What To Look For In An Online Dietitian Or Nutritionist (UK Edition) 

Choosing the right online dietitian or nutritionist can feel overwhelming. You want someone qualified, kind, and practical who will not judge your eating, your body, or your history with diets. You might be hoping to stop food guilt, reduce constant thoughts about eating, or get support for specific health needs.

This guide walks you through what to look for in the UK, what to avoid, typical costs, and how to feel confident in your choice. 

Dietitian or nutritionist, what is the difference in the UK? 

In the UK, titles matter. Dietitian is a protected title. Dietitians are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and usually members of the British Dietetic Association (BDA). They are trained to work in clinical settings as well as private practice and can work with medical conditions, disordered eating, and complex needs. 

Nutritionist is not a protected title. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, which is confusing. To find credible practitioners, look for Registered Nutritionists who are on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) with the Association for Nutrition, often written as Registered Nutritionist, RNutr or ANutr. 

If you are dealing with binge eating, emotional eating, restrictive dieting, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), diabetes, or recovery from disordered eating, a Registered Dietitian or a well qualified Registered Nutritionist with relevant specialist training is recommended. 

How to choose the right online professional for you 

Start with qualifications, then consider approach, communication style, and practicalities. Ask yourself: 

• Are they a Registered Dietitian with HCPC registration or a Registered Nutritionist with AfN registration? 
• Do they have experience with your needs or condition, such as intuitive eating, emotional eating, or GI conditions?
• Do they use an evidence based, compassionate approach that avoids rigid food rules and calorie policing?
• Do you feel safe and heard when you read their materials or speak to them?

A short discovery call can reveal a lot. Notice if they ask curious, open questions rather than launching into a meal plan or a blanket approach. You want someone who collaborates with you, not someone who dictates. 

Qualifications and registrations to look for 

• HCPC registration for Dietitians, often written as RD or Dietitian, plus optional BDA membership. 
• AfN registration for Nutritionists, shown as RNutr or ANutr. 
• Additional specialist training in areas like Intuitive Eating, Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, eating disorder support, or gastrointestinal nutrition. Clear safeguarding and ethical policies, including scope of practice and when they refer on. 

You can check HCPC and AfN registers online. Do not be afraid to ask for a registration number. A reputable professional will welcome it. 

Red flags and common pitfalls to avoid 

• Promises of rapid weight loss, detoxes, or one size fits all plans. 
• Moral language about food, for example good and bad foods, cheat meals, or earning food with exercise. 
• Heavy focus on calorie counting when your goal is to improve your relationship with food or manage emotional eating. 
• No clear privacy policy, unclear pricing, or pressure to sign up on the spot. 
• Lack of collaboration with other healthcare providers when you have complex medical needs.

If you sense shame or fear based messaging, trust your instincts. You deserve care that builds trust in your body and supports long term change. If you’re not sure about seeing a professional yet, but you’re looking for who to follow online that is credible, we outline more about that in our article here.

What does online support actually look like? 

Online sessions are usually video calls of 45 to 60 minutes. You will discuss your challenges, daily routines, medical history, eating patterns, and emotions around food. Good practitioners can offer strategies between sessions, gentle experiments, and tools to help you notice hunger and fullness, challenge food rules, and respond to emotional triggers with compassion.

Many clients find online care more accessible and consistent. No need to travel, flexible times, and the comfort of your own space can make it easier to be honest and to practise new skills. If your aim is to stop feeling out of control at night, or to stop constant calorie counting, a supportive, non diet approach can help you rebuild trust in your body without restriction. 

How much does it cost to see a dietitian or nutritionist online in the UK? 

Prices vary by experience, location, and service length. As a general guide in private practice: 

• Initial consultations often range from £80 to £200 for 50 to 60 minutes. 
• Follow up sessions typically range from £70 to £160. 
• Coaching programmes that include regular sessions, resources, and between session support are usually packaged monthly or over set periods. Per session cost often becomes more economical within a package. 

Some providers offer payment plans, occasional scholarships, or one off focused sessions if you need immediate support without a long commitment. Always check cancellation and refund policies so you feel clear and in control. 

Are online dietitians worth it? 

