Healing Binge and Emotional Eating
Okay, let’s be honest…
…if ignoring our needs actually worked, we’d all be thriving right now. But surprise, surprise—it doesn’t. And when we shove down our desires (whether it’s food, love, rest, or, yes, even sex), they don’t just politely disappear. They come bursting out sideways, usually in ways that make us feel even worse. Sound familiar?
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In this episode, I’m diving into the messy and complicated cycle of restriction and bingeing—not just with food, but with all the things we tell ourselves we shouldn’t need. Why do we do this? How does it backfire every time? And more importantly, how do we break free?
Oh, and if you’ve ever found yourself saying, “No, but really, my situation is different,” we’re talking about that too. Because while yes, biology and hormones play a role, a lot of us are way too quick to jump to, “I need a drastic fix” before we’ve even tried addressing our relationship with food (or, you know, feelings).
In this episode, I’m talking about:
How ignoring our needs—whether it’s food, love, rest, or sex—inevitably leads to bingeing in some form.
Why restriction (of any kind) sets us up for failure and fuels the binge-restrict cycle.
How structured, deliberate eating can help break free from chaotic, impulsive eating patterns.
The role of food as a source of comfort and why it’s not as simple as “eating your feelings.”
How understanding your history with food and emotional soothing can help you break unhealthy patterns.
Why feeling guilt or shame after eating might be a clue to deeper emotional struggles.
The small group of people who may have biological factors affecting their hunger/fullness signals, and why most of us don’t fall into this category.
Why jumping straight to medications, restrictive diets, or surgery without addressing your relationship with food can do more harm than good.
Tweetable Quotes
"You can't just ignore your needs and wants forever. That's when this moment of lapse of judgment, the binge, whether it's money, food, sex, anything under the sun, comes in." - Rachelle Heinemann
"Food is inherently soothing." - Rachelle Heinemann
"How did it come to be that the only way that you know how to deal with your emotional pain is with food?" - Rachelle Heinemann
"There’s something about acknowledging, “yeah, I actually do need this”, which is the hardest part of it, but also the thing that allows us to actually have it and feel good about it eventually." - Rachelle Heinemann
Resources
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Related Episodes
Episode 166. Exercise and Eating Disorder Recovery
Episode 119. Eating Disorders Don’t Have a Look
Episode 110. Body Positivity is a Farce
Episode 108. The 1 Thing That Affects Every Single Person with an ED
Episode 105. The Root of Your Emotional Eating
Episode 88. Did We Take Intuitive Eating Too Far?
Episode 84. Binge-y Eating Disorder
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More From Rachelle
Hey there! I’m Rachelle, the host of the Understanding Disordered Eating Podcast. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I work with clients to make sense of life’s messy emotional experiences.
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