It started innocently enough.
One snack, then another.
Before I knew it, I was deep into what I can only describe as The Binge Fest, a full-on food free-for-all.
Here’s the truth - I’ve done a lot of personal development work around loving my body, accepting myself and letting go of shame. I share and write about this stuff. I live it. But I’m also human.
This time, the old pattern showed up again. And you know what? That’s okay because life isn’t about never slipping up. It’s about noticing when we do and choosing how we respond next.
The difference this time was that I didn’t get lost in it.
I didn’t spiral into an all-day binge or let the shame take over.
Instead, I paused, got curious and asked, “Why did this happen?”
The answer came quickly.
I was tired.
I hadn’t given myself enough time to rest or truly relax.
My body was crying out for restoration and I tried to feed it with food instead of what it really needed – sleep, rest and stillness.
In the past, once I started bingeing, I’d keep going, telling myself I’d “start again tomorrow.”
But this time, I chose differently.
I noticed the behaviour.
I forgave myself.
I took a breath.
Then I carried on with my day.
No more bingeing. No punishing workout. No mental self-sabotage loop.
Just me, listening to my body’s cues.
Later that day, I rested. I went to bed early. I gave my body the gift it had been asking for all along.
When I woke up the next morning, I didn’t feel guilt.
I felt gratitude for the lesson, for the awareness and for the reminder that I’m not aiming for perfection because perfection is a trap.
The goal is to become the observer of our patterns, to recognise them with kindness and to choose differently when we can.
If you’ve had your own version of The Binge Fest - whether it’s food, shopping, Netflix or anything else, please remember you are human.
You will slip up sometimes and that’s okay.
What matters is that you notice, you learn, you forgive and you keep going.
Remember, you are not defined by one choice, one moment or one day.
You are defined by your capacity to return to yourself, again and again, with love.
Our bodies are not battlegrounds. They’re our homes and they’re worth treating with compassion, even on the messy days.