How to Overcome Perfectionism: 6 Practical Steps to Let Go of Perfect

“If it’s not perfect, then it’s not good enough” is a common thought for perfectionists. Perfectionism isn’t just about having high standards. It leads to procrastination, burnout, anxiety, or feeling stuck when things don’t go exactly as planned. Let’s dive into what perfectionism is and why it can hold a tight grasp on those who struggle with it.

What Is Perfectionism & Why Is It So Hard to Overcome?

Many perfectionists are thoughtful, capable, and deeply caring people. Over time, they’ve learned to measure their worth by how well they perform or how flawlessly they show up. But here’s the truth: your value isn’t tied to perfection. With practice, patience, and a good dose of self-compassion, it’s absolutely possible to loosen perfectionism’s grip and to allow yourself to be more flexible and less rigid about being perfect. Overcoming perfectionism involves being able to recognize that your value is not tied to being perfect. 

For many of the women I see in therapy, perfectionism is tangled up with anxiety and constantly worrying about letting others down, getting it wrong, or not being “good enough.” Therapy for anxiety can be a powerful way to understand what’s underneath the pressure to be perfect. It creates a safe space to slow down, be kinder to yourself, and start shifting the beliefs that make you feel like a failure if you’re not perfect. 

How to Overcome Perfectionism by Understanding Its Root Causes

Before you can change perfectionistic patterns, it helps to understand where or how they began. Perfectionism doesn’t start from nowhere and can have deep roots. For many women, perfectionism started in childhood. Maybe love or praise was tied to achievement, or being “the responsible one” felt like the only option. It could be that you realized that being perfect helped you avoid negative attention from parents. For others, it became a way to feel safe and in control, especially in situations where criticism or unpredictability were present.

Perfectionism can be a coping skill that may help you feel protected from feelings of failure, shame, or judgment. Through therapy, you can begin to see where it comes from, you can start using more self-compassion instead of pressure to achieve. The goal of therapy is not to place blame on anyone, but to understand how this pattern and drive to be perfect began. 

Step 1 – Identify Your Perfectionism Triggers

The first step in loosening perfectionism’s grip is just noticing where it tends to show up in your life. Start paying attention to the moments when you feel that urge or pressure to get everything just right or to avoid making a mistake at all costs.

Does it show up at work when you're afraid of falling short or letting someone down? In parenting, when do you feel like you have to be endlessly patient, organized, and on top of everything? Maybe it sneaks in when you look in the mirror or compare yourself to others, or in your relationships when you’re trying to avoid conflict or be the “easy one.”

Try  asking yourself: “What would it say about me as a person if I didn’t do this perfectly?”

This exercise isn’t about judging yourself, but it’s about being curious.  The response might uncover deeper fears, like the fear of being seen as lazy, unlovable, or not enough. It’s ok to feel those things. These fears make sense when you consider your experiences.  They likely protected you at some point, even if they’re not helping you now. 

Naming your triggers with honesty and compassion is powerful. It helps you recognize that perfectionism isn’t who you but is a response to something deeper. When you see it clearly, you can start making choices that are rooted in kindness and align your actions more with your values. 

Step 2 – Reframe Mistakes to Start Overcoming Perfectionism

Perfectionism tells you that mistakes are the worst thing you can make. That they mean you’ve failed, fallen short, or disappointed someone. What if that isn’t true? What if mistakes are actually part of being human and a part of learning and growing as a person?

Reframing how you see mistakes is a powerful part of challenging perfectionism. Instead of seeing them as proof that you’re not good enough, you can begin to see them as information. A sign you tried something. Mistakes aren’t a reflection of who you are as a person or you’re worth.

Overcoming perfectionism and challenging these beliefs takes practice. When the voice of self-criticism starts chattering in your head, that “ I messed this up,” “Why can’t I get this right?”, try responding with self-compassion instead.  Telling yourself, “I’m still learning, and that’s ok.” 

These small moments of kindness toward yourself can slowly begin to untangle the fear and shame that perfectionism often brings. You don’t have to get it right all the time to be worthy or to be loved.  You’re allowed to be imperfect. 

Step 3 – Practice “Good Enough” Thinking Every Day

One of the best ways to quiet perfectionism is by choosing to accept when things are good enough. This is not about lowering your standards, but it’s about letting go of the idea that everything has to be flawless to be valuable. Sometimes, good enough means sending the email without reading it seven times. Sometimes, it looks like letting the clean laundry stay in the basket for a couple of days or finishing a project without endlessly tweaking every detail.

Perfectionism often shows up when we're trying to feel in control or avoid criticism. The truth is, most of the time, no one else is holding us to the impossible standards we set for ourselves. If they are, that’s another story about setting boundaries. Done is better than perfect, not because you’re lazy or unmotivated, but because your time, energy, and mental health matter more than constant self-correction.

The next time that inner critic shows up, try asking: What would good enough look like right now? Give yourself permission to stop there. 

Step 4 – Set Flexible Goals (Not Unrealistic Ones)

Perfectionism often thrives in all-or-nothing thinking. It can trick you into believing that if you don’t do something perfectly, it’s not worth doing at all. One way to push back against this thinking is to set flexible, realistic goals that allow you to be human.

Flexible goals allow you to be consistent without expecting yourself to be at 100% every single day. They help you make progress without burning out.

Here are a few ways to practice this:

• Build in buffer time. Instead of cramming your day full, leave extra time between tasks. That way, when things take longer than expected (because life happens), you’re not spiraling.

• Set realistic “minimums.” Instead of aiming to clean for an hour, tell yourself 15 minutes counts. Or instead of planning a full meal from scratch, remind yourself that something simple and nourishing is more than enough.

• Give yourself permission to pivot. Plans can change, and that doesn’t mean you failed. It means you're paying attention to what you need and honoring it. Breaks aren’t a sign of laziness but are an important investment in your well-being and ability to do what you enjoy doing longer.

Step 5 – Challenge All-or-Nothing Thinking Patterns

All-or-nothing thinking is one of perfectionism’s favorite tools. It might say, “If I can’t do it perfectly, why bother at all?” or “I’ve already messed up, so I may as well give up.” This kind of thinking can feel familiar, but it’s not helpful, and it definitely isn’t kind.

The truth is, most of life happens in the gray area between all and nothing. Progress, healing, and change aren’t usually neat or linear. They’re messy, imperfect, and made up of small, steady steps.

When you notice those all-or-nothing thoughts showing up, try gently challenging them with more balanced reminders.

Step 6 – Talk to a Therapist About How to Overcome Perfectionism

You don’t have to figure this out alone. If perfectionism has been your default setting for a long time, it can feel overwhelming to try and untangle it on your own. That’s where therapy can help.

In therapy, we can explore the deeper beliefs that drive your perfectionism, the fear of failure, the need for control, or the belief that your worth is tied to your performance. These patterns often started as ways to protect yourself or earn love, but with the right support, they can be understood and changed.

Together, we’ll work on creating new, more helpful ways of thinking and showing up in your life. You’ll learn how to set boundaries with your inner critic, challenge all-or-nothing thinking, and practice self-compassion in real and practical ways.

Healing from perfectionism isn’t about lowering your standards. It’s about freeing yourself from the pressure to be everything, all the time. You don’t have to do it alone, and counseling can help. 

Maple Canyon Therapy is an online counseling practice in Utah that specializes in helping women overcome perfectionism, anxiety, and shame. Whether you're in Salt Lake City, Provo, St. George, Logan, Cedar City, Heber, or anywhere else in Utah, online therapy services are here for you.

Final Thoughts: Overcoming Perfectionism Is a Practice, Not an Achievement

Healing from perfectionism isn’t about doing it perfectly but about practicing something new, one step at a time. It's about progress, not perfection. This kind of progress takes patience and kindness

The patterns that fuel perfectionism didn’t appear overnight, and they won’t disappear overnight either. Every time you choose kindness over criticism or flexibility over rigidity, you're practicing something different. You're showing yourself that it's safe to be human.

Here’s the truth we come back to again and again: You are already worthy. Not because of what you achieve, how productive you are, or how perfectly you perform. You are worthy simply because you exist.

