I have been reading over this thread and am wondering if this book will help me if I am dieting? I have not yet started changing my eating habits but have reached the point where I am mostly agreeable to doing so (I have prediabetes that is quickly moving into Type 2 diabetes) and will most likely be looking at having to do a lower carb type of eating plan. I have had BED for eons - okay, just 13 years but it feels like eons. Prior to developing BED I had been on WW and lost 30 lbs. Since that time (and since developing BED) I have been unable to lose weight. I am now about 70 lbs overweight. I have surmised over the years that attempts to "diet" seemed to make the bingeing get worse and have felt that it would be impossible to ever stop the BED if I were also trying to lose weight. But I am now in sort of a health crises and truly need to lose weight and stop bingeing so I am just looking for new options (since clearly therapy never worked, lol!)

Thanks for recommending this! I've read a couple books on the topic but this is a new one for me. I'll add it to my reading list.

Shannonsnail— If you're ready to stop binging, Kathryn Hansen's Brain Over Binge is the way to go! You can combine her anti-binge technique with dieting: that's what I'm doing.

I stumbled into this thread last night and downloaded the book after reading the first page of comments. I'm about half way through the book now and there is a lot of things that resonate with me, such as feeling that there isn't an underlying emotional problem to fix. I don't identify with the author, as I've never been skinny or athletic. Although, now, I do take 3 exercise classes a week. This is to help me get fit and healthy more than for weight control.

I've read through the rest of the pages on this thread and see that there are difficulties with this approach, and it has been useful for me to file these away as pitfalls to be aware of. Mostly it seems that its going to take a significant amount of time to retrain my 'animal brain' to keep its voice down to a dull roar.

I have just started seeing a therapist for my BED and i think my approach to conquering it is going to be have several tools in my arsenal, and ignoring the animal brain is going to be just one of them but i am going to be clear with my therapist that i do not have underlying emotional issues that need fixing. I do not have self esteem issues, so can we look at other ways.

I still have the rest of the book to read, but hopefully it will be as helpful as the first half has been. I don't expect it to be a 'cure-all' or to fix everything, but if it can help stave off the urges even just once in a while, that is a step forward.


BiB really resonates with me. I think that is what I have decided. If i don't engage with those thoughts, they'll shut up. Once i engage with them, on any level, i've lost the battle.

This is a brilliant way of thinking about it, and as i have a small child, I'm going to employ the same techniques with my animal brain as i do with the littleun.

Great technique, and one I'm going to acquire

While I don't agree with everything the author has to say, her presentation of the two separate brains--upper brain and lower brain--instantly clicked with me. I am currently participating in a medically supervised weight loss program but was still struggling with my urge to binge. Since reading the book and employing the strategy in combination with my diet, I am starting to have a normal relationship with food for the first time in my life and it feels really good. I am hoping by the time I reach my goal, my new habits will be fully in force and my BED will be nothing more than a memory.

orangesmartie— I'm glad to hear that you're finding Brain Over Binge to be helpful! I've been binge-free ever since the 22nd of November, and I wrote a comment to Kathryn Hansen's blog that she ended up using as a posting in her "Tips for Beginners" section. I recommend checking out her blog, because it has a lot of answers to questions that come up as you start using her technique. Best of luck to you!

I heard of another book by josie spinardi- have your cake and skinny jeans too...Does anyone know where I can get it? It seems like it is only available on kindles and I do not have one...Ive checked everywhere, ebay, amazon,etc.

You can download the kindle app for phones, computers and tablets, so you don't need an actual kindle.

The other place i look for hard to find books is ebay.

I haven't read Brain Over Binge as I do not suffer with binge eating, but I do read this thread from time to time as it often has gems of wisdom in it which is applicable to anyone who overeats.

I read your comment on Kathryn Hansen's blog and it was wonderful. So insightful. Although I'm not a binge eater per se, there are times when I struggle with resisting that extra helping when I know that I am satiated and do not need anything else to eat. Your imagery of the yappy dog was nothing short of brilliant.

Thank you so much for sharing that.

Thanks Fiona, I will have a look

Thanks will see if I can download the app on my crappy phone.
Checked ebay its not there/

I really dont want to read it on my phone, hate that I am forced to buy e books now

I've heard of this book and am curious about it, partly because I've seen it recommended by so many. I would love to get rid of my binging problem. I would definitely lose weight a lot quicker without the binging.

this thread is old but I was wondering if someone currently reading this book and needs support? let's do it together.

Would bd great to hear how all you guys are doing these days? Did book help?

Yes and no. It did not help me overcome my eating disorder. But it did help me understand that my disordered eating is a process that happens in my brain and its not just a character flaw. This means that I can change it. Like I said it didn't "work" in terms of curing anything but it did help me seek out intuitive rating which has indeed helped me start overcoming my ED!

Thank you for sharing! I was very hopeful when I read it the first time and it did help me to understand the same stuff you're pointing out, but I feel I am back to where I've started.
Great you got IE to work for you, unfortunately this is not my case, my intuitive hunger signals are messed up by diabetes type 1. I guess the book doesn't work for me because I have to have restrictions, she is pointing out that this just won't work...