After eight years of iHeartMacros, I still get asked several times daily, “How did you overcome your binge eating?”

Well, I can tell you it did not happen overnight or even in 30 days. It took months for me to conquer. It took over six months to realize I could fit a doughnut into my macros without going back for seconds and thirds, and I still find myself creeping my way into the pantry and treat basket. It took me months to realize I didn’t have to feel guilty about my food choices and that even when I ate something “unhealthy,” it didn’t trigger a binge.

Be patient with yourself — Binge eating had control over me for 10+ years and the weekends scared me the most. I could eat clean and workout five days a week, but you throw a Saturday and Sunday in the mix, and OH NO, watch out! It’s like a switch would go off, and it was a free-for-all, and all the guilt came rushing in after every crappy thing I would eat. And I would have to start fresh come Monday morning. It was an endless cycle. If this is you, know it doesn’t have to be.

My Top Three Tips for Overcoming Binge Eating

1.) Love yourself, and appreciate what your body can do.

Begin a daily practice of showing gratitude for your body. Write it in a journal. Say it out loud. Refuse to speak negatively about yourself. You deserve love, always.

2.) Allow yourself to eat the foods you love.

Allow yourself to eat. Restriction NEVER works long-term. I promise I’ve tried. This is where macro counting saved me. I figured out that I still can eat foods I love; I just needed a way to moderate them quickly.

3.) Identify your “trigger” foods.

This list would include any foods that would trigger a binge for you. For me, those were any gummy candies and cookies. I just knew to stay away to regain control of my eating habits again. After a while, I developed a positive food mindset and was able to eat my “trigger” foods again and be able to moderate them on my own. 

Share your ah-ha moment with macro counting ... what helped you overcome bingeing?