Brain Over Binge

The morning before I recorded this week’s vlog was a nightmare, and my response to the stress made me think about a book I’m currently reading. Watch to hear what happened and how it relates to your BLE journey.

Comments

  1. Margaret Terris

    Thank you for a Great vlog Susan xxx

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  2. Linda Wilkins

    Fantastic — duh, keep it simple. Doing it right this minute. Thank you.

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  3. Maria

    Thank you Susan for this very helpful vlog…yes the holidays stress me out because it seems like my family tries to peer pressure me into eating… I know it’s because they feel insecure or maybe feel like I’m being snobby about not indulging.. I wish they knew your motto of ” keep your eyes on your own plate”. This ninja move is wonderful.. We have a poster in our home that reads “do something today that your future self will thank you for”… Reminds me of your support ..thanks again.. It feels good to remember I am not alone even though it may feel that way..

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  4. Nancy Goss

    Great way in which to stop these overwhelming times!

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  5. Kim

    This was so helpful. I’ve been dealing with this exact issue and have been trying to analyze why they’re happening, why now, what should I do?? Just put them in the pen , forget about it , and move on! Sometimes the simplest of solutions can elude us.

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  6. Laurie Rickerd

    Hi Susan,
    All we needed was self control all along…. wow! Thank you for a message so timely to me, From now on, I will take my thoughts captive (put them in the baby pen!). This is also a biblical concept. You reminded me I am not using a gift that has been given to me, the power to “just say no”.
    Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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  7. Robin Scott

    I wish you had identified that the book is by Kathryn Hansen.

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    1. Susan Peirce Thompson

      Agreed. Fumble on my part. Thanks for bringing it up and getting her name into the conversation. 🙂

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  8. Beverly

    This sounds very similar to a book I just finished reading called, Never Binge Again by Glenn Livingston, Ph. D.
    It seems so simple and straightforward. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Wendy P Solganik

      Hi. Just wanted to insert my opinion here that these two books are have nothing in common. Brain Over Binge is a revolutionary work that has the potential to help millions of people recover from binge eating disorder. Livingston’s book is pretty worthless, IMHO. Just my two cents, not trying to offend anyone.

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  9. Lynn

    As someone who knows the book, thank you for your summary of Brain Over Binge. I understand how you are using the author’s concept of higher brain and lower brain to apply to your program. However, to clarify the author or the book, all foods are allowed in Brain Over Binge. The goal is not immaculate eating, clean eating or Bright Line Eating or weight loss. The goal is to stop bingeing. That’s it! In order to stop bingeing the book advocates less restriction and living more in a gray area. It can include more than three meals a day and many foods made with white flour and sugar. Great that you found the book valuable though. I do too.

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    1. Dylan

      You hit it right on the nail!!

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  10. Sarah Andrews

    Hi Susan,
    Thanks, that was interesting. 2 Corinthians 10:4 says, The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. So instead of the pen, I lay them at the cross.
    Hope this helps.

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  11. Jane Mussey

    The link to Youtube leads to a different video. Brain Over Binge is……brilliant. Must share! Is it possible to fix the link?
    Thank you!

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    1. Bright Line Eating

      Hi Jane. I think we’ve got it fixed! Are you able to access the correct video from the link? If you’re still having trouble, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Customer Support Team at support.brightlineeating.com. With love, Lori Lang – BLE Support

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  12. Jane Mussey

    Link seems to be fixed! Or maybe it was operator error. Thank you!