If you want lasting change, compassionate accountability, and tailored support, yes. Working with a qualified professional can shorten the trial and error phase that keeps you stuck. Research based guidance helps you move away from rigid rules and towards practical habits that fit your life. Many clients report less anxiety about food, fewer binges, more satisfaction from meals, reduced gut symptoms, and more energy for life. The real value sits in the peace and confidence you gain, not a temporary plan you abandon in a few weeks. 

Practical steps to get started 

• Clarify your needs. For example, you might want to feel more in control around food, understand and reduce late night overeating, ease guilt, or return to exercise without compensating for food. 
• Check registrations. Look up HCPC or AfN details before you book. 
• Ask about approach. If you value non diet care, ask how they support intuitive eating and emotional eating triggers. 
• Request a discovery call. Notice how you feel in the conversation, not just what they say. 
• Start small. Agree one or two experiments between sessions, such as eating enough during the day to reduce evening cravings, or pausing to check in with hunger and emotions before a meal.

If you are curious to begin with a gentle, evidence based approach, our team offers online nutrition coaching built around intuitive eating, body respect, and self compassion. You can explore options for nutrition counselling and book a time that works for you. 

How Nude Nutrition can help 

At Nude Nutrition, we specialise in helping you let go of restrictive dieting and rebuild trust with food. Our clinicians are Registered Dietitians and Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellors who support people through emotional eating, binge eating, GI issues, PCOS, diabetes, and recovery from disordered eating. Sessions are online, flexible, and tailored to your life. We focus on practical steps, like ensuring you eat enough and often during the day, matching meals to satisfaction and nourishment, and building coping tools for stress that do not rely only on food. 

If you are ready to explore care that heals your relationship with food, you can learn about virtual nutrition coaching and book your first conversation. Many clients tell us they feel lighter and more hopeful after just one session. 

Final thoughts 

Choosing an online dietitian or nutritionist in the UK does not have to be complicated. Look for protected titles and recognised registrations, ask about approach, and trust how you feel in the conversation. Avoid anyone promising quick fixes. Prioritise compassionate, evidence-based care that supports long term wellbeing. 

If you want guidance that helps you stop chasing rules and start trusting your body, we are here to help you find food peace at your pace. 

A compassionate look at semaglutide, tirzepatide, and the long-term reality of weight loss drugs. 

You’ve probably seen weight loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro popping up everywhere lately in headlines, on podcasts, social media… they’re hard to miss.
Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, they’re now being widely prescribed for weight loss, and the buzz around them has grown fast, along with a lot of confusion, hype, and understandable concern.

I’ve been having more and more conversations about these drugs not just the science behind them, but the emotional side too. What do they really do? What happens when you stop taking them? And where does diet culture sneak into the conversation?

Today, I want to create a gentle space to pause and ask: How are you feeling about all this? Whether you’ve tried these drugs, are considering them, or are watching the conversation from the sidelines, your feelings are valid and important.

Quick Navigation

• What Are GLP-1 Weight Loss Medications?
• How Do They Affect Appetite and Cravings?
• Long-Term Safety and Side Effects
• What Happens After You Stop the Medication?
• Comparing Popular GLP-1 Drugs
• Access and Approval in the UK
• Non-Medication Alternatives
• Reflective Questions for Your Journey
• Final Thoughts

What Are GLP-1 Agonists and How Do They Work?

GLP-1 medications are designed to mimic a hormone naturally found in our bodies called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). This hormone helps regulate blood sugar, appetite, and digestion.

These drugs work by sending signals to your brain that reduce hunger and slow down how quickly food leaves your stomach, so you feel fuller for longer. They also help keep blood sugar levels steady by encouraging your body to release insulin and reduce sugar production.

Originally, GLP-1 medications were created to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar, and for many, they’ve been life-changing.

Because they help control appetite, these medications are now also approved for weight management in people without diabetes. In the UK, specific drugs like tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) and semaglutide (Wegovy®) are prescribed under certain health guidelines.

A quick note: We use the term “obes” here because some people find the word “obesity” stigmatising — our goal is to keep the conversation respectful and inclusive.

Tirzepatide targets two hormones and is prescribed through specialist NHS services for adults with what are called “weight-related health conditions”, though the link between weight and health is more complicated than often portrayed. (If you want to learn more, check out my article “Can You Really Have Health at Every Size?”).

Semaglutide is prescribed similarly but usually requires meeting specific Body Mass Index (BMI) and health criteria, which can vary depending on where you live.