How to start therapy for perfectionism in Utah

If perfectionism has been running the show for a while, you don’t have to keep carrying it on your own. Therapy for perfectionism can be a supportive space to get curious about the beliefs driving it and begin practicing something new. This Utah Counseling Practice has a therapist specializing in treating women with perfectionism. To begin counseling, follow the steps below: 

1. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation 

2. Meet with an anxiety therapist

3. Leave behind perfectionism forever 

About the Author 

Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of Maple Canyon Therapy, an online counseling practice based in Utah that first originated in Spanish Fork, Utah. She specializes in helping women navigate perfectionism, anxiety, eating disorders, and body image concerns using a compassionate, evidence-based approach. Ashlee holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and family life and human development, as well as a master’s in social work. Ashlee has also been an adjunct professor at Utah State University, teaching in the social work department. 

Why Do I Binge Eat Sweets? Understanding Cravings & How to Stop

You tell yourself you’ll just have one, but before you know it, the entire bag is gone. Maybe you reach for sweets when you’re stressed, bored, or emotionally drained, only to feel frustrated afterward, wondering, “Why do I binge eat sweets?” If this cycle feels familiar, you’re not alone. Binge eating sweets isn’t about a lack of willpower, and it’s not something to be ashamed of. It’s often a response to a deeper pattern. Whether binging happens from restriction, stress, or your body trying to get what it needs, there’s a reason. The good news is you don’t have to stay stuck in this cycle. By understanding what’s driving this cycle of binging,  you can take steps toward feeling more in control around sweets without trying to restrict them or feeling guilty when you don’t.  Let’s explore what might be happening,  how to break free, and how binge eating disorder treatment can help. 

Why Do I Binge Eat Sweets? Understanding the Triggers

If you find yourself reaching for sweets when you're not hungry or feeling out of control around certain foods, it’s not just you. Many people feel shame or confusion about their relationship with sweets, especially when it feels like willpower just isn’t enough. Binge eating isn’t about weakness or lack of control. It’s often a response to deeper needs or emotions that haven’t been given the space to be seen and understood. As an eating disorder therapist,  I believe all eating behaviors, even the ones that feel chaotic, make sense when we take time to look at the full picture.

Binge eating sweets can be triggered by restriction (both physical and mental), feeling overwhelmed by emotions, or unmet needs for comfort and connection. Sometimes, we’ve told ourselves for years that sugar is “bad,” and that belief alone can create urgency and rebellion in how we eat. Other times, sweets are linked to memories of safety or love, and turning to them becomes a way to cope with pain, grief, or loneliness. It’s not about the food itself, but what the food may be helping you cope with.  When you try to look at these behaviors with curiosity rather than judgment, you are more likely to learn more about yourself and why you do these things. 

Common Triggers for Binge Eating Sweets

• Restrictive dieting and binge eating:

  When you're not eating enough during the day or following rigid food rules, your body may respond with intense cravings, especially for sweet foods. This is your body just doing its job to try to make sure you have the energy you need.

• Emotional eating triggers:

  Stress, anxiety, loneliness, or feeling overwhelmed can lead to binge eating as a way to self-soothe or as an escape from difficult emotions.

• Cravings after not eating enough:

  Skipping meals or going long periods without food can lead to low blood sugar and strong urges to binge on sweets for quick energy. Against his is just your body doing what it’s supposed to.

• Guilt around food choices:

  Labeling sweets as “bad” or feeling shame after eating can increase the likelihood of bingeing later on.  The goal is to see all food as neutral because there are no morals around food.

• Food rules and binge eating:

  Internal rules like “I can’t have dessert unless I work out” often backfire, leading to a restrict-binge cycle. This ends up hurting you more than helping.

• Sugar cravings and emotional eating:

  Many people turn to sugar when they’re feeling emotionally exhausted. It’s not about the sugar itself, but the comfort it represents. You may have a history with sweet foods being there as a way to help you cope with emotions, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It just may not be helpful to you now.

• Body image and binge eating:

  Negative body image can lead to a cycle of restriction and bingeing. You may use food as a way to deal with low self-esteem or shame you have about your body.

• Diet culture and binge eating disorder:

  Harmful messages about “clean eating” or weight loss can disconnect you from your body’s cues, making binge episodes more likely. Diet culture teaches you that you can’t trust your body and that you need rules to obey instead. 

Why Can’t I Stop Eating Sweets? The Psychology Behind Cravings

Sugar cravings often show up when something deeper is going on beneath the surface. Whatever it is for you, it doesn’t usually get resolved with more willpower or stricter rules. In fact, the more you try to avoid or control sweets, the more your mind and body will fixate on them. This isn’t because you’re weak or broken; it’s because restriction (even the mental kind) signals scarcity to your brain, and cravings become a way to protect you from that perceived deprivation.

Cravings can also be your nervous system’s way of seeking comfort, stability, or relief. If you’ve had a stressful day, feel disconnected in your relationships, or are simply exhausted, it makes sense that your brain might reach for something that offers a quick burst of pleasure. For many people, sweets have been linked to care, reward, or even safety. It’s no surprise that they become a coping tool when things feel overwhelming or out of balance. You deserve compassion and understanding for this, not to berate yourself for not having any control.. 

Instead of viewing your cravings as a problem to solve, try seeing them as information. A desire to binge sweets can be a way of asking you to pay attention to your needs, your emotions, and the ways you’ve learned to care for yourself. When you slow down and respond with curiosity and kindness, those moments can become less about control and more about understanding your body, your emotions, and your needs better. 

Overeating Sweets: How to Break the Cycle

When you find yourself stuck in a pattern of overeating sweets, it can feel frustrating and defeating to keep repeating it. You might feel even more frustrated with yourself if you’ve told yourself, “this won’t happen again.”  You need to know that this cycle isn’t about personal failure. The binge cycle is a sign that your relationship with food has been shaped by years of restriction, shame, or unmet emotional needs. The more you try to“be good” or cut out sugar completely, the more intense the cravings tend to become. 

Breaking the cycle starts with letting go of the all-or-nothing mindset. Giving yourself full permission to eat sweets might feel scary at first, but it’s often the first step toward improving your relationship with them. When sweets are no longer off-limits or loaded with guilt, they start to lose their power. Over time, your body learns to trust that it doesn’t have to binge to get its needs met.

It’s also important to look at what sweets are doing for you emotionally. Are they offering comfort at the end of a hard day? A sense of reward when you feel unseen or depleted? When you allow yourself to be curious instead of judgmental, you are better able to meet your needs outside of using food. 

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying sweets. The goal isn’t to cut them out, but to create a relationship with food that brings you more peace. 

How Therapy Can Help With Binge Eating Sweets

The binge cycle can feel confusing and embarrassing, but it often makes sense when looking at the bigger picture of your life and situation. In therapy, we gently explore what’s underneath the binging (or any other behavior you might be struggling with)  without judgment. We look at patterns of restriction, the way you’re getting your emotional needs met with food, and how diet culture has shaped the way you relate to food and your body. 

Binge eating disorder treatment offers a space for you to feel safe and to find out what needs aren’t being met. Together, we uncover the messages you’ve told yourself about food and your body. Therapy can unpack where those beliefs or messages come from and challenge them with compassion. Working with a therapist can help you find more ways of meeting your needs outside of binging. 

Final Thoughts: You’re Not Broken, and You’re Not Alone

You don’t have to keep feeling this way. You don’t have to wake up every morning telling yourself you will never eat sweets again. You don’t have to tell yourself you can’t eat breakfast or lunch only to end the night the same way, stuck in the cycle of binge eating. As a therapist, I will work to help you understand your relationship with food, gently untangle the shame, and help you be more compassionate with yourself.  Healing takes time, but you don’t have to do it on your own; therapy can help. 

FAQ About Binge Eating Sweets

Do I need a diagnosis to start therapy for binge eating?

No. You don’t need a formal diagnosis to get support.  If you’re struggling with food, feel out of control around sweets, or feel shame after eating, Therapy can help, whether or not you meet criteria for binge eating disorder.

Is binge eating the same as emotional eating?

Binge eating and emotional eating can overlap, but they’re not always the same. Emotional eating usually happens in response to specific feelings, while binge eating tends to feel more compulsive or disconnected. Sometimes it can be really hard to know the difference. Therapy can help you explore both and help you understand what’s driving either behavior. 

What if I’m also trying to lose weight?