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  13. Stephanie Burchfield

    Susan, thanks so much for all the wisdom and thoughts you share with your tribe. I live every day in gratitude because of what you’ve brought to my life over this past year. I feel like you (Top of the List), Ari, Ocean, James Cleary, and numerous other contributors, either within the BLE tribe or because of your excellent recommendations for the tribe, have so enriched my daily existence. The impossible is now… possible. Today’s vlog is yet another jewel! Thank you! xoxo

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  14. Isabelle

    When I wrote in for you to read my letter on the weekly vlog (which you did) I had just finished reading that book. After reading it, I thought of asking you if the reason why I was bingeing on the WL plan was linked to the animal brain. When I’m on the WL plan, my animal brain goes on overdrive. When I’m on maintenance, I have no thoughts to eat nmf. The link is there. Calorie restriction triggers the animal brain wickedly in binge eaters. I believe one can achieved goal weight by beginning on the maintenance plan, then slowly reducing down to a zone where weight loss is achieved without triggering the animal brain.

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    1. Eleonore

      This is exactly what I do feel as well. Kathryn Hansen, who has a wonderful podcast by the way, strongly encourages to eat ADEQUATLY ! I am severely struggling on the WL plan, because I´m starving the whole afternoon and evening. I might letting go of BLE at all or try the maintenance plan… .

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      1. Silvia

        Eleonore, the same happened to me, I just could´nt resist the 2 hours before dinner. I have solved it by eating half portion of cereal in my lunch. I also split vegetables between lunch and dinner (10 oz each). Adjust your program, the only condition is to be consistent, I mean, if you add a portion of something, do it everyday. Good luck!!

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      2. Dylan

        You need to eat when you’re physically hungry. That is the correct time to actually put food in your mouth!

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      3. Wendy P Solganik

        Eleonore, it is my humble opinion that Susan, as dear and wonderful as she is, is completely missing the boat on the message of the book Brain Over Binge. And you are right, it’s the caloric restriction that leads to the binging behaviors. As soon as I let go of the effort to change the size and shape of my body, my binge eating disorder that I thought I had, along with a sugar addiction that I thought I had, vanished within a short period of time. But the key thing that Susan misrepresents here is that BLE and Brain Over Binge have something in common. They do not. In fact, they are the uttermost opposite. The recommendation from Brain Over Binge is that by letting go of the attempt at weight loss, or even weight maintenance, you will be free of your compulsion to binge. In my case, that was the magic bullet. As hard as it is to accept our body in a larger size, I’d rather learn to live in a larger body that constantly be starving and then binging on a restricted calorie diet. I wish I had known then what I know now. I really effed up my metabolism after dieting since the age of 15. It’s taken over a year but I learned to feed myself instead of starve myself. I could go on and write a novel, but no body has time for that.

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        1. Susan Peirce Thompson

          Hi Wendy,
          First of all, I want to acknowledge that you have really strong feelings about this. That makes sense to me. I’m sure if I were you, I’d feel the same way. It’s natural for us all to latch onto the approach that has finally FINALLY worked for us to solve our seemingly intractable food issues, and want to spread that message. In fact, that’s precisely what I’ve done with Bright Line Eating, so I get the impulse.
          You’re very right that I have not gone into every detail here about the Brain over Binge approach. But I guess that makes sense too. This VLOG isn’t on the Brain over Binge website, it’s on the Bright Line Eating website.
          There is indeed one thing that BoB and BLE have in common–that’s the use of strong mental techniques, generated consciously and intentionally in the cortex, to resist and reframe the urgings of the hindbrain and midbrain.
          I’m happy to agree that that’s pretty much all the two approaches have in common. This VLOG is just about that overlap. It doesn’t suggest that BoB and BLE are the same.
          I’m super happy to hear that the BoB approach has worked for you and you’ve found peace. It’s one of my favorite sayings, “Do what gives you peace.”
          For myself, I didn’t find peace by eating enough food to stop binging. It worked–I stopped binging. But the “enough food” that allowed me to do that netted out to an average 5-10 pound weight gain per month. I was already obese, and only in my mid-twenties. I did the math and realized I couldn’t keep using that strategy. For me to find peace, I had to figure out a way to handle both my binging AND my weight problem. I don’t think I’m misguided for wanting to solve my weight problem. I don’t think everyone should do that or needs to do that, but for me it was a big part of the equation.
          With love,
          Susan
          P.S. — I just want to mention, also, that one thing you say isn’t fully accurate: “it’s the caloric restriction that leads to the binging behaviors.” That’s true for bulimia, but for Binge Eating Disorder, binging is generated, for the first time, in the ABSENCE of any caloric restriction, in about 55% of cases. (Kathryn Hansen cites this study on page 148 of Brain over Binge.) Eating behaviors are very complex, and it’s a false and overly-simplistic belief to think that increasing food intake is the answer, or even a beneficial step, in all cases. I’m happy it was in your case.

