How to Recover from a Binge

The mornings I've woken up after a binge have been the lowest points of my self-esteem. No matter how many times you've recovered from a binge, it's always an awful feeling to wake up and remember what happened the day before. How do you recover after a binge? How do you help yourself so you don't continue the cycle of binge eating and restriction?

Tips for Recovering from Binge Eating

I use these tips whenever I'm struggling with restrictive eating or binge eating. Either way, these tips help move my attention from food to my values and what is going on outside of my struggles. I know from experience that binge eating will be overshadowed by better days. These tips also help as a general reset whenever you want to work on building your self-esteem.

1. Rise -- It's overwhelming to get out of bed after a binge. However, getting out of bed immediately and starting the motions of caring for yourself will move you out of your discomfort quicker than if you stayed in bed longer. 
2. Tend to your body -- It may sound like nothing new, but drinking a glass of water, taking a shower, or stretching your body after rising sets an immediate tone to the new day; you are taking care of yourself. You might feel a little positive momentum after tending to your body, which is so helpful to move through discomfort after a binge.
3. Find different scenery -- It can be helpful to change your scenery the morning after a binge. You could take a short walk or go on a drive. Sometimes just stepping outside for a few minutes can pull you out of negative thoughts. You can hopefully re-enter your home with a slight shift in perspective.
4. Remind yourself -- As you recover from a binge, remind yourself what your values are. If you aren't sure what your values are, it might be helpful to evaluate what they might be. We should direct ourselves towards our values as a place to start when we don't know how to feel better. Here's a journal prompt if you need help discovering your values: If you could take back the time you've struggled with binge eating disorder, what would you spend that time doing? Who would you spend the time with?
5. Celebrate -- After every kind action you do for yourself after a binge, take a second to acknowledge what you've been able to do. Be proud of every little thing. Celebrate drinking a glass of water, going for a walk, stretching, sending someone you love a text, or getting out of bed. Celebrate every time you take back your day after a binge. 

Overcoming a Binge

I want to acknowledge how difficult it is to rebuild your confidence after a binge. The intention behind these tips is to gently shift you into a different, more hopeful state of mind. If you have been struggling with binge eating lately, I hope you take extra good care of yourself today.

How do you recover from a binge? What rebuilds your self-esteem? Let me know in the comments what helps you.