Managing Food Cravings with GLP-1 Drugs

One of the most common reasons people are curious about these medications is their impact on appetite and food cravings. GLP-1 agonists reduce hunger and slow gastric emptying, helping many feel more satisfied with less food. But how does semaglutide work exactly in this regard?

By mimicking the natural gut hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), semaglutide acts on appetite-regulating centres in the brain, particularly within the hypothalamus and brainstem, leading to reduced hunger and decreased cravings for energy-dense foods such as those high in sugar and fat. This physiological effect helps many users regain greater control over their eating patterns (reducing food intake) and contributes to weight loss (Drucker, 2018; Wilding et al., 2021). However, because emotional eating and complex relationships with food involve psychological and behavioural factors beyond appetite regulation, some individuals may continue to experience challenges despite the drug’s effects (Baskin et al., 2022).

Beyond the Scale: The Bigger Picture

In my work supporting nutrition and body image, I see how complex these issues are. I understand the desire to feel better in your body and to reduce the stigma many face living in larger bodies.

And it’s also important to gently challenge the idea that weight loss, especially through medication, is a guaranteed fix. I’ve talked with people who lost a lot of weight on GLP-1 drugs, yet still wrestle with challenges around food, body image, and self-worth. This echoes the old message diet culture sells us: When I’m smaller, everything will feel better.

This isn’t always true. And if this is you, at Nude Nutrition, we’re here to hold you in that space.

What We Know About the Long-Term Effects of Weight Loss Medications in the UK

GLP-1 medications are relatively new in widespread weight loss use, so the full long-term picture is still emerging. Here’s what the current evidence tells us:

• Weight Regain: Most people regain weight after stopping the medication. This is a significant concern for many considering or using GLP-1 drugs (Rubino et al., 2021; Wilding et al., 2021).

• Side Effects: Gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, constipation, or diarrhoea are common and can persist during treatment.

• Muscle Loss: Fat loss is often accompanied by some muscle loss, which can impact metabolism and strength, important factors especially as we age (Bays et al., 2023).

• Other Risks: Slightly increased risks of gallstones and pancreatitis, especially during rapid weight loss phases.

• Unconfirmed Concerns: Animal studies have suggested possible thyroid tumour risks, but this has not been demonstrated in humans.

• Mental Health: Some users report mood changes or increased anxiety, though comprehensive data is limited.

What we don’t know yet includes the long-term neurological or psychological effects of sustained appetite suppression, how younger people’s bodies will respond to years or decades of use, and how these medications impact food and body relationships, especially in those with histories of disordered eating.

The Challenge of Weight Maintenance After Stopping GLP-1 Drugs

One of the biggest questions many people have about GLP-1 medications like semaglutide is what happens after they stop taking them. One important study on this is called the STEP 4 trial (Rubino et al., 2021). This study found that most participants who stopped using semaglutide after a period of successful weight loss regained a substantial portion of the weight they had lost within a year. While a few individuals maintained some weight loss, weight regain was common.

Similar patterns have been seen in studies of other GLP-1 medications, too. This suggests that these drugs are valuable tools to support weight loss, but not permanent cures on their own. The body’s natural mechanisms, like the “set point” weight, play a big role in why weight regain happens after stopping treatment. For more on this, you can read our article on the Set Point Weight.

What the Science Says About Key GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs

• Liraglutide (Saxenda): FDA-approved in 2014, helps about one-third of people lose 10% of their weight, with effects lasting only during use.

   

• Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy): Approved in 2021, semaglutide shows an average weight loss of 15%, with longer-lasting effects during treatment.

   

• Tirzepatide (Mounjaro): A newer dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist, it has shown even greater weight loss up to 22.5% after 72 weeks, with sustained results observed over three years (Frías et al., 2021).

   

While these medications represent significant advances, they are not magic pills. Their success depends on continued use alongside sustainable lifestyle changes and ongoing medical supervision, as lasting health improvements typically require more than medication alone.

Safety, Side Effects, and Access to Weight Loss Medications in the UK

GLP-1 drugs are generally well-tolerated but can cause nausea, vomiting, and digestive upset. Rare but serious side effects include pancreatitis and intestinal blockage.

Demand has soared, leading to shortages and concerns over unregulated compounding pharmacies producing counterfeit or unsafe versions.

