If you’re dealing with body image struggles and feel stuck in the same patterns with food and your body, you’re not alone. Many of the women I work with feel tired, ashamed, and frustrated. They’ve spent years in diet culture and still feel like they’re failing. These struggles aren’t about willpower. They come from deeper survival patterns that make perfect sense.
Hi! I’m Meredith MacKenzie, a binge eating therapist, intuitive eating coach, and founder of the One Body To Love program. I work with women who are tired of feeling at war with food and their bodies. If you’re navigating body image struggles like binge eating, fear of weight gain, or emotional eating, you’re not alone. If you’re looking more daily support and real talk about healing your relationship with food, come join me on Instagram.
Let’s look beneath the surface and talk about what’s really going on.
Struggle #1: The Binge-Restrict Cycle
One of the most common body image struggles I see is the binge-restrict cycle. It often starts with good intentions. You tell yourself you’ll “be good” with food. Maybe you plan to eat clean, cut out sugar, or follow a new program. At first, it feels like you’re in control. But soon, your body starts to fight back.
Restriction, whether it’s physical, emotional, or mental, creates a sense of urgency. Your brain and body think food is scarce, so they push you to eat more. You may start thinking about food all the time. Cravings get stronger. Eventually, you give in and binge. Then the guilt kicks in, and the cycle starts over.
This cycle isn’t a sign of failure. It’s your body trying to protect you. Most of my clients have been stuck in this loop for years, feeling like they’re broken or weak. But you’re not broken. You’ve just been stuck in a pattern that makes sense when you’ve spent years dieting and feeling shame about your body.
How we work through it
We start by letting go of food rules and making sure you’re eating enough. Together, we explore how restriction shows up in both your eating and your thinking. You’ll relearn how to trust your body, one small, safe step at a time, with a focus on satisfaction, self-compassion, and steady progress.
Feeling stuck in the binge-restrict cycle and craving a way out that actually feels doable? In the video below, I share what drives this pattern and how you can begin to shift it with compassion, not more rules.
Struggle #2: Fear of Weight Gain
Fear of weight gain is another deep and painful body image struggle that comes up often in my sessions. Even when someone wants to let go of diets, the fear can still hold them back. This fear doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s built over years of messages from family, media, doctors, and society that tell us smaller is better and thinner means healthier.
Many of my clients feel stuck. Part of them wants to stop obsessing over food. But another part is terrified of what might happen to their body if they do. This tug-of-war can feel exhausting. It’s not just about looks. It’s also about fear of judgment, rejection, or not being taken seriously.
Sometimes, this fear shows up in subtle ways. You might avoid certain clothes, avoid being in photos, or skip social events because of how you feel in your body. You might keep thinking, “I’ll feel better once I lose a little weight.” But that “little” weight goal often moves farther and farther away.
How we work through it
We explore where the fear comes from and how it affects your life. Instead of aiming for body love, we focus on body respect. You do not have to feel great in your body to begin treating it with care. Together, we gently challenge harmful beliefs and build emotional safety so you can feel more grounded, even if your body stays the same.
Is fear of weight gain keeping you stuck with food? In the video below, I share how to move through that fear and stay grounded in your intuitive eating journey.
Struggle #3: Emotional Eating as a Coping Tool
Many of my clients feel ashamed about emotional eating. They say things like, “I know better,” or “Why can’t I just stop?” But here’s the truth: emotional eating is a normal human response. It becomes a struggle when it’s the only tool you have to cope.
Food can offer comfort, distraction, and a sense of control during hard times. If you’ve had a long, stressful day, food might feel like the only thing that’s just for you. If you grew up in a home where emotions weren’t welcome, food may have become your safe place. There is nothing wrong with you for turning to food. You were just doing your best with what you had.
The problem isn’t the eating. The problem is the shame that follows. You might feel like you’ve failed again, or like you’re out of control. That shame only adds more stress, which often leads back to eating. And the cycle continues.
How we work through it
In our sessions, we slow down and look at what you truly need when you turn to food. Like rest, comfort, or connection. We practice naming emotions and building new ways to cope. Food isn’t the enemy. It’s been a survival tool. As we add support and self-compassion, you begin to need it less because your needs are being met in other ways.
Struggling with emotional eating or turning to food when you’re overwhelmed? In the video below, I share simple, supportive steps to help you understand what’s really going on and how to break the cycle without guilt. If you’re ready to feel more in control and at peace with food, this is a powerful place to start.
The Root of Body Image Struggles: Control, Shame, and Perfectionism
Behind body image struggles are often deeper themes. These patterns are not flaws. They are survival strategies shaped by a world that has not always felt safe.
Here’s what tends to show up:
- Control
Many of my clients feel like food and their bodies are the only things they can control when everything else feels overwhelming. Controlling what you eat can feel like a way to stay grounded, especially when life feels chaotic. - Shame
Shame often shows up after eating or when looking in the mirror. It sounds like, “What’s wrong with me?” or “Why can’t I just get it together?” This shame doesn’t come from within you. It’s learned from diet culture, family messages, and years of being told your body isn’t enough. - Perfectionism
You might be someone who tries to do everything right. Maybe you’re a caregiver, a high-achiever, or the one others count on. Food can feel like one more area where you’re trying to get it “perfect.” But healing asks us to let go of all-or-nothing thinking and get comfortable with messy, human progress.
Not sure where to start with food freedom? Take my free What Are Your Food Struggles? quiz to uncover your unique patterns and get personalized next steps for healing.
What Healing from Body Image Struggles Actually Looks Like
Healing from body image struggles doesn’t happen overnight. It’s not a straight line. It’s more like a winding path with stops, starts, and moments where everything feels messy. That’s okay. Healing is not about fixing yourself. It’s about returning to yourself, with more care, compassion, and trust.
Here’s what healing can look like in real life:
- You stop labeling food as good or bad.
- You listen to your hunger instead of ignoring it.
- You notice your inner critic and start to respond differently.
- You feel safer in your body, even if it hasn’t changed.
- You use new tools to cope with stress and emotions.
- You stop chasing “perfect” and start choosing what feels peaceful.
This is the kind of healing I support my clients with every day. Food freedom and body trust are possible, even if nothing else has worked before.
Want to understand how diet culture might still be showing up in your life, even in wellness spaces? Check out my blog post on how to spot sneaky diet culture.
Moving Forward with Compassion
If any of these body image struggles feel familiar, know that you are not alone. You are not doing anything wrong. These patterns are not your fault. They come from years of pressure, harmful messages, and unmet needs. But healing is possible, one small step at a time.
If you’re feeling worn out from battling body image struggles and trying to make peace with food on your own, you don’t have to do it alone. My small group coaching program, One Body To Love, offers a supportive space to step out of the binge-restrict cycle, unlearn harmful beliefs, and rebuild trust in your body at your own pace.
If you’re looking for deeper, more personalized support, my 1:1 coaching is here to help you explore the roots of your food and body patterns in a safe and compassionate space. If you’re curious about what support might be right for you, I’d love to connect, book a free discovery call today.
Want more resources? Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I share videos on binge eating recovery, intuitive eating, and healing body image. You can also tune into my podcast, One Body To Love, for real talk, personal stories, and tools to support your journey.
