The Difference Between Overeating & Binge Eating (Outweigh)

disordered behaviors when it comes to food. But today we are talking specifically about binging, which is something that I started doing as a teenager and then in my late thirties when I got into recovery. I had two questions really about binging, and one was what's the difference between binge eating and over eating? Because I really honestly didn't know the difference, and being in recovery now that I was gonna try to no longer binge anymore, what if

I over eight on something? Didn't did I just binge? I didn't know how to tell the difference, And also I didn't know how to tell the difference between my lower brain and my higher brain, and I'll walk you through how eventually I got there and tools and resources

that I used. And if you're new here and you haven't heard me talk about the lower brain and it being the reason that I ever started binging, it's something that really resonated with me after reading the book Brain over Binge, and in a nutshell, the lower brain is what produces the urge to binge, at least I know for sure it did with me, and then the higher brain gives us the capacity to stop acting on the urges.

And through the book and a Brain over Binge course that I did, I learned how to use my higher brain to take control back from my lower brain. But in the beginning, I don't know how to hear my lower brain. I didn't know how to really pay attention to it. So that might be a question that you're having as well. And I totally recommend that you check out the book if you want to learn more. Because

Katherine Hansen is the expert, not me. I can only speak to my personal experience and to some of you, I know that that's helpful, but I always want to make sure that you seek advice and care from a therapist, A doctor nutritionist or a certified health coach that specializes in eating disorders. So after I read Brain over Binge, well, actually before I read it, I knew I really wanted

to stop binging. But then after I read the book, it finally felt possible because again what Katherine laid out for me, it clicked, and I started to pay attention to any excuses from my lower brain to binge because I was now aware that the excuses were coming from there and that my higher brain could be put to

use to squash them, to change the channel. I love how Taylor Swift put it in her documentary when she was talking about negative body image thoughts that she would have likely from her lower brain, and then her higher brain was like, not today, changing the channel. So I knew without a doubt that those voices in my lower brain were not aligned with my higher self and what I really wanted, because what I really wanted was to not binge. But then my lower brain was trying to

convince me to binge. And I was finally able to put a stop to this behavior after almost twenty five years of binging, and my goal in breaking free from binges was to start to identify the messages that my lower brain was sending me and then choosing to ignore them. And Catherine calls the messages neurological junk, not worthy of any attention. Like Taylor had shared her negative body image thoughts.

You may have all kinds of thoughts that could equal neurological junk, but I'm talking about the ones that creep in to possibly lead you to a binge. And in order to dismiss these urges as a neurological junk, I had to learn again how to recognize them. So I'm going to share with you some examples that I legit had in my own head, so that way you can maybe start to identify them. If this is a journey you're going to go on and you want to use this tool to hopefully get you into recovery and on

the other side. So some examples would be, you know, like just how the cookies. You can always start a diet tomorrow for like it's a very popular one. If your brain is ever telling you, okay, fine, who cares, just do it tomorrow, or you've been really good lately, you deserve to do whatever you want, or so what if you binge, it's not that big of a deal, and like, that's your lower brain, because guess what, it is a big deal because you don't want to be

doing it anymore, at least I didn't. And so those are some examples of neurological junk that was coming from my lower brain. And once I was aware that that wasn't coming from my higher self, they're easier and easier to spot. And this that's just three examples right there. My brain would come up with all kinds of reasons under the sun, so you just got to identify them.

And so I would encourage you to make a list of the reasons that pop up in your head to binge and it might be helpful to write them down and look them over. And then the next time you hear that voice in your head, if one of those excuses pops up, you'll know, oh, yeah, this is just my lower brain trying to get me to do what I've always done. And you're going to give into the urge, because that's what it's been good at, convincing you to give into the urge. However, the good news is you're

in charge. It was so empowering when I learned, oh, a higher part of me can be in charge of this low vibe situation that's happening in my lower brain. My lower brain can absolutely give me the urge to eat all at once, but it can't physically make me go do it. That choice is always up to me. Choice is up to me, it's up to you, it's up to us. So really we just have to start by learning to recognize the voices and the words that

hook us. Have you ever been in a relationship where sometimes you end up doing the dance and you're in a pattern, it's a toxic relationship. There's hooks, there's hooks that lure you in to do the dance. Well, your lower brain has you figured out and it will hook you and the next thing you know, you'll be doing the dance and having a binge. So again, journal out those lower brain voices. What is it telling you, those words? What are the hooks, and that way you can be