In the UK, tirzepatide and semaglutide are available on the NHS for weight management under strict guidelines, often prescribed through specialist services for patients with health conditions linked to higher weight, with a phased rollout planned in primary care settings (NHS England, 2025).

Alternatives and What Comes Next

If you’re considering GLP-1 medications but are cautious or want additional support, here are some important options:

• Sustainable Lifestyle Habits: Focus on sustainable eating practices, enjoyable movement, and mental health practices that build resilience beyond the scale.

   

• Professional Support: Registered dietitians, therapists, and multidisciplinary teams can provide personalised support that honours your unique experience.

   

• Surgical Options: For some, bariatric surgery remains the most durable long-term weight loss method, though it comes with its risks.

   

• Future Therapies: Research is underway into multi-hormone drugs and treatments to prevent muscle loss during weight loss, promising more options ahead.

Reflecting on Your Journey

If the GLP-1 conversation has touched you, whether you’re curious, sceptical, hopeful, or overwhelmed, here are some gentle questions to consider:

• How is your current relationship with food and your body? 
• Do you feel that a medication might help reduce feelings of guilt, loss of control, or other challenges you face around food? 
• How does seeing others use these medications affect your feelings about your own body and health? 
• How might relying on a drug impact your emotional experience with food and body image? 
• What does your ideal relationship with your body and health look like, beyond weight numbers? 
• What kind of support or information do you wish were more available? 

You don’t have to have the answers right now. Your feelings, whatever they are, are valid.

Final Thoughts

GLP-1 weight loss medications have brought new hope for many, but they come with limits, risks, and uncertainties. They’re tools, not cures, and ideally should be part of a broader, compassionate approach to health that values you as a whole person.

At Nude Nutrition, we support people in navigating their relationship with food and body image, whether or not weight loss medications are part of the picture. Our non-diet, weight-inclusive approach focuses on helping you build lasting, respectful habits around eating, without guilt, obsession, or shame. We offer a safe, supportive space to explore what health looks and feels like for you, beyond numbers or external expectations.

If you’ve been disappointed by weight loss attempts before, please know you’re not alone. Health is about so much more than any number on a scale, and the journey is about finding what works for you, with kindness and care.

Need guidance on your food and body journey?

Let’s work together compassionately, beyond the scale.

References

Baskin, D.S., et al. Psychological impacts and challenges of GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment in obesity management. (Add a suitable reference or note as qualitative observation).

Drucker, D.J. Mechanisms of Action and Therapeutic Application of Glucagon-like Peptide-1. Cell Metabolism. 2018;27(4):740-756.

Frías, J.P., et al. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine. 2021.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Tirzepatide and Semaglutide for the Management of Obesity. NICE guideline. 2025.

Rubino, D., et al. Effect of Continued Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Placebo on Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: The STEP 4 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2021.

Wilding, J.P.H., et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. 2021;384(11):989-1002.

What should an average day of eating look like? 

It seems like a silly question to need to ask doesn’t it…what should an average day of eating look like? 

Let me reassure you, feeling confused about what constitutes a normal day of eating is not silly. It actually makes a lot of sense and I can assure you that you are not alone. 

But when did something so fundamental and basic become so confusing? 

“I have been following various eating plans and diets on and off for years. Now that I am fed up and ready to go back to normal eating, I don’t even know what that is anymore?! How do I learn how to eat normally again?”

Sound familiar?

More and more of us feel increasingly uncertain about what the correct diet/way of eating is. This is no doubt due to the overwhelming amount of conflicting nutrition advice we are exposed to daily – via the news, social media, advertising and even health professionals. 

As Registered Dietitians whose work is to help people stop dieting and rebuild a healthy relationship with food, discussing topics like “What should an average day of eating look like?” is our bread and butter.

In this article, we are going to delve into

• What should an average/normal day of eating look like?
• Top 3 qualities of a normal day of eating
• What is a perfectly balanced meal?

What does a normal day of eating look like? 

Well, there are some common themes (which we will get to in a bit), but overall a normal day of eating is going to look different for each individual. Diet plans make out like we are robots that can all function on the exact same calories and timing of meals. But of course, we are humans, not robots. The eating pattern that works best for the busy working Mum with kids is going to look very different to the eating pattern that works best for the college student that is training for a triathlon. And what works best for each of these individuals will vary day-to-day, depending on their schedules, priorities and so many different factors.

