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Compulsive Eating: Heal Your Relationship with Food

Michelle May

Shame-and-isolation-with-binge-eating

Compulsive-eating-is-often-secretiveFor more than two decades of working with people who are struggling to find a peaceful, balanced relationship with food, I’ve met many who say they don’t “just” overeat. Whether they describe their struggle as “compulsive eating,” “bingeing,” “binge eating,” “emotional eating,” or “food addiction,” they all talk about shame and secrecy about their eating.

They often say, “I thought I was the only one who did this.” This isolation and shame become triggers for more eating and contribute to the compulsive nature of binge eating.

That’s why when Am I Hungry? Facilitator Kari Anderson, an eating disorder therapist with over 20 years of experience, asked me to collaborate with her to develop an Am I Hungry? Mindful Eating for Binge Eating Program and conduct research for her doctorate, I jumped at the chance.

Help for binge eating

The research results were nothing short of inspiring. In ten weeks, the majority of participants went from a range of severe binge eating to a non-bingeing level on the Binge Eating Scale. The program was effective for eliminating binge eating, decreasing psychological distress, and improving health behaviors.[1]

And since that original research, I remain humbled and amazed by the power of mindful eating to heal a painful relationship with food. People who have been trapped in a binge eating cycle for years—or even decades—are finally finding freedom.

To make this life-changing work available to anyone who needs it, Kari and I co-authored Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat for Binge Eating: A Mindful Eating Program to Heal Your Relationship with Food and Your Body and the companion Mindful Eating for Binge Eating Workbook and Awareness Journal. We also developed a therapist and treatment team training so others can offer this program in their communities. (Click here to find a therapist or program in your area.)

[1] Anderson, K., & May, M. (2012). The Mindful Eating Cycle: Treatment for Binge Eating Disorder. Arizona State University, Doctor of Behavioral Health, Culminating Project. (Abstract: http://www.amihungry.com/pdf/MindfulEatingCycleTreatmentForBingeEatingAbstract.pdf.)

This article has been updated from a previously published version.

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