Battling Binge Eating? Amy Ornelas, RD on How Eating Disorder Dietitians Can Help

Grappling with binge eating in San Diego is so freaking hard. It consumes your waking thoughts and hijacks your brain. All you want to do is enjoy your life and see the amazing sights in San Diego and elsewhere. Instead, you just can’t seem to turn off the obsessive thoughts, the constant urges, and the shame—and there can be so much shame. I have worked many years with San Diego eating disorder dietitian Amy Ornelas, RD. She is SO GIFTED at what she does—it’s like magic how she helps people with binge eating recovery. Check out her approach to binge eating in this interview!

How long have you been an eating disorder dietitian working with binge eating in San Diego?

16 years!

What is unique about binge eating that differs from other eating disorders?

Unfortunately, many people who struggle with binging feel a ton of shame around their behaviors and tend to blame themselves for being "out of control" with food. However, bingeing is a natural response to dieting and/or emotion suppression and is NOT the person's fault. Often the shame and blame come from the idea that binge eating recovery should be easier.

Briefly, how do you help people who feel out of control with their binge eating recovery?

I often start with a gentle type of meal plan structure in order to make sure the basic nutritional needs of the body are being met. We address the foundation. Together, we work to identify and change the feelings, belief systems, and other triggers that drive binging. I also help people to develop a healthy relationship with movement and to find peace with their body shape and size.

How can working with an eating disorder dietitian in San Diego and elsewhere help a person stop binge eating?

People are usually a bit resistant to seeing an eating disorder dietitian at first. However, dietitians are SO helpful in the recovery process. An eating disorder dietitian can help you to see any areas where the biochemistry of your body may actually be driving some of the binging. They can teach you so much about the truth of the body and weight and food and how it all works together. Additionally, they also have a ton of tools to help you tangibly change your eating behaviors. Eating disorder dietitians do much more than just tell you what to eat... they help you to understand how you eat and why, and how to change the way you engage with food and your body. They are important tenets in binge eating recovery.

Is there any other information that you’d like people in San Diego to know about binge eating recovery?

Willpower is not a part of the equation! There is always a valid need (emotional and/or physical) behind binging behavior. Binge eating is a SYMPTOM, and with the help of a dietitian and an eating disorder therapist, you can get to the root causes of binging in order to end the food struggle for good.

How can people get to know more about you and contact you?

Visit my website! www.i-heart-nutrition.com :)

Thanks so much, Amy!

Need more support with Binge Eating Recovery?

Also, I have a NEW BINGE EATING 101 CLASS coming soon. If you’re curious about this, begin with my Masterclass for binge eating for a mini introduction. Check out my webpage on it for more information.

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Hey everyone, I really appreciate you reading my blog!  Have a wonderful day. :)  

Marianne 

Other Services Available for Binge Eating Recovery

If you are struggling to find online eating disorder treatment with help with bulimia, binge eating or other eating disorders in San Diego, schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation using the online scheduler (just click on the orange button), and I will help you get where you need to be! 

You can find more information about me on Instagram @drmariannemiller or on my Facebook page.