What should I do after binge eating?
The most important thing is to respond with compassion and curiosity instead of punishment and criticism.
Take care of your body by hydrating, resting, and making sure to eat the next time you do get hungry. Skipping meals to “make up” for the binge often backfires later. Reflect gently on what triggered the binge and use it as information, not shame.
Binge eating is often a sign of deeper struggles with eating habits or challenging emotions, and healing begins with kindness and awareness.
Written by Jenn Hand, Holistic Nutritionist, Board Certified Health Coach, NBC-HWC
10 Things You Can Do After a Binge
In this post, I’m going to share what to do after a binge based on my own experience as well as what I’ve seen work for my clients.
As a holistic nutritionist and binge eating coach with over 11 years of experience working with women and men to overcome bingeing and restricting, I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t.
1 – Be Kind to Yourself First
We can often get REALLY critical of ourselves after we binge.
When we’ve been “trying” to stop overeating for weeks, months or even years, bingeing can completely throw us off course.
The first thing I want you to remember is that bingeing is a message.
When we binge, it’s a cry from a deeper part of ourselves that’s trying to get our attention. Bingeing gives us clues; it shows us where we need to look deeper into a trigger, an emotion, or another situation in our lives.
We use food to cope with life, to numb out, to escape a feeling, to reward ourselves, to relieve boredom, or to deal with a situation we don’t yet know how to deal with.
You’re not a failure if you binge.
A binge eating episode only means that:
- Something is up for healing.
- You’re dealing with something you haven’t yet learned how to cope with.
Bingeing falls away as we begin to learn new coping mechanisms.
I used to wallow in hatred and self-loathing after a binge. When I began shifting my attitude to see what the urge to binge was trying to tell me, I began developing the coping mechanisms to deal with life instead of using food.
2 – Drink Water and Hydrate Well
After a binge, it’s easy to feel bloated or sluggish, but drinking water or tea can help your body naturally process what you ate.
Water supports digestion and can reduce that overly full, uncomfortable feeling. Sip throughout the day rather than chugging a large amount at once. Avoid sugary drinks or caffeine-heavy beverages, which can further upset your system. Think of hydration as one gentle way to support your body and care for yourself in the aftermath of binge eating.
3 – Eat Nourishing Foods That Support Recovery
The diet brain will convince us that we should “eat as little as possible” post binge.
Even if you’re tempted to restrict after a binge, skipping meals only fuels the restrict-binge cycle. When you feel ready, aim for meals that include protein, fiber, and healthy fats to balance blood sugar and keep you satisfied. Choosing nourishing foods helps bring your body and brain back into balance and reduces the chances of overeating later.
This isn’t about punishing yourself or “making up” for what you ate—it’s about taking care of yourself and supporting your well-being. Your next meal is a chance to gently reconnect with your body and show yourself compassion.
4 – Steadfastly Refuse to Diet
Our knee-jerk reaction when we binge is to restrict ourselves afterwards or to start skipping meals.
We get worried about weight gain. And restricting can give us a sense of control and hope.
We think, “I hate how I feel. Tomorrow I’m going to eat super healthy and get back to feeling more in control around food.”
But the problem is that any diet or restriction will inevitably lead to “falling off” the wagon again i.e. a binge. The binge-restrict cycle is real.
But we want to get OUT of the diet cycle completely.
Refusing to diet is a great way to counter the continuation of the binge-restrict cycle. We can still eat lighter if we feel heavy, drink lots of water, or meal plan a bit more. But these actions will be coming from a place of taking care of ourselves instead of hating ourselves.
5 – Ask “What Would Nourish Me Right Now?”
When we ask ourselves what we truly need on a soul level, it can help kickstart our healing.
What do we deeply long for? Is it a hug? A nap? A good cry? Time alone? Connection? A walk in nature? Rest?
Ask and see what arises.
This question is a game changer. There were many nights after a binge where I just cried and cried, realizing what I needed was to feel emotions that I had been stuffing for years.
Soul nourishment is what heals.
Begin asking yourself that question, and be open to seeing what comes up.

6 – Stick to Regular Meals and Snacks
One of the MOST important things to do post-binge is to remind yourself that skipping meals sets up the cycle for a binge later.
Eating regularly helps stabilize blood sugar and keeps your body out of survival mode. When you nourish yourself consistently, you’re less likely to swing between extremes and fall back into the binge-restrict cycle.
Aim for balanced meals and snacks every 3–4 hours to support both your body and mind. Creating structure with your eating habits builds trust with your body again.
7 – Try Mindful Eating to Reconnect with Hunger Cues
Mindless eating often happens when we disconnect from our body’s signals.
Practicing mindful eating—slowing down, pausing before meals, and checking in with your hunger—can help you begin to rebuild that trust. You don’t have to eat perfectly intuitively right away; a modified intuitive eating approach can be helpful if you’re still learning to recognize hunger and fullness.
Small steps like sitting down to eat, minimizing distractions, and tuning into taste and satisfaction go a long way. Over time, mindful eating becomes a powerful tool to prevent future binges and support long-term healing.
8 – Move Your Body in a Way That Feels Good
Gentle movement can help relieve stress and support digestion after a binge.
This isn’t about “burning off” what you ate—it’s about reconnecting with your body in a kind and supportive way. A walk, light stretching, or even dancing to a favorite song can shift your energy and improve your mood.
When you move from a place of self-care rather than punishment, it helps restore balance physically and emotionally. Choose whatever feels good to you, without pressure or guilt.
9 – Reflect on What Triggered the Binge
Instead of beating yourself up, try approaching the binge with curiosity.
Was it stress, loneliness, boredom, or restricting certain foods earlier in the day? Identifying your emotional or situational triggers helps you understand your patterns and make supportive changes.
This reflection isn’t about blame—it’s about building awareness. When you explore your behavior with compassion, you create space for healing and better support your mental health moving forward.
10 – Give Yourself More Love and Kindness Than You Ever Thought Possible.
Our typical reaction after we binge is deep self-loathing, criticism, and judgement.
But these feelings only perpetuate the shame and the remorse we feel. When we can catch ourselves thinking those thoughts and instead shower ourselves with kindness and compassion, we end up learning the lesson the binge was meant to teach us.
Think about a child who is sobbing and comes to you upset.
When you’re harsh and critical with them, they shut down.
Ex: “Why did you do that?! You know better!”
When you are gentle and loving, they open up.
Ex: “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Why are you upset?”
That’s what we’re aiming for with ourselves.
Compassion above all else. Kindness at all costs. This is how lasting change happens.
Criticism never motivates us to change for the long haul. Love always does.

