Are you unsure of whether or not you truly struggle with binge eating? I know it can be confusing to determine if you have a dysfunctional relationship with food, so I’m gonna  break it down for you. It’s important that you’re able to take an honest look at your daily routine and discern the difference between whether you’re using food for health and hunger or using food for emotional reasons.
 
I also did a video on this topic over at my YouTube channel. You can check it out here:
 

 
The first thing you need to look at is your intention behind eating. Are you using food for nourishment? Or are you using it to numb or distract? When you eat, how do you want to feel? If your intention is to feel more alive and energetic, you are using food for nourishment. But if you find yourself reaching for junk food that makes you feel like crap, you’re more than likely using food for emotional reasons.
 
If your intention behind consumption is that you want to numb your emotions or escape, stop and get real with yourself. Is that food really going to help you? Instead of eating, take a moment to get grounded, and then ask yourself, “What am I really hungry for right now?” Your body is so intelligent. It will give you the answers.
 

 
Another thing to look at is: what happens when you think about food?
 
Do you feel calm or neutral? Or do you feel activated or anxious? Sensation is an indication of what is actually going on for you. Think about your next meal, or what you just ate, or food in general – what is your body doing in reaction to those thoughts? What sensations do you feel? Feeling is a super quick way to dig into what you are experiencing or struggling with at any given moment.
 
In my opinion, the biggest indicator that you struggle with binge eating is restriction. In fact, binge eating is just a natural reaction to deprivation. So if you are restricting, it’s likely there is some dysfunction with your relationship to food.
 
Why are you restricting? What is your fear behind not restricting? What do you need to do to NOT restrict? When you stop externalizing your struggle, and look inwards, your body will give you the answers you seek. In most cases, there is a fundamental lack of self-trust when it comes to restriction.
 
I’d love to hear from you – comment below and tell me if any of these binge eating signs resonate with you.