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    2. Tammy

      Thank you for your comment. The WLFP triggered pretty severe bingeing for me and Kathryn Hansen’s common sense approach has helped me heal, learn and move on. I’m a bit frustrated by this vlog b/c at the time I had shared this experience with BLE, Susan did a vlog about BLE and bingeing, discrediting these experiences. Now Susan agrees with Kathryn’s brain science about low cal driving cravings and bingeing…. !?!?!? But does not seem to acknowledge the link with her wlfp and rigid addiction approach. Glad you found this book Susan.

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      1. Wendy P Solganik

        Susan doesn’t have the understanding of what Kathryn is saying in her book and program and therefore is completely misrepresenting both her program and Kathryns. I wish Susan would take this vlog down.

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        1. Susan Peirce Thompson

          Hey Wendy. I very much agree that BLE and BoB are working to help people with different problems (BED/Bulimia vs. Overweight/Obesity) and have entirely different goals (cessation of all binging vs. getting into a right-sized body and achieving freedom from food obsession). It’s possible that I don’t understand what Kathryn is saying in her book, as you suggest. It’s also possible that what I’ve done here is taken one way that BLE and BoB overlap–the use of strong mental techniques to avoid succumbing to every urge that our hypothalamus and brain stem generate–and expounded on it. I respect Kathryn Hansen’s approach and simultaneously recognize the profound differences between her approach and Bright Line Eating. I deeply believe there is no one approach or system that will be right for everyone. Generally speaking, I think it’s beneficial for us to find the places of overlap and recognize that we’re all trying to be helpful. Yet individuals will have to do some research and exploration to find the way that works for them.

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  15. Deborah

    What a great vlog — I love the mental imagery of putting them in the pen! Thanks so much!

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  16. Lynn

    Brain over Binge states that there are 2 goals to end binge eating: 1. to dismiss the urges to binge (coming from the lower brain) this was addressed in the vlog and 2. To eat adequately and that it is necessary to do both to stop binge eating.
    Goal number 2 is at odds with BLE, as Katheryn Hanssen in Brain Over Binge describes that it is not possible to overcome the primal instinctive urge to eat when you are hungry because you have not eaten adequately. Furthermore that the body will stabilize at a healthy weight once you stop binge eating.
    The BLE boot camp videos explain that one needs to dismiss this urge because it’s normal to be hungry when you are trying to loose weight as you are putting your body into a caloric deficiency it’s part of the point of loosing weight.
    I feel that Brain over Binge and BLE contradict one another can you please explain how you see these two approaches as compliments to one another?

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    1. jj

      SPT said in this vlog : Dieting is Dangerous. so interesting…. b/c BLE IS “dieting” (restricting one’s amount and/or type of food).

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      1. Kate

        BLE is a restrictive diet. And Brain over Binge says that is what causes bingeing? Restrictive diets?… yikes!

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        1. Bright Line Eating

          Hi, Kate. As I mentioned to JJ, Susan just responded with a comment that adds more perspective to the vlog. She also addressed some of the concerns shared here in the comments. You can find it under “Lynn’s” thread here: November 8, 2018, at 12:02 pm (searching by date and time is easiest.) Take care, Lori Lang – BLE Customer Support

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      2. Bright Line Eating

        Hi, JJ. Susan just responded with a comment you may find helpful and interesting. It’s fairly lengthy, so she didn’t respond to everyone; instead, she created a thoughtful comment to reach out to as many people as possible. Susan commented under “Lynn’s” comment thread on November 8, 2018, at 12:02 pm. If you search for the date and time, it will help you find it. Also, you’ll see Susan’s photo by the comment. With love, Lori, BLE Customer Support.

