Breaking Up With Binge Eating
Breaking Up With Binge Eating is for anyone stuck in binge eating, emotional eating, or the restrict-then-binge cycle. Hosts Georgie Fear, Christina Holland, and Maryclaire Brescia share practical, evidence-based tools from the Breaking Up With Binge Eating Coaching Program—grounded in nutritional science, behavior change psychology, and approaches like CBT and ACT—without the shame or perfectionism. New here? Start with Episode 10: The 2 REAL Causes of Binge Eating. Pick your Listening Path (where to start, by topic): https://breakingupwithbingeeating.transistor.fm/start-here-pick-your-listening-path
The First 60 Seconds: Don’t Let the Urge Become a Story
The First 60 Seconds: Don’t Let the Urge Become a Story (The Urge Proof Life — Episode 4)
There’s a tiny moment when an urge first appears—before the binge, before the “might as well,” before the story starts writing itself. In this episode, Georgie explains why the first danger often isn’t the urge itself, but the meaning we attach to it: I can’t handle this, I already know how this ends, I’m going to binge.
You’ll learn the “two waves” of an urge: the first wave is sensation, and the second wave is interpretation...
Stop Arguing With Your Cravings: A Conversation with Dr. Glenn Livingston
Stop Arguing With Your Cravings: A Conversation with Dr. Glenn Livingston
This episode is a rare guest conversation on Breaking Up With Binge Eating. Georgie is joined by Dr. Glenn Livingston, psychologist, author, and creator of Defeat Your Cravings, for a wide-ranging conversation about binge eating, cravings, food rules, self-trust, and why insight alone often isn’t enough to change an eating pattern.
Glenn shares his own history with compulsive overeating, including how years of therapy and self-understanding helped him become kinder to himself, but did not automatically stop the binge eating. Together, Ge...
Why You Want More (Even When It’s Not That Good)
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Show Notes:
Have you ever thought, “I don’t even like this that much… so why do I still want more?” In this episode, Georgie explains the difference between wanting and liking—and why urges can stay loud even when pleasure is fading.
You’ll learn how wanting and liking are supported by partly different brain systems: dopamine-heavy motivation circuits help generate the “go get it” drive, while pleasure is more tied to hedon...
The Urge Map: 5 Types of Urges (and What Each One Needs)
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Show Notes:
In this episode, Georgie gives you a practical “urge map” to answer the question that matters in real life: what kind of urge is this? Because the same pantry moment can come from very different mechanisms—and if you use the wrong tool, it’s easy to assume you “did it wrong” when you were simply solving the wrong problem. The core skill is matching the tool to the mechanism.
You’ll le...
An Urge Is Not an Order: What Urges Are (and What They Aren’t)
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Show Notes: An Urge Is Not an Order: What Urges Are (and What They Aren’t) (The Urge Proof Life — Episode 1)
Urges can feel like an emergency—like the outcome is already decided before you even start. In this season opener, Georgie reframes urges as signals, not commands, and explains why urges get so loud when pressure rises and capacity drops. You’ll learn why the goal isn’t to eliminate urges, but t...
Coming Soon, Season 3: The Urge Proof Life
The Urge Proof Life — Season Trailer
A practical season on urges: how to identify what kind of urge you’re having and match the tool to the mechanism, with one small weekly experiment in every episode.
Want extra support? Join All Access (real-life coaching sessions, shared with permission): georgiefear.com/podcast
Want to work with me? ConfidentEaters.com
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Is This Real Progress… or Am I Just Performing? (Bonus Episode)
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Show Notes:
What happens when things are finally going better… and your brain decides that means it must be fake?
In this coaching excerpt, Sarah names a fear I hear all the time: “Am I doing well… or am I just performing because someone’s watching?” We talk about why progress can feel suspicious, how “imposter/cheat” stories keep the bar moving, and why support + accountability don’t invalidate your recovery — the...
This is Treatable
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This Is Treatable (From Distress to Stability — Part 12, Season Finale)
In the final episode of this season, Georgie names what many people quietly doubt: this is treatable. Not because it’s quick or simple, but because binge eating and emotional eating aren’t random or a personal flaw—they’re understandable system responses to pressure, depletion, and the search for relief.
