STOP BINGE EATING
(AND RECLAIM YOUR SANITY WITH FOOD)
A 12-week Coaching Experience
If you struggle with binge eating, you are not alone.
You may feel alone because nobody talks about it. It feels bad. Shameful. Embarrassing.
You think about food all the time -- what, how much, and when you'll eat.
You want to lose weight so you restrict which leads to bingeing. Over and over.
You beat yourself up.
You promise you'll do better tomorrow.
You wonder what’s wrong with you.
You eat in secret.
You hate yourself because you just can't get a handle on your food.
It’s a rollercoaster.
My binge eating habit started in grade 10 when I was trying to fit in on the high school basketball team and felt like the odd one out.
That's my first recollection of using large amounts of food to comfort myself. I didn't know how to handle the big emotions I was feeling. I was brought up in a household who didn't share feelings. I was taught to perform well and save face. I was told I was "sensitive" and "too emotional." So I ate instead.
This started a habit of relating to food and the world that was comforting yet destructive.
In university, I snuck roommates' peanut butter and cheese when they weren't home. Binge eating was my companion through university, a marriage, three kids, a divorce, a second marriage, and grad school. I ate when everyone was in bed. Driving alone was prime time to buy food, eat it, and throw the wrappers in the public garbage.
My pattern was: binge, restrict, binge, restrict. I'd compensate for my binge eating episodes by fasting or exercising. Thankfully, I never became bulimic.
I spent most of my binge eating years in an average-size body. It was maddening to me that my binge eating habit kept me just out of what I felt was "ideal body size" range. I was always on the hunt for a weight loss solution to lose those last 10-20 pounds. Little did I know that my attempts to lose weight were actually driving my binge eating habit! Never did I think, "How am I feeling?" or "It's interesting that immediately following large group social interactions, I binge. I wonder why that is?"
I thought the answer was willpower.
I thought I just wasn't disciplined enough. I tortured myself with the thought that if I really wanted this, I'd stop eating. If I was good enough, I'd stop. Wth is wrong with me?
No one else around me seemed to be struggling with food.
Frustration would arise and I'd automatically eat. Boredom? Eat. Restlessness? Eat. Happy? Eat. Post social event? Hands down I'd eat. Social anxiety was one of the strongest feelings that drove me to the food. I wasn't able to manage the feelings that drove me to the food. I also was unaware that trying to lose weight was a trigger to binge.
In 2019, I landed on a weight loss strategy that had some science behind it. I learned about the science of hunger, cravings, and willpower. It made a lot of sense. I started to follow that approach which also included a food plan that felt flexible and generous. I lost some weight. I liked the plan and the science. But it didn't fix my binge eating habit! I was still regularly bingeing.
I came to the conclusion that fixing this problem is not just about getting the food right. YES, there are certain foods that increase hunger and cravings, which we certainly want to pay attention to. But 80 percent of the problem has to do with your mind - your psychology.
The behaviour of binge eating is a symptom of what's happening in your mind. The decision to overeat starts way before food goes in your mouth. Also: The thought "I need to lose weight" or any other thought conditioned into you by diet culture drives binges.
This 12-week coaching experience will show you how to get to the bottom of your binge eating habit and became sane with food.
Here's what I'll help you do:
- Talk more kindly to yourself.
- Find more compelling reasons to eat healthy and stop binge eating than weight loss.
- Untangle, de-shame, and rebuild your conditioning to diet culture.
- Master the art of getting curious instead of beating yourself up.
- Eat in a way that minimizes your hunger and cravings (this is the science).
- Build habits that make your meals run on autopilot.
- Fuel your body with lots of food.
- Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings instead of avoid, suppress, or react to them. Your practice of this will help you handle urges to eat. (This is the psychology).
- Keep going when you feel like quitting.
How does it work?
This program is built on three things: Science, Psychology, and Support.
Science
Is it that you're undisciplined AND there's something wrong with you? OR is something bigger at play here?
Actually there is nothing wrong with you. In fact, everything is right with you, and your brain is just carrying out what it's been programmed to do.
There are three important pieces of brain science to note here: 1. Your brain doesn't recognize the fullness signal your body puts out when you feed it in a certain way, which makes it think it's always starving. 2. Your brain has a pleasure centre that gets lit up too much and then starts expecting more. This signals intense cravings. 3. Habits are a function of a specific part of the brain which you can capitalize on with your meals. When you do this, you reduce decision making fatigue and your food life runs on autopilot. This makes your life easier.
With this knowledge in mind, we build you a brain that works in your favour instead of against you. When you rewire your brain to work for you, everything else becomes so much easier.
Psychology
By psychology, I mean thoughts and feelings. This is my specialty as a clinical counsellor and certified life coach -- I help you identify the obstacles that are in the way of you carrying through with what you say you will. You will learn how to manage urges by feeling instead of eating. You will learn practical things like food prep (and how to enjoy it!), how to up your veggie intake (and how to enjoy it!), and how to eat like a sane person no matter where you are or what food is in front of you. You will learn what to do after a binge (I teach a specific process which helps you gain wisdom and move forward). You will learn how to trust yourself. You will get to practice the psychological tools needed for a binge-free life. This is exhilarating work! You will be astounded at the changes you see in your habits and mindset after only 12 weeks.
Support
Support is the most powerful component of what we do together. I wasted so much time trying to handle my insanity with food alone. Have you as well?
