I've had the opportunity to connect with many individuals who, like me, have struggled with binge eating. This constant preoccupation with food, calories, and self-comparison consumed my thoughts and daily life, a sentiment echoed by many who have reached out to me. Living with these thoughts can be mentally exhausting, making you feel stuck, even if you have stopped binge eating (or if you haven’t yet).

I understand the desire to free up mental energy and be more present in daily life, but it's important to remember these thoughts are not always reflective of the truth. So let’s uncover this internal narrative, breaking down the mixed messages our minds often send about eating, and start exploring strategies on how to deal with them.

Because our thoughts, as powerful as they are, often offer us a limited perspective. So what if we could step back and see these thoughts from a different view? Together, we'll understand how to look at these thoughts objectively, stripping away the initial meaning we attach to them, rather than seeking a one-size-fits-all formula to eliminate them.

Addressing the daunting topic of managing urges to binge eat, we will face the self-doubt and fear that often accompany these urges. Remember, these feelings are just energy moving through us, and they're not wrong. We'll discuss how neuroplasticity allows our brain to change, allowing us to view these thoughts as less significant over time.

Time stamps

[00:00:53] Brittany shares her personal experience with obsessive thoughts about food and weight, and how these thoughts can consume one's mind.

[00:01:46] Addressing the difficulty of living with these thoughts and the desire to free up mental energy and be more present in daily life.

[00:08:23] Discusses how our brain is conditioned to focus on physical objects and how this affects our thoughts and behaviours.

[00:13:40] Making food choices without attaching meaning - the importance of separating oneself from the narrative and making food choices in the present moment without attaching unnecessary meaning to them.

[00:16:16] Letting go of obsessive food thoughts and rebuilding trust with ourselves.

[00:17:13] Using intuition and inner wisdom to guide food choices, and the need for structure in healing the body.

[00:19:07] Understanding urges to binge and how to separate from them, and the importance of acknowledging and allowing feelings to pass.

When Obsessive Thoughts Are Like a Runaway Train

These thoughts are often repetitive and contradictory, where your mind tells you to do one thing and then criticizes you for doing it. Confusing, right? Because these thoughts can be all over the place, it’s important to not give such deep meaning to them. It’s not helpful and there’s nothing fundamentally with you for experiencing them.

It’s important to remember that these intrusive thoughts are not unique to you. They are a result of conditioning from societal pressures, diet culture, and past experiences. It's important to look beyond our physical experiences and thoughts. Our brains are conditioned to focus on tangible objects and experiences, but there is so much more to our existence than what we see in front of us.

Our brains are wired to create narratives and identities based on these thoughts, but in reality, they are just machines doing what they’re supposed to do. They’re really good at it! By understanding this, we can step back and view our thoughts more objectively, realizing that they do not define us.

Recognizing Moments of Peace

It may feel like these thoughts are constantly present, especially if you’re struggling with binge eating. However, it's important to recognize the moments when these thoughts are not consuming our minds. There are moments of quiet and peace, and it's essential to acknowledge and appreciate those moments. They do exist, and the more you can acknowledge them, the more often you’ll feel them happen.

Because our minds focus on and amplify certain thoughts or experiences- this is called confirmation bias. I encourage you to notice the exceptions to these thoughts and recognize that they are not the absolute truth.

Rebuilding Trust with Oneself

Letting go of these repetitive and obsessive food thoughts does not mean abandoning the desire to nourish yourself or take care of your body. In fact, it’s the opposite- it’s about rebuilding trust with yourself and recognizing that your body is full of wisdom.

With that, remember that following intuition doesn't mean eating solely based on cravings or hunger and fullness cues. Sometimes our inner wisdom may lead us towards seeking guidance or structure, especially if our natural mechanisms for regulating eating have been disrupted due to years of dieting or restricting or other factors.

Understanding Urges to Binge and Emotionally Eat

Urges to binge and urges to emotionally eat are just feedback. They’re not a sign of you being broken or needing fixing. By acknowledging and allowing these feelings to pass without acting on them, we can work on healing the behaviours that contribute to them.

Remember that you have the power to change your thoughts and not give them so much meaning. You can let thoughts pass, and in doing so, you can start to free yourself from the cycle of obsessive thoughts about food and weight.

Join me for Food Freedom University, my 4-month small-group coaching program designed to not only break you out of binge eating, overeating, poor body image and emotional eating patterns, but to also kickstart your journey to food freedom so you can cultivate a healthful life with balance and ease with food and exercise. If you are feeling alone in your struggle, if you thrive hearing from others and want to form a community around healing and empowering yourself to break free from these patterns for good, group coaching is for you. We get started on September 18th or 19th - finish off your summer right and feel supported during the holidays with food and body image. Head to brittanyallisonrd.com/group-coaching to learn more and book a free consult to see if it’s a good fit and enrol.

Until next time,

Britt