This episode reframes what real progress looks like: not dra...
The Morning After: Stabilizing Instead of Compensating
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The morning after a hard night of eating can feel heavy—physically and mentally—and it’s easy for your brain to start reaching for a “fix”: skipping meals, tightening rules, stepping on the scale, promising to be “very good” today. In this episode, Georgie explains why compensation usually turns into overcompensation, and how that swing adds more pressure to an already unsettled system—making another binge more likely.
Instead, this episode lays o...
Before the Spiral: When Plans Fall Apart
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This episode is about the moment before things fully blow up—not the binge itself, and not the morning-after panic, but the point where you start to feel… off. When your schedule changes (weekends, travel, illness, late nights, company), the day can lose its scaffolding and pressure quietly accumulates until eating starts to feel urgent and chaotic.
You’ll learn why “anchors” matter—regular meals, transitions, and small rhythms that reduce uncertai...
Why Nighttime Binges Aren’t a Willpower Problem
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If you can hold it together all day—and then feel like everything falls apart at night—this episode is for you.
Nighttime bingeing isn’t a character flaw. It’s usually what happens when pressure exceeds capacity at the end of the day. In this episode, Georgie breaks down the most common drivers of nighttime binges (and why they often stack), then gives you a practical “match the tool to the mecha...
Building Stability Without Perfection
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Show Notes:
As things start to feel steadier, a new fear often shows up: If I’m not white-knuckling this, am I doing enough? In this episode, we talk about why calm can feel unfamiliar when effort has been your survival strategy—and how real recovery looks more like stabilization than intensity.
We’ll break down what stability actually means (predictability, not perfection), why stability lowers urges and reduces escalati...
What To Do When the Urge Hits
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Show Notes:
When the urge to eat feels urgent, convincing, and hard to resist, insight alone usually isn’t enough. In this episode, we focus on what to do once the urge is already here—so you reduce escalation instead of making it worse.
In this episode, you’ll hear the key reframe that an urge is not an order—it’s a signal, why fighting, shaming, arguing, or “just giving in”...
Support in the Moment: Kahani, Eating Disorder Recovery, and Real-Time Tools (with Mehek Mohan + Elena)
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Episode summary
Recovery doesn’t only happen in therapy—it happens in the moments in between. In this episode, Georgie talks with Mehek Mohan, cofounder of Kahani, an app designed to offer personalized, on-demand support for eating disorder recovery, and Elena, who uses the app in her own recovery and helps guide its development.
You’ll hear how Kahani aims to lower cognitive load on hard days through check-ins and tail...
When Food Is the Only Break You Get
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When life feels like nonstop self-management, food can become the fastest, most reliable way to get relief—especially if rest, comfort, or support don’t feel allowed. In this episode, we’ll look at why emotional eating and binge eating are points on the same continuum of pressure and capacity, and how to widen your “menu of relief” so food doesn’t have to do all the work.
In this episode:
Wh...Why “Being Good” Backfires (Especially When Weight Loss Is the Goal)
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So many people believe: “Once I lose weight, I’ll finally feel calm around food.” In this episode, we unpack why that belief often backfires—turning food into a high-stakes performance, increasing stress and rigidity, and making emotional eating and binge eating more likely. We’ll also explore a stability-first approach: lowering pressure first so eating can become steadier, calmer, and more consistent.
In this episode, we cover:
How weight loss...The Binge–Restrict Cycle (and Where It Actually Starts)
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Episode 4 — The Binge–Restrict Cycle (and Where It Actually Starts)
From Distress to Stability — Part 4
Most people think the cycle starts with the binge. But binges don’t come out of nowhere—they come out of pressure.
In this episode, we zoom out and name two beginnings:
the day-to-day start (quiet pressure, depleted capacity, emotional eating, guilt, tightening control), andthe long-ago start (early dieting messages, unfairness a...Why Stress Makes Eating Feel Out of Control
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Show Notes:
Ever felt like the first bite “signs a contract”—and suddenly the brakes are gone? In this episode, we slow that moment down and explain why loss-of-control eating is a predictable state shift that shows up more often under stress and restriction. You’ll learn what’s happening in your brain and body—and how to interrupt the spiral without needing perfection.