This is such a common concern. Many people hope that therapy will help them lose weight, which makes sense in a world that constantly tells us our worth is tied to our body size. My job as an eating disorder therapist is to focus on helping you heal your relationship with food. Any of your desired, long-term change comes from compassion and care, not restriction and punishment. What your body chooses to do due to that healing process may shift over time, but weight loss is not the goal of this work. 

How long does it take to stop binge eating?

There’s no quick fix, and healing isn’t linear, but many people begin to feel small shifts once they start understanding what’s driving their behavior. Relief doesn’t happen all at once, but it tends to grow over time throughout therapy. If you’re hoping to truly get to the root of your binge eating, I typically suggest to expect weekly therapy for 12 to 18 months. This gives us the space to explore not just the eating behaviors, but the emotions, beliefs, and patterns underneath them, so change can feel lasting and real.

Healing Is Possible: Binge Eating Disorder Treatment in Utah

If you’re feeling stuck in a cycle of binge eating, you’re not alone, and there is hope. Binge eating disorder treatment can help you understand your relationship with food. This Utah Eating Disorder Clinic offers you a safe and supportive space to explore what’s really going on beneath the surface. To begin counseling, follow the steps below: 

1. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation 

2. Meet with a binge eating disorder therapist who understands

3. Begin healing your relationship with food

About the Author 

Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and eating disorder therapist based in Utah. She is the founder of Maple Canyon Therapy, where she specializes in helping women heal their relationship with food, body image, and self-worth. Ashlee has extensive experience treating eating disorders across all levels of care and brings a compassionate, trauma-informed approach to her work.

Ashlee earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from Utah State University and has taught as an adjunct professor in the university’s social work program. She is deeply committed to education, both in and outside the therapy room, and regularly incorporates evidence-based approaches like intuitive eating, body image work, and self-compassion practices into her clinical work.

Through therapy and writing, Ashlee empowers clients to move away from shame and toward a more peaceful, connected relationship with food and their bodies.

How Do You Break up with Diet Culture?

You are starting to understand the impact diet culture has had on your life, and you want to make some changes. This is such a big and scary step sometimes. Dieting may have been familiar and even kind of comfortable. The next diet made you feel hopeful that it would solve your negative body image and make you feel more in control of food. You realize that in the end it’s just made you feel out of control and like a failure. Part of what happens in binge eating disorder treatment is understanding how dieting has impacted emotional eating and binge eating. If you are interested in ending dieting here are some tips. 

Tips to stop dieting 

Breaking up with diet culture involves changing how you think about food and your body, and it can be a life-changing process but it does require hard work. Here’s a more detailed guide to help you make this shift:

1. Understand How Diet Culture Affects You

   Diet culture promotes the idea that your worth is tied to your appearance, weight, and size. These beliefs can lead to negative body image and disordered eating habits. To stop dieting,  it’s important to educate yourself about the harmful effects of diet culture. Books like Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, and The Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison, offer more insight and information into how diet culture impacts your physical and mental health and provides different ways of approaching food and your body. The more you understand the negative that comes with dieting, the more it can motivate you to make changes. 

2. Reject the Diet Mentality

   The diet mentality revolves around the idea that you must follow strict rules to control your body. To move away from this, commit to breaking free from dieting. Recognize that your self-worth is not determined by your appearance or weight. Focus on body respect and body neutrality—accepting and appreciating your body without judgment. This shift in mindset can help you develop a more positive and compassionate view of yourself.

3. Listen to Your Body

   Diet culture often teaches you to ignore your body’s signs and signals and follow rigid eating rules. Instead, practice listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues. Intuitive eating involves eating based on what your body needs rather than a strict set of rules. This means eating when you’re hungry stopping when you’re full, and being kind to yourself throughout the process especially while you are learning. Learning to trust and respond to your body is such an important step in breaking free of dieting. 

4. Avoid Diet Culture Talk

   Pay attention to how often diet-related conversations come up in your life, whether they’re about body image, dieting, or labeling foods as “good” or “bad.” These conversations can reinforce diet culture and negatively impact your self-esteem. Try to limit time spent with people who engage in diet talk or change the conversations to more positive topics. Surrounding yourself with supportive and body-positive people can help you stay focused on your goals. Remember your language matters. 

5. Consider Seeing an Eating Disorder Therapist

   Therapy can provide support in your efforts to break away from diet culture. Even if you don’t have an eating disorder, working with a therapist who specializes in eating issues can help you improve your relationship with food and body image. An eating disorder therapist can offer different ways of coping and support to help you stop the cycle of dieting and help you develop a healthier mindset. Therapy also helps to address any underlying issues that contribute to your relationship with food and a negative body image. 

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment in Utah can help you break up with diet culture

Going to Therapy, whether you have an eating disorder or not, helps you stop dieting and build a better relationship with food. Dieting leads to you feeling like a failure or that you’re not good enough. It can become easy to believe those things even when it’s not true. We can talk about your thoughts and feelings about food and your body in therapy. We’ll figure out why you diet and find different ways of coping. Binge eating disorder treatment can teach you to listen to your body's hunger and fullness signals, reduce emotional eating, and help you be more self-compassionate. 

Start working with an eating disorder therapist in Utah 

You don’t have to keep dieting and keep feeling miserable about yourself every time. You can feel better about yourself and your body. Binge eating disorder treatment can help. This Utah Eating Disorder Clinic has a binge eating disorder therapist who can help. To begin counseling follow the steps below: 

1. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation 

2. Meet with a therapist for eating disorders 

3. Stop dieting forever

Online Eating Disorder Therapy in Utah 

Choosing online therapy in Utah can be a big step towards feeling better about yourself and your relationship with food. Research shows that online therapy works just as well as meeting in person, which is why I provide online counseling. With online eating disorder counseling, you can talk to an eating disorder therapist from home, which saves time and makes it easier to fit into your day. You won't have to worry about driving to an office, and you can feel more relaxed in a familiar place.

Online eating disorder therapy means I work with clients all throughout Utah including Logan, Salt Lake City, Heber City, Provo, Cedar City, St. George, and more. 

About the Author 

Ashlee Hunt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and the owner of Maple Canyon Therapy, an online counseling practice based in Utah. She holds two bachelor’s degrees from Southern Utah University, one in Psychology and the other in Family Life and Human Development. Ashlee furthered her education by earning a master’s degree in Social Work from Utah State University. With extensive experience working with eating disorders at all levels of care, Ashlee is dedicated to supporting women in their journeys toward recovery and well-being. Through her practice, she provides compassionate and personalized therapy, drawing on her deep knowledge and commitment to mental health. In her free time, Ashlee enjoys spending time with her husband and two Goldendoodles and riding her e-bike through Snow Canyon State Park.

Is Diet Culture Good or Bad?

As an eating disorder therapist, I see the impact of diet culture on the women I work with. These women are reaching out for help because they can’t stop the cycle of restricting and then binging. They have lost weight and regained it, which leads to a hit to their self-esteem. Women who have spent time dieting are more anxious and depressed than those who don’t. When reaching out for binge eating disorder treatment, my clients are full of shame and embarrassment. They had done so well and dieted and now they believe they have no self-control. If they could only buckle down and work as hard as they did before then they would be happy. In fact, many clients reach out in hopes that I will help them lose weight because that’s their view of their problems. The problem is actually diet culture itself, and it’s not good. 

What is Diet Culture?

Diet culture is a set of beliefs that values thinness and weight loss over health and well-being. It often involves strict eating rules, labeling foods as "good" or "bad," and focusing more on your body's appearance rather than physical or mental health. It’s important to address the risks that come with dieting and how it can impact your overall health. 

Why Diet Culture Can Be Harmful:

1. Negative Body Image:

   Diet culture sets unrealistic beauty standards, making people feel unhappy with their own bodies. Comparing themselves to these perfect images on social media and elsewhere leads to low self-esteem and a negative self-image. People who diet end up being too critical of their body and tend to never feel ok about how they look long term. 

2. Increased binge eating:

    When people follow strict diets, they start to feel deprived and have strong cravings because their bodies are not getting enough nutrients. This can cause them to eat a lot of food quickly, known as binge eating. Binge eating can make them feel guilty and out of control, which can lead them to restrict and diet again. Dieting then leads to binging again. The binge cycle can be overwhelming. 

