© Raminy. All rights reserved.

Introduction

If you’re holding this guide, know that you’re not alone — and you’re already incredibly brave for being here.For years, I was trapped in a cycle of binge eating and bulimia that felt impossible to break. It consumed my thoughts daily, affected my health in ways I couldn’t always see right away, and slowly chipped away at my self-worth. It felt like no matter what I tried, nothing truly worked. I jumped from strict meal plans to punishment-driven workouts, thinking if I just tried harder or had more willpower, I would finally be “fixed.”But healing didn’t happen when I got stricter with myself — it happened when I learned to be gentler. When I stopped seeing my body as a project to fix and started treating it like a friend I needed to rebuild trust with.This isn’t an ebook about quick fixes, extreme diets, or rigid rules. It’s a gentle guide, rooted in real, lived experience. It’s here to help you reconnect with your body, rebuild trust in yourself, and slowly loosen the grip that disordered eating can have on your mind, your heart, and your everyday life.Healing is not a straight line. It’s messy, full of ups and downs, small steps forward, and days that feel like setbacks. And that’s okay.
This guide is not about perfection. It’s about progress. It’s about softness. It’s about finding peace in places inside yourself that once felt like an open wound.Whether you’re just beginning this journey or somewhere in the middle, my hope is that these pages offer you not only practical tools, but also hope, warmth, and a sense of calm.You are not broken.
You don’t need to be fixed.
You just need support, patience, and the reminder that healing is possible, and your body — the home you live in — is worthy of love and care.With love,
Raminy

Breaking the Cycle

A Gentle Step-by-Step Guide to Healing Your Relationship with Food & Losing Weight Naturallyby Raminy⸻

Step Zero: A Little Note Before We Begin

Before we dive in, I need to say this:I am not a doctor, therapist, or dietitian.Everything I’m sharing is based on my personal experience — what worked for me after years of struggle and trial and error.Please consult a medical professional before making any major lifestyle changes. If possible, get a full-body checkup (blood work, hormones, vitamin levels, etc.). It’s not just about weight or appearance — your overall health is what matters most.Healing isn’t about chasing a number on the scale. It’s about becoming your healthiest, happiest self inside and out.

Step One: Reset Your Eating Habits

The first three months were the foundation of everything for me.
I didn’t follow a strict, trendy plan. I didn’t count every calorie. I focused on real, sustainable changes I could actually live with:• Ate clean, whole foods. Nothing fancy — just foods with ingredients I could recognize.
• Cut out over-processed items. If it came in a bag or had 30 ingredients, I probably didn’t eat it.
• Avoided added sugar completely for three months (this was hard at first, but life-changing).
• Focused on high-protein meals and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• No alcohol, no cheat meals. Not because I hated myself, but because I was choosing to honor my body.
• Aimed for about 1200 calories/day — but mindfully, not obsessively. I listened to my hunger cues and adjusted as needed.

Overcoming the Food Noise & Binge Urges

One of the hardest parts was quieting the food noise — the constant thoughts about eating, not eating, bingeing, restricting.What helped me manage urges:
• Drinking tea or water when cravings hit — staying hydrated softened a lot of emotional cravings.
• Writing down how I felt instead of reacting immediately — giving my feelings somewhere to go helped diffuse the urgency.
• Giving myself a 10-minute rule: Wait 10 minutes before acting on a craving. Sometimes the craving faded. Sometimes it didn’t — but the pause helped me respond, not react.
• Replacing binge urges with gentle distractions: a walk around the block, a funny YouTube video, stretching, journaling, calling a friend.The first few weeks were the hardest, but every day I said “no” to a binge, I was building trust with myself.
And that trust grew stronger and louder than the food noise over time.

