The Only Diet Rule You Need

Does this sound familiar: you’ve had a weekend of saying “screw it!” and have eaten every food you can think you want (even if it doesn’t taste amazing). It’s now Sunday and you feel overfull, your brain is foggy, and you’re beating yourself up for all the things you ate. You decide that tomorrow you’re getting “back on the wagon” and will “be good” by starting a new diet. Rules are back on Monday! No sugar, less carbs, all protein and vegetables and definitely an hour or more at the gym.

Stop. Re-read that paragraph. Notice how this example goes from what feels like a free-for-all/there are no rules to adding in ALL the rules? This is called the binge/restrict cycle and the whole system keeps you stuck because you get fed up with how you feel when you’re overeating (so you set rules) and then you feel deprived by such a rigid way of eating that it is only natural for you to want some freedom around food.

This is a really common situation, so if this seems familiar and maybe you’ve even said these exact things, you are not alone. But we’re going to guess you’re looking for a way out of this pattern, to break free from feeling controlled by food.

Here’s the secret to getting unstuck: YOU get to set your diet rules.

Ever noticed that when you implement those rules on Monday that they aren’t created by you? They are likely from searching diets on Google and social media that will have you losing X amount of weight in a certain timeframe or calorie counting apps that give a generic and often very low daily calorie amount just to keep you on the app.

But all of this guidance is external to you. It doesn’t take into account your experiences, genetics, daily activity, habits, traumas, etc. The solution to stop swinging between binge and restrict is to create your own diet rules. You might be wondering how to do that, especially if you’re an emotional eater and feel like you stumble every time you have a stressful day or are upset. Here are some guiding ideas to get you tuning into your intuition and guiding your personalized diet “rules”:

Remind yourself that you can eat when you are hungry, and then follow through! You might have to remind yourself of this again and again as years of dieting can leave you feeling “good” only when you’re restricting. But allowing yourself to eat when your body tells you you’re physically hungry is a great first step to creating trust between your brain and body. It also gently brings attention to what hunger and fullness feels like to you, not what some app or influencer says. If you’re not sure how this should feel, grab our Hunger Check Tool to guide you.

Eat foods that satisfy you, without judgement. Any food goes… but only if you enjoy it! Remember: you set your own eating rules based on what you do and don’t like the taste of, your personal allergies or digestive concerns, and curiosity around if certain foods make you feel good. We admit that this process can take time, but as you feel your way through it, you’ll find that by not restricting, by eating what you want, you are less likely to overeat (and start to let go of years of dieting rules!).

If you feel up to it, discover a positive way of working out. Movement should feel joyful, playful, not overwhelming and repetitive. When it comes to moving our bodies, we tend to think of the gym. Some people do like its community and convenience, but there is more you can experiment with than a gym membership. Try a dance class, a running group, boxing, kayaking, pickle ball, rock climbing, rollerblading, snowshoeing, walking, or a team sport—there are endless possibilities for you to find movement that makes you feel accomplished, joyful, and that you look forward to.

Unlike every other restrictive diet you’ve been on, this process should make you feel curious and empowered (even if you’re skeptical to start)! It takes time to tune into your likes and dislikes, so be gentle with yourself as you navigate this new approach.

If you want more support or aren’t sure where to start, contact us! We specialize in getting to the root cause of your emotional eating and can help you navigate personal trauma as well as experiences around your body, diet, and weight.

💛 Your peace awaits.