Why We Need to Talk! - Binge Eating, Emotional Eating & Sugar Cravings
- Paulina Hupka
- Mar 3
- 3 min read
Understanding the differences between these three terms can be the first step in understanding your experiences. Being able to identify if you are eating emotionally or experiencing true binge eating might be important when you seek help.
A trained therapist can support you in your Binge Eating Disorder recovery journey, while a nutritional counsellor or coach might be able to help you build a healthier relationship with food and nourish yourself better.
Also, it is important to talk about all three eating behaviours. Many people struggle with either one or all of them at one point in their life. Some symptoms overlap and the transition from one to another might be fluid.
So, it is important to talk about it and find a way to deal with it early.
You are not alone in your experience and there are ways to address and recover from binge eating, emotional eating and sugar cravings.
The Common Ground of Binge Eating, Emotional Eating & Sugar Cravings
Emotions like guilt, shame, feeling disgusted by yourself or lack of control or willpower are strong emotions and thoughts closely tied to beliefs that you picked up throughout your life.
That is why working with a therapist, nutritional counsellor or coach can be helpful.
We are alone with our thoughts and sometimes overwhelmed by conflicting thoughts.
Having a “devil and angel” on your shoulders telling you that you should eat less for your health or eat all the candy because you already indulged today is mentally exhausting, leaving you feeling drained and tired. More binging might just be a reaction to this exhaustion.
Working with someone can provide you a 'third-party' perspective from the outside.
It allows you to reflect on your thoughts, process emotions and learn new strategies and nutritional facts that, combined, guide and challenge you toward balance and health.
A trained professional creates a safe and non-judgmental space, supporting you at your pace. At the same time, you will be gradually confronted with your triggers and learn to make changes in your life, behaviour, thinking patterns and how you experience emotions.
As you develop more self-awareness, mindset shifts and strategies you will become calmer and more confident around food, learn to enjoy eating out with friends and create boundaries, self-love and acceptance. You might notice a change in weight, reduced inflammation, more energy and less sugar cravings. In addition, you will have learned how to address these concerns, when you do experience them again.
Conclusion
Knowing the difference and catching a transition from sugar cravings to emotional eating to binge eating early is important to not develop a serious eating disorder.
All three aspects have negative emotions, low self-esteem and strict behaviour in common. While this varies, depending on where you fall on the scale, healing and recovering from all three looks quite similar.
Working with a coach or counsellor can be helpful because an outside perspective might bring your blind spots to the foreground. This helps you to become more honest with yourself and taking long-lasting action becomes easier and more natural.
Be courageous and talk to someone that you trust. You are not alone in your experience, and there is help available.
Reach out
I also offer support regarding this topic as well. I’m not a therapist yet but in my Nutritional Counselling practice, we work on
Nutrition basics: foods, nutrients and physiological changes influenced by food intake
Mindset shifts: identifying limiting beliefs, lightening the weight of these and thought patterns
Mindfulness and relaxation: reframing unhelpful thoughts, learning about the nervous system and finding ways to regain balance
Body image and Societal Influences: how they shaped the world and how we see beauty
Sustainable habits: let go of unhelpful patterns and build new supportive routines and systems
[1] Reichenberger, J., Schnepper, R., Arend, A. K., & Blechert, J. (2020). Emotional eating in healthy individuals and patients with an eating disorder: evidence from psychometric, experimental and naturalistic studies. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 79(3), 290–299. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665120007004
[2] Emotional eating | HealthLink BC. (n.d.). https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthy-eating-physical-activity/food-and-nutrition/eating-habits/emotional-eating
[3] Berkman ND, Brownley KA, Peat CM, et al. Management and Outcomes of Binge-Eating Disorder [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2015 Dec. (Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, No. 160.) Table 1, DSM-IV and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK338301/table/introduction.t1/
[4] Hantzidiamantis PJ, Awosika AO, Lappin SL. Physiology, Glucose. [Updated 2024 Apr 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545201/
[5] Blum, K., Thanos, P. K., & Gold, M. S. (2014). Dopamine and glucose, obesity, and reward deficiency syndrome. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 919. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00919