3. Increased anxiety and depression:

    Diet culture and strict dieting can cause anxiety and depression. Dieting is unstable and leads to feeling not good enough when people can’t follow the strict guidelines on a diet. Dieting leads to increased negative body image which is also related to higher levels of anxiety and depression. 

4. Health Issues:

   Extreme dieting can cause nutrient deficiencies, metabolic problems, and other health issues. It can also mess up your body's natural hunger and fullness signals, leading to an unhealthy relationship with food.

5. Impact on Eating Disorders:

   Diet culture can trigger or worsen eating disorders. The pressure to be thin and the fear of gaining weight can lead to behaviors like extreme dieting, purging, and excessive exercise. People with eating disorders often feel a loss of control around food, and diet culture can make these feelings worse. 

Is there anything good about diet culture?

Some people think diet culture can make people more aware of healthy eating and exercise. However, these benefits are often outweighed by the negative effects. Often when people start a diet they feel hopeful as their clothes feel looser and the number on the scale goes down. This reinforces dieting behaviors but because dieting isn’t sustainable it leads to regaining weight and more. This puts people in a cycle of trying to diet again but they find their brain and their body rebels from sticking to all the rules and guidelines that come with it. 

Try Intuitive eating instead 

Intuitive eating is all about listening to your body and respecting its hunger and fullness. When people first hear about intuitive eating they are immediately skeptical. They believe they’ll eat ice cream all day every day and thus will be neglecting their physical health. You may be surprised to learn that your body craves plenty of nutrient-dense foods and not just ice cream. If you’ve deprived yourself of foods like ice cream or have strict rules around how much and when you can eat it, of course, this is going to be what your body craves for a while until it can trust that you won’t keep restricting it. Intuitive eating is about trusting your body and not labeling foods as good or bad. Intuitive eating is a process and if you have a history of dieting, it may take time for you to learn to trust your body and for your body to trust you. 

Binge eating disorder treatment in Utah can help you break free from diet culture

Diet culture is more harmful than helpful. If you are struggling to like yourself and don’t trust yourself around food without binging, working with an eating disorder therapist can help. You don’t have to keep trying to figure this all out on your own. You can feel in control again. You can stop hating yourself and your body. I want you to start feeling better about yourself. 

Start working with an eating disorder therapist in Utah 

If you're having trouble with disordered eating and the effects of diet culture, it's important to get help. This Utah Counseling Center has an eating disorder therapist specializing in binge eating disorder treatment. To start counseling follow the steps below: 

1. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation 

2. Meet with a therapist for binge eating 

3. Break free of diet culture

Online Eating Disorder Therapy in Utah 

Online therapy is a great option because it’s convenient and flexible. You can have sessions from the comfort of your own home, which saves you time and makes it easier to fit therapy into your schedule. People make more progress in therapy when they go consistently and online therapy in Utah makes it so it’s easier to do so. You can work with an eating disorder therapist wherever you are in Utah. 

Online counseling means I work with clients in Cedar City, St. George, Provo, Heber City, Logan, Salt Lake City, and more. 

About the Author 

Ashlee Hunt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who holds two bachelor's degrees from Southern Utah University in Psychology and Family Life and Human Development. She earned her master’s degree in Social Work from Utah State University. Ashlee owns Maple Canyon Therapy, an online counseling practice in Utah, where she works with women struggling with eating disorders at all levels of care. Her extensive experience and dedication reflect a deep commitment to helping women achieve better mental and emotional well-being.

The Complete Guide to Understanding Diet Culture

Diet culture is a term we have heard more about over the past few years. People are becoming more aware of how harmful diet culture can be to both physical and mental health, which is a big change from the society we grew up in. In the past, there was a strong focus on constant dieting to change our bodies, lose weight, and look "better". More than ever there is recognition that dieting causes so many more problems physically and mentally, increases the prevalence of eating disorders, and negative body image. Dieting is also extremely ineffective long-term. Many experience a backlash in dieting and end up engaging in binge eating which is often what I see in my practice where I focus on binge eating disorder treatment. If you want to understand more about diet culture and how to escape it, you’ve come to the right place. Here in this guide, I’ll be answering some common questions about diet culture.

What is diet culture?

Diet culture has been around for a long time. Thousands of years even. Diet culture centers around the value of weight loss and attempts to be thin. Being thin and a focus on appearance is the most important thing and comes above both physical and mental health. Diet culture promotes being thin at whatever cost and it comes above everything else. It often attaches morals to foods and labels them as “good” or “bad” intending to avoid “bad” foods no matter what. According to diet culture, thinness reflects the epitome of beauty, success, and status. Diet culture makes disordered eating seem normal. Cutting out entire food groups, extreme dieting, and restrictive eating are typical practices in diet culture. Diet culture perpetuates unhealthy beauty standards leading to negative body image and low self-esteem. The diet industry is estimated to make $255 billion dollars per year. Diet culture impacts the development of eating disorders including binge eating disorder. 

Is diet culture good or bad?

Diet culture is extremely harmful. There’s no way around it. Diet culture is responsible for countless people developing eating disorders, self-hatred, and negative body image. It impacts people’s mental health in a negative way. Here are some reasons why. 

Reasons diet culture is harmful:

This is not a comprehensive list but are some of the ways diet culture has a negative impact.

Encourages disordered eating 

Diet culture often encourages restrictive eating, cutting out certain foods and even food groups. It encourages ignoring hunger and fullness cues and neglects to focus on physical and mental health. This focus increases anxiety around food and is difficult to let go of once you’re entrenched. 

Promotes food guilt

Diet culture makes food about morals. It labels foods as “good” or “bad” “healthy” or “unhealthy”. This leads to feelings of guilt or shame when someone breaks one of these food rules despite the biological drive to do so. 

Fuels Negative body image

Because diet culture values and idealizes thinness, it promotes looking negatively at those with larger bodies leading to negative body image. It neglects a focus on body neutrality and body respect and heavily emphasizes weight loss. 

Undermines trusting your own body 

Diet culture is about following a rigid set of rules regardless of individual [dual needs. It reinforces ignoring external cues or listening to your own body. It does not care about your mental well-being and encourages you to focus on a set of rules solely. 

What is the diet culture today? 

Diet culture changes throughout time and adapts to societal standards. Presently in 2024 there is a focus on using apps to track food and exercise, wearing watches, fitness bands, and rings to calculate calories burned and steps walked. These encourage calorie counting, macro counting, and other disordered eating behaviors. Social media has a big impact on the present-day diet culture. Health and fitness influencers sell programs and courses. There is a focus on health challenges, detoxes, and exercise regimens. Instagram, Youtube, and TikTok all have influencers promoting diet culture. Diet culture also comes in disguise and is often hidden under the guise of “health and wellness” but promotes all the rigid rules and behaviors around food that are harmful. Keto, intermittent fasting, macro counting, and anti-inflammatory diets are popular right now in culture along with avoiding gluten. Most recently diet culture has evolved into weight loss injections. 

What are examples of diet culture?

Along with the examples shared in the previous paragraph, examples of current diet culture influences promoting diet plans, cleanses, eating plant-based foods, a heavy focus on eating protein, and adding in a lot of expensive supplements that are not evidence-based. Eating low-fat, low-carb, and sugar-free continues to be part of diet culture. Part of present-day diet culture is referring to foods as “guilt-free”. There are countless examples of diet culture; sometimes they are sneaky and difficult to spot. 

How do you break up with diet culture?

It’s not an easy process to stop dieting and engaging in diet culture but it’s worth all the effort it takes. Breaking up with diet culture often involves having a different attitude about food and body image, which often requires the help of therapy. Here are some steps to try to take away from diet culture. 

Understand the impact of diet culture

It’s important to understand how diet culture is harmful to you and to others. Learning how it creates a negative relationship between body image and food. Reading the book “Intuitive Eating” and the “The Anti-Diet” can help you understand more. 

Reject the diet mentality 

Committing to stop dieting and to recognize how your worth and self-esteem come from outside of your appearance and weight. Focusing on treating your body with respect and creating body neutrality is important in moving away from diet culture. 

