“’This will be my last ice cream ever’ is a thought I have had so many times I’m embarrassed by it.” – Paul

Late night bingeing is an especially tough habit to break.

You repeat the same destructive behavior over and over, knowing it’s wrong, but stopping feels impossible because it doesn’t seem like something you can control. Rationalizing the behavior becomes second nature, and you don’t see a way out.

This is Paul’s story. Paul knows his bingeing habit is the reason he is overweight. His late night episodes alone in the kitchen are something he looks forward to, but also wants to stop.

It doesn’t matter if it’s celery sticks or potato chips, it is the act of being able to eat as much as he wants–with no one around to judge him–that’s such a relief and so rewarding.

Sometimes behavior patterns like these can be changed by identifying and avoiding your triggers or finding an alternative outlet for whatever it is your brain is craving. But, those solutions are only useful after you’ve unraveled why you are using this behavior as a source of relief in the first place.

Today I help Paul find his “why” so that he can find peace and enjoy indulgences without regretting or overdoing them.

Wish you had more time to listen to the podcast? I use an app called Overcast (no affiliation) to play back my favorite podcasts at faster speeds, dynamically shortening silences in talk shows so it doesn’t sound weird. It’s pretty rad.

Related links:

How To Stop Overeating When Emotional Eating Combines With Food Moralizing (Foodist Podcast)

How To Stop Moralizing Your Food Choices (Foodist Podcast)

How To Stop Moralize Your Food Choices 2 (Foodist Podcast)

The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss

Nintendo Switch

Super Mario Odyssey

Thinking Fast And Slow by Daniel Kahneman

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Show details (links don’t work on mobile devices):

2:51 – Paul has a habit of binge eating before bed.

4:48 – It’s not a hunger issue, how to tell.

6:05 – The “What-the-Hell Effect” struggle is real.

6:31 – Paul has plenty of other healthy habits, so his bingeing episodes are most likely the reason he isn’t losing weight.

7:30 – The trigger? Paul needs a reward at the end of the day.

8:25 – The only person who knows what your triggers are is you.

8:50 – Rest and enjoyment are essential for a healthy life.

10:13 – Food moralizing also fuels Paul’s commonly leads to bingeing.

11:27 – How food moralizing works.

13:58 – Specific locations can trigger bad habits.

14:46 – It’s good to know what your triggers are, so you can recognize and avoid them.

16:20 – Food moralizing is a Jedi mind trick played on yourself.

18:23 – There can be multiple factors involved in undoing a bad habit.

19:56 – Question your assumptions.

20:16 – Paul doesn’t feel sick or physically bad after bingeing, it’s more the guilt that behavior this is why he’s overweight.

26:56 – When Paul indulges in front of other people he feels judged and embarrassed.

29:45 – It’s less likely that you will overindulge if you are actually enjoying your food.

30:03 – The scarcity mentality can also lead to bingeing.

32:13 – Recognizing your limiting beliefs gives you the ability to redirect your behavior.

33:12 – What is missing in your life that you are trying to fill with this behavior?

36:40 – Classic thought patterns of binge eaters.

41:33 – Find a powerful motivator that makes you want to stop.

45:52 – Find an alternative form of relief and indulgence.

47:55 – How to break a habit.

48:33 – Are you a fundamentally flawed person if you binge?

51:52 – How to make a lasting behavior change (Darya’s method).

55:14 – Is it helpful to think of bingeing as an addiction?

If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please fill out the form here and tell us your story.