You overeat because you eat “too clean”

Most people who struggle with it don’t actually binge because they love food too much. It’s often because they’ve been too strict with themselves. Let’s break it down:

? Restriction–Binge Cycle

1. Clean eating / rigid rules
   • “I only eat healthy foods.”
   • “No sugar, no bread, no processed food.”
   • This creates forbidden foods.
2. Deprivation builds up
   • Physical hunger: not enough energy, body craving variety.
   • Psychological hunger: the mind obsesses over what’s off-limits.
3. Slip happens
   • One cookie, one slice of pizza, one “unapproved” food.
   • The brain interprets it as breaking the rule.
4. All-or-nothing thinking
   • “I blew it, so I might as well keep eating.”
   • Leads to a binge, not because of loving food excessively, but because of the pendulum swing from restriction.

? Why “clean eating” can backfire

• Scarcity effect: The more you restrict, the more appealing “forbidden” foods become.
• Loss of control: The body pushes back against restriction with strong cravings.
• Moral labeling: Food becomes “good” or “bad,” and eating “bad” food feels like a failure ? triggering binge.

? Balanced Alternative

• Food neutrality: No food is “bad” or “off-limits.”
• Planned flexibility: Allowing small amounts of fun foods regularly so they lose power.
• Focus on patterns, not perfection: Eating mostly nourishing foods but without extreme rules.