What Is the Difference Between Binging and Overeating?

Today, I answer a question I get a lot – what is the difference between overeating and binge eating? 

I am not a medical professional, and this is not medical advice. If you feel like what you are doing with food is extremely detrimental to your mental or physical health, I encourage you to seek advice from a medical professional. 

What I share on my podcast is my own perspective and is based upon my personal experience, as well as that of helping many others. If, after listening to this podcast, you want to get more into specific definitions, diagnoses, and more, the internet will provide no shortage of information for you to learn more. 

Here are a few takeaways from today’s episode:

• Binges can look very different for different people. Binges can be as short as a handful of minutes, and they can also last for hours or off and on for days or longer. One of the other hallmarks of a binge is the feeling of being unable to stop. It feels like you are out of control and is often a dissociative experience where you may not even remember the act of eating itself.

• If you purge, I encourage you to reach out for support, especially if you purge through vomiting and have been doing this for an extended period of time. There are very real physical health consequences to your mouth and to your GI tract. These are often unseen but can have a lasting and very serious impact. I know it can be hard to talk to someone about binging and especially purging. Do your research and make sure that you are talking to someone who can support you in a compassionate way.

• What is overeating? It can show up as eating beyond what your body needs.  Overeating can be a lot of food, either because there is simply a lot to choose from or it tastes good and you don't want to stop. You also may think that you only get this once a year, so you might as well eat what they can like on Thanksgiving. When you feel like you are a bit more full than you would like at the end of the meal, that's an overeat. 

Tune in to hear more and to understand if distinguishing between overeating vs binge eating is important when trying to overcome either behavior.

If you want personalized guidance and support, or if you want to Cultivate a new relationship with yourself and with food, coaching, connection, and change are waiting for you. 

Find out more at janepilger.com/cultivate.

Thank you for listening to The Binge Breakthrough Podcast – your personal guide to breaking through the barriers that keep you stuck in the cycle of binge eating, compulsive overeating, or emotional eating.

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