I’m often confused as to the difference between overeating, binge eating and emotional eating. My feeling is that overeating is a natural tendency from time to time, whereas binge eating and emotional eating are more habitual.

1. Binge Eating Vs Emotional
Eating Vs Overeating

2. I’m often confused as to the difference
between overeating, binge eating and
emotional eating. My feeling is that
overeating is a natural tendency from
time to time, whereas binge eating and
emotional eating are more habitual.
These two seem similar to me, except
that binge eating is more severe because
“binge” suggests going over the edge of
necessary consumption of food.
Emotional eating feels more like an
instigator that causes you to binge.

3. Binge Eating
 The key features of binge eating
disorder are:
 • Frequent episodes of
uncontrollable binge eating.
 • Feeling extremely distressed or
upset during or after bingeing.
 • Unlike bulimia, there are no
regular attempts to “make up” for the
binges through vomiting, fasting, or
over-exercising.

4. People with binge eating disorder
struggle with feelings of guilt, disgust,
and depression. They worry about what
the compulsive eating will do to their
bodies and beat themselves up for their
lack of self-control. They desperately
want to stop binge eating, but feel like
they can’t.
If you find yourself saying: “I cant stop
eating” then you clearly have a problem.

5. Overeating
 What separates overeating from binge
eating disorder is:
 • The binge eating episodes occur
regularly, at least twice a week for six
months.
 • The binge eater finds the
episodes very upsetting. If there is no
emotional upheaval over the meal, it is
not a binge eating disorder.

6. • The binge eater does not like to eat in
public. To him, eating is a private
behavior. To most other people, eating
and mealtime is a time to be shared and
enjoyed with friends and family.
 • The binge eater does not feel
normal physiological cues like hunger
and being full. He eats more from
emotional cues, such as anger and
sadness.

7. Signs and Symptoms of Binge Eating
Disorder
Are any of these true for you?
 • Some days even though I
wanted to stop eating, I just could not
help myself.


8. • Some days I surprise myself with how
much food I can eat in just a very short
span of time.
 • I feel so horrible and guilty after
I realize how much food I have
consumed.
 • It seems that every night I go to
bed thinking, “Tomorrow I am going to
begin my diet.”

9. Emotional Eating
 Emotional Eating is the use of food and
food thoughts as a distraction from any
thought, feeling, or situation you would
rather not tolerate. Binge eating on carbs
works. That’s why we keep doing it!

10. If you are an “Emotional Eater” you have
probably developed a habit of using food
to distract, self-soothe, briefly “check-
out”, and/or seek some relief from the
present moments of your life. You may
have “FOOD THOUGHTS” to escape any
or all intensity of feeling.


11. ” If I do not want to be mindful, I can
escape, go mindless with a food
thought.”

Here are some examples of what
emotional eating might look like….

12. Feeling bored? You think of the ice cream
in the freezer instead.
 • Feeling angry with your boss?
Suddenly you find you’re thinking about
the cookies in the break room. Thinking
about the cookies feels much better to
you than staying focused on how angry
you are at your boss!

13.  • Kids driving you crazy? Flash on
the image of a McDonald’s chocolate
shake and before you even realize it
you’re in the drive-through lane.
 • You just found out you’re getting
the promotion you’ve wanted for over a
year. You’re really excited! It’s great
news! But how are you going to handle
all that extra responsibility? FOOD
THOUGHT!!!

14.  • Its Friday evening and you’re
facing a weekend with no plans. The next
thing you know you’re on the phone
ordering a large pizza.
 • I want to eat something sweet. I
can’t stand fighting this feeling anymore.
It’s just too hard. It is just easier to give
in and start again tomorrow.

15. 6 Resources to Help You Stop Binge
Eating

Resource #1: Online Support Forums and
Articles – Make use of online support
forums and articles from credible
sources. Here’s one from Oprah.com:
Emotional Eating: Get Your Feelings Out
of the Fridge

16. Resource #2: Family Support – I’m
guessing your mind is already coming up
with several reasons why this is a bad
idea, but you can effectively use your
family to support you in your efforts to
stop binge eating.
It can take courage to bring up the issue,
for sure. But the leverage you gain from
enrolling your family can be a big relief.

17.  Resource #3: Committing To Friends –
This is the best way I’ve found to get
myself to implement new habits. How is
this relevant?
Trying to stop binge eating involves
making small changes that add up over
time to new habits, so this resource will
help you stay accountable to the
changes.

18. Resource #4: Reading Books – Whenever
you try and accomplish a goal in life or
achieve anything really it’s a lot easier to
do when you’re constantly reading about
it and learning about it.
Some of my favorite books on this topic
are from Geneen Roth. I also like my
own book on overcoming binge eating.

19. Resource #5-6: Music and
Dancing/Walking – I list these together,
because these resources both have to do
with you taking care of your mental and
emotional state, doing something you
enjoy and can habituate.
http://www.mostlypure.com/