There is a widespread idea that bingeing has “protective” value for the binge eater—protection from difficult emotions, pain, stress, and other problems. I remember believing this when I was bulimic, and I know how convincing it can feel. In this episode, I talk about why the protection narrative may be holding you back in recovery, and how you can learn to see that bingeing isn’t safety—it’s dangerous and it’s hurting you. You can learn to recognize and dismiss the protection thoughts and realize you’re much safer without binge eating.

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Episodes mentioned in this show:

Episode 183: GLP-1 Medications, Food Noise, and Binge Eating Recovery with Marcus Kain

Ep. 131: Ozempic and Eating Disorders with Robyn Goldberg RDN, CEDS-C

Brain over Binge resources:

Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month

Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching

Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo.

Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide

Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.

Kathryn and Coach Julie explore the idea of bringing integrity into your recovery from binge eating, which can help you have more clarity and motivation. We’ll talk about what integrity looks like in many different aspects of recovery. You’ll learn why integrity is not the same as perfection, and instead, it’s about following through with what you want for yourself in the moments that matter most.

Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet

Join coach Julie’s free Zoom call (11/28 from 2:00-2:30pmEST)

Brain over Binge resources:

Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching

Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month

Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo.

Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide

Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.

In this episode, I unpack the “binge inevitability mindset”—the belief that a binge is destined to happen at some point. Binge inevitability thoughts can sound like, “I know I’m eventually going to give in and binge anyway, so I might as well just get it over with.” You’ll learn why these binge inevitability thoughts show up, and how to reject them so that you can stop binge eating and prove to yourself that it is never inevitable.

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Episodes mentioned on this show:

Episode 2: The Cause of Binge Eating: Urges to Binge

Episode 3: The Lower and Higher Brain at Work in Binge Eating

Episode 4: Dismiss Urges to Binge: Component 1 (View Urges to Binge as Neurological Junk)

Episode 5: Dismiss Urges to Binge: Component 2 (Separate the Higher Brain from Urges to Binge)

Episode 6: Dismiss Urges to Binge: Component 3 (Stop Reacting to Urges to Binge)

Episode 7: Dismiss Urges to Binge: Component 4 (Stop Acting on Urges to Binge)

Episode 8: Dismiss Urges to Binge: Component 5 (Celebrate Success)

Brain over Binge resources:

Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching

Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month

Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo.

Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide

Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.

Kathryn and Coach Julie explore how visualization can support binge eating recovery—not through wishful thinking, but by helping your brain rehearse what you actually want to do. Whether it’s dismissing urges, eating adequately, or facing challenging situations around food, visualization helps strengthen your higher brain and prepare you to act in line with your goals.

Brain over Binge resources:

Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet

Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching

Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month

Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo.

Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide

Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.

Kathryn talks with Natasha Kostalas, author of Beyond the Barbell: Confessions of a Female Fitness Competitor, about her journey of overcoming binge eating that was fueled by competing in bodybuilding. Natasha shares how the intense restriction of competition prep led to a loss of control around food, and how binge eating often becomes a hidden aftermath in extreme fitness. She speaks openly about the harm this caused and how she eventually found a healthier relationship with food, her body, and training. This conversation is relevant not only for the bodybuilding community but for anyone struggling with bingeing.

Learn more about Natasha Kostalas:

Beyond the Barbell: Confessions of a Female Fitness Competitor

Instagram: Natasha Kostalas

Brain over Binge resources:

Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet

Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching

Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month

Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo.

Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide

Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.

I talked with Dr. Aimie Apigian, author of the Biology of Trauma, about how trauma impacts the body and nervous system, and how that can create challenges in recovery. She explains how trauma healing creates more safety in the body and nervous system, which gives you more access to your decision-making abilities, and therefore supports recovery.

Dr. Aimie shares insights from her medical expertise and personal experience, and also discusses how a trauma-informed approach helped her overcome her own binge eating issue. If you tend to binge during times of high anxiety or dysregulation—even when you know it won’t help—this episode is for you.

Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet

Learn more about Dr. Aimie Apigian:

Get the book: The Biology of Trauma BiologyofTrauma.com 5 Day Nervous System Reset

Brain over Binge resources:

Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching

Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month

Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo.

Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide

Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.

If you’re a parent who has put your eating disorder behind you, or you are trying to recover, or you are still struggling, and you want to make sure your child never has these issues, this episode is for you. I talk with parent coach Oona Hanson about how to help kids build a healthy relationship with food and body. We cover how to spot early signs of restriction, how to talk about these topics without creating shame, and how to help your child learn skills that support a lifetime of peace with food. Oona brings clear, compassionate, and practice guidance to a challenging topic.

Learn more about Oona Hanson:

Oona Hanson’s website Instagram: @oona_hanson Substack: Parenting without Diet Culture

Brain over Binge resources:

Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet

Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching

Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month

Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo.

Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide

Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.

Kathryn is joined by Coach Julie to talk about letting go of the fixation with weight, body size, and shape. Weight is a complex topic, and concerns don’t disappear overnight—but you can make progress so that weight issues don’t interfere with recovery from binge eating. In this episode, you’ll learn how shifting your focus away from changing your body and toward caring for your body helps create space for self-trust, true healing, and long-term health.

More weight related resources here:BrainoverBinge.com/Weight/

Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet

Brain over Binge resources:

Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching

Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month

Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo.

Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide

Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.

Kathryn talks with Ted Ryce—health expert, high-performance coach, and host of The Legendary Life Podcast. Ted shares his journey of resilience through tragedy and his experience helping successful professionals who struggle to prioritize health. Together, they discuss how to care for yourself during stressful hardships and seasons of high-achievement, and how balanced approaches to food and fitness can support you without extremes.

Get the FREE 30-day Brain over Binge Inspiration Booklet

Learn more:

Ted Ryce

Legendary Life Podcast

Legendary Life Podcast Ep. 644: Brain Over Binge: How to Overcome Binge Eating Without Willpower with Kathryn Hansen

Brain over Binge resources:

Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching

Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month

Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo.

Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide

Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.

I talked with Dr. Pamela Keel about her new study exploring the biological underpinnings of binge eating. We discuss how weight suppression affects key hormones—GLP‑1 and leptin—and how those changes can reduce satiety and drive binge eating. Dr. Keel explains what this means for understanding urges, recovery, and weight restoration—and we also discuss the potential role and risks of GLP‑1 medications in treatment.

Learn more about Pamela Keel and her new study: 

FSU researcher’s new findings connect biological and behavioral consequences of weight loss to binge eating

Pamela Keel, PhD

Brain over Binge resources:

Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet

Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching

Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month

Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo.

Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide

Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.