The support I offer is unlike anything you've experienced. Day in and day out for 12 weeks, you get a ton of support and accountability as you build new habits and build a mindset that is geared toward recovery instead of dieting. This is a precious and vulnerable time when you are learning, grappling, and growing. We protect this special time by wrapping you in a ton of real-time support. I am there 24/7 to answer your questions, trouble shoot, course correct, and encourage.
The result of our work together:
- You'll know exactly why you overeat and binge, and how to stop.
- You'll feel more comfortable in your body (often, but not always, includes weight loss).
- You'll free up energy to focus on other areas of your life.
- You'll stop thinking about food 24/7.
- Your food will operate on autopilot.
- You'll feel more physically full and your cravings will be less.
- You'll get off the binge-restrict rollercoaster.
- You'll understand, know, and love yourself more when we're done!
Get more details here
Book your free consult here
Here's what clients are saying:
"This program has 100 percent made me a happier, better person.
I invest so much in other aspects of my life and really committing to this, looking inward, and really getting to the root has given me so much clarity on so many things. It’s one of the best self investments I’ve ever made. I look at how much money and how many programs I’ve joined and this has definitely been the best one. I feel prepared. I feel like I’ve grown my wings!
"My biggest fear was that I’d quit. Just like all the other diets. The biggest shift for me was trusting the process and trusting myself to do the process.
My thoughts changed from “this is a diet” to “it’s a lifestyle mentality.” I truly don’t think in all or nothing now. That’s huge. I’ve shifted to middle of the road mindset. I’m most proud that I’ve been able to quiet the all or nothing mentality. I’m one of those “normal” people! I learned that it's okay to sit in the uncomfortable. I learned to label feelings and identify them in my body. You (Nadine) took the emergency out of feelings. It’s not an emergency. I can sit back and watch my emotional tantrums. My advice to someone starting the program would be: Do what she (Nadine) says even if it feels stupid. Don’t quit. Take that option out of the equation.
"I’m proud that a lot of the super negative self talk that I had on constant replay in my head has quieted.
That’s been a lot for me to overcome, and I think it’s because everything that has been asked of me has been very acheivable. And even when there has been a hiccup, it hasn’t been a failure. It’s been a “let’s learn from this.” So I think my biggest achievement is that I’m actually feeling better about myself now and that I’m not broken and I’m not a failure.
"This experience has helped me so much in my relationship with food and my overall health.
I have made huge improvements in how I relate to my diet, and I am grateful for the confidence I have in myself to maintain these changes long term. Over the weeks we had lots of laughs, real conversations and tons of growth - Nadine's non-judgemental approach and genuine interest and care shone through in the support she provided.
"This was a lifestyle transformation.
I feel like I’m more organized. I’m more aware. And now I have all of these tools to help me in hard situations… I’ve been binge free for so long. I feel like it’s because I’m aware of the situation now…I wasn’t aware of the situation before.
"This is much much more than I had hoped for.
The energy that Nadine puts into her clients and the sincere care she gives is front and foremost. She has gone above and beyond to ensure my success even over the holiday season when the challenge was particularly difficult. Nadine is absolutely inspiring and has really changed my life! I never imagined what I was in for when I stepped into her office. I can tell you, you will leave with solid knowledge, vital tools and insight into yourself which is critical if you desire change.
"My life has gotten so much less chaotic already.
Nadine’s stop bingeing program has been an amazing journey for me. I am still on the journey but I can see a future for me with no bingeing. I will never do a “diet” again. The group and individual support you receive in this program is incredibly helpful. It is awesome to have someone guide you who has actually been through the same things as you and understands. She is so supportive but will always call me out on my “stinkin’ thinkin” and I love her for that. If you suffer from binge eating I highly recommend taking the first step and message her. You will not regret it.
"I was worried when I started this program that I’d have to completely limit myself
And I wouldn’t be able to eat the foods that I enjoy, that I’d be losing out on having different foods with my friends or not being able to go out for dinner. It was the opposite. I worried about being open and honest about bingeing and the emotions I was having. It felt good to be open and honest.
"I especially loved learning about the brain component and how every part functions in the thought processes and why we do what we do.
Nadine is extremely knowledgeable and is walking right along side you as you go through the steps. I felt supported, encouraged and challenged!!! Clarified a lot of habitual patterns I had going on. This program has nothing but endless support and Nadine is a gentle warm soul which makes her a great leader in this program (but don’t let that fool you... I think she’s a tough little lady under all that 😉
"My experience was a rollercoaster.
I’m thinking “oh crap, this’ll be scary.” Then climbed my first big hill. There is new learning, a new language, and new tools. I doubted myself-“I won’t make it.” Then I got to the top of the hill! “Look what I’ve done so far! I think I can do this.” Then it was downhill. Coasting. Then going off the rails and getting back on, a twisty dance. It was frazzling and exhiliarating. I put in so much work. It was so worth it.
"This is so doable. It’s become even more automatic than I ever thought it would.
I automatically think about veggies. I fit into my clothes better. I’m not worried at all about restaurants. I can find middle of the road and eat like a sane person.
"At the beginning I was kindof embarrassed
Now I feel like I can tell you (Nadine) anything about what I’m eating or how I’m feeling. It was hard at the beginning just to open up that trust between myself and you (Nadine) and your tools. However, it got so much easier.
"I feel like I have a different relationship with food now.
I understand what goes on in my brain, why my body wants things, why my body talks to itself the way it does. Because I understand that, I’m just generally more confident in myself in how I’m eating, how I’m talking to myself, and the actions that I’m taking to combat this big issue I’ve had for 10 years.