Step Two: Movement with Intention

Exercise used to be something I used to punish myself.
This time, I promised myself it would only be a form of self-respect, not self-punishment.I didn’t jump into an intense fitness routine. I didn’t try to “burn off” what I ate.
I started small. Consistent. Gentle.My movement looked like:
• Walking 10,000 steps a day (about 3 miles) — no pressure, just movement.
• Morning 5-mile walks — peaceful, before the world got busy.
• Pilates 3–4x a week — either short home sessions or studio classes when I could.
• Focused on staying active, not exhausted. My goal was to feel energized, not wiped out.Some YouTube Pilates Channels That Helped Me:
• @isawelly (gentle but challenging)
• @movewithnicole (perfect for beginners and intermediate levels)
• @nikolaspilates (strengthening and mindful)The goal wasn’t to “work off” food.
It was to reconnect with my body, to feel strong and grounded in it again.

Step Three: Protect Your Energy & Focus on You

This was one of the most powerful lessons.For so long, I let outside noise dictate how I felt about myself:
what diet was trendy, what workouts were “right,” what my body should look like.I realized that if I was going to heal, I had to protect my energy fiercely.I started to:
• Learn what foods and routines actually worked for me, not what worked for influencers or friends.
• Tune out opinions that didn’t serve my healing. If a piece of advice made me feel worse about myself, I let it go.
• Curate my social media.
I unfollowed anyone who made me feel not good enough, and instead followed people who inspired me, challenged me, and made me want to be better — not out of shame, but out of love.When you protect your energy, you protect your healing.
And when you stay in environments that support you, your growth becomes inevitable.

Step Four: Mental Health Is Everything

Binge eating isn’t just about food.
It’s a symptom of deeper needs: for comfort, for safety, for connection.What helped me heal was realizing it wasn’t about willpower — it was about emotional care.I worked daily on my mental health by:
• Creating small routines that sparked joy: morning walks, journaling, lighting a candle at night.
• Giving my brain something else to focus on besides food: books, podcasts, creative projects.
• Treating myself like someone I loved.
Not someone to be punished — but someone who deserved patience, forgiveness, and kindness.
• Reminding myself: the first 4 weeks are the hardest.
Every day I stayed consistent, the “food noise” got quieter.
Every day I made choices that honored my body, my mind felt freer.Healing your mind is just as important as healing your eating habits.

Step Five: Find What Works for You

There’s no one-size-fits-all.I found joy in Pilates and long walks.But maybe for you, it’s swimming. Dancing. Lifting weights. Hiking. Yoga.Movement should feel like a celebration of your body, not a punishment for what you ate.Ask yourself:
What feels natural? Fun?
What feels sustainable long-term?Any kind of movement counts.
Consistency is more important than intensity.
The goal isn’t to be the fittest, fastest, or strongest — the goal is to feel alive and proud of yourself.

What My Days Looked Like (First 3 Months)

Breakfast:
Coffee. (Honestly, I’ve never been much of a breakfast eater.)
If I felt hungry, I’d have a boiled egg, fruit, or some nuts.Before Workout:
Electrolytes to stay hydrated.Workout Routine:
Started my day with a 5-mile walk.
Pilates 3–4x a week, but never forced myself to “go hard” daily.
Kept moving gently but consistently. 10k steps/day was the baseline.Pre-Lunch Snack:
Fruits like berries, apples, or watermelon — simple and refreshing.Lunch:
A clean salad or a homemade sandwich with lots of protein (usually salmon, grilled chicken, or eggs).
Nothing processed — I focused on simple, fresh, nourishing meals.Midday Snack:
More fruit, or a homemade green juice when I wanted a refresh.Dinner (My biggest meal):
I always felt hungrier at night, so I saved more calories for dinner.
A satisfying meal of protein + healthy carbs (steak and potatoes, grilled chicken and rice, salmon and avocado).Dessert:
My absolute obsession during this phase was dates stuffed with peanut butter.
Sweet, satisfying, and felt like a treat without sending me into a binge cycle.

