Recovery from an eating disorder is often presented as a highly individualised process—tailored to the specific diagnosis you’ve been given. But what if I told you that, at its core, the path to true food freedom is the same, whether you’ve struggled with anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder?
It may seem counterintuitive—after all, the behaviours look drastically different. One person restricts, another purges, and another feels trapped in cycles of binge eating. But at the heart of every eating disorder is restriction, whether physical, mental, or emotional. And true healing always follows the same process:
- Unrestricted eating—letting go of all food rules and learning to trust your body.
- Emotional regulation—finding ways to process emotions without controlling food.
- Body trust & self-love—detaching your worth from weight and embracing who you truly are.
Let’s dive deeper into why this applies to all forms of disordered eating.
The Common Denominator: Restriction
It’s easy to see restriction in anorexia, where food intake is severely limited. But what about bulimia and binge eating disorder? The truth is, both conditions are deeply intertwined with restriction—either physically (through dieting, fasting, or purging) or mentally (through food guilt and shame).
Anorexia is fuelled by extreme restriction in an attempt to gain control. Hunger cues become suppressed, and food becomes an enemy rather than nourishment.
Bulimia follows cycles of restriction and bingeing. The restriction (whether through food rules or purging) triggers binge episodes, reinforcing feelings of shame and loss of control.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is often misunderstood as a lack of willpower. But in reality, past restriction and food rules are what drive binge eating episodes. When food is seen as scarce (either physically or mentally), the body reacts by bingeing in an attempt to compensate.
The solution? Unrestricted eating.
True recovery isn’t just about stopping restriction; it’s about removing all fear and rules around food. Full permission to eat is the only way to break free from the binge-restrict cycle.
The Migration Theory of Anorexia: Why Starvation Feels “Euphoric”
For those struggling with anorexia, eating can feel wrong, and movement can feel necessary. This isn’t just a psychological habit—it’s a deeply ingrained biological survival mechanism.
The Migration Theory of Anorexia explains why starvation often triggers a paradoxical increase in energy and a diminished sense of hunger.
In ancient times, when food was scarce, humans needed to migrate to survive. Those who could suppress their hunger and stay physically active had a greater chance of relocating to an area with more food. This survival response—reducing hunger and increasing movement—was once an evolutionary advantage.
Fast forward to modern times, and this same mechanism can be triggered by dieting and restriction. Once the body perceives prolonged starvation, it enters “migration mode,” leading to:
- Loss of hunger cues
- Increased energy despite starvation
- A relentless drive to move and exercise
- A cognitive detachment from the body’s needs
The good news? Once the body is consistently nourished and no longer perceives food scarcity, these biological responses begin to fade. The urge to move constantly diminishes, and hunger signals return.
But because restriction also creates deep neural pathways, true recovery requires not only eating more but rewiring the brain’s response to food, hunger, and body image.
The Fear of Weight Gain & The Truth About Set Point
One of the biggest fears in recovery—regardless of diagnosis—is weight gain.
This fear is often what keeps people stuck in half-recovery, still clinging to food rules, calorie limits, or subtle restriction “just in case.” But here’s the truth:
Your body has a set point weight. When fully nourished and free from restriction, your body will settle at its natural, healthiest weight—without the need for control.
Initial weight fluctuations are normal. After prolonged restriction, the body may gain weight at first as it restores itself. But this doesn’t mean you’ll gain weight forever.
True health exists at every size. Healing isn’t about manipulating your body into an ideal shape—it’s about finding freedom in the body that is right for you.
Many people fear unrestricted eating will lead to “eating forever,” but the opposite happens. When the body finally trusts that food is available, the intense cravings and obsession fade, allowing for true intuitive eating.
True Binge Eating Disorder vs. Reactive Bingeing
One of the biggest questions I get is: “What if my binge eating is the real problem? Won’t eating unrestrictedly make it worse?”
Here’s the key distinction:
✔️ Reactive Bingeing occurs in response to restriction. If you’ve ever dieted, cut out food groups, or felt guilty about what you eat, your binge episodes are likely your body’s way of compensating for past scarcity. Solution? Full permission to eat.
✔️ True Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is much rarer and is often driven by a neurological predisposition affecting appetite regulation. In these cases, unrestricted eating is still important, but recovery may also require additional support to regulate satiety cues.
Most people struggling with binge eating don’t actually have true BED. They’re caught in a cycle of restriction and rebellion. Once restriction is removed, bingeing naturally decreases.
| True BED | Reactive Bingeing |
|---|---|
| Rooted in genetic, neurological, or hormonal factors that dysregulate appetite. | Rooted in restriction, food rules, and deprivation. |
| Bingeing feels compulsive and involuntary—like a true loss of control. | Bingeing is a reaction to not eating enough, often after restricting or avoiding certain foods. |
| Lack of normal satiety signals, leading to persistent feelings of hunger or never feeling “fully” satisfied. | Once restriction ends and the body trusts food is available, bingeing naturally reduces. |
| More commonly co-occurs with dopamine-related conditions like ADHD. | More commonly occurs in people recovering from dieting, orthorexia, or anorexia. |
| Recovery may include nutritional support, therapy, and sometimes medication to regulate satiety and impulse control. | Recovery is about allowing full permission to eat and healing the fear of food. |
Recovery Beyond Food: The Emotional Work
True recovery isn’t just about food—it’s about healing the emotions and beliefs that fuel disordered eating.
Ask yourself:
How does my eating disorder serve me?
What emotions am I avoiding by controlling food?
Who am I outside of my eating disorder?
Many of us tie our self-worth to thinness, control, or external validation. True freedom means learning to love yourself beyond your body, embracing imperfection, and stepping into the life you truly desire.
Final Thoughts: The Path to Food Freedom
Whether you’re recovering from anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, the process is the same.
Unrestricted eating, body trust, and emotional healing are the keys to lasting recovery.
Your body is not the enemy. Control is.
If this resonated with you, I encourage you to lean into full permission, challenge the fear of weight gain, and trust that your body is always on your side.
Want more support on your recovery journey?
✨ Join my free support group for coaching, community, and resources
✨ Work with me in my BodyLoveBinge Coaching Program:
You deserve a life of love, freedom, and peace with food. Keep going—you’re so much stronger than you think.
