Chances are, you’ve tried to eat well, listen to your hunger, and above all, stop binge eating. But it just isn’t that simple, is it? In all the talk of intuitive eating, “everything in moderation,” lifestyle changes, etc etc etc, I believe there’s one crucial thing missing: a reset period.

Brain chemistry cannot change overnight. If you’ve ever been depressed, you’ve felt this inertia firsthand. There’s no “cheering up” when the chemicals in your brain are out of whack. It’s not like you want to be cripplingly sad. But brain chemistry is delicate, and it takes time and effort to rebalance.

Likewise, when your brain is in starvation mode, your rational thoughts will always, always be drowned out by the primal urge to consume. “I think I’m a bit hungry” à la mindful eating becomes “I ate an entire bag of Oreos so fast I didn’t even taste them.” And it’s not your fault, or a failing of your willpower.

That’s why a six-month food reset is SO important for your sanity, even if it sounds crazy. When you allow yourself to gorge every day, guilt-free, it won’t be long before your body and brain get the message: “Hunger is not an issue here. Nutrients are readily available.” Over weeks and then months, the primal panic will reside. And little by little, the chemicals that once caused you to binge can reclaim their rightful job: cueing hunger, and cueing fullness. And leaving you in peace.