What we cover
What “loss of...What Everyone Gets Wrong About Restriction
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If you’ve ever been told “just stop restricting” and felt more confused than helped, this episode is for you. We’re defining restriction in a way that actually supports recovery: not every “no” creates pressure. The kind of restriction that fuels binge eating is excessive, distress-based scarcity—and learning the difference is how you build steadiness without swinging into chaos.
In this episode, we cover
Why “never say no” isn’t recovery—it’s a different trap The...Start Here: Pick Your Path
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It’s Not Willpower, It’s Pressure (Why Binge & Emotional Eating Happen)
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Welcome to Season 2 of Breaking Up With Binge Eating. This 12-episode series walks you step-by-step from distress around food to something steadier and more workable—without perfection. In the Season 2 opener, we challenge the idea that loss of control is a character flaw and replace it with a more accurate frame: pressure exceeds capacity. We’ll unpack how restriction, stress, exhaustion, and emotional overload narrow your thinking and spike urgency around food, and why “clamping down” tends to increase the pressure you’re trying to reduce. You’ll leave with a...
How Binge Eating Reflects Our Struggle with Restraint
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Episode Summary
In this episode, Georgie Fear explores the psychological chain reactions behind binge eating, revealing how it often serves as a rebound effect from excessive restraint and self-sacrifice. Through the story of Marta, a busy mom juggling family and business, listeners learn how binge eating isn't about selfishness—it's actually a compensation for too much selflessness.
Key Topics Covered
Why binge eating doesn't occur in isol..."But I'm not losing weight yet"
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Losing weight is probably one of the most common reasons we hear that people want to end their binge eating. It's the physical symbol of success and is most apparent to the world. Reasons for wanting to change their current state may also include bothersome achy knees, elevated blood pressure, or distress about not being a healthy role model. But the big thing that hurts them on a daily basis is th...
When Food Becomes Protest: Defusing Resentment & Rebellion
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Have to do this. Can't eat that.
Over and over, these mandates drive a person crazy. Many of our clients say that it builds up over time, and they snap. They just want to eat and eat, in opposition to feeling pushed around by all the responsibilities and demands on them. They want to feel free, like they can have or do whatever they want in at least one sm...
I Really Eat Perfectly (When I'm Not Bingeing)
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"I eat really clean", Kyle said "Even my binges are on healthy things. That's why it's confusing. I'm a fit guy. I'm a healthy eater who binge eats." Kyle's words bring up a number of misconceptions about binge eating and the people who suffer from it. In today's episode, we'll delve into why clean eating can lead to or exacerbate binge eating.
Join us to discover how the fitness indu...
Rest Is Hard. Here's How To Do It Anyway. (Featuring Allison)
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In this Episode:
Our philosophy on treatment includes supporting people in many areas of life in addition to meeting their nutrition needs. Eating disorder recovery certainly involves modifying your eating, but if someone only works on the food piece of their life, they often can't completely escape from the symptoms. They may relapse into binge eating again, or they might replace it with a different coping behavior. That's why this po...
The Lie Behind "I Don't Deserve To Have Good Things"
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Show Notes:
Have you ever had the thought 'I don't deserve good things'? This pervasive belief can be subtle, but it's not harmless. Today we are going to explore what's really going on with this belief.
When we peel back the layers, we can see that the belief of "deservingness" is rooted in conditional worth messaging, internalized shame, and fear- which can all impact our food choices and sel...
Olivia's Journey: How Medication Helped Silence Her Food Noise
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Olivia emailed us sharing her personal journey with Semaglutide, a GLP one receptor agonist, and how it helped her manage binge eating disorder. Olivia's experience was so compelling and we believe it sheds light on the silence around GLP one drugs and their potential benefits beyond weight loss.
Join Georgie as she discusses the implications, potential benefits, and risks of using these medications for binge eating disorder. She also de...
“I Can’t Handle This” — The Thought That Triggers the Binge
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In today's episode, we discuss how moments of emotional distress can often trigger binge and emotional eating and it all starts with the thought 'I can't handle this'.
But what if there was a way to reframe that thought and change the course of your actions as a result? It all starts with combating overwhelm, building up alternative strategies, and garnering your support system in times of need. Learn fro...