on the lookout for them. Now for the other question I was talking about in the beginning, like what's the difference between over eating and binge eating? I went through a series of questions early on in recovery, because what if I did want to eat too much, or what if it was Thanksgiving, and I really wanted to joy something. I didn't want to spiral into shame for binging or not being in recovery like I thought I was. And even if I were to slip or have any kind

of moment, I hope I don't have the shame. I hope I can just acknowledge it and pick back up and start again with my higher brain and keep on that that neuropathway of building that muscle. So one of the questions you can ask yourself, which I'll go through a list of them, and if you answer yes to two or more of these questions, then it could equal a binge eating disorder. But again you're gonna want to

talk to an expert. But if you're just over eating and think that you're binging, it may not be that severe. It might just mean that you're enjoying food because there's a difference. One of the things that was a major indicator for me was the zoning out while eating. So that's the first question I'll ask is have you ever experienced loss of control when you're eating? I feel like

this is the most obvious thing for me. When I was in a bench, it was almost like I was a zombie or in a trance like I blacked out and for an hour, I just ate all this food and then snap, I would wake up and there would be like boxes and rappers and stuff in the fridge and stuff from the pantry, and I would just stare at me like, oh my gosh, I can't believe I just ate all of that. So if you answer yes

to this, then make note of that. And then there's the physical pain, like have you ever had physical pain after eating? And most people that have binged before have a binge eating disorder often eat to the point of feeling totally uncomfortable, where it's painfully full. And for me, that's why it personally lead to a purge type situation.

And I feel like anytime I've just been over eating, it might be a little uncomfortable or painful, but I'm not ing to that point of painfully full and complete discomfort to where I need to figure something out. So that's another question you can ask yourself, do you experience physical pain? If you answer yes to that, make note of it. Do you eat in secrecy in private to try to eat alone? Do you buy food in private?

I used to do that all the time. I would make sure no one even knew that I bought the food. I would go buy the food, eat the food, throw away the food before anybody in my house ever knew it was there. And I would have other foods hidden. Uh, And a lot of it was just in secrecy. And then I felt shame and I was embarrassed for how much I was eating and overeating. It might happen while you're with other people. You maybe don't have as much

embarrassment around it. You may even overeat at a restaurant when you're out with your friends, might again feel a little uncomfortable, like, oh, but that's the difference there. If you're doing stuff in secrecy and you're saying yes to that that question, make note of that. How do you feel after a binge episode or an over eating episode,

if you're trying to tell the difference. If you have feelings of shame, guilt, you're completely disgusted with yourself, because that's how I would feel about myself, then that might be a sign of binge eating, because when you overeat, you might feel a little bit guilty about it, but it's not consuming your mind and you're having a mental breakdown over it. I used to get a little depressed afterwards, and I had some anxiety about it because I, again, how am I going to get rid of this? What

am I gonna do? I don't feel good. I've got to purge, and I would try to figure that out, and then I would often just take a shower and then try to go to bed and pass out and sleep for as long as I could. So, how do you feel after you're eating? And if it's the mental anguish, then it could be leaning more towards binge eating disorder. So if it's a yes to that, please make note of that. Another question you can ask yourself is do you consume amounts of food that you or others might

describe as excessive? So it makes me think of, you know again, holidays, Thanksgiving, birthday parties, celebrations. Everyone over eats every once in a while, and we know what that feels like to consume that large meal. But for those with a binge eating disorder, the consumption of large amounts of food happens at least once a week or more.

And that was pretty much my pattern. I. I sometimes could maybe go a couple of weeks without having a solid binge situation, depending on what I had going on. But if your answer is yes to that, then make note of it. And of all those questions that I shared again, if you answered yes to two or more of them, then you definitely might want to consider getting proper help and support. So those are just some some things to consider if you are dealing with binge eating.

And I just want you to know that you're not alone. You have nothing to be ashamed of, and I want you to know that there is hope, and I hope that the right resources are shown to you, the right people are put into your life to offer you that comfort and care that you need and and will help point you in the right direction to get you, get you the healing that you deserve. You deserve to live in your higher brain. You deserve to be of your

highest self. You deserve that life, you are worthy of it, and your brain does not have to be consumed by neurological junk. There is another way. So hopefully this was helpful to some of you, and I will see you here um on four Things podcast on Tuesday for the fifth Thing with Cat and then next Thursday for for four Things, and then if you're only an Our Way listener, then I will see you next Saturday. Okay bye h