The “Do It First” Trick: How to Create a Pause That Stops a Binge Before It Starts

If you’ve ever felt like a binge starts before you even realize it… You’re not imagining it.

For a lot of women, the binge urge hits fast. One minute you’re cleaning up dinner, answering emails, getting kids ready for bed… and the next minute you’re in the pantry like something else took over.

That’s why the goal isn’t “have zero urges.”

The goal is to create a pause.

Because a pause turns “I can’t stop” into “I have a choice.”

Important: this only works if you’re not restricting

Let’s be honest about something that gets skipped in most advice:

If you haven’t eaten enough during the day, if you skipped meals, ate too little, or tried to “be good”, your body isn’t being dramatic. It’s being biological.

Restriction-driven bingeing is real. When your body doesn’t trust that food is coming, it will push harder.

So this trick works best when your body has received enough calories and regular meals.

Not perfect eating. Just steady nourishment.

The sentence that creates a pause

When your brain says, “I need food right now.”

Try this:

“You can have it. But do this first.”

This is not punishment.
This is not a rule.
This is not you trying to be “strong”.

This is you telling your brain:

“I hear you. I’m not ignoring you. I’m just slowing this down.”

And slowing down matters because binge urges are often loudest in the first few minutes. If you ride out the first surge, the intensity frequently drops.

Why this works (in simple terms)

Binge urges are often a mix of:

• Body hunger

• Stress

• Habit

• Emotion

• Nervous system overload

When you say, “Do this first,” you interrupt the autopilot loop.

You’re not saying “no”. You’re saying “not yet”.

That reduces panic. And panic is what makes urges feel unbearable.

“Do it first” options that actually help

Pick one that feels doable, not impressive.

Option 1: Take a 10-minute walk

Outside is best if you can, but even walking around your house counts.

This helps because movement discharges stress energy and gives your brain a pattern break.

Option 2: Write for 5 minutes: “What do I need?”

Yes, this can feel cheesy. Do it anyway.

Write one sentence if that’s all you’ve got:

• “I need a break.”

• “I need someone to notice me.”

• “I need quiet.”

• “I need dinner, not snacks.”

• “I need to cry.”

The goal isn’t journaling like a poet. The goal is honesty.

Option 3: Brush your teeth and wash your face

This one is weirdly powerful because it signals, “We’re switching modes now.”

It can move your brain from “chaos snack mode” into “reset mode”.

After you “do it first”, ask these three questions

1. Am I physically hungry?

2. Am I tired, stressed, lonely, or overwhelmed?

3. What would actually help me feel better?

These questions are simple, but they’re the beginning of food freedom: learning to separate hunger from emotion and emotion from habit.

Many women binge because food becomes the quickest escape from stress, overwhelm, and shame. The shift is learning to respond with care instead of criticism.

What if the answer is “Yes, I’m hungry”?

Then eat. On purpose.

Not “I already messed up so I might as well…”
Not “I’ll start over tomorrow…”

Just eat something that actually satisfies you.

One reason binge eating stays stuck is the “good vs bad” mindset and the restriction that follows guilt. That restriction fuels the next binge.

So if you’re hungry, feeding yourself is not failure. It’s wisdom.

What if the answer is: “No, I’m not hungry… I’m just done.”

Then your binge urge might be about relief.

A lot of women have what I call the “end-of-day crash”.

You’ve been holding it together all day:
being helpful, being patient, being productive, being the one who handles things.

And at night, when no one needs anything from you, your body finally says:

“Can I have something for me?”

Many women describe this as “I’ve been good all day… I deserve it.” That’s not a character flaw. It’s a sign you’ve been pushing your needs down all day.

So the real question becomes:

What kind of “deserve” do you actually need?

• Do you deserve food because you’re hungry? Great—eat.

• Do you deserve a break because you’re depleted? Then let’s give you a break.

• Do you deserve comfort because you feel alone? Then let’s get you connection or softness.

• Do you deserve freedom because you’ve been controlled all day? Then let’s find a healthy way to reclaim choice.

A “Do It First” plan for tonight

Here’s a simple script you can use:

1. “You can have it. But do this first.”

2. Choose one: walk / write / brush teeth + wash face

3. Ask: hungry or overwhelmed?

4. If hungry: eat a real snack or meal, seated, without rushing

5. If overwhelmed: pick one need (rest, comfort, connection) and meet it for 10 minutes

Sometimes you’ll still eat. That’s okay.

The win is the pause.

Because every pause is proof:
You’re not powerless.
You’re learning.
You have options.

Do you want to finally feel free around food? 

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.