Types of Restrictions that Can Lead to Bingeing
Many people associate the term “restriction” with a deliberate limitation of food intake throughout the day. While calorie/energy restriction is one type of restriction that may lead to binge-eating behaviors, there are many other forms of restriction that can play a role in eating disorder urges and behaviors.
By: Nicki Parlitsis
The binge-restrict cycle – a pattern of restrictive behaviors leading to bingeing and vice versa – is commonly discussed while exploring disordered eating behaviors. Though the “restrictive” aspect of the cycle is widely understood to mean caloric restriction (undernutrition), many different forms of restriction can lead to binge behaviors.
The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), a tool that measures characteristics of eating disorder behaviors, references four types of restrictions that may be present in disordered eating.¹ While it may be challenging to identify at first, most episodes of binge eating are rooted in one of the following forms of restriction.
Eating Restraint
Example: “I’m only allowed to have a few bites”
Eating restraint is the consciously attempted reduction of the overall amount one eats, whether successful or not. Someone may reduce their intake to influence body shape or weight, try to prevent an episode of overeating, or feel a general sense of control.¹ Even an “unsuccessful” attempt at restricting calories (e.g., thoughts of dieting) may lead to a binge episode. Studies on the perception of calories and regulation have shown that the perception of undereating, regardless of the number of calories actually eaten, can lead to increased hunger and episodes of eating past fullness.²
What Can I Do Instead?
It is crucial to ensure that you fuel your body properly at each meal event. This means eating until satisfaction and adequate fullness regardless of the “suggested” portion size, and choosing what sounds good and is satisfying. Honoring your body’s hunger and fullness cues and cravings can help prevent urges to binge.
Avoidance of Eating or a Desire for an “Empty Stomach.”
Example: Skipping meals/snacks or fasting for non-religious purposes
Eating avoidance is defined as intentionally withholding food for periods of eight or more waking hours to influence body shape or weight, prevent an episode of overeating, or feel a sense of control.1 Since food provides energy for your body in calories, periods of reduced energy intake can cause detrimental effects on the body and brain. As a response, your body develops an increased drive to seek nourishment to function correctly. This may result in a primal surge in hunger hormones, psychological food obsession, or a “loss of willpower” around food that may lead to binge episodes.
What Can I Do Instead?
Eating regularly (every 3-4 hours) to help stabilize blood sugar levels and help manage urges to engage in binge behaviors. A consistent eating pattern can also reduce obsessive thoughts about food throughout the day.
Food Avoidance (Avoiding Specific Foods or Food Groups)
Example: No-carb or no-fat diets, eliminating sweets
Another type of restriction is the attempt to avoid specific foods or food groups, whether successful or not.¹ Even if someone is eating an adequate amount of food for their needs, the deliberate restriction of particular food items can still lead to episodes of binge eating.
What Can I Do Instead?
I know it may sound scary but allowing yourself permission to have these foods – without shame or guilt – normalizes their presence and eventually reduces urges to binge. Since your brain wants what it can’t have, slowly working to incorporate these foods into your life can reduce their “power” over you. Be patient with this, as it may take some time to fully trust yourself around these foods if they have been off-limits for a while.
Dietary Rules
Example: “No eating after 8 pm” or “I can’t eat anything unhealthy”
Creating and adhering to rigid food rules is often a form of restriction that leads to binge eating. These fixed rules may include setting defined calorie limits, pre-set quantities of food, or rules about what or when you should (or should not) eat.¹ Sometimes, you may not even be fully aware of the rules you have for yourself until you “break” one of them, resulting in negative feelings like guilt, shame, or loss of control. Sometimes even the perception that a food rule has been broken can trigger the consumption of more food, regardless of hunger or fullness levels. Studies in the Intuitive Eating 4th Edition show that the more we aren’t “allowed” to eat or do something, the more we crave that food or behavior, known as the “forbidden fruit phenomenon.” ³
What Can I Do Instead?
If you notice you’ve been trying to follow strict dietary rules (i.e., types of food, portions, eating times), you can challenge these through habituation. Habituation is repeated exposure to the same stimulus, which helps reduce the excitement of the “forbidden fruit.” ³ The goal is to reduce the emotional charge that certain foods or eating behaviors have, ultimately reducing urges to binge.
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, our compassionate, highly skilled team of clinicians is trained in diagnosing and treating the spectrum of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive overeating, and other disordered eating behaviors and body image issues.
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This post was written by BALANCE Dietetic Intern, Nicki Partitsis (she/her).
Nicki is a Nutrition & Dietetics Masters student at NYU, currently in her Dietetic Internship clinical rotations. She graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology and a minor in Sports Medicine. Nicki is currently a virtual personal trainer who uses a weight-inclusive approach to help clients increase their energy, strength, and confidence. When she’s not studying nutrition, she enjoys weightlifting, spending time outdoors, and hanging out with friends. She plans to specialize in helping people navigate the intersection between nutrition, fitness, and disordered eating.
References
1. Jennings, Karen M, and Kathryn E Phillips. “Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q): Norms for a Clinical Sample of Males.” Archives of psychiatric nursing vol. 31,1 (2017): 73-76. doi:10.1016/j.apnu.2016.08.004
2. Polivy, Janet. “Perception of calories and regulation of intake in restrained and unrestrained subjects.” Addictive Behaviors 1 (1976): 237-243.
3. Tribole, Evelyn, and Resch, Elyse. Intuitive Eating, 4th Edition: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach. United States, St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2020.