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    2. Wendy P Solganik

      This vlog is complete horse poo.

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  17. Tom

    Thank you so much for allowing me to observe your vlogs and giving me more tools to fight the sugar/processed food cravings. So far 85 pounds lost but might have to buy your book to get the last 30 off…..lol

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  18. Melinda Roberts

    Just ordered a copy of the book through Interlibrary Loan! Can’t wait to read it.
    After losing 110 lbs last year thanks to a fun three rounds of chemo for Stage IV metastatic colon cancer (after nearly five years cancer free), and then going on a chemo-free, surgery-free approach to healing the cancer, I am now binging again on carbs and sugar — which is DEADLY in my situation. I can’t stop!! I’m not gaining weight, but I’m clearly cognizant of the damage I’m doing. It’s like I’m one the one hand working to heal the cancer (I’m still Stage IV almost two years, now), but I’m also eating the foods that could help the cancer grow. I wish I knew why I’m doing this 🙁 This vlog was really helpful!

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    1. Dylan

      Melinda I’ve heard cancer loves carbs & sugar. A lot of them. So this cancer is probably causing your intense sugar cravings, so it can grow & grow. Keep fighting it and get your brain over the urge. My heart goes out to you and I wish you all the best in the world, forever.

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    2. Stefi

      Dear Melinda, I agree w Dylan & am glad he added prob the larger part of these carb cravings- but also it sounds as you have a severe depletion of good gut bugs to help the fight. Look into more veggies, especially dark leafy greens ,cooked & maybe close to raw ( thats to deactivate goitrigenic effect – slight saute will do the job) .
      Noting that this is a serious health issue I would never just post on Susans site anothers’ work ( no time to wait for reply thru support) but Donna Gates world seems a real necesisity for you. Heart with you 💓

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  19. Lauren

    Years ago, I read Jack Trimper’s book on Rational Recovery and then later Hansen’s ‘Brain Over Binge’ book based on his work. [‘7 Tools to Beat Addiction’ was another 12-step alternative book that came out a while back.] I thought I’d finally found the answer. It didn’t work for me. Hansen started bingeing as a reaction to dieting. I started bingeing as a means of dealing with a difficult life situation – then I dieted in reaction to bingeing. Opposite order. In my case, working on my issues has been absolutely essential to my recovery. Although they weren’t called Bright Lines, I learned about 3-0-1, no s & f, and weighing & measuring in a 12- step program and had written out my food in advance for years. Still I couldn’t maintain my abstinence for more than 3 or 4 months without a major relapse. BLE provided me with the last missing piece of the puzzle to overcome my eating disorder – the Facebook support group. That made all the other work I did finally gel together. I’m so grateful for the 24/7 support.

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  20. Karen Hall

    Have you read Never Binge Again by Glenn Livingston? The idea is extremely similar. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts about it. I have found it to be helpful,. I use it alongside BLE, believe it or not, even though there are philosophical differences between his approach and BLE.

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  21. Galina

    So true! Thank you!

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  22. Maureen Pilkington

    Dear Susan I am a great fan of yours. Thank you for this great vlog re the book “Brain over Binge” It occured to me that one could use this Ninja Approach for many other behaviors such as Fear Based Procrastination. AND avoidance or Resistance. Not taking ACTION can be a real killer and keep many people stuck in despair and self loathing. For the past year I have been wanting to create an Online Course to help parents of teenagers and school teachers spot and stop an eating disorder in its early stages . I have 20 years experience as a Family Therapist working with families and eating disorders. I am passionate, care deeply and have such a lot of knowledge to share BUT I am stuck in Fear based procrastination about daring to go online. I am off to read the book and put my own monkeys in the “playpen “. THANK YOU SUSAN
    Maureen Pilkington Geneva, Seitzerlandc

