If you find yourself caught in the whirlwind of dieting and wonder how to escape it – this piece is tailor-made for you! Dive in to uncover the root causes of getting ensnared in this loop (spoiler: it’s not about lacking discipline!) and discover ways to break free.
Escaping the Dieting Maze
This article borrows insights from my book, “Unapologetic Eating,” available on Amazon in various formats or through Indiebound, supporting local bookstores.
Many I know who’ve dabbled in dieting, official or not, narrate a familiar story.
They oscillate between:
- Rigorous discipline, clean eating, abstaining from overindulgence, and sticking to a nutritious regime.
And…
- Feeling like everything’s spiraled out of control, eating without restraint, driven by the thought, “The day’s ruined anyway, might as well continue.”
Sound like something you’ve experienced? Trust me, you’re in good company! More importantly, the blame isn’t yours. And yes, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s delve into how to break this pattern and find a sustainable, long-term eating approach.
Understanding the Dieting Loop
The diet loop encapsulates the swing between regimented eating – like diets or food curtailment – and phases of erratic eating and feeling overwhelmed by food choices. This cycle often evokes feelings of regret (“I should’ve avoided that”) and self-deprecation (“Why can’t I stick to a diet?”).
Usually, this cycle ignites when you’re led to believe there’s an “issue” with your physique. The remedy? Weight loss. This might involve counting intake like calories or carbs, following a particular diet, or excluding specific foods.
Initially, this approach seems fruitful. Many appreciate the structured dietary guidelines, feeling more grounded. But eventually, the restraints buckle, possibly leading to overeating or similar behaviors, followed by guilt and self-reproach.
For instance, imagine embarking on a sugar-reducing mission, limiting sweets to rare occasions. All’s well until intense cravings kick in. Eventually, you might give in, consuming a large amount of a forbidden treat, leading to feelings of guilt and renewed resolutions of abstinence.
Why We’re Caught in the Diet Loop
In short, our bodies are hardwired to ensure our survival.
In detail, when you restrict specific foods or cut back on consumption, your body perceives it as famine and kicks into survival gear. Despite ample food resources today, our biological mechanisms remain reminiscent of times when food was unpredictable.
So, any form of restrained eating signals impending scarcity to our system, even if you’re just diet-minded, always evaluating and second-guessing food choices.
To combat this perceived starvation, our body:
- Amplifies our appetite
- Weakens fullness cues
- Boosts cravings for calorie-rich foods
This stage in the cycle is when the urge to eat intensifies, making it increasingly challenging to maintain your chosen diet, pushing you towards previously forbidden foods.
Interestingly, there’s an observed parallel between dietary behaviors and those who face food scarcity. Research indicates that those lacking consistent access to nutritious food often display increased tendencies for eating disorders.
The real culprit? Not you, but the diet, its restrictions, and deprivations. Our biology resists prolonged scarcity, irrespective of our willpower.
Ways to Break the Dieting Loop
Instead of binding yourself with dietary restrictions, grant yourself the freedom to choose what you consume.
While it may sound daunting, the dieting cycle’s core is these very restrictions. Removing them and replacing them with freedom lays the foundation for rebuilding trust in your body’s signals.
We’re inherently designed to trust our body’s cues. Years of distancing ourselves