How to Stop Binge Eating: Why Abstinence Works Better Than Moderation | Ellen Bennett

In this episode, I sit down with Ellen Bennett — registered dietitian, addiction-informed practitioner, researcher, founder of the Liberate program, and food addict in recovery. Ellen has spent years training as a clinician, and finally conducting groundbreaking research that's challenging everything that the field of eating disorders has taught us about food, moderation, and recovery.

Ellen brings something rare to this space: lived experience grounded in rigorous science. She didn't just survive food addiction — she spent years asking the medical establishment for evidence it even existed, and when they told her there was none, she went back to school, worked on her doctorate, and created that evidence herself.

Here's what we cover in the episode:

Ellen's childhood foundation — allergen restrictions that kept her safe, then the moment at age seven when processed foods became accessible, and how her body responded

The progression of her food addiction through adolescence — constant mental preoccupation, hip surgery, weight gain, and the shame that followed her into adulthood

Why commercial diet programs made everything worse — "moderation" meant nothing to her addicted brain, and no one asked why

How she became a dietitian, and why asking doctors for evidence of food addiction changed her life trajectory

The Liberate program: what it is, how it differs from traditional diet and eating disorder programs

Her groundbreaking research findings — 46% reduction in food addiction

severity, 44% reduction in binge eating symptoms, and what that means for the moderation vs. abstinence debate

Why traditional eating disorder treatment got it backwards — and the story of a woman forced to prove she could eat in moderation to be discharged, who found relief through abstinence instead

How abstinence-based approaches can actually reduce binge eating (contrary to everything the field of eating disorders warned us about)

Meeting people where they are — why one-size-fits-all moderation doesn't work for everyone, and why informed choice matters

Her future research plans — nutrient density studies, her dream retreat center for food addiction recovery, and getting Liberate into the NHS

Why finding community matters when your family doesn't understand — and how the growing addiction-informed food community is making space for people walking this path

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Connect with Ellen:

https://www.liberatetoday.org

Timestamps:

00:00 | Intro & Guest Introduction

01:10 | Personal Story Begins

01:47 | Childhood: Allergen Restrictions & the Shift at Age 7

02:33 | Weight Gain Progression: A Stone Per Year

03:15 | Hip Surgery & First Diet Attempts

03:45 | The "Unlimited Chips" Diet Trap

04:21 | Low-Fat Diet Failures & Doctor Blame

05:00 | The Stealing Realization (HOOK)

05:17 | Orlistat Medication Side Effects

05:46 | Sugar-Free Chocolate Bus Story

18:00 | Asking for Evidence: The Turning Point

20:14 | What is Liberate Program

20:49 | How Liberate Differs: No Weight Talk, It's About Coping

29:09 | Research Results: 46% Reduction in Food Addiction

30:11 | Research Results: 44% Reduction in Binge Eating

30:56 | The Woman Forced to Prove Moderation

34:03 | Low-Carb Stabilizes Blood Sugar & Mood

37:50 | The Creation and Validation of CRAVED

42:30 | Food Addiction and Type II Diabetes

47:55 | Future Dreams: Retreat Center & NHS Integration

52:54 | How to Connect & Next Steps

Disclaimer: The information on this channel is for educational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice or therapy. The views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Kristina Dobyns or Beyond Binge Eating.