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  23. Tamsin Butters

    Thanks Susan interesting. For me, there’s nothing to do or work on once you have a different relationship with thought, see that it’s all thought, and since thought is transient, it comes and it goes, in that quieter state of mind, that space between the thoughts, we all have access to innate wisdom, what I see as our true nature. There’s kindness in the design – the less noise in the system, the more space for that wisdom/common sense to come through. Of course we can all get caught up in our human, personal thinking, but seeing how the system works makes it so much easier to just let thoughts go, and that that has been a game changer for me and my clients.

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  24. Sowmya

    This book is a past favorite of mine. As someone whose BED also started with starvation diets and who also thought therapy is not for me, I thought this was my answer. But in the long run it dint work for me for the same reason intuitive eating dint work for me. When your life is sort of even keeled and you are just coasting along in life, it does work very well. However if and when your life hits crisis mode and you are overwhelmed with stress day in and day out, you will find yourself not able to just stop eating.

    I later came to understand what I think is a big flaw in this book. The premise of this book is that therapy does not work and that understanding the science and just applying the principles to just stop binging will work. However what the author overlooks is that she was in therapy for years which probably equipped her with a few skills that she otherwise would not have had. Like becoming aware of her triggers, journaling and being mindful of her eating behaviors. Also possible she worked on a few other issues like self esteem and relationships during her therapy. All of this combined put her in a place where, when the switch flipped for her she was able to immediately stop binge eating. In other words she was mentally strong enough for that to work for her.

    If you are someone currently leading a pretty dysfunctional life, owing to food addiction or toxic relationships(with self and others) or mental health issues, or if you are so mired in food addiction that picking up that food feels like a life and death decision then the principles in this book may not be enough to make you “just stop eating”.
    However it is a fabulous tool to put in your EAP(Emergency action plan)tool box. I have written Veto Power(the power to not act on our thoughts) as the first line in my EAP. It does work sometime but not all the time. Which is why I have other things in there.
    If you want to explore more on the idea of not acting on your thoughts, a couple of book suggestions are “You are not your Brain” by Jeffrey M Schwartz and Rebecca Gladding(the fourth chapter talks about the concept of Veto Power) and “The Little Book of Big Change: The No-Willpower Approach to Breaking any Habit” by Amy Johnson(the first few chapters are about her spiritual beliefs which I suggest skipping if you don’t lean that way, but in later chapters she makes some good arguments about the fleeting nature of thoughts)
    Finally a word of caution for anyone currently doing BLE wanting to check out Rational Recovery. Many of the authors in there are anti-12 step. Meaning they don’t just say 12 step did not work for me, they imply 12 step is wrong and people who are working it are doing something wrong. I don’t think rational recovery is for everyone. For some of us we find our freedom in the bright lines and structure of the 12 step and we need the spiritual base(not god or religion, just spirituality) that 12 step gives.
    This turned into a pretty lengthy comment, I apologize for that. Just wanted let people know that if you are currently successful with BLE, your saboteur might find some ammunition to derail you if you step too unthinkingly into the world of rational recovery.

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    1. silvia

      Long but interesting comment, thank you!

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    2. Lia S.

      Very helpful comment, ☺️, thank you.

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    3. Andrea Jill Krogue

      Many of us do find that BLE works for us and provides a plan and safety net that gives us health and freedom. I don’t binge so I don’t understand all the premises and treatments necessary for recovery in this area. However, I believe that there are many different solutions to the many problems in life and I for one am glad that I discovered BLE. The flour and sugar were contributing to an inflammation in my knees and for the last year and 1 month I have been moving and functioning at a pain free level because of BLE. Weight loss helped but the no flour and sugar was essential for my health and happiness.

