Bingeing, Cravings, and Coming Back to Yourself

The holidays are wonderful… and also chaotic, emotional, nostalgic, and full of food you don’t see the rest of the year. It’s a time when many people slip into overeating or binge episodes — not because they lack willpower, but because the season itself is a perfect storm of stress, disrupted routines, and high-reward foods.

Here’s what I want you to remember:

A binge doesn’t erase your progress.
A craving doesn’t make you weak.
And you are not starting over — you’re simply continuing.

Why Binges Happen

Bingeing is usually tied to:

• Over-restriction or “saving calories” for an event – while there is an element of calorie cycling that is appropriate and not restrictive, most people find themselves in the latter category.

• Emotional load (stress, family dynamics, exhaustion). The holidays are A LOT.

• All-or-nothing thinking

• Alcohol lowering inhibition

None of this makes you a failure. It makes you human.

Honouring Your Cravings Instead of Fighting Them

Cravings are information — not a problem.

During the holidays, cravings might mean:

• You’re hungry or under-fueled

• You’re overstimulated or stressed

• You genuinely enjoy that nostalgic food

Choosing to intentionally enjoy something is not abandoning your goals. It’s practicing a healthy relationship with food. The important piece of the puzzle, is that your feel in control and intentional.

If You Binge: How to Recover

Recovery isn’t about punishment — it’s about returning to yourself.

Do this:

• Hydrate

• Eat a protein-forward breakfast

• Move your body gently

• Get back into your normal rhythm

• Reflect with curiosity, not shame

Don’t do this:

• Skip meals

• Restrict the next day

• Over-exercise

• Spiral into “I ruined everything” thinking

One episode doesn’t derail progress. What derails progress is staying stuck in guilt.

Identify Triggers + Set Boundaries

Before you enter the holiday whirlwind, reflect on what tends to throw you off:

Common triggers:

• Arriving to events starving (I coach my clients to have a high protein + fiber rich snack before events)

• Family conflict (Ah, the stress)

• Grazing all evening (You will not know how much you’ve consumed, be intentional, set a plate)

• Overscheduling (Keep some sacred time for you)

• Alcohol (Loosens that grip on being in control)

Supportive boundaries (not restrictions) help:

• Eat balanced meals earlier in the day

• Decide which foods you truly look forward to and prioritize them.

• Make a plate and walk away from the food table

• Pause for 5 minutes if emotions rise

• Limit alcohol if it leads to over-eating

These aren’t rules — they’re self-respect in action.

All-or-Nothing Thinking Is the Real Saboteur

One day of overeating doesn’t undo months of consistent habits.

What slows progress is:

• “I’ll start over Monday” – Friday, Saturday and Sunday count, and are 43% of your week.

• Swinging between extremes

• Letting guilt dictate your next steps

You don’t need a reset. You need a return to the routine that supports you.

Your Work This Holiday Season

Your goal isn’t perfection.
Your goal is staying anchored — to your values, your needs, and the life you’re building.

You can enjoy the foods you love.
You can slip up and still move forward.
You can recover without shame.

And you can enter January feeling steady, not because you controlled everything, but because you stayed connected to yourself.