Are You Binge Eating Frequently?
If you find yourself binge eating often, it’s a sign that something deeper is going on—and you don’t have to navigate it alone.
Frequent binges can be tied to emotional overwhelm, chronic restriction, stress, or unmet needs in your life. Getting support from a coach, therapist, or specialist can help you explore the root causes and shift your eating habits in a sustainable way.
Healing binge eating is not about more control—it’s about compassion, consistency, and addressing the emotional and behavioral patterns underneath.
Why Restriction Often Leads to Binging
When you deprive yourself of food—whether it’s not eating enough, skipping meals, or avoiding certain foods—your body and brain react.
Physically, restriction increases hunger, and emotionally, it creates a heightened focus on food. This often leads to an intense urge to binge, as your body tries to protect you from perceived scarcity.
Even mental restriction (thinking you shouldn’t eat something) can fuel the cycle. The key to breaking free is allowing consistent, satisfying nourishment rather than swinging between extremes.
How to Create a Positive Relationship with Food
Building a positive relationship with food starts with letting go of guilt and tuning into what your body actually needs.
Instead of labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” practice seeing food as nourishment, satisfaction, and self-care. Focus on eating regularly, staying present during meals, and exploring what truly satisfies you—physically and emotionally.
Be patient with yourself; changing long-held eating habits takes time and compassion. The goal is to move from control to connection, from fear to trust.
Know When to Ask for Help
If you’re stuck in a cycle of bingeing or compulsive eating, it’s okay to reach out.
A therapist, coach, or support group can help you heal your relationship with food and support you as you heal. You don’t have to do this alone!

Common Questions about Recovering from a Binge
Will I gain weight after binge eating?
One binge alone typically doesn’t cause long-term weight gain.
What matters most is your overall eating habits over time—not one episode of compulsive eating.
How do you settle your stomach after a food binge?
Gentle movement (like walking), staying hydrated, and giving your body time to digest can help ease the discomfort.
Avoid the urge to stop eating altogether, and instead focus on calm, nourishing choices at your next meal.
Can you speed up digestion after overeating?
While you can’t drastically speed up digestion, sipping warm water or herbal tea and doing light stretching may support your body’s natural process.
Try to rest and tend to your mental health instead of punishing your body.
How do you settle your stomach after a binge episode?
Be kind to yourself—your body is doing its best.
Focus on rest, hydration, and avoiding more certain foods that you know make you feel worse (like heavy, greasy meals).
How can I treat binge eating disorder?
Support from a therapist, coach, or registered dietitian can help address the emotional and behavioral roots of bingeing.
Healing often involves improving emotional health and shifting your relationship with food—not just trying to control your eating habits.
Why do I get so hungry?
Extreme hunger is often a response to previous restriction or skipping meals.
Your body may be asking for nourishment, especially if you’ve been avoiding certain foods or trying to stop eating “too much.”
Is binge eating the most common eating disorder?
Yes, it’s actually the most common eating disorder, though it often goes unrecognized.
Many people silently struggle with compulsive mindless eating or feeling out of control, which can take a toll on how we feel about ourselves.
Related Articles
⚪ How to Stop Binge Eating. I Stopped Binge Eating, and You Can Too.
⚪ Why Do I Binge Eat? Uncovering the Root Causes of Binge Eating
⚪ What Is Binge Eating?
⚪ How to Stop Bingeing On Sugar
⚪ What Are the Most Common Misconceptions About Binge Eating?
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Jenn Hand has been helping women like you become normal eaters since 2015.
She’s worked with thousands of women, helping them to balance their bodies, end bingeing, stop obsessing over food, and start feeling amazing again. As a board-certified health coach and holistic nutritionist, Jenn knows how to support you in making real positive changes that last.
Her articles have been published on Mind Body Green, Tiny Buddha, Thrive Global and other local and global media platforms. She’s the author of How to Be a Normal Eater and the creator of The Normal Eater’s Club program. Listen to Jenn’s advice and tips on the Cake Doesn’t Count Podcast, or read more of her articles for free on the Food Freedom Blog.
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