Listen to your body

Diet culture teaches you to follow a strict set of guidelines around food and to ignore your body’s sensations. It’s important to start listening to your body and honoring your hunger and fullness. Practicing intuitive eating and treating your body with compassion is a key to challenging diet culture

Don’t engage in diet culture talk 

You may not realize how often talking negatively about your body and labeling foods as “good” or “bad” comes up. Consider spending less time around people who do engage in this type of talk or learn to steer the conversation elsewhere positively. 

Consider meeting with an eating disorder therapist in Utah 

You don’t have to have an eating disorder to benefit from eating disorder therapy. This means you are working with an expert who can help you improve your relationship with food and your body image. Therapy can be life-changing and help you stop engaging in diet culture. 

How does diet culture affect mental health?

Diet culture can negatively impact your mental health in more ways than you might realize. It teaches and reinforces unrealistic beauty standards that most people can't achieve and their bodies were not made to achieve.  This leads to negative body image and constantly comparing yourself to others. Comparing yourself to others impacts your self-esteem and can create a belief of not feeling good enough. Diet culture encourages restrictive eating, making people obsess over food and eating, which often leads to cycles of dieting and binge eating. The pressure to stick to certain diets or avoid specific foods can cause anxiety and a negative relationship with food. Labeling foods as "good" or "bad" can make you feel guilty and ashamed when you eat certain things.

Fear of eating in front of people or in social settings because of food rules can lead to isolation and loneliness. Focusing on weight and appearance can take over and become the number one priority. This focus can take over your life leaving little room for the things you used to value and care about. Constantly thinking about food, calories, and exercise can be mentally exhausting, leaving little energy for other things.

When self-worth is tied to body size or your ability to follow a diet, it can cause pain and anxiety when you don't follow food rules or your body changes. Dieting can become part of your identity and you learn to ignore your own wants and needs.  Diet culture makes it difficult to tune into your own natural hunger and fullness signals. It takes away all the enjoyment from food and creates an obsession with following diet rules. Overall, diet culture creates a cycle of anxiety, negative thoughts, and feelings about yourself, and creates a negative relationship with body image and food. 

What are the problems with diet culture? 

There are many problems with diet culture and the impact it can have on both men and women. Here is a list of common problems that occur because of diet culture

Common issues from diet culture

Unhealthy Relationships with Food: Diet culture promotes restrictive eating and labels foods as "good" or "bad." This can lead to disordered eating habits such as restriction, binging, purging, and more. 

Obsession with body image:  Diet culture tends to make people focus more on how they look above all else. Disordered eating behaviors that come from diet culture are often disguised in the name of “health” because we have been led to believe that being thin is the same thing as being healthy. This is not true.

Weight Bias: People who don't fit the ideal body type may face unfair treatment and bias. This can lead to low self-esteem, social isolation, and increased mental health risks. 

Compromised physical health:  Diet can encourage heavy restriction of certain foods and entire food groups. This often leads to physical symptoms because of lack of proper nutrition. 

Increased anxiety and depression: Diet culture promotes unrealistic standards of beauty and negative body image, which can lead to anxiety and depression. Diet culture emphasizes focusing on strict diets and the fear of being judged by others. All of these things cause obsessive thoughts and social isolation. This constant stress and the cycle of losing and gaining weight make people feel like failures and erode at their self-esteem making them feel like they don’t have willpower or aren’t trying hard enough. 

Unsustainable way of eating: Diets are not sustainable. Up to 95 percent of people gain all the weight back and more within two years. The success rate of diets is extremely low. Please don’t convince yourself that you’ll beat the odds and be on the other side of the statistic. One thing is certain is there’s a high chance you’ll walk away with a disordered relationship with food. 

Negative body image:  Constant exposure to unrealistic body standards can make people unhappy with their bodies, leading to negative body image, anxiety, depression, and comparison to others. 

How do you say no to diet culture?

When it comes to quitting dieting and saying no to the appeals of diet culture it involves making changes. The focus will involve changing your beliefs about food, appearance, and your body and shifting more to a focus on health. Here are some ways to say no to diet culture: 

1. Focus on Intuitive Eating:

   Intuitive eating is a concept that involves learning to listen to your body’s cues for hunger and fullness and not following restrictive diets. Being able to tune back into your body may take some time especially because often when you’ve been restricting and dieting your body has learned not to waste time or energy on sending you those messages.  The good news is with time your body will trust you again and send you those messages. 

2. Focus on Health, Not Weight:

   Shift your focus from losing weight to improving overall health. Focusing on health-promoting behaviors rather than on weight loss has been shown to have better outcomes in improving health. This may be a significant shift for you but it has shown to be better also for your mental health. 

3. Stop putting morals on food:

   Stop labeling foods as "good" or "bad." All foods can fit into a balanced diet. You can enjoy a variety of foods without guilt or shame. Your language and beliefs around food matters. Shifting the way you think and speak about food is important. 

4. Practice Self-Compassion:

   Your body has been through a lot when it comes to diets. If I were to guess somewhere in your life you’ve been told or led to believe there’s something wrong with your body and it needs to be changed. This is a painful thing to experience. Be kind to yourself and your body. Recognize that everyone's body is different and that health is not determined by size or appearance.

5. Surround Yourself with Support:

   Surrounding yourself with people who don’t engage in dieting or body bashing is going to be better for your emotional well-being. Finding others who believe the same way you do and are body-neutral is going to help you quit dieting. 

6. Challenge Negative Thoughts:

   Changing your thoughts and beliefs about body, shape, and size along with health and eating can take a lot of work but it’s also one of the most important steps. Being able to make these changes involves the support of others. 

7. Go to eating disorder therapy in Utah:  

   If you're struggling to break free from diet culture on your own, consider seeking help from an eating disorder therapist who focuses on eating intuitive eating health at every size, and help you be more body neutral. You don’t have to have an eating disorder to benefit from seeing this type of therapist. 

What is the alternative to diet culture? 

An alternative to diet culture is focusing on overall health and mental health instead of just weight or appearance. This approach includes intuitive eating.  Intuitive eating means eating a variety of foods while tuning into the body’s signals without strict rules.  There is a book that can help you understand the principles of intuitive eating called “Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach”. The Health at Every Size (HAES) movement promotes a focus on health outside of weight and size. The HAES movement is about utilizing healthy habits rather than losing weight. Mindful eating encourages paying attention to the experience of eating and enjoying your food. Mindful movement is an aspect of moving your body in ways that you enjoy. Exercise should not be to punish yourself or because of obligation. Exercise and movement should be something you like and can include a variety of different exercises rather than being rigid about a specific type. 

Binge eating disorder treatment in Utah can help you break free of diet culture

Going to therapy can make all the difference when you’re trying to leave behind dieting and feel better about yourself and eating. As an eating disorder, I can help you understand the underlying issues that have led you to use dieting and how you’ve learned to place so much importance on your appearance. You are so much more than that and you don’t have to keep ending up in the same cycle you’ve been in over and over again. Whether you find yourself binging or restricting, or a mix of both. You can find a much more balanced place with food and therapy can help. 

Online eating disorder therapy in Utah 

Some people worry that online therapy is not as good as meeting in person. However, that’s not true. I provide online therapy in Utah because I care so much about reaching everyone who needs access to this specialized therapy regardless of where you are in Utah. It’s just as effective as in-person therapy and much more convenient. You may be more willing to get help if you don’t have to worry about traveling long distances or commuting and that makes all the difference. I have been providing online therapy for several years and know how to connect with my clients in this way. 

Online counseling also means that I work with clients all over the state of Utah including St. George, Cedar City, Heber City, Provo, Logan, Salt Lake City, and more. 

Start working with an eating disorder therapist in Utah 

You don’t have to keep getting caught in the cycle of dieting and hating your body. Therapy can help. This Utah Counseling Center has an eating disorder therapist who specializes in improving your relationship with food through therapy including binge eating disorder treatment. To start counseling follow the steps below: 

1. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation 

2. Meet with a therapist for eating disorders 

3. Break free from diet culture

About the Author

Ashlee Hunt LCSW is the founder of Maple Canyon Therapy originally located in Spanish Fork, Utah on Main Street near Glade’s Drive Inn. Maple Canyon Therapy now provides online therapy all throughout the state of Utah. Ashlee has two bachelor’s degrees from Southern Utah University: one in psychology and another in family life and human development. She received her master’s degree in social work from Utah State University. Ashlee has worked with eating disorders at all levels of care from inpatient treatment to outpatient therapy and particularly enjoys working with those with binge eating disorder. She loves helping women break free from diet culture and to make peace with their bodies again.

