Written by Jenn Hand, Holistic Nutritionist, Board Certified Health Coach, NBC-HWC If you search, "how to stop the binge and restrict cycle", google gives you over 4.4 million entries in just under 4 seconds. That means there is A LOT of information to sort through to understand what would actually help. I've compiled the most useful information, that has helped both me and my clients, in one place for you to help you move forward and know where to focus :)   The 3 Main Causes of the Binge and Restrict Cycle     1. Dieting (Not Eating Enough)   When we diet, we are restricting calories and typically depriving ourselves of calories, fuel and/or the foods we deem "bad". Our bodies need a certain level of fuel. Even if we are sitting on the couch all day, our body is burning calories to circulate blood, beat our heart, and run all the systems of our bodies. So if we are caught up in the sneaky diet mindset or trying to adhere to a specific plan (or calorie count), it ends up backfiring. Not eating enough typically ends up causing us to overeat. This can happen at night after a day of low-calorie eating or after a few days of "good" eating. Over time, it can lead to spikes of hunger and a ravenous appetite (since our bodies need fuel and we don't give it enough!), and may end up in a binge. The body eventually rebels and wants MORE fuel. When we're not eating enough, it can feel almost impossible to use willpower or discipline, since we are essentially trying to override our body's natural signal for fuel. Dieting in any form is usually one of the main causes of a binge.   2. Psychological Reasons   Stress, boredom, anxiety, depression, and hard emotions can all be a trigger to binge. Eating can be a way for us to numb out, distract ourselves and deal with the challenges that life throws at us. Typically, those of us who've struggled with food grew up learning that food was a way to deal with life. We don't learn how to move through difficult feelings, express our wants/needs, and deal with the hardship that life can throw our way. So as adults, this pattern has become ingrained in us. And as we grow, life gets harder. We have more obligations, responsibilities, financial worries. We need to navigate the challenges of relationships, parenting, a career and the ups and downs of life. Food becomes our way out and can create a pattern of bingeing.   3. A Desire for Pleasure   Sometimes when we are in the hum drum of life, we lack pleasure. Life becomes one endless to-do list after another, with obligations, responsibilities and chores to finish. Food becomes a way to add pleasure and enjoyment to our lives. This doesn't always end up in a binge, but many people turn to food to add excitement and it can spiral into overeating. Desserts, carbs and sweets add "delight" to the routine elements of raising kids, working a 9-5, taking care of a house/apartment, paying bills and managing all of life's tasks. Often times a deep desire for more pleasure, fun, adventure and enjoyment in life can be manifested in a binge. If you'd rather listen to the podcast, you can find it here: Here's How I Overcame It   One of the hardest parts of this path is the "how LONG will it take?!" question. I asked this 1800+ times over the course of my healing. The diet world trains us to expect instant results so we come in to this path with a sense of impatience. We want "results" fast and we want them now. The problem is, if we've spent years, decades or a lifetime in the diet/overeat cycle, it takes time to heal and normalize the body. You can find the full ins and outs (with dates and how long each stage took) here.   Here's what was key in my own healing of the binge and restrict cycle:    1. I Got Help   Early on, I convinced myself that I "shouldn't" need help in dealing with food issues. After all, children were starving in Africa, people dealt with serious tragedies, and the world had bigger pr