I had a routine in high school that went like this: get off bus, go to kitchen, bake cake, let cake cool, frost cake, eat cake.

I would do this almost every day, and as a result there were alwayshardened yellow leftovers wrapped in tin foil on the kitchen counter. I atethosewhen we ran out of flour or butter or sugar, which we often did.

This was the beginning of my binge-eating disorder, which would follow me through the next few years, wreaking havoc on my mind and body. But I’m here to tell you about the end.

I haven’t truly binged since last year, meaning about six months ago. When I say “truly,” I’m leaving room for the occasional over-eating, usually with friends or family at a nice restaurant. It’s important to acceptthese lapses without letting them become relapses. The difference between the two is control.

So here are…