What is Diet Culture?

Slim Fast, Jenny Craig, Atkins Diet, Whole30, Keto, Paleo, Intermittent Fasting, Ozempic, and countless other diets have one thing in common: they are all products of diet culture. They’ve all made promises of weight loss, thinness, and ultimately a happier life than you’ve ever had before. One of the many problems with diet culture is that it preys on vulnerable people who want to feel better about themselves. Diet culture not only doesn’t deliver the results that are promised but it makes things worse. Dieting leads to rebound weight gain and binge eating, which is what I see in providing binge eating disorder treatment. It can be hard to see all of the red flags of diet culture at first but that’s what I want to be able to help you see. 

What is Diet Culture?

Diet culture has existed for a long time, even thousands of years. It is all about focusing on weight loss and thinness, often putting appearance above both physical and mental health. According to diet culture, being thin is the most important thing and is seen as a sign of beauty, success, and status. The tricky part about diet culture is that it doesn’t come right out and say this. It can be deceiving and disguised in the name of improving health so much that you might believe it too. It’s much easier to admit that you are trying to be “healthy” rather than trying to be thin.

Diet culture often labels foods as “good” or “bad,” encouraging you to avoid “bad” foods no matter what. It can even encourage you never to eat those foods again. This can lead to extreme dieting, cutting out whole food groups, and unhealthy eating habits. These behaviors are considered normal in diet culture, even though they are both mentally and physically harmful. For example, you might cut out all carbohydrates or fats, thinking it will make you healthier or thinner, even though your body needs these essential nutrients to function.

The influence of diet culture goes beyond just eating habits. It affects how society views beauty and can lead to negative body image and low self-esteem. Many people try to follow these unhealthy standards because it can seem like a solution to a lot of emotional suffering. You might feel pressured to look a certain way because you see celebrities or influencers who promote these unrealistic body ideals. This can make you feel bad about your own body and lead to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, depression, and a poor relationship with food. 

The diet industry makes a lot of money from this culture, about $255 billion a year. It sells products and plans that promise quick weight loss, even if they are not healthy or effective in the long run. Diet culture leads you to believe that it will solve all your problems and once you reach being thin, you’ll be happy.  This includes things like diet pills, meal replacement shakes, and extreme workout programs. These products often come with a high price tag, but they don’t provide lasting results, leading you to spend more money trying new diets and products.

Diet culture also impacts binge eating. The strict rules and rules about food can lead to cycles of restricting food and overeating. When you break your diet rules, you often feel guilty and ashamed, which can trigger binge eating episodes. These episodes involve eating large amounts of food quickly and feeling uncomfortable afterward. This cycle of restriction and binge eating can lead to serious eating disorders. For example, you might restrict your eating all day and then binge eat at night because you are so hungry. This can create a harmful pattern and can require the help of an eating disorder therapist to recover. 

Aside from Binge Eating Disorder, diet culture also leads to other eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and orthorexia. The relentless pressure to be thin can drive you to engage in extreme behaviors to lose weight or maintain a certain body size. Anorexia involves restriction of food, which can lead to weight loss and health complications. Bulimia involves cycles of binge eating followed by purging through vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative use. Orthorexia is an obsession with eating "pure" or "clean" foods, which can result in nutritional deficiencies and severe anxiety around food. These eating disorders are often fueled by unrealistic standards and harmful messages perpetuated by diet culture, creating a toxic environment where disordered eating behaviors are normalized and even encouraged. Eating disorders are a serious mental health issue and can be quite dangerous.

Intuitive eating instead of dieting

Intuitive eating is the antidote to dieting. It’s all about listening to your body's hunger and fullness cues rather than following rigid dieting rules.  Intuitive eating promotes a healthy relationship with food by ditching moral labels of "good" and "bad." Instead of focusing on weight loss, intuitive eating emphasizes overall health and well-being. By trusting your body's natural signals, you can enjoy a variety of foods without guilt or shame, leading to better physical and mental health. This approach helps break the cycle of restriction and binge eating, which is a more sustainable and positive way to nourish your body.

Binge eating disorder treatment in Utah can help you heal your relationship with food

If dieting has led you to a cycle of binging that you can’t seem to escape, binge eating disorder treatment in Utah can help. Binge eating doesn’t have to run your life and wreck your self-esteem. With the help of an eating disorder therapist specializing in binge eating disorder, you can find relief from the cycle of dieting and not let it consume so much of your thinking. Eating disorder therapy is all about helping you learn to cope with emotions and dig deep into what is driving your pattern of dieting and binging in a safe place where you don’t have to worry about judgment. 

Begin working with an eating disorder therapist in Utah 

You can stop binging and have a better relationship with food. You don’t have to keep feeling trapped in your head and in your body. This Utah Counseling Clinic has an eating disorder therapist specializing in helping you break free of binging. To begin counseling follow the steps below: 

1. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation 

2. Meet with a binge eating disorder therapist 

3. Start recovering from disordered eating 

Online Eating Disorder Therapy in Utah 

It can be difficult to prioritize regular therapy appointments when it requires you to travel and carve out time in your busy schedule to deal with barriers like traffic. This is why I provide online therapy in Utah. I assure you that online therapy is just as good as in-person therapy without the hassle of worrying about parking and getting stuck in traffic. 

Online counseling also means I work with clients all throughout the state of Utah including Cedar City, St. George, Provo, Heber City, Salt Lake City, Logan, and more. 

About the Author 

Ashlee Hunt holds two bachelor's degrees from Southern Utah University, one in Psychology and the other in Family Life and Human Development. She furthered her education by earning a master's degree in Social Work from Utah State University. With extensive experience in the field of eating disorders, Ashlee has worked at all levels of care, providing compassionate and effective treatment to individuals struggling with these challenges. Her expertise and dedication make her a trusted and knowledgeable therapist in the area of eating disorder recovery.

What is a Binge Eating Episode?

Many people deal with binge eating episodes, and it's useful to know what they are, why they happen, and how binge eating disorder treatment can help. If you are struggling with binge eating, you might feel like something is wrong with you and why you can't seem to get a handle on it. Binge eating is much more complex than that, and going into more depth can help you make more sense of it

A binge episode is when a person eats excessive food in a short time. During this episode, it feels out of control and happens quickly. This can happen to those who have been restricting or dieting for a long period of time or it can happen with mental and emotional restriction. A binge eating episode is often associated with eating disorders, especially binge eating disorder (BED).

Symptoms of a binge eating episode: 

• Excessive Food Intake: The person consumes a larger quantity of food in a short period of time. 

• Rapid Eating: Binge episodes often involve eating quickly and without a normal pace, making this type of behavior different than eating other meals. 

• Lack of Control: During a binge episode, people often feel a sense of losing control over their eating. They may find it difficult to stop eating, even if they want to.

• Emotional Distress: Binge eating is often accompanied by distress, guilt, shame, or regret during or after the episode.

It's important to know that binge eating, where a person eats a lot in a short time, can be a sign of different eating disorders like BED or bulimia nervosa. How often and how bad these episodes are can vary between people and may cause serious physical and mental issues. If you keep struggling with binge episodes, it's a good idea to get help from an eating disorder therapist. This behavior might show there's a deeper issue impacting your mental health. 

Understanding more about binge eating disorder

There are some differences between a single binge eating episode, (which is also different than overeating) and binge eating disorder. Having an occasional episode of binge eating doesn’t mean someone has an eating disorder but it might mean therapy could be helpful. Here are some things to consider 

Triggers and Feelings:

• Sometimes, our eating habits can be influenced by emotions, the environment, or situations.

• Stress, boredom, sadness, or even happy events can lead to moments where we eat more.

• Our emotions play a big part in how we eat. Some people might use food to cope with feelings or to take a break from unpleasant emotions.

How Often and How Long:

• If someone is dealing with a situation where they keep having binge eating episodes, it might be called binge eating disorder (BED).

• For BED, these moments need to happen at least once a week for three months to get a diagnosis.

• How often and how long this happens can be different for each person.