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    4. Bright Line Eating

      Hi, Sowmya. Thank you for taking the time to comment with such thoughtful detail. Susan just responded with a comment you may interesting. It’s fairly lengthy, so she didn’t respond to everyone; instead, she created a comment to reach out to as many people as possible. You’ll find Susan’s comment under “Lynn’s” comment thread on November 8, 2018, at 12:02 pm. If you search for the date and time, it will help you find it. Also, you’ll see Susan’s photo by the comment. With lots of love, Lori, BLE Support.

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    5. Evelyn STapp

      Thank you , your comment was very helpful.

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  25. Molly Doogan

    Meditation is an excellent practice to separate the binge impulse from the action/motor part of the brain. In meditation the impulse to move, itch, even sneeze come up…none of these physical impulses need to be acted upon. It is a huge shift in separation to be able to feel an itch come, then feel an itch go with no movement.

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  26. anna

    Thank you Susan

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  27. Greg Korgeski

    I was very interested in this vlog and discussion. I bought the book and want to look into it further. I do have an initial concern: if I understand it right, there is a sort of “mindful” component in terms of “just” being aware that one has the cravings to binge or I suspect eat wrong foods, but the trick is just to not allow oneself to do this. If this is an accurate understanding of this, it’s a pretty big “just”! In fact, I realize that this is pretty close to the exact plan I’ve followed for like sixty years, time and time again. I just will stop overeating. I just will stick to a simple food plan. I just will eat like a normal person. I will meditate, I will try anything, I will “just” ignore my desire not to go to the gym. Exactly the kinds of things that seem totally self-evident and “duh!’ … to THIN people.

    In contrast, the BLE program is absolutely the first massively (pun included at no extra charge) successful program I’ve had; I’m over halfway to my ideal weight, have lost 40 lbs in five months and find the structure of this super helpful. Eager to see how the book and the ongoing discussion on this go. I suspect it may be for me a useful adjunct, sort of like the way good nutritional science (e.g., Fuhrman) has been helpful. But I’m not sure it’ll in the end be for me as useful as Susan’s book/approach/system.

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    1. Bright Line Eating

      Hi, Greg! Susan just responded with a comment you may find helpful and interesting. It’s fairly lengthy, so she didn’t respond to everyone; instead, she created a thoughtful comment to reach out to as many people as possible. Susan commented under “Lynn’s” comment thread on November 8, 2018, at 12:02 pm. If you search for the date and time, it will help you find it. Also, you’ll see Susan’s photo by the comment. With lots of love, Lori, BLE Support.

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  28. Heather Hudson

    Wonderful as always. You’re the best girl! Love you forever. xoxoxoxo

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  29. Elizabeth

    This approach reminds me of how I quit smoking after 26 year ago after 10 years of trying to quit. I meditated and asked my 17 year old self to take over my smoking decisions. Since she had never smoked, smoking wasn’t on her radar screen and there was never a decision to make. I never picked up a cigarette again. The mantra NMF is similar and I’m starting to believe it, but I love the idea putting those mischievous, pesky voices into a pen where they can play amongst themselves and I can get on with my life.

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  30. Lynn

    I find that Brain Over Binge and BLE do contradict each other regarding what to eat. An important part of Brain Over Binge is to stop restriction and rules. No food is bad. Restriction triggers food obsession and to bingeing in many people. So that part of the BOB program is diametrically opposed to BLE. But the idea that you do not have to act on a thought from the lower brain might be helpful in BLE. However if you eat “adequately” then the lower brain quiets down. Eating adequately takes a lot more food and more variety of food than those of us who have always been in the diet culture want to allow. Take good ideas where you find them to make your own path.

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    1. Susan Peirce Thompson

      Hi Lynn. This is a really good point! You’re so right. There ARE differences between the Brain over Binge approach and the BLE approach.

      I can respond to this on a couple of levels. And I’m going to flesh out lots of thoughts, only some of them raised by what you wrote here, because a lot of people commented in a similar vein (some with much more heat and concern than you are expressing) and I want to address all of these similar comments in one fell swoop and then direct people here to read the range of my thoughts.

