“One Bite Ruined Everything”: How One Woman Broke the Binge-Restrict Cycle After Years of Self-Hate

“I’d make one mistake… eat one ‘wrong’ food… And boom, I launched into months of bingeing, guilt, and calling myself disgusting. I felt broken.”

That’s how Martina described her relationship with food before starting my 3-month coaching programme.

On the outside, she looked like she had it all together. But inside, food ruled everything: her mood, her confidence, and her self-talk.

And it wasn’t just about food. It was the emotional rollercoaster that came with it:

• Restricting during the day

• Bingeing at night

• Then punishing herself with harsh words like “fat”, “ugly”, and “repulsive”

When Willpower Isn’t the Problem

After years of trying every diet under the sun, she realised something important:

“I needed to fix my head before I could fix my body.”

That’s what finally led her to intuitive eating coaching.

What happened over the next 3 months wasn’t magic; it was mindset, support, and small daily shifts that added up to a big transformation.

What Changed?

Martina didn’t just stop bingeing. She started:

• Feeling calm around food

• Speaking to herself with kindness for the first time in years

• Replacing shame with self-trust

• Showing up to social events without obsessing over what to eat

• Using simple tools to understand what her body and emotions needed

“I don’t call myself disgusting anymore. I say ‘I’m fit. I’m healthy. I’m in control.’ That’s the biggest win.”

 

Why This Worked (When Nothing Else Did)

This coaching wasn’t another meal plan. It wasn’t a list of “bad foods” to avoid.

It was about understanding why the binge cycle starts in the first place and finally learning how to meet her needs without food doing all the heavy lifting.

Instead of white-knuckling through cravings, she learned how to pause and ask:

“What am I actually hungry for right now?”

Sometimes the answer was food. But often it was rest. Comfort. A moment to breathe.

If You’re Thinking “This Won’t Work for Me”…

Martina gets it. She felt the same.

“I didn’t believe I could be helped. I was 100% sure this would fail like everything else. But I gave it a shot… and I feel so much better.”

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being free.

No more hiding wrappers. No more waking up ashamed. No more starting over every Monday.

If you’ve been stuck in the binge-restrict cycle, maybe it’s not you. Maybe it’s the diet that never taught you how to care for yourself without food.

This story is proof: you can change.

And you don’t have to do it alone.

I help women rebuild a peaceful, guilt-free relationship with eating, without restriction, shame, or overwhelm.

Follow me 👉 @silke.holguin_health.coach for simple, sustainable tips that actually work.

Your Health Coach & Food Freedom Coach, Silke 💖

P.S. Don’t forget to share this with a friend who might find this helpful! 💌

If you enjoyed this article, you will love my 5 Small Changes to Stop Overeating - for women who are tired of overeating, bingeing and finally want peace with food:

Book your FREE 30-minute Clarity Call to uncover what’s driving your binge or overeating, and discover small steps you can take to overcome it.