The key thing about an average day of eating…it varies and is flexible.

Sidenote…whilst writing this article, I had a quick Google of the top 3 articles for “What does a normal day of eating look like?”. Sadly, but also unsurprisingly… the top results are articles that detail prescriptive meal plans, exact amounts to eat and calorie counts. This is NOT normal eating. These articles are essentially diet plans…the exact thing that gets us into the mess of not being able to remember how to eat normally in the first place and makes us feel crazy and out of control around food.

So…how do you get back to a more liberal and flexible eating pattern if you are used to rigid meal patterns? 

That’s where we can use the framework of Intuitive Eating to help guide us. To be able to eat “normally” day-to-day, you will ideally:

• Get into a pattern of regular meals and snacks
• Listen and respond to your body’s hunger and fullness cues 
• On each eating occasion, eat as much as you need to feel satisfied
• Eat mindfully, paying attention to the sensory experience of eating (this helps with feeling satisfied)
• Engage in self-care behaviours 
• Eat foods you enjoy
• Avoid letting yourself feel deprived of foods you enjoy
• Trust your body to settle at the weight that is most natural for it, rather than trying to eat and/or exercise your way to a smaller body

Activity: try to think of someone you know who has a really normal, healthy relationship with food. They don’t diet or get hyper-focused on nutrition, they just eat a variety of foods and enjoy eating. Can you think of someone? Is their weight typically stable or up and down? What qualities does their eating pattern have?

Top 3 Qualities of a Normal Day of Eating

As I mentioned above, a normal day of eating is going to look different for each individual, but there are some common qualities and themes in what a day of eating looks like for someone with a healthy relationship with food…

1. Eating Regularly

In general, most people need to eat every 3-5 hours (whilst awake) to feel their best and avoid energy dips. Some people struggle to initially hear the hunger and fullness cues, so regular eating can help to “get the hunger machine churning”. This can create a rhythm from which you can tune into those signals again and help you stay energised and meet your nutrient needs

2. Eating Enough

Diets normalise restriction and eating less than our bodies need to function optimally. Eating normally means consistently eating enough food.  As well as filling you up, your meals and snacks need to mentally and physically satisfy you so that you do not feel restricted. This means choosing foods that we actually enjoy eating and ensuring meals are balanced.

What is a perfectly balanced meal? 

Well, there’s no such thing as it depends on the time, day and person eating.

But in general, a well-balanced meal is one which includes a source of each fat, protein, carbohydrate, and fibre. The plate-by-plate approach is a visual approach that can be a helpful guide for creating a well-balanced meal with all these elements. This approach is outlined in my free guide…

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3. Keeping it varied and flexible

An average day of eating is probably going to differ day-to-day and week to week. One week you might be rushed off your feet at work and so it’s uber eats and frozen meals for dinner. The next week you might have more time and incorporate more home-cooked meals. Perhaps the weekend involves more meals out than weekdays. A normal day of eating may have some common patterns in terms of eating regularly and enough food, but the what, where and how of eating will probably vary quite a bit and that’s ok!

In Summary 

This passage by Ellen Sattyr sums up nicely what a normal day of eating looks like…

“Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied.

It is being able to choose the food you enjoy and eat it and truly get enough of it – not just stop eating because you think you should.

Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.

Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored, or just because it feels good.

Normal eating is mostly three meals a day, or four or five, or it can be choosing to munch along the way.

It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful.

Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. And it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more.

Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating. Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.

In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food and your feelings.” 

Copyright © 2018 by Ellyn Satter. Published at www.EllynSatterInstitute.org.
Are you ready to let go of diet plans and experience a more flexible, nourishing way of eating? You can get started today using my FREE 7-step download, with an audio guide and actionable workbook.

What Is Compulsive Eating?

Are you wondering, what is compulsive eating? Perhaps you are worried about yourself or a loved one. 

“I feel so out of control with food. It usually happens at night – once I start eating I just feel like I can’t stop and keep eating and eating until I feel stuffed. I’ve tried to stop so many times but I just can’t. I feel powerless to stop myself”

If the above resonates, you are not alone. Compulsive eating is more common than you might think, and the good news is there are proven strategies and treatment options to help overcome it.

If you are wondering why do I compulsively eat? And how can I stop compulsively eating? This article will aim to provide the answers and give tips to help you feel more in control around food again.