      So.

      First, is it the case that, in shooting this VLOG and saying that I’m really enjoying the Brain over Binge book, that means I am saying that I now subscribe to every aspect of what’s in that book, and have therefore changed my mind about the fundamentals of Bright Line Eating? Not at all. I love the parts of the Brain over Binge message that I highlighted here in this VLOG, especially the approach to the THOUGHTS that precede a binge episode…and, at the same time, that shouldn’t necessarily be taken as a wholesale endorsement of every last thing Kathryn Hansen wrote in her book.

      Second, I want to address the specific topic you brought up. It raises the question: do I agree that calorie restriction, for the purposes of transitioning from being overweight or obese into a right-sized body, is always a bad thing, because it can set up the cravings to binge? No. Research shows that carrying excess weight is unhealthy in myriad ways, and I still do think that many (though not all) people who are overweight or obese will benefit from getting that excess weight off.

      Yes, Kathryn Hansen recommends eating ALL foods, and in sufficiently abundant quantities to prevent the initial “starvation brain” response from triggering a binge episode. This is not a new perspective. In fact, it’s been the mainstay of eating disorder treatment for decades. To be honest, it doesn’t have a stellar track record of success.

      Kathryn Hansen also leaves key things out of her review of the neuroscience involved. In particular, the approach of eating all foods has its own downside, from a neuroscientific perspective: sugar and flour raise insulin levels and increase inflammation, which both block leptin at the hypothalamus and brain stem. This causes the SAME starvation response that Kathryn Hansen said triggered her initial binging episodes in the first place.

      Here’s the thing. And it’s a painful fact: in many ways, once someone is carrying excess weight AND binging, they’re between a rock and a hard place. I know that reality from painful personal experience. This is a very, very hard position to be in, and there are no easy answers or one-size-fits-all solutions.

      My belief is that the best solution, for many people but by no means everyone, is to work a rigorous enough program, with Bright Lines, TONS of support, and TONS of accountability, to be able to tackle both issues and get “happy, thin, and free.” That’s what’s worked for me, and it’s the approach I endorse.

      Kathryn Hansen endorses the approach of no support, no accountability, no program, and a mental reframe plus eating sufficient quantities of all foods. It worked for her. I think it will work for a few others, but not the masses. She had some things going for her that not many people have. Specifically, Kathryn Hansen said many times in her book that she has a super-fast metabolism, that everyone in her family is thin, and that she follows the exercise regimen of an elite athlete. Yes, for her, once she stopped binging her weight issue disappeared. But her conclusion that this is the norm is simply and demonstrably false. The vast majority of people suffering with overweight and obesity don’t have a binge-eating problem, and their weight issues aren’t “normalizing” on their own. And on pages 148-149 of her book, Kathryn Hansen acknowledges that 55% of people with Binge Eating Disorder never dieted at all prior to their first binge episode. On those same pages, she acknowledges food addiction as the genesis of many people’s binging problem, though dieting probably accounts for the other half. She doesn’t flesh out what the solution might be to that elephant in the room of food addiction, but one might imagine that some way of addressing (read: abstaining from) the additive substances might be in the mix, even from her perspective.

      So. Those are my thoughts, generally speaking.

      I’ll wrap up with this. I deeply, DEEPLY believe that each of us is on our own journey with these issues, and I support each of us in doing our own research and listening to that still small voice inside that knows the truth for us. I don’t believe Bright Lines and losing weight are the solution for everyone. And we are all growing and evolving in our understanding and awareness. I am grateful for the epiphanies I had while reading Brain over Binge, and for the hard-won experience that led Kathryn Hansen to write the book. I think her mental reframe is simply brilliant, and the fact that I disagree with other aspects of her approach is normal…there’s room for a lot of nuance in our views of complicated subjects.

      I honor your process and your sense of what will work for you, and I’m glad you raised your question.

