broken, and you’re not alone. If you think you are stuck in a pattern of disordered eating or living with an undiagnosed (or diagnosed) eating disorder such as; anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, orthorexia or a binge eating disorder then I am here to help!