PART 6: Break through emotional Eating

Recover from Overeating

1. Be kind to yourself. Practice self-care right away, both in what you say to yourself and what you do.

Say something kind to yourself now. Write it down here:

2. Drink water and get enough sleep. This supports your kidneys and liver, two organs in your body that help keep digestion going smoothly and filter out toxins.

3. Get up and move. Perhaps go for a slow walk today. Then, get your heart pumping more tomorrow with a faster walk or an exercise class.

4. Start the next day with a healthy breakfast. Get your metabolism revved and running early. This will help you use the extra energy you consumed the day before. Choose a food high in fiber for breakfast. This will help your body clear your digestive system of waste, especially from a large meal high in fatty and salty foods. Choose plant-based sources of protein to give your body extra fiber.

5. Continue to follow your healthy eating plan. Avoid the “I blew it” approach that can cause one “off” meal or snack to spiral out of control.

6. Plan for the future. Without a plan, this is likely to happen again.

– Am I eating enough? Do I feel like I’m starving all the time?

– Am I getting enough from each food group? Your body may need a nutrient that it isn’t getting.

– Am I being too tough on myself? Making a lot of changes at once can be hard to stick with. Create a realistic plan for you to make changes gradually. Allow yourself some treats.

– Learn healthy ways to cope with emotions in this section.