Ep 70- Should You Cut Out Sugar and Carbs to Stop Binge Eating?
June 12, 2025
If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe I should cut out sugar and carbs to get my eating under control”, this episode is for you.
I’m sharing my own story of doing 30 days of no processed sugar, what happened after, and why cutting out food groups like sugar and carbs is one of the biggest binge eating myths out there.
You’ll learn…
Why cutting out sugar and carbs can actually make bingeing & cravings worse
The truth about “food addiction” and why it’s not your fault
What to focus on instead so you stop feeling out of control around food
Why Cutting Out Sugar and Carbs Seems Like the Answer
Every summer, I see people asking if now is the best time to start cutting out sugar and carbs. It makes sense on the surface: if sugar and carbs are the foods you binge on, wouldn’t removing them stop binge eating?
A lot of these beliefs come from diet culture, keto trends, or even professionals who don’t fully understand binge eating. Since binge eating was only recognized as a disorder in 2013, there’s still a lot of misinformation.
Cutting out sugar and carbs feels logical and even empowering at first. But here’s why it often backfires.
My 30-Day No Sugar Experiment
Back in February 2019, my binge eating had returned worse than ever. I was trying intermittent fasting and thought, “If I just cut out sugar, maybe I’ll stop bingeing.”
So I did 30 days of no sugar with my friends. I researched all the supposed benefits: no cravings, more energy, healthier overall.
But during that month, my food obsession skyrocketed. I couldn’t stop thinking about food. I spent hours looking at recipes, even watching “food porn” videos online. Restriction made me feel crazy even though I was technically sticking to the plan.
At the end of the 30 days, I hadn’t lost weight. In fact, I gained two pounds. And as soon as I reintroduced sugar, my binge eating came back harder than ever.
The challenge didn’t free me from sugar—it made me more obsessed.
Why Restriction Fuels Binge Eating
Here’s the truth: whenever we restrict a food, our brain treats it like a threat. This triggers survival mode, making sugar and carbs feel even more appealing.
If you’re also under-eating (which often happens when cutting food groups), your hunger drives cravings to the extreme.
Even if you manage to “white-knuckle” it for a while, the obsession doesn’t go away. It actually grows stronger until bingeing returns.
Sugar and Carbs Aren’t the Problem
I’ve binged on “healthy” foods too—protein bars, tofu, even fiber bars. That shows binge eating isn’t really about the food itself.
If cookies and chips truly caused binge eating, then everyone who ate them would binge. But plenty of people eat them in moderation every day.
It’s not the cookie—it’s the story you tell yourself about the cookie:
“This is so bad for me.”
“I can’t control myself.”
“I better eat them all now.”
Those thoughts create the panic and loss of control—not the food.
Why Control Doesn’t Equal Safety
Cutting out sugar and carbs can feel like control, but it’s not real safety. Safety doesn’t come from rules, it comes from trust.
Your body knows how to regulate hunger and fullness. It’s been doing this for tens of thousands of years. Restricting carbs and sugar only teaches your brain that food is scarce, which increases cravings and stress.
And stress is just as unhealthy as overeating. High cortisol levels from constantly worrying about food can wreck your health, no matter how “perfectly” you eat.
What to Do Instead of Cutting Out Sugar and Carbs
Here’s how to start shifting your relationship with food:
Let go of the belief that control equals safety. True safety is trusting your body.
Make sugar and carbs neutral. They aren’t good or bad, they just are.
Practice moderation. You’ll want to eat cake at a birthday or chips at a restaurant. Learning how to enjoy them without spiraling is the real skill.
Focus on nourishment, not restriction. Cutting food groups makes you more obsessed, not healthier.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to cut out sugar or carbs to stop binge eating. In fact, restriction is likely making things worse.
When you learn to trust your body, make peace with all foods, and let go of fear-based rules, you’ll finally feel in control without the obsession.
I eat sugar and carbs every single day, and so do millions of people around the world. It’s 100% possible to reach your health and eating goals while enjoying them in moderation.
Ready to stop feeling out of control around food? If you’ve been stuck in the binge–restrict cycle and you’re tired of obsessing over sugar and carbs, my Confident Eater Program can help you finally find freedom. We’ll go step by step through healing your mindset, making peace with all foods, and building lasting confidence so you can enjoy food without guilt or fear.