Closing Thoughts

This guide isn’t a strict manual.
It’s not here to tell you that there’s only one “right” way to heal.It’s simply a snapshot of what worked for me — shared with love, in case it helps you find your own path.Healing doesn’t have to be dramatic or extreme.
It’s found in the small, quiet choices you make every day.
It’s in forgiving yourself, in showing up for yourself, and in remembering that you are so much stronger than you realize.If you’re struggling, you’re not alone.
If you’re healing, I’m proud of you.
If you’re just getting started — welcome.You’ve got this.With so much love,
Raminy

Bonus Section 1:What to Expect Emotionally (and Why It’s Normal)

Healing your relationship with food isn’t just a physical journey — it’s an emotional one.Here are a few things you might experience (and why they’re completely normal):• Emotional Waves: Some days you’ll feel empowered. Other days, old habits or thoughts might creep back in. Healing isn’t about never struggling again — it’s about responding differently when struggles come up.• Grief: You might grieve the years spent in cycles of restriction and bingeing. You might mourn the time and energy lost. That’s okay. Give yourself permission to feel it without judgment.• Moments of Doubt: You might question if you’re making progress. Trust me: every small choice to show up for yourself is a step forward, even when it doesn’t feel dramatic.• More Self-Awareness: You’ll start noticing how certain foods, environments, and even people make you feel. This new awareness might feel overwhelming at first, but it’s actually your power growing.Healing is messy. Healing is emotional. And that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be.

Bonus Section 2:Gentle Reminders for the Hard Days

Some days, you’ll need a softer voice in your head. Here are a few reminders you can come back to anytime:• Progress over perfection, always.
• One “bad” meal doesn’t erase your growth.
• Your worth isn’t tied to your body size.
• Healing takes time — there’s no rush.
• Cravings are not failures. They’re invitations to pause and check in.
• You’re allowed to rest.
• You’re allowed to enjoy food without guilt.
• You’re allowed to love yourself as you are while working toward where you want to be.
• You are doing better than you think.

Bonus Section 3:Self-Care Ideas That Have Nothing to Do With Food or Exercise

Part of healing is realizing you can soothe yourself without turning to food or punishing your body.
Here’s a list of simple self-care ideas that have nothing to do with dieting or workouts:• Light a candle and journal your feelings out.
• Take a hot shower and change into cozy clothes.
• Call or text someone you love.
• Watch a comfort TV show or a funny YouTube video.
• Go for a slow walk while listening to an uplifting podcast.
• Take five deep breaths with your hand on your heart.
• Write yourself a loving note.
• Organize a small space — your nightstand, your desk — and celebrate the feeling of calm.
• Listen to music that makes you feel powerful.
• Create a “feel-good” playlist for tough days.Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s essential — especially during the messy middle of healing.

Bonus Section 4:Affirmations for Rebuilding Trust With Yourself

You can sprinkle these throughout the guide or add them at the end.They’re great for helping your reader shift their mindset on tough days:• I trust myself to make choices that honor my body and mind.
• I am learning. I am growing. I am healing.
• I release guilt around food. I deserve to eat with peace.
• My body is my home. I treat it with love and care.
• I do not have to be perfect to be worthy.
• Every small step I take matters.
• I am not my past habits. I am allowed to create new ones.
• My healing journey is mine, and it’s unfolding perfectly in its own time.

Bonus Section 5:If You Slip Up, Read This

Because slip-ups happen. And the way you talk to yourself after them makes all the difference:First: You didn’t “fail.” You’re not back at zero. One binge, one rough day, one emotional meal doesn’t undo all your progress.• Take a deep breath.
• Reflect: What triggered me? How was I feeling before it happened?
• Respond with curiosity, not shame.
• Remember: Progress is built on how you recover, not on never falling down.Forgive yourself, nourish yourself, and move forward.
One moment doesn’t define you. Your overall direction does.

Bonus Section 6:10 Things That Helped Me Heal Beyond Food and Exercise

This could be a really nice personal touch to finish your guide even stronger:1. Morning walks without headphones — just nature and my thoughts.
2. Journaling my cravings instead of acting on them.
3. Creating routines that made me feel safe — not pressured.
4. Reading books about gentle nutrition and self-compassion.
5. Following creators who talk about healing, not hustling.
6. Allowing myself to rest without guilt.
7. Romanticizing little parts of life — cute water bottles, cozy socks, lighting a candle after dinner.
8. Noticing how my body felt after different meals, without judgment.
9. Learning to sit with discomfort instead of running from it.
10. Reminding myself daily: I am not broken. I am becoming whole again.