Restriction Isn't The Answer. Here's What to do Instead.
We’ve all heard someone say “Just eat less!” or “Just stop eating junk!” If you’re on your own health journey this might pop into your head from time to time. Except that if that worked, it would have already worked.
This week I’ve been fired up about this idea of restriction and I’m here to share why restriction isn’t the answer when you are on a journey to feel more confident in your body.
You might be in the place where you don’t feel your best. Maybe your jeans are feeling a little tight, you’re low on energy, and you want to feel better about yourself. You’ve probably been told, “well, all you have to do is eat less and exercise more!”
Before we move on, it’s important to mention that this isn’t about weight loss or fitting into society’s ideals of what a body should look like. This is about you feeling energized, healthy, and confident in your unique body.
When we start to restrict what we want to eat, there’s this energy of not being allowed to do something- even if you put those rules on yourself. As an example, let’s say you really like chocolate. You decide you shouldn’t eat it because you want to feel healthier and more confident.
What will likely happen, is that you will start to think of chocolate more often than before. You will feel like you can’t have it or aren’t allowed to. You start to use willpower to stay away from it. Maybe you find some swaps- but let's be honest, no amount of cacao nibs will ever taste like real, creamy, chocolate.
That willpower and control only last for so long and eventually you’ll lose control. You’ll binge on chocolate. You’ll feel like you failed.
Overeating and binging lead to feelings of guilt and shame because of the “out of control” feelings that go along with it. These feelings are no joke and can spiral into a feeling of hopelessness.
Psychologically, when we are told we can’t have something, we rebel. There’s only so much stretch and restriction we can take then it all comes back full force.
In a nutshell, if you find yourself overeating or binge eating, it’s likely fueled by restriction.
The way out of this is to stop restricting, but it sounds a lot easier than it actually is. There are a lot of fears that come up and this is completely opposite of what you’ve been told before- so I get it. “What if I go off the rails?” “What if I won’t be able to stop eating?”
The magic happens when you find the way of eating that works for your unique body. When you have that, you get to a place where you feel like you can eat anything you want and still be healthy. You’ll feel free to eat just a piece of chocolate without feeling restricted. You’ll never worry again that a bite of something is going to lead to a full-on binge. You’ll never feel deprived or restricted again. You’ll also feel healthier than ever because you’re nourishing your body in the way that serves you best. You’ll naturally settle into your most confident body where you’ll never worry about your weight again.
This is how you find your most confident body in a way that feels easy.
When I work with clients in my health coaching practice, we combine Intuitive Eating with the Transformational Coaching Method so that you can be different without having to remember to be different. You nourish your unique body, and as a result you feel confident in a way that lasts- without another diet.
If you are ready to feel confident, and if you are ready to stop overeating and bingeing for good, click here now to find a time to talk with me. It’s free and you will get clear on the kind of health you want to have, know exactly what’s holding you back from having it, and know the exact steps to take so you can create the health you want.