So one thing that comes up with a lot of my clients is the need to finish what is on their plate even if they are already full or going back for more even though they are already full. This overeating can lead to feeling uncomfortable or maybe guilt after eating.
Guilt should never be associated with food, so if you are feeling a lot of guilt and shame from overeating I want to encourage you that there is a way to find peace with food AND overeating is normal. For example, I went out on date night with my husband a couple weeks ago and we went out for sushi for the first time in a very long time. It was so satisfying! And I knew when I was comfortably full, but I kept eating because of the satisfaction. Before finding food freedom I would have looked at my bloated body and felt disgusted and guilty for overeating, but now after working on my relationship with food, I was happy I could enjoy a food I love and don’t get the opportunity to have very often and move on (with a little discomfort).
Anyways, this is not an everyday thing for me and here’s why:
My mindset is no longer focused on restricting my food.
Mindset is everything when recovering from disordered eating. If you think about it, the mindset was everything with dieting as well, so reversing that mindset that you have had for so many years takes practice and time.
A lot of us grew up with the mindset engraved in us that we had to finish everything on our plate to get dessert or leave the table. This can also lead to overeating in adulthood. It was called the “clean plate club” in my house. Believe it or not, but these childhood mindsets that are ingrained in us often follow us into adulthood and can be hard to break because we often don’t identify them. Once you can recognize why you are overeating it is much easier to make a plan. It is not always so simple to break these mindsets and often it is a combination of the list below causing overeating in the first place.
So the first step is identifying why you feel like you need to finish your plate. Some common examples are:
- You are stuck in restriction and your mind/body cannot trust that this food will be allowed in the future.
- You aren’t eating enough the rest of the day
- Your food isn’t actually satisfying you
- You have an emotional need not being met
- You were taught you need to finish your plate as a child
- You have the belief that you have to “get your money’s worth” out of food when you go out to eat, order in, or prepare a special dish
And keep in mind not all overeating is bad. Like the example I had above. I was fully aware and okay with overeating that night for the experience and satisfaction of the food. Overeating becomes a problem if it is associated with guilt and shame or happens often without a sense of control.
Once you can identify the mindset behind overeating you can work from the source. Some can be more simple such as coming to the realization of being stuck in the “clean plate club,” others like an unmet emotional need can be much harder to identify and work on.
If you are struggling with guilt and shame from overeating, I encourage you to seek out support to help you work through what is going on in your mind.
We would love to be the ones to support you! Feel free to reach out with any questions you have about how we can help you!
