"binge eating is about your body keeping you safe and alive"
Q & A with Bethany Konaszczuk, RDN, LD
hello!
Today’s newsletter is all about binge eating and binge eating disorder (BED).
If you’re not familiar with BED, here’s the definition pulled right from the NEDA website:
“Binge eating disorder is a severe, life-threatening, and treatable eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food (often very quickly and to the point of discomfort); a feeling of a loss of control during the binge; experiencing shame, distress or guilt afterwards; and not regularly using unhealthy compensatory measures (e.g., purging) to counter the binge eating. It is the most common eating disorder in the United States.”
Read that again: It is the most common eating disorder in the United States.
Not only that, but binge eating disorder is more than 3x more common than anorexia and bulimia combined.
Despite how common BED is, it’s not talked about nearly as much as other eating disorder diagnoses.
In the Q & A below, I spoke to Bethany Konaszczuk, a registered dietitian who works specifically with people who struggle with binge eating. Bethany gives me (and hopefully, all of you) great foundational knowledge about binge eating.
My hope is that this edition of weightless is just the start of a larger conversation we’ll have about binge eating. If you have any thoughts, questions or resources to share, you know what to do:
Take good care of yourself this week,
Julie
Q & A with Bethany Konaszczuk, RDN, LD
Can you tell us a little bit about your background? Why did you become a dietician? And more specifically, why did you choose to work with clients who struggle with binge eating?
I studied nutrition at Western Michigan University, did an internship/masters program at Marshall University. The reason I started studying nutrition was because I had my own disordered eating. This is common among many dietitians.
What is Binge Eating Disorder?
A quick google search states that binge eating is, ' Frequently consuming unusually large amounts of food in one sitting and feeling that eating behavior is out of control.' This can look different for everyone but it typically has to do with eating a large amount of food and not being able to stop. This is often related to not eating enough. In the end binge eating is about your body keeping you safe and alive because you need food for survival!
Can you explain what the binge-restrict cycle is?
The binge-restrict cycle has to do with going on a diet (consciously or unconsciously), and not providing yourself with enough food which leads to a binge or an out of control eating episode. Then after that you go back to restricting because you feel guilty for what you have done. It is truly a vicious cycle.
What are some reasons why people binge?
There are three main reasons people binge: restriction (dieting), trauma, coping mechanisms. People can binge from just one or all of those causes.
Why is there such a stigma and shame around binge eating? How can we break down that stigma and shame?
The main reason that there is so much shame is because people do not understand why binge eating happens or they has misinformation around the topic. Breaking the stigma would include education for people!
I am so curious about how eating disorders can morph into different diagnoses. (ex: anorexia turning into BED or bulimia) Can you explain why that happens? Is it common?
Many eating disorders have similarities so just because you have been diagnosed with a certain disorder does not mean you do not have another one you just might be doing more of one thing. For instance, binge eating disorder often has to do with not eating enough which could look like anorexia at times but then it is added with eating large amounts of food. So they are very similar.
What is your advice for someone who thinks they might be struggling with binge eating?
My advice would be to reach out for support. You can talk with a trusted person first and they can help you find resources. The last thing you should do is try to heal alone.
As a dietician, do you have any tips for someone who is generally looking to heal their relationship with food?
I would recommend getting support here too. If you are finding that you have a toxic relationship with food and your body, get help! There is a lot of information out there but in the end 1:1 support is going to be the best thing to do.
What are some things you wish people knew about binge eating and BED?
That binge eating is not someones fault nor can they just stop eating.
How can readers connect with you if they are interested in learning more or want to seek help with binge eating?
They can follow me @bingeeating.dietitian on Instagram, email me at bethany@imperfectnutrition.net, check out my podcast Real Body Podcast or join my newsletter!
resource corner
All of the resources I’ve linked below are about binge eating and binge eating disorder. If you know of any additional resources on this topic, please leave a comment linking to them!
How Binge Eating Disorder Is Diagnosed by Heather Jones for Verywell Health
Food Psych Podcast Episode #146: Binge Eating Recovery & Intuitive Exercise with Kristy Fassio
Food Psych Podcast Episode #149: The Truth About Binge Eating with Amy Pershing
a humble brag
I wrote a piece for WIRED on how to maintain a healthy, balanced relationship with your fitness tracker. In the thick of my eating disorder, I was obsessed with the numbers on my Apple Watch. I’ve since learned that this is a pretty common experience for people. So for this story, I spoke to experts about how people can keep themselves in check and avoid that toxic relationship with their fitness tracker. You can read it here.
what nourished me lately
what nourished my brain: The High Financial Price of Burning Out at Work—and What to Do About It by Julia Carpenter
what nourished my brain (pt. 2): My Summer on Lexapro by Ella Dawson
what nourished my brain (pt. 3): On Being Perceived by Kelsey McKinney
what nourished my belly AND soul: I went out to breakfast at a diner with my two high school besties Fran and Amanda. I ordered French toast with bacon and then shared some home fries with Fran. There is something special about enjoying a meal with friends who have known you through every season of life.
what nourished my body: Last week, I took a virtual pilates class last taught by Fran. It was amazing and it is SO cool to see your friends excel at something they are passionate about. If you are interested in taking a virtual pilates class with her, she’s teaching tomorrow (Wednesday) night at 7:15pmET. You can sign up here.