Understanding a Binge Eating Disorder Diagnosis:

• Eating disorder professionals use certain rules, like those in the DSM-5, to figure out if someone has a binge eating disorder.

• These rules include regularly binging,  feeling out of control, and feeling upset about it.

Getting Help

• Helping with BED usually involves different ways of support.

• Talking to someone, like a binge eating disorder therapist, can help understand feelings and thoughts about eating.

• Learning about how our body naturally tells us when to eat can be part of recovering

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment: 

• You can get can get better with the right help and support.

• An eating disorder therapist and dietitian along with friends and family, can be part of eating disorder recovery. 

• If you or someone you know is struggling with binge eating,  talking to an eating disorder professional can be a good idea. They can understand the situation and make a plan to help your unique needs

Binge eating disorder treatment in Utah can help

You might feel embarrassed or ashamed to reach out for your struggles with binging. I know it's hard and it's scary to be open about what you're struggling with. I get it and as an eating disorder therapist, I want to help you find a way to get better. I know how important it is to improve your relationship with food and stop the cycle of binge eating. If you've been struggling with binge eating for a while, you might feel hopeless but I promise you can feel better. Working through painful emotions and binge eating is no joke but I know it's worth it. Reaching out to begin binge eating disorder treatment in Utah can change everything for the better. 

Start working with an eating disorder therapist in Utah today

You don’t have to keep feeling this way. You don’t have to keep hating yourself and feeling miserable after a binge. You can find relief from all of it. Binge eating disorder treatment can help. This Utah Eating Disorder Clinic has an eating disorder therapist who specializes in treating binge eating disorders. To begin therapy follow the steps below: 

1. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation 

2. Meet with a binge eating disorder therapist

3. Begin recovering from binge eating 

About the Author 

Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is the dedicated owner of Maple Canyon Therapy in Utah. Holding dual bachelor's degrees in psychology and family life and human development from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, Ashlee has a comprehensive understanding of both individual and family dynamics. She furthered her education with a master's degree in social work from Utah State University in Logan, Utah, enhancing her expertise in providing compassionate and effective therapeutic support. With a wealth of experience, Ashlee has worked across all levels of care for eating disorders

Why Do I Binge Eat Sweets?

There’s nothing wrong with eating sweets. I need to be clear about that from the start. Binging on sweets and not just overeating occasionally I can imagine might be causing you some problems. I’ve heard people make jokes about how they wish they could binge on something “healthy” like vegetables but they don’t, they binge on carbohydrates and foods considered “sweets”. The reason for this is that biologically our bodies are wired to seek high-energy foods after dieting and restriction. Foods like sweets also trigger the reward system of the brain. While it may seem frustrating, cravings for these types of foods is normal. Let’s talk more about why that is and how binge eating disorder treatment can help if you’re stuck in a cycle of binging. 

Emotional Eating:

Stress or Anxiety: When we're stressed or anxious, we might turn to sweets for comfort. The sweet taste and good feelings from eating these types of foods can make us feel better temporarily, creating a link between our mood and what we eat.

Reward System: It could be that at some point in your life, sweets are often seen as treats or rewards. When we feel we deserve a treat or need a pick-me-up, we might go for sweets as a way of rewarding ourselves. This connection can lead to overeating, especially when we're feeling emotionally vulnerable. It’s important to know that sweets are not “bad” and this is a natural response for many people. 

Dietary Restriction:

Deprivation: If we restrict ourselves from certain foods, like sweets, it can make us feel deprived. When we finally have access to these foods, our cravings may become stronger, triggering episodes of eating a lot to make up for what we felt we missed.

Unmet Nutritional Needs:

Imbalanced Diet: Not getting enough essential nutrients might make our bodies crave sweet foods for a quick energy boost. We might end up reaching for sweets as a fast and easy way to satisfy this need. If there’s been a period of restriction or dieting, which often results in binges then biologically your body may crave this type of food. 

Mindless Eating:

Lack of Awareness: Eating sweets without paying full attention can lead to mindless eating. When we're not aware of how much we're eating, it's easy to overeat or binge on sweets without realizing it. 

Diet Culture:

Negative Relationship with Food: Society sometimes labels certain foods as "good" or "bad” “unhealthy” or “healthy”.  Feeling guilty or ashamed about eating sweets with negative labels can make us rebel by binge eating them.

Biological Factors:

Blood Sugar Fluctuations: Changes in our blood sugar levels can make us crave sugary foods. These changes may happen due to irregular eating patterns or inadequate food intake. 

In conclusion, intuitive eating suggests a balanced and flexible approach to food that considers both our physical and emotional needs. Developing kindness and curiosity about why we crave sweets is essential for building a healthier relationship with food. If needed, getting support from professionals who specialize in intuitive eating or eating disorders can provide personalized guidance on this journey.

Dieting can increase cravings 

After a period of dieting, it's entirely normal to experience an increased craving for sweets. Restrictive diets often create a sense of deprivation, making the allure of forbidden foods, particularly sweet treats, stronger. Intuitive eating recognizes these cravings as a natural response to the body's need for satisfaction and balance. During dieting, the body may have missed out on certain tastes and nutrients, triggering a desire for the pleasurable and energy-dense qualities that sweets provide. In an intuitive eating framework, acknowledging and honoring these cravings without judgment is a crucial step in rebuilding a healthy relationship with food. Rather than viewing sweet cravings as a failure, intuitive eating encourages individuals to listen to their bodies, understand their cravings, and make choices that align with both physical and emotional well-being.

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment in Utah can help you stop binging 

Therapy with a binge eating disorder therapist is a crucial resource when you are grappling with binge eating. Going to therapy can give you a safe and compassionate space to understand yourself and your cycle of binge eating. It can be e scary to reach out for help when you are embarrassed of your behaviors but you don’t have to worry about being judged. The goal of binge eating disorder treatment is to help you feel better and to find ways to binge less and less. There’s a reason you are struggling with binging and it’s not because there’s anything wrong with you. Working with an eating disorder therapist can help you unravel all the confusion you have about your struggle and find different ways of dealing with painful emotions. 

Start working with an eating disorder therapist in Utah 

You can find relief from binge eating. You don’t have to feel stuck in this loop. You can have a better relationship with food and your body and binge eating disorder treatment can help. This Utah Eating Disorder Clinic has an eating disorder therapist specializing in binge eating disorder. To begin counseling follow the steps below: 

1. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation 

2. Meet with a binge eating disorder therapist

3. Begin feeling better 

About the Author 

Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is the dedicated owner of Maple Canyon Therapy in Utah. Holding two bachelor's degrees, one in psychology and another in family life and human development, both earned from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, Ashlee has laid a strong foundation in understanding the complexities of human behavior and relationships. Further enhancing her expertise, she obtained a master's degree in social work from Utah State University in Logan, Utah. With a wealth of experience, Ashlee has worked across all levels of care for eating disorders, demonstrating a deep commitment to supporting women on their journey to recovery. Her focus primarily centers on working specifically with women, reflecting her passion for providing specialized and compassionate care in the realm of mental health and eating disorders.

Why Do People Binge After Restriction?

If you are currently struggling with binge eating, it can be puzzling to understand why you can’t seem to shake off binge eating when you have proven to yourself you can be disciplined with dieting. It’s important to understand why your response is normal after restricting food or dieting. Let’s talk about some of the common reasons for binging after dieting and how binge eating disorder treatment can help. 

Common Reasons for binging after a diet 

The following reasons can help you make sense of why you’ve been led to binge after dieting or restriction. You will also have unique reasons that are personal to you that may not be listed below. 

Deprivation:

When we go on diets or restrict certain foods, it can create a sense of deprivation. This deprivation triggers a psychological response where the forbidden foods become more tempting and desirable. Telling ourselves we can't have something, will increase cravings.  When the restriction ends, there's a strong inclination to overeat on those previously restricted foods. This is truly a normal response when you’ve been dieting or only allowing yourself certain foods. It doesn’t mean you are weak or lacking in self-control. 

