Break Away from Binge Eating and Find Freedom with Food

Hello everyone! Today is going to be a bit of a different topic, and I think many of you will be able to relate. I am going to share the story of one of my clients, and how she was able to break away from binge eating and find freedom with food.

For the sake of her privacy, we’ll call her “A.” Just a disclaimer, A encouraged to share her story to help others. I received 100% permission to share this story with you today. I would never share something regarding a client without the full permission and comfort of my client. If you’d like to see more stories that my clients are willing to share, you can view my testimonies page. I’ll link to that page at the end of this post.

If you read my story, you will know that I also struggled with binge eating before I started eating intuitively and trusting my body. I have shared how I overcame bingeing, and I now would like to bring in other stories of girls who have overcome this as well.

When A first enrolled in my six-month program, she was bingeing multiple times per week. As I talked with A more, I realized that she was using food emotionally: as a source of comfort and numbing effect. Something that I learned at IIN: we as people need to feel fulfilled in what is called “primary foods”. Some of these include: relationships, career, education, and health. I go into depth with these primary foods in my private sessions. When these are out of balance, we then will likely turn to other things that our bodies might believe will fill those gaps, whether it be food, alcohol, drugs, or many other sources of false comfort. The most frustrating thing for A was that bingeing made her feel awful-she was gaining weight, embarrassed to attend social activities (which she would normally love doing), felt sick and miserable after each binge, and felt trapped in a horrible cycle of bingeing and promises to never binge again. All of these emotions were kept to herself, because she was ashamed. She thought that people would react by simply saying, “just don’t eat the food!”

As I worked with A to overcome bingeing, we began to focus on doing things that would bring her happiness and fulfillment that would eventually crowd out the bingeing. Note that this did not happen overnight. It takes time for your body to trust that it does not need this false, temporary sense of emotional comfort. It takes time to be able to listen to your body intuitively and know what it truly wants rather than what it thinks it wants. This is why Simi and I designed our program, Finally Free, to expand over weeks. Each week brings new goals to work towards; it is definitely not a quick fix! Just like in a new relationship, it takes time and effort to build trust. Some examples that truly helped A feel happier and more fulfilled included meditating each morning, doing fun things with friends that she could look forward to, booking trips to see new places, writing down each day things she was thankful for, and planning out each day to include self care and reflection. Each person will be different, but A knew that for the time being, she could not change some things in her life that were making her unhappy. Instead, she added in these extra things that would bring her happiness to take the focus away from emotional eating. Does this make sense?

The true key to finding freedom from bingeing for A was taking risks and finally going after what made her feel fulfilled. Do you remember my post, “What I Realized While in NYC”? I talked about all the things in my life I wouldn’t have done if I had let fear get in my way. A also realized this, and it was the final piece to overcoming bingeing. While working with A, I found out that she was living in a location she felt like she did not belong or fit in with, was in school for a career she had no desire to be in, and felt like she was in a rut of doing the same things each day. Girls, remember how I mentioned that we need to be fulfilled in our “primary foods”? A definitely was not feeling fulfilled! She knew what she wanted and could imagine the life she wanted to live, but was too hesitant to change. It is scary to leave something of safety for the unknown, even if we know it is best for us.

Fun fact: a year ago, A planned a trip to a place she had always wanted to visit (this was one of her goals throughout our sessions that she could look forward to). She began saving money, and planning things to do during her trip. It was one of the things that shifted her focus away from bingeing! When A finally went on her trip (and I got to meet her in person for the first time!), she fell in love with everything about the state and knew that this was where she belonged and “fit in”. In fact, she told me that in one year, she would be living there. Now, at the time, she had no clue how this could even happen, she was in still in school and would have no support moving across the country. But she had a clear vision of the life she wanted, and no longer let fear stop her from pursuing that life. And she used that determination to make it happen, and in the process, the bingeing diminished until she no longer even thought about food at night (this was when she binged).

As she worked toward shifting her life to one she wanted, her body no longer felt that it needed the emotional comfort from food. In one year exactly, A moved across the country by herself, completely changed careers, and is now doing things she loves. She feels surrounded by people she connects with, is working towards a career she loves, and is living in the place she describes as her “soul city”.

Now, I realize that this is may be an extreme example of fulfilling those primary foods, but the point is that when she stopped letting fear get in the way of what she knew would make her happy, her body began to trust her and feel content without emotionally eating. Of course, not everything can always be perfect. A had to make sacrifices, and it is incredibly hard changing everything. There are still worries in life, and it is stressful making huge life decisions. But, her body knows that she does not need the emotional fulfillment of food. She can now enjoy a dessert without being terrified of turning it into a binge. She has returned to her outgoing personality, because she’s no longer ashamed of herself. She has found freedom from bingeing, and in the process created a life she loves. Working through a difficult process, such as overcoming bingeing, takes time and effort. She would sit down and make goals for herself, planned activities she knew she would enjoy, and stepped outside her comfort zone continuously. But, as she said, every step was well worth the effort.

To see more stories like this, click here.

If this story doesn’t make you feel emotional, I don’t know what will… My gosh… It brings me to tears, because I remember exactly what all of this feels like from my own past… I know there will be a number of you girls who strongly relate… If you have anyone in your life who you think might relate to this, please share it with them… This is one of those stories that many people need to see.

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My dear friend and partner in Finally Free, Simi, and I are hosting a FREE “Girl Talk” this Sunday. And for your convenience, we’re going to pre-record the call and inbox it to you instead of making you call in live. Live calls just don’t work for everyone. We for sure know that we’re listening-to-the-recording gals. We’re busy! And so are you.

So, sign-up HERE, and listen to our 30-minute call this Sunday (or any day during the week) while you’re cooking, exercising, or getting ready. There’s literally no excuse to miss out – you’ll love it. Xo!

Oh, and if you’d like to help us out, share this –> www.finallyfreegirltalk.com <– link with your girl friends and invite them too!

Love,