      With so much love,
      Susan

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  31. Ann Holley

    Hi Susan, I found this to be very helpful and calming. It simplified things for me and with the shields up video from 2 weeks ago I feel like this holiday season is going to shine. All good things to you. Ann

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  32. Jackie Mason

    Susan,

    You are truly blessing my life. I love your videos and I love you. Please keep up the excellent work.

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  33. jj

    amazing: what is being spoken about is JUST WHAT Michael Singer write about in Untethered Soul – mindfulness in every moment…… and, I am NOT My THOUGHTs……… (it’s a “must read” for inner work)….. regarding “just don’t binge”…… he uses smoking as an example in his book, and says , “whatever you do, just do not smoke the cigarette.”

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  34. Terry Lassek

    Susan – I also am reading this book. Before this and before listening to you talk about this on the coaching call and your vlog, I was feeling I had missed something in the BLF program since it did not eliminate my binges at all. I have had healing from it, but not eating related. So comforting to know that the urge to binge is not related to any healing that I need to do. with my parts. However, when I mentioned in a Compassion House posting that BLF was not helping my urge to eat, I ended up feeling that I was the one not working the program. BLF is a healing program, not directly related to healing eating. At least that is what it is for me. Thanks for reconfirming this for me.

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  35. Claire Paul

    Thanks Susan for this image of putting those thoughts in the gate pen; I have control of my movement towards or away from food. I can disidentify with the sabby thoughts from my ancient brain and maintain control aligned with my highest intentions. You inspire me to keep learning and stay open to new perspectives.

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  36. Jennifer Rogers

    This is following a model that Brooke Castillo uses – check it out – she has a great podcast – also SCS website

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  37. Stefi

    Loved it! The pen is priceless!! Thank you for sharing Susan & for providing ” peace “for all especially for the holidays 😍👍❤️💝

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  38. Claire

    This is so good-and the comments are also helpful and round out the “story”.
    I found a wee little book last winter that gave me an interesting take on yet another way to look at things…It is called “Mini Habits”…a bit redundant here and there-but author is really trying to reinforce the brain science behind setting the most ridiculously “stupid little” goals, which creates a reward loop, which creates success-feel good brain chemical baths, which often leads to exceeding “the goal”, but the point is-that one never has to exceed that “mini-habit”. It was an eye-opening way to get me on to certain things I’d like to change in my life. Haven’t tackled the food thing yet-but I can feel it coming. Thanks so much for all you do and your generosity in sharing these pondering ‘s for free. I truly gain a lot from them. xoxoClaire

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  39. Katie Edwards

    Thank you, Thank you!! Your timing is amazing, I have been wrestling my thoughts around the holidays this week so much. My new mantra to get me through my first holiday season with bright lines, “These thoughts are not who I am. Get in the pen and spin!”

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  40. Maureen White

    This vlog! Perfect timing! My binging, which I was able to stop for a while is back big time. I will be ordering this book. Thank you for sharing ❤️

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  41. Lynn

    Love you, Susan… thank you… gosh, I need this!!!

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  42. Tina

    The mental ninja move is fabulous. Thank you. Those thoughts are getting cordoned off in the dog crate!

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  43. Barbara Hirschfeld

    Nov 20, 10:52pm
    What I loved about this talk was the headband.
    I now carry that awareness with me. I have a headband of brain that can control what I do on the motor level.
    thanks for this perspective.
    Barbara Hirschfeld

    Reply ·
  44. Andrea Walmsely

    Great insight but later on in the book the author recognizes calories restriction as a trigger for binge urges. Her advice is to eat adequate amounts of food and no calorie deficit . The weight loss phase of BLE is very calorie restrictive at around 1200-1400 calories a day.. I think anyone diagnosed with BED or bulimia should not be doing the weight loss phase of BLE. I would like a study done on the effectiveness of Weight maintenance BLE eating plan in lowering binge urges .

    Reply ·
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