Listening to Hunger and Fullness:

Diets often come with strict rules about when and what to eat. These rules or guidelines can cause us to ignore our body's natural signals of hunger and fullness. Intuitive eating encourages us to reconnect with these signals. However, after a period of not paying attention to these cues, there can be a lack of awareness when we finally start listening again. Not only that but your body will have likely stopped sending you hunger and fullness signals during dieting because it lacked the energy to. It will take some time for your body to be able to send this information again. This may lead to overeating because we're not attuned to our body's signals.

Emotional Eating:

Diets typically focus on the nutritional aspects of food and may neglect the emotional connection we have with what we eat. When we stop restricting, suppressed emotions may surface. Food can become a way to cope with these emotions. If emotional eating isn't addressed, it can lead to overeating or binging as a means of soothing or distracting from emotional discomfort.

Permission to Eat:

Intuitive eating encourages us to give ourselves permission to enjoy all kinds of foods without guilt. After a period of strict dieting, where certain foods are labeled as "bad" or off-limits, there can be a psychological rebound effect. When given permission to eat those foods again, there might be a feeling of needing to consume them in larger quantities, almost like making up for lost time or indulging before the restriction starts again.

Practicing intuitive eating can help stop binging

Intuitive eating helps people stop binge eating by teaching them to pay close attention to their bodies and their needs and emotions. Intuitive eating places emphasis on building a positive relationship with food, free from the constraints of strict diets. It involves learning to trust our body's signals, understanding our emotional connection to food, and giving ourselves the freedom to enjoy a variety of foods without judgment. Intuitive eating considers both the physical and emotional aspects of eating for overall well-being. It lessens the feeling of missing out on certain foods, which often triggers binge eating after a period of restraint. Intuitive eating also says it's okay to enjoy all kinds of foods without feeling guilty

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment in Utah for binge eating 

Getting help from an eating disorder therapist can make all the difference in stopping binge eating. A binge eating disorder therapist will create a safe space for you to figure out the reasons you binge eat. In binge eating disorder treatment, you can learn about what triggers your binge eating and find different ways to deal with stress and emotions. Eating disorder therapists use techniques that help change negative thoughts about food and negative body image, making your mindset more positive. Working with a therapist can help you understand more about the root causes that started your cycle of binge eating and develop more self-compassion for yourself. 

Start working with an eating disorder therapist in Utah 

If you find yourself trapped in the cycle of binge eating, seeking the support of binge eating disorder treatment can be an important step in feeling better. This Utah Eating Disorder Clinic has an eating disorder therapist who specializes in binge eating disorder. To start therapy follow the steps below: 

1. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation 

2. Meet with a binge eating disorder therapist

3. Find relief from the cycle of binging

About the Author

Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is the dedicated owner of Maple Canyon Therapy, an online eating disorder clinic in Utah.  bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her practice. Holding dual bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Family Life and Human Development from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Ashlee's academic foundation provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the intricate dynamics of human behavior and relationships. She continued her academic journey by earning a Master's degree in Social Work from Utah State University in Logan, Utah. With a passion for mental health and a commitment to making a positive impact, Ashlee has garnered extensive experience working in all levels of care for eating disorders.

What is Binge Eating?

Binge eating can be a painful and embarrassing struggle for those who experience it, and it is much more than overeating occasionally.  Those who struggle with binge eating often find themselves caught in a cycle of eating food quickly, in secret, and reaching an uncomfortable level of fullness, This is a distressing experience for those who struggle with binging and they feel completely out of control. The foods they binge on are often the foods they have deemed "bad" or "unhealthy" and typically don't allow themselves to eat outside of a binge. Binging can provide temporary relief or distraction from stress or other painful emotions. Uncovering all of this in binge eating disorder treatment helps those struggles understand themselves better.

People engaging in binge eating might eat in secrecy because they feel embarrassed or ashamed of this kind of eating.  The aftermath of a binge episode is typically filled with negative emotions including guilt, regret, disgust, and self-criticism. These emotions can contribute to a vicious cycle, as some people may turn to binge eating as a way to cope with negative emotions, creating a challenging pattern to break

People who meet the criteria for binge eating disorder will have binge episodes occurring at least once a week for about three months and are truly binge eating and not just occasional overeating. It's important to recognize that binge eating is more than a matter of willpower or lack of self-discipline; Binge eating is complex and often requires the support of an eating disorder therapist and other treatment providers. d recovery. Addressing underlying issues that contribute to binge eating episodes is important to understand in binge eating disorder treatment. 

What are the symptoms of binge eating disorder?

Binge eating disorder has some clear signs or symptoms that can help identify it. Here are some things to look out for:

• Frequent Overeating: People with binge eating disorder often eat large amounts of food for their norm within a relatively short time, like a couple of hours.

• Lack of Control: During these eating episodes, they might feel like they can't control how much they eat or stop themselves, even if they want to.

• Fast Eating: Binge eaters tend to eat rapidly, consuming a significant amount of food from what is typical for them to eat normally, quickly, often beyond the point of feeling comfortably full.

• Eating When Not Hungry: They might eat even when they are not physically hungry and continue eating even after feeling full.

• Emotional Distress: Binge eating is often linked with emotional distress, such as feeling upset, guilty, or ashamed after the episode.

• Secrecy and Isolation: Some people with binge eating disorder may eat in secret due to feelings of embarrassment or shame about their eating habits.

• Regular Occurrence: Unlike occasional overeating, binge eating episodes happen regularly, at least once a week, for about three months.

It's important to remember that everyone's experience may vary, and not everyone with a binge eating disorder will show all of these symptoms. If someone is concerned about their eating habits or someone they know, it's important to see how a binge eating disorder therapist can receive a diagnosis and treatment. 

Why do I binge eat sweets?

Binge eating sweets is a common experience for those navigating a struggle with binge eating, and it often stems from feelings of deprivation. When you’ve spent time avoiding sweets, labeling them as “bad,” or being told they’re a problem because of weight gain, it can create a sense of scarcity and put them on a pedestal. This mindset makes your body and mind crave them even more, creating an endless cycle. From an intuitive eating perspective, please understand that all food is morally equal—sweets aren’t “bad,” and eating them doesn’t make you a bad person. By giving yourself permission to enjoy these foods without judgment, you can reduce the power they have over you and you can start creating a better relationship with food. Ironically letting yourself have these foods without setting limits will stop the binge cycle.

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment in Utah can help you with binging

Getting therapy for binge eating is a crucial step, especially if you're dealing with feelings of embarrassment, being stuck, and self-hatred. Talking to an eating disorder therapist offers a safe and understanding space where you won't be judged. Eating disorder therapy can help you untangle why binge eating happens and guide you toward different ways to cope with your emotions. It's a way to break free from the binge cycle that's causing you pain and making you feel stuck. Binge eating disorder treatment is not about something being wrong with you—it's about finding support to overcome the struggles, ease the embarrassment, and build a path toward a better relationship with yourself and food.

Start working with an eating disorder therapist in Utah 

You don’t have to keep struggling with binging. You don’t have to keep hating yourself or feeling embarrassed for struggling. Binge eating disorder treatment can help. This Utah Eating Disorder Clinic has a binge eating disorder therapist that treats binge eating disorder. To begin counseling follow the steps below: 

1. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation 

2. Meet with a therapist for eating disorders

3. Begin changing your relationship with food

Online Eating Disorder Therapy in Utah 

Online therapy for eating disorders is a great choice for several reasons. Online Therapy in Utah lets you have eating disorder therapy in a private and comfortable space, like your own home, which is important when dealing with something personal like an eating disorder. You can access expert help no matter where you are, making it convenient. This is especially helpful if you feel embarrassed or self-conscious, as the virtual setting allows for open and honest talks with the therapist. 

Online counseling also means I work with clients all over the state of Utah including St. George, Cedar City, Provo, Heber City, Salt Lake City, Logan, and more. 

About the Author 

Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is the owner of Maple Canyon Therapy in Utah, exclusively specializing in supporting women. Holding dual bachelor's degrees in psychology and family life and human development from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, Ashlee's academic foundation reflects her commitment to understanding both individual and family dynamics. Further enhancing her expertise, she earned a master's degree in social work from Utah State University in Logan, Utah. With a comprehensive background, Ashlee has worked in various levels of care for eating disorders, focusing her efforts on providing dedicated and tailored support for women navigating anxiety and body image issues. Her commitment to empowering women and fostering mental well-being underscores her role as a trusted and knowledgeable professional in the field.