Why You Keep Binge Eating (It’s Not About Willpower)
Mar 07, 2025
Binge Eating: It’s Not About Willpower—Here’s the Real Reason
If you’ve ever promised yourself you’d “be good” with food—only to find yourself bingeing later and feeling ashamed—you’re not alone. Most people think binge eating happens because they lack willpower or need a stricter diet. But the truth? Dieting and restriction often make binging worse.
A 2019 study published in the Journal of Eating Disorders found that binge eating is not just about food—it’s deeply linked to emotions, self worth, and coping mechanisms. It’s not about discipline; it’s about what’s happening in your body and mind beneath the surface.
Why You Binge Eat (It’s Not What You Think)
Binge eating isn’t just about cravings. Research shows it’s often driven by:
✔ Using Food to Cope – As a response to stress, sadness, anxiety, self-doubt, low self worth, food becomes a temporary escape from deeper feelings. It's important to address the deeper root cause.
✔ Unprocessed emotions – Many people weren’t taught how to process emotions in a healthy way. As the study notes, binge eating often develops as a way to manage overwhelming emotions without even realizing it.
✔ Dieting and restriction – Dieting and rigid food rules often lead to “breaking the rules,” which leads to guilt and more restriction—fueling a never-ending cycle.
Why Dieting Makes It Worse?
Restrictive diets create a cycle of deprivation and overeating. Instead of solving the issue, they increase stress, fuel cravings, and make binge episodes more likely. True freedom comes from addressing the emotional and mental patterns behind food choices—not just changing what’s on your plate.
What Actually Helps?
Most approaches focus on controlling food, but real healing happens when you address the root cause.
One thing you can do today: Next time you feel the urge to binge, pause for just 30 seconds. Place a hand on your stomach, take a deep breath, and ask: What am I really needing right now? Maybe it’s comfort, rest, or even just permission to eat without guilt.
Even if you still binge, this moment of awareness starts rewiring your response over time.
How My Coaching Can Help
If binge eating is something you struggle with, you don’t have to figure it out alone. In my coaching, we go beyond food and willpower. Together, we:
✔ Uncover the hidden emotional patterns driving binging
✔ Rewire subconscious beliefs that keep you stuck in the cycle
✔ Learn how to prevent binging—but also handle it with self-compassion when it happens
Because here’s the truth: You won’t stop bingeing overnight. And that’s okay. Healing doesn’t mean you’ll never binge again—it means when you do, you approach it with curiosity, compassion, and love instead of shame. That shift alone can be life-changing, and eventually reduce and eliminate the pattern altogether.
Let’s Find the Right Approach for You
If you’re ready to break free from emotional eating and stop feeling at war with food, let’s talk. I offer a free discovery session (live in Mauritius or on Zoom) to explore if my coaching is the right fit for you.
with me to see if I’m the right coach for you.to book your free session and take the first step toward lasting food freedom.
To your health and empowerment,
Lindsay