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Compulsive Eating Vs Overeating

Another term that is often used interchangeably with compulsive eating is binge eating and overeating. It is important to distinguish between normal overeating and compulsive or binge eating.

It is normal to overeat and is part of being human – we can overeat naturally in social settings (hello Christmas lunch) or alone (i.e. Netflix and takeaway). Overeating may be by choice or accident and is when we eat to the point of feeling uncomfortably full. We may overeat because the food tastes really good, when bored or distracted because it comforts us after a tough day or just because it’s there! This is all part of a normal relationship with food, although diet culture may make us feel otherwise.

A binge or compulsive eating episode is different from overeating. It is an intense, involuntary drive to eat that occurs repeatedly over time. It is accompanied by feelings of shame, guilt and loss of control. Binge eating can cause a lot of distress and can greatly affect a person’s mental and physical well-being, as well as the ability to engage in daily life.

Compulsive Eating Symptoms & Signs

How someone experiences compulsive eating can be very individual but some general signs include:

• Eating past satiety or until feeling uncomfortably full
• Eating despite feeling full or not feeling hungry at all
• Eating much more quickly than usual, or eating slowly and consistently throughout the day and/or night
• Eating alone due to shame or embarrassment about the quantity of food consumed
• Feeling disgusted, depressed or guilty after overeating
• Eating impulsively
• Hiding food and eating food out of the garbage
• Eating what most people would think is an unusually large amount of food in one sitting

Does the above sound familiar? If so, keep reading for more info on how to get on top of compulsive eating.

Is Compulsive Eating a Disorder?

There are two diagnosable eating disorders which commonly experience compulsive eating. These are Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and Bulimia Nervosa. However, people who don’t meet the criteria for diagnosis with these eating disorders can still experience compulsive eating.

Binge Eating Disorder

There is a difference between a ‘subjective binge’ (what YOU define as a binge or compulsive eating episode), and an ‘objective binge’ (what a psychologist uses to define an Eating Disorder).

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is defined as regularly eating a large quantity of food in a discrete time period with a sense of feeling out of control. The binge eating episodes are usually accompanied by three or more following: 

• Eating past the point of uncomfortable fullness
• Eating alone due to embarrassment 
• Eating faster than usual 
• Feeling upset and guilty afterwards
• Eating a large amount of food when not physically hungry

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa is characterised by the same signs as BED with the key difference being immediate engagement in compensatory behaviours to “make up” for the binge such as vomiting or exercise.

A person with BED or bulimia nervosa can be of any body shape, size or weight.

If you suspect you may have BED or Bulimia, I encourage you to discuss this with your GP. Check out this leaflet from BEAT UK for tips on how to prepare for your appointment. Whilst the rest of this article will likely be relevant in some ways, it is mainly intended for individuals who do not have a diagnosable eating disorder.

What If I don’t meet the criteria for BED or Bulimia Nervosa?

If you don’t meet the diagnostic criteria, it doesn’t mean you aren’t suffering and you still deserve help. A ‘subjective’ binge eating episode may still be accompanied by embarrassment, guilt, eating fast, or eating a large amount of food…. but not enough food to be considered an ‘objective binge’ for a psychologist to diagnose an eating disorder. At Nude Nutrition we work daily with people who struggle with compulsive eating, and most don’t meet the criteria for an eating disorder. 

Why do I compulsively eat? 

The reasons why we come to struggle with compulsive or binge eating can be layered and highly nuanced. However, they ultimately boil down to ….restrictive eating.

Sounds crazy right? We are too often told to “just find more willpower” but stick with me as I explain how this is actually keeping you stuck in the cycle of compulsive eating.

Research shows that when we place rules around what and how much we eat, we begin to feel more obsessed with it. These rules can be self-inflicted rules that we’ve picked up over the years (e.g. from media, family members), or stem from an external source (e.g. a diet/pursuit of weight loss).

Restriction can be physical or psychological, or both:

1. Physical restriction: food is “forbidden/not allowed” under certain circumstances and you are prevented from eating it (by yourself or others). E.g. no lunch before 1 pm, no carbs after x time, points, calorie or meal limit. 
2. Psychological restriction: when certain foods are labelled as “naughty” or “bad” and we carry guilt and anxiety for wanting to eat them, or actually eating them.  

