Why Do I Binge Eat - The Expectancy Theory

(And how will knowing why I started help me stop)

Many of us have been binge eating for years. Maybe we know what started our binges or maybe we don’t. The most important question is, why do we continue to binge eat? And what can we do to stop this terrible habit? There are 4 theories of binge eating. The one discussed here is the expectancy theory. We will go over what it is, its relation to binge eating, and how to manage it. 

Expectancy Theory

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What is the Expectancy Theory: 

Basically, the expectancy theory is the idea that a certain behavior will lead to a desired outcome. In a work setting this would look like an employee putting in more effort because they believe they will get a promotion. 

In terms of binge eating, many of us have learned that when we binge eat, it helps regulate our negative feelings and emotions, it is a “distress reduction” technique (1). Basically binge eating = temporary relief . 

So How do I “Unlearn this?”: 

We know that binge eating is often a learned technique, where many of us have found that binge eating = temporary relief. So is there possibly a way to unlearn this and therefore decrease our likelihood of binge eating? 

1. Be able to UNDERSTAND when you are feeling emotionally unregulated

   1. Oftentimes binges feel like they just “appear”. All of a sudden we have a craving to eat. When in the ED (eating disorder) program, they encouraged me to do check-ins with myself throughout the day to see how I was actually feeling. Here’s a link to a sheet I made to check in with myself. The premise is, if we know how we are actually feeling, we can take a third person perspective, knowing that these emotions don’t last forever, and take steps to properly regulate our negative emotions. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often helpful for those with an eating disorder because it teaches how thoughts influence feelings and behaviors.

      
      

2. Learn NON-HARMFUL adaptive methods to regulate negative emotions 

   1. Once you learn to recognize your emotions, the next step is to learn how to manage them. Each person may differ in the strategies that work for them. Exercise helps me, sometimes even watching TV or reading a book. I also have found that controlled risk activities like riding my motorcycle, or rock climbing help as well. For many, a few minutes of mindfulness or meditation helps. Some do art or puzzles. Anything that helps you decompress and de stress in a healthy way (i.e. not drugs, alcohol, gambling, risky sex, binge eating). 

   
   

   If you are interested in learning about more skills and tools to begin your journey to recovery, I have made a self guided workbook "Help, I Can't Stop Eating" for purchase here- Coming February 2025.

Resources

1. Rosenbaum, D. L., & White, K. S. (2013). The role of anxiety in binge eating behavior: a critical examination of theory and empirical literature. Health Psychology Research, 1(2), 19. https://doi.org/10.4081/hpr.2013.e19