If you’re wondering what to do after overeating, please start with this video.

Beneath the video I’ve provided an anonymous email exchange with a client who just had a binge and wants to know what to do.

Now, I’m going to share an email response to client who emailed me in immediately after she had a binge.

I’ll edit out a few details to keep anonymous, but hope this helps you too.

What to do after overeating:

“Thank you.

I read it all, from the employees at work, to peanut butter, to thoughts that you can’t do it, that it’s all your fault, and to the sadness, the deep sadness.

Thank you for having the courage to pray, and to share with me. I feel the depth of your feelings. This is courageous work you’re doing. You’re on the right path.

You also did a great job describing what happened and the events leading up to the binge. I can totally see the pattern of stress and overwhelm, and I’m sure you can too.

But now let’s go one step further … let’s see what we can learn from this binge episode. How can you adopt a Growth Mindset? What could you do differently next time?

One other question too, for sadness, you did a great job feeling what you were feeling. Remember these 2 questions – 1) what am I feeling? and 2) what do I need? You got the first question. That’s a great step. Now we just need to get the second question – what did you need in that moment?

To get some clarity into what you needed in that moment, if one of your children was feeling incredible sadness, what would you say to them? What advice would you give them?

And whatever your answer is to the above question about what you need … here’s the final question … could you give yourself permission to give what you need to yourself before you binge?

As strange as this may sound … our goals right now are simply 1) reflect and learn what we can do differently next time and 2) out of reflection and growth mindset, to give ourselves the love we need before we binge eat the next time the pattern occurs.

If we learn and give ourselves love before we binge eat, this is success. This is our goal right now. To learn and to try meeting your emotional needs before you binge eat.

I’m not saying to stop binge eating.

We just want to love ourselves before we binge eat. How do we love ourselves before we binge eat? We learn from our previous binge eating episode. We hypothesize some way we can meet our emotional need. Like walking, calling a friend, journaling, music, etc etc.

Again, if your children were sad, how would you advise them to take care of their sadness? Then the next time the pattern repeats, we are more prepared. We see the signs coming. And we have a gameplan. We’ll practice self-care before the binge.

That’s where we’re at right now. Remember what you told me the other day. The only failure is not learning.

Xoxo Jared

What To Do After Overeating:

I know this article was merely a response to a client, and didn’t contain any step by step info.

And then read here if you want more specific info for triggers and compulsions.

What are your thoughts about what to do after overeating? What remaining questions do you have?