What differentiates intermittent fasting from eating disorders like anorexia, orthorexia, and bulimia? I argue that what makes IF different is one’s mindset, i.e., our underlying beliefs about why, when, and what to consume (or not) when we are fasting or feeding. IF is not about extreme calorie restriction or purging, despite the fact that many people absolutely fast to restrict and/or purge unwanted calories.
This is why the language we use matters, for ourselves and anyone reading our posts. Every time someone posts that they’ve “binged,” either within or outside of their feeding window, and that now they are “back on the fasting wagon,” they are describing something eerily similar to binging and purging behavior. Casually throwing the term “binge” around on a forum populated by people who regularly fast makes it seem like we promote & practice bulimia. We do not.
Overeating is common among most people, regardless of whether they practice IF. When we call overeating binging and then in the next breath say we’re fasting to compensate, it sounds like we are binging and purging, regardless of whether that’s what we are actually doing! Fasting after a high calorie meal/feeding session is not disordered behavior, so let’s not describe it as such.
TL;TD: Binging is a loaded term & IF is not about purging. Overeating is normal, so please be considerate of your language choices both on this forum and in your self-talk.
I get what u mean. I used to have full on bulimia. IF is nothing like it if done correctly. But also some people genuinely are recovering from binge eating disorder, which can cause unnecessary weight that they want to lose, so they end up here. It DOES sound like purging, but I don’t think it’s always meant as purging. It’s about not feeling defeated by a binge, so you’re picking yourself up by your bootstraps and getting back to your schedule. But to an outsider, yes, that looks like binging and purging. I doubt that most people intend if that way however, and that’s what makes it “staying consistent”. Bulimics have to actively think “I have to get rid of these calories somehow”, otherwise it’s not bulimia, because it’s a mental disorder not an action. I think you’re right that it can look bad if people post about binging and making up for it, but it’s hard to pick and choose who is just struggling and trying to get back into things, and who’s bulimic.
Thank you for posting this ❤ I’ve struggled with anorexia/bulimia/BED for 20 years, so I am very careful when doing IF. I really worry that it may lead to eating disorders for others- EDs are awful to deal with and I wouldn’t wish them on my worst enemy.
This is an interesting perspective. When I first got into fasting I definitely spent a good amount of time deliberating the differences between IF and EDs like anorexia because at face value, they seemed to run pretty parallel to one another. I’ve since corrected that mentality and come to the same conclusion as yours: the difference is intent, and how that intent impacts our decisions.
I use “binge” regularly to refer to those overeating sprints, but you’ve raised a really good point. It’s important to create a clear boundary between IF and EDs and not muddy the waters by recycling sensitive language. I’ll work on making this shift :)
Thanks for posting! I love how holistic this community is in its approach to a healthier lifestyle. <3
If someone has a binge, they have a binge. I think they should be able to call it that. If they’re back to their regular fasting schedule the next day, then I wouldn’t consider that a compensatory behaviour; that’s them back into their regular routine. Compensating for a “bad” food day (whether you want to call it binging or overeating) by fasting extra long starts moving into the purging realm, imo, and that’s what we should be discouraging when people make posts about wanting to “make up” for their binge. That’s what separates IF from EDs for me. Don’t try to compensate. Just move on.