Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Foreword Jennifer Nardozzi xv
part 1 understanding what's going on between you and food
1 Would Someone Please Explain Why Can't I Stop Eating? 3
What is Binge Eating Disorder, and Do I Have It? 8
What Eating Disorders Can Do to Your Body 10
What Exactly Is a "Binge," Anyway? 11
How Many People Binge Eat? 14
Are All Bingers Overweight? 17
Does Food Make You Miserable? 19
2 Sound Familiar? A Few Things Emotional Overeaters Have in Common 22
Eating in Secret 23
Lying About What We Eat 27
Vowing to Start Over 30
Eating Crazy Stuff 32
Choosing Food over People 34
3 Oh, So That's How We Got This Way 39
Your Genes 40
Your Family's Economic Situation 42
Your Family Traditions 44
Your Mom's Relationship with Food and Her Body 46
part 2 let the healing begin! how to start getting sane about food
4 It's Not About the Food: What the Real Problem Is, and How to Fix It 57
What's Self-Esteem Got to Do with It? 58
Do You Expect Perfection? 60
Exercise: What Are Your "Shoulds"? 63
Do You Suffer from Black-and-White Thinking? 68
Exercise: What Irrational Beliefs Do You Have? 72
How Traumatic Experiences in Our Pasts Push Us Toward Food 74
Exercise: What Are You Avoiding? 81
5 Yes, You Can Interrupt a Binge 84
Trigger: Stress Overload 86
Exercise: Impulse Substitution 90
Trigger: Anger 91
Trigger: Anxiety!!! 94
More Binge Triggers 98
A Very Real, Very Serious Binge Trigger: Depression 99
Strategies for Avoiding a Binge and Getting What You Really Need 100
6 The Emotional "Toolbox" Every Young Woman Needs 110
Tool: Physical Activity 112
Yoga: The Perfect Exercise for Binge Eaters? 117
Tool: Support 118
Tool: Therapy 123
Therapy 101: What Is It, How Do I Pay for It, and Where Do I Get It? 127
Tool: Reading 130
Tool: Meditation 132
Meditation 101 135
Tool: Spirituality 137
7 Learning to Love Your Body (or at Least Not Hate It) 144
Body Image Quiz 145
For Women, Body Hate Starts Early 147
Society's Idea of What's Beautiful 149
Media Images 101: A Quick Reality Check 152
Sometimes Body Image Isn't About Your Body at All 154
Exercise: The "Then What?" Game 155
Exercise: Track Your Negative Body Thoughts 159
Creating Your Own Idea of What's Beautiful 160
8 Healthy Girls Don't Diet 165
But What if I'm Truly Obese? 172
Get Back in Touch with Your Hunger 173
Exercise: Start a Food and Hunger Journal 175
Create a Plan for Feeding Yourself Well 176
Eat a Balance of Foods 182
Give Yourself a Fighting Chance! 186
Know that the Way You Eat Will Change Again and Again 188
part 3 living your life without relying on the good girl's drug
9 How to Deal with Friends, Loved Ones, and Food Pushers 193
Food and Your Friends 194
Should You Tell People You Date About Your Food Issues? 199
Dealing with Loved Ones Who Don't Get It 203
10 What Life Is Like When You Get Sane About Food 209
What Does Being "Recovered" Really Mean? 210
Why It's Important to Celebrate All Your Little Victories 213
Letting Go of the Good Girls's Drug Is Hard, but It's So Worth It 214
Resources: Where to Go for More Help 219
Support Groups 101: How to Find One Near You 219
Further Reading: Recommended Books 221
Online Resources: Recommended Websites 222
Eating Disorder Treatment Centers: Inpatient and Outpatient Programs 223
Sources Cited 225
Experts 229