If you’re in the latter, chances are that diet culture has taught you to label foods as “good” and “bad”. This is where we feel “good” for eating a salad, and “bad” for eating a cookie.

Placing a moral value on foods can interfere with our relationship with food in a negative way. 

More often than not, food restriction leads to feeling deprived which leads to binge eating. Before you know it, you’re in the continuous restrict/binge cycle that looks like… 

So how do we break free from the cycle?

How can I stop compulsive eating?

Finding freedom from compulsive eating is not about training yourself to eat less, or finding more distraction from eating. It’s about getting your needs met, honouring your hunger, and giving yourself more permission to eat foods that truly satisfy you. This is a process and is not something that can be done perfectly or all at once. It is a process you go through to help you realise that you can trust your body and realise that food doesn’t have to control you. Once you stop restricting, the drive to compulsively eat will fade and you can start to enjoy all the fun, meaningful things in life again.

For more nitty-gritty on how to stop compulsive eating check out previous articles we have written:

I Literally Can’t Stop Eating

How to Stop Food Obsession

How to Stop Binge Eating at Night

I’d also encourage you to check out our free 7-day guide:

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Are you wondering “Why do I eat if I’m not hungry?” 

We’ve all been there. You’re sitting on the couch after dinner and the next thing you know you’re in the fridge searching for something to round it off. Or you’re working hard on a deadline but can’t resist the urge to keep heading to the pantry for snacks. But all the time you’re thinking “I’m not even hungry”!

Should I only eat when I’m hungry? 

The short answer is “no”. As humans, it’s very normal for us to sometimes eat when we’re not hungry.

You are not a robot! You have emotions to deal with, celebrations to attend, and friends to meet up with over brunch.

That being said…

Do you find yourself frequently eating to the point of feeling uncomfortably full? Maybe this leaves you feeling guilty or worried about what will happen to your weight. If so, this is something worth addressing. We will get into how further down the article.

In my work as a Registered Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, I am all for listening to your body’s signals and “eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full”. But too often this can get twisted into a hard and fast rule (which it was never meant to be). This can really mess with our heads and become another form of restrictive eating that keeps us stuck in an unhealthy relationship with food.

Pssst…are you sure it’s not physical hunger?

I see it so often with my clients… they tell me they are emotional eaters or addicted to sugar. But actually, when we dive into it, years of living in diet culture has warped their idea of what a healthy amount of food is. 

We are sold an idea that we should be able to subsist on 1200-1500kcal/day and then wonder why are feeling out of control around food! 

Is it possible that you are just not eating enough food throughout the day through restriction (trying to lose or maintain weight), or just busyness? If so, by the time the evening comes, there can be a primal drive to want to eat which can induce nighttime binges. That judgy voice can then creep in, labelling it as an ‘emotional’ or ‘comfort’ eating episode, which is also judged as ‘bad’. When actually you were just genuinely hungry because your body has been needing fuel all day. This can trigger compensatory behaviour, such as restriction or over-exercise to ‘make up’ for it. Restriction usually only exacerbates the cycle of overeating at some point later to happen again.

Sound familiar? If so, Intuitive Eating is a framework I use with clients that can help them figure out how to eat enough throughout the day to prevent this from happening. More on this below.

If you’re pretty sure you’re eating adequately and still left wondering “Why do I eat if I’m not hungry?”….here are some other factors that could be playing a role.

5 reasons you may eat when you’re not physically hungry

1. You want the taste

Taste hunger occurs when you are craving a specific food. This can accompany physical hunger or occur when you are not physically hungry. Basically, taste hunger is when a food just sounds good! It’s really normal to have the desire for a little something to round off your meal and provide the “satisfaction factor”. Like sweets, biscuits, ice cream, fruit, yoghurt, hot chocolate etc. This is not bad, and it’s not emotional eating.  If you’re feeling the desire to eat something sweet after your meal, maybe that’s just what you need to hit the satisfaction factor.

If you’ve identified that you’re 100% not physically hungry, it’s not taste hunger, you have worked on making peace with food and no amount of food will fill you up, then it’s likely that you’re experiencing emotional hunger.

It’s really normal to have the desire for a little something to round off your meal and provide the “satisfaction factor”.

2. You’re experiencing uncomfortable emotions

Do you find yourself eating when bored, procrastinating, lonely or anxious? 

