Binge Eating Disorder Recovery: It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Progress

Humans have a tendency to label things as either a success or a failure. 

If you try to replicate your mom’s red velvet cake recipe and it doesn’t taste quite like hers—did you fail?

If your goal was to work out for an hour, but you only made it through 30 minutes—was that a failure?

If you’re trying to recover from binge eating and you end up bingeing—does that mean you failed?

It’s likely you’re answering “yes” to all of these questions. But let me offer another perspective.

You baked the cake. It’s not exactly like your mom’s, but it’s still good. The smell permeates through the kitchen, your family gathers around, and everyone enjoys a slice. They’re happy. They compliment your baking. Is that really failure—or was it just success in a different form?

You didn’t get the full hour in at the gym, but you still showed up. You were tired, running late, and easily could’ve skipped it altogether. Instead, you gave it your best and moved your body. Is that really falling short—or is it something to be proud of?

You binged. But before that, you went two whole weeks without bingeing—your longest streak yet. Isn’t that a win?

Why Eating Disorder Recovery Isn’t All or Nothing

Everyone’s eating disorder recovery journey is unique. But one thing remains the same: progress comes in many different forms.

It’s not just about whether you binge or don’t binge—it’s about everything in between. It’s about how you respond before, during, and after.

Let me explain what I mean. But first, it’s critical to understand this:

Let go of perfection.

Perfection isn’t real. There’s no perfect body. No perfect recovery. No perfect meal plan. No perfect anything. 

If you can remove the concept of perfection from your mind,  you’ll open up space for healing and growth. 

Once you breathe in those beautiful imperfections and breathe out perfectionism, you'll start to see that progress is already happening—even if it doesn’t look the way you expected.

How to Measure Progress in Binge Eating Disorder Recovery

So you binged, BUT…

• You went longer in between binges. 

• You ate less during this binge than the last one.

• You hadn’t been restricting.

• You didn’t punish yourself afterward. 

• You ate normally the next day. 

• You didn’t cancel plans or isolate yourself.

• You’ve been eating when you’re hungry. 

• You learned something about yourself after it. 

These are all WINS. And BIG ones! 

Overcoming an eating disorder takes time. Just because you committed to recovery doesn’t mean it will be smooth. It doesn’t mean you’ll never binge again.

You likely will. And that’s okay.

Bingeing or not bingeing is not the only measure of success. The real progress often happens in the subtle shifts—the ones that are easy to overlook but incredibly important. You need to focus on all of the small (or big) ways you succeed during your journey. 

I mentioned some of my main wins, but I’d love to hear about yours too. Leave them in the comments below!

Way to Recognize Progress During Eating Disorder Recovery 

It can be difficult to notice the small wins when you so desperately want to be rid of your ED. I get it. But, here are some ways you can start to recognize and celebrate your wins:

1. Journal Your Progress. Each day, write down at least one small win. It doesn’t have to be big—it could be as simple as eating when you were hungry or not skipping a meal.

2. Reflect After Binges. Instead of shaming yourself, ask: “What did I learn from this?”

   
   

   Did I ignore a hunger cue earlier in the day?

   Was I eating out of emotion instead of hunger?

   Did I restrict myself before this and end up overeating as a result? ( If you’re not sure whether restriction is contributing to your binges, I talk more about that pattern—and how to break it in this blog about the binge-restrict cycle.)

   
   

   There’s always something to learn, and learning is progress.

3. Look at the Bigger Picture. Use your journal or memory to reflect on where you were last month… six months ago… a year ago. You may be surprised by how much has changed.

   
   
   
   

What Real Healing Looks Like in ED Recovery

Even if it doesn’t feel like it right now, you started making progress the moment you decided your eating disorder will not control your life. I know it’s exhausting. I know there are days when you think recovery is impossible. I’ve had more of those days than I can count. 

But one day, you’ll be out to dinner with a friend, and you’ll realize—I’m just enjoying the meal and this moment. 

One day, you won’t care what the scale says.

One day, you’ll forget the last time you binged.

One day, your eating disorder will be a part of your past—not your present. 

That day isn’t a fantasy. It’s real and it’s waiting. Just be patient and show yourself compassion through the process. I used to encourage myself daily to never give up. 

So now, I say that to you.

Never give up. ❤️