Hey there! You have arrived at this blog post because you are currently in the cycle of binge and restriction. Or maybe you landed here to discover if you are engaging in bingeing. To help answer this question, my blog post on the difference between binges and emotional eating will help.
Regardless, you are looking for answers. You are looking for healing. And you are looking to stop the cycle of bingeing that you likely feel shameful for, but can’t seem to end.
Let’s start with the first step in your journey to end restriction.
Repeat after me:
“I AM NOT A BINGER. I AM A RESTRICTER.”
Say it out loud. Yes, in this moment say it out loud so that you can hear these words.
This is an important distinction and step to start the healing process.
A great place to start with the binge/restrict cycle is to become aware of WHERE there is restriction. Heal the restriction and not the binges.
By identifying that you are a restricter before you are a binger. Because what you want to heal isn’t the binge behavior. It is the restriction.
Ask yourself:
Where am I restricting with food and in my life?
Where is there physical restriction?
-Not eating enough
-Only eating certain kinds of foods
-Only eating at certain times
Where is there mental restriction?
-guilt around food
-considering your next diet
-food rules
I suggest taking out a journal to write down where restriction exists physically and mentally. By identifying where restriction is present, you can then take action to shift from the scarcity mindset into the abundance mindset.
Then write down one way that you can end restriction this week. Possibly eating breakfast vs. intermittent fasting. Or identifying a food rule you would like to break. Or eating brownies instead of ignoring your craving. Write it down and commit to making the change.
This will be your first step to ending restriction in your life which will end the bingeing. It takes awareness, hard work and leaning into the terrifying feeling of not dieting and restricting.
The reason we binge is because we restrict. End the restriction and the rest will fall into place