Again, it can be normal to turn to food sometimes for comfort. However, if food is your main coping mechanism for dealing with tough things, and it’s causing you distress, this is something worth addressing.

Emotional eating is really common and something we see often with clients. For strategies and information on how to address emotional eating see my other article: How to Navigate Emotional Eating

Are you someone who actively tries to avoid “bad food”, but then when you’re bored, stressed, or lonely, find yourself uncontrollably diving into all of the foods you’re trying to avoid? Sometimes emotions get in the way and interfere with your restriction. It’s a backlash effect of the restriction. Interestingly, research shows that former or current dieters have higher emotional eating than people without a history of dieting. Basically, dieting (any pursuit of weight loss) can exacerbate emotional eating.

3. You’re full, but you’re not satisfied

There is a difference between feeling physically full versus being satisfied with food. For example, if you eat enough garden salad you will eventually feel full from the sheer volume of food in your belly, but you probably won’t feel satisfied. This can leave you hankering for more food and wondering “Why do I eat if I’m not hungry?”.

As well as physically filling you up, your meals and snacks need to mentally and physically satisfy you so that you do not feel restricted (remember: restriction leads to deprivation and more thinking about food). This means choosing foods that we crave or that “hum” to us. If you’re craving a crispy pizza but opt for soup, you’re unlikely to feel satisfied. 

To ensure physical satisfaction, I often talk about the importance of choosing options with “staying power” with my clients. These are usually those which include a source of each fat, protein, carbohydrate, and fibre.

4. Your restrictive eating is having a backlash effect

Are you trying to not eat certain foods to be healthier or lose weight? Perhaps you’re trying to cut back on carbs, fatty foods, sweets and chocolates. If this sounds like you, it could be paradoxically making you eat MORE of these foods when you’re not even hungry.

Annoying huh?! But that’s just the way our human brains are wired. Research on thought suppression tells us about this. Thought suppression is intentionally trying not to think about something (i.e. a plate of chips or a creamy bar of chocolate). A large body of research indicates that thought suppression is ineffective. Moreover, it can lead us to think more about the very thing we are trying not to do. Imagine being told, “Don’t think of a pink bear.” This is an example of thought suppression. Give it a try—close your eyes for a minute and try not to think of a pink bear. What happens?

The solution? It’s to allow yourself permission to eat ALL foods. When we allow ourselves this permission we are likely to eat these so-called “naughty” foods in more moderate amounts and feel more in control around them.

This can sound scary or you may be doubting if it will work for you. My free guide below will walk you through the process.

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5. It’s a habit

Reaching for a snack when you walk through the door? Automatically grabbing something sweet after dinner? Mindlessly munching in front of the TV?

A lot of our eating behaviours are automatic. And there’s nothing inherently wrong with this. But if you’re finding these habits are leaving you feeling sluggish or uncomfortably full, intuitive eating strategies can help.

Try bringing more awareness to the habitual eating occasion that’s bothering you by:

1. Check-in with your hunger level prior to eating (this doesn’t mean you can’t eat if you’re not hungry, it just means you get to make the conscious choice)
2. If you’re not hungry – can you label what you are feeling? Ie. are you bored, lonely, or procrastinating on a task that needs doing?
3. Sit down to eat in a pleasant environment, without screens
4. Remain present with the sensory experience of eating the food (ie. what does it taste, smell and feel like when you’re eating?) 

All these strategies help us stay mindful of the eating experience and interrupt unhelpful behaviours that aren’t serving us.

How do I train myself to eat intuitively?

Intuitive eating is a tool that can help you learn the difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger. It can help you understand why you eat when you’re not hungry.

Intuitive Eating is an evidence-based approach to help improve your relationship with food and have better self-control around food. This framework can help you learn to honour your health by listening and responding to the messages of your body. This helps you to meet your physical and mental needs based on your terms and move away from external diet tools such as the time of day, points systems, calorie tracking, rigid rules or meal plans  – which can all make us more likely to eat when food isn’t really what’s going to satisfy us. You can learn more about Intuitive Eating here.

Another great place to start is my free guide which runs through some of the key principles of Intuitive eating.

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Want more individualised support? I run a private practice with a team of Dietitians and a Psychotherapist, to help you navigate your way to a more balanced and nourishing relationship with food. You can find out more about that here. and get in touch for a free 20-minute discovery call.