Binge Eating Disorder Relapse

I work with many clients who have binge eating disorder or, if not an official diagnosis, definite binge eating behaviors. All are in different stages of recovery, and many make great progress with learning to eat in an unrestricted, nourishing way that they feel good about while also ceasing binge behaviors.

My clients also come in a range of body sizes, but most typically are in larger bodies. Given our culture’s view of fat bodies, it doesn’t surprise me at all when they eventually ask, “When can I start trying to lose weight again?”

The reality is, my clients are not strangers to dieting and weight loss. They have “succeeded” at weight loss many times, always with the inevitable weight regain that we know comes with weight loss attempts. They have developed extremely disordered eating, if not an eating disorder, and struggle to know the best way to feed themselves. So of course, I know that attempting to lose weight again is a disaster waiting to happen for their health, their eating, their mental health.

But sometimes we need to hear the stories of others to fully grasp the potential impact of certain behaviors (like dieting and restriction). That’s why I was thrilled to talk to Sunny Sea Gold, author of the book Food: The Good Girl’s Drug, about her recovery from and subsequent relapse back into binge eating disorder. We are all susceptible to diet culture, even in recovery, and we need to be reminded regularly that diets aren’t the answer and that they were often the likely cause of a lot of our problems with food and weight.

HAES-Focused Diabetes Care

Rebecca Scritchfield, RDN, of the Body Kindness book, and I have cooked up something wonderful for those with diabetes who don’t want to diet. Our Care for Diabetes Concerns has been getting rave reviews from participants, and we are working hard to expand access to this program this year. Get on our priority email list to find out when this group is happening next!

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