The Lie Behind "I'll Make Up For It Tomorrow"
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Join us in today's episode as we dive into one of the most pervasive thoughts in the binge-restrict cycle: 'I'll make up for it tomorrow.'
We'll explore how this seemingly harmless thought is a clustered cognitive distortion, combining all-or-nothing thinking, future tripping, moral reasoning, should statements, and magical thinking. Learn how this mindset disconnects you from the present, adds emotional pressure, and often leads to more binge behaviors.
What the Latest Research Says About Binge Eating Disorder
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In this episode, we delve into the latest research on Binge Eating Disorder (BED), exploring its most common causes and effective treatments.
Recent studies new findings show BED's connection to brain activity and reduced impulse control. Research also demonstrates the roles of systemic inflammation and the gut-brain axis in BED. You will also hear us share about the significance of interoceptive awareness, and the strong correlation between ADHD and bin...
"I've been so good, I can afford it" (The Overconfidence Trap)
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Are you someone who experiences a period of good weeks followed by bad weeks? Maybe you've heard yourself thinking, "I've been so good, I can afford it." This is an unhelpful thought that we hear pretty regularly from our clients and it's something we call "The Overconfidence Trap". Someone usually falls into this trap when they are doing well with their eating and health behaviors and feeling successful, only to be th...
How To Eat Like A "Normal Person"
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"I want to eat like a normal person". That's what people tell us over the phone, on Zoom, via email, or written into our new client assessment.
In today's episode, we want to explore with you what it means to be a 'normal eater,' and highlight that normal eating encompasses a range of behaviors rather than a specific definition.
We delve into how comparisons and societal expec...
When Food Isn't The Fix: Emotion Regulation Skills (Part 3)
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Have you noticed a pattern in your life where you use food to solve all the things? Whether you are cold, tired, behind schedule or intimidated or unsure or angry, does your brain say "should we eat something?" Even if you aren't hungry at all?
This is exactly how emotional eating makes us act: We find ourselves using the same action (eating) to respond to any kind of feeling rat...
The Incredible Relief of Changing Your Story
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We all have tapes that play in our heads or narratives in the background of our lives. The stories we tell ourselves cast us into roles and you can be certain that they impact how you feel, the choices you make day to day, and how you eat.
If you are a creative person, a writer, a poet, or artist, you probably have a really developed skill for weaving dr...
When Food Isn't The Fix: Emotion Regulation Skills (Part 2)
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Have you noticed a pattern in your life where you use food to solve all the things? Whether you are cold, tired, behind schedule or intimidated or unsure or angry, does your brain say "should we eat something?" Even if you aren't hungry at all?
This is exactly how emotional eating makes us act: We find ourselves using the same action (eating) to respond to any kind of feeling rat...
Let's Help Marissa
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We love when we get letters from listeners! Today, we want to share one that came in from longtime listener, Marissa.
Marissa has stopped binge eating thanks to following the skills she's learned from this podcast! However, she shared with us that she is still experiencing some challenges with managing her treats intake, particularly sugar. She has been working on experimenting and creating plans, but needs some more support.
<...When Food Isn’t the Fix: 4 Emotion Regulation Skills (Part 1)
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Have you noticed a pattern in your life where you use food to solve all the things? Whether you are cold, tired, behind schedule or intimidated or unsure or angry, does your brain say "should we eat something?" Even if you aren't hungry at all?
This is exactly how emotional eating makes us act: We find ourselves using the same action (eating) to respond to any kind of feeling rat...
Your Winter Wellness Survival Guide (The Art of Wintering)
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Winter is here! For many of us, it's a long stretch of the year—one that can throw a wrench in even the best-laid health plans. If you're someone who tries to stay active, eat well, and nurture your mental wellness throughout the year, you probably know that winter brings its own unique set of challenges.
Whether it's battling the winter blues, staying on track during holiday festivities, or simp...
Why You're Procrastineating (and How to Change It)
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Today on the show, we are going to talk about procrastineating, which is procrastination, where food is concerned. Procrastineating may show up like snacking or grazing, or it may be the form of a binge.
When we sort through procrastination eating, we are less concerned about the magnitude of eating and more concerned about why it's happening in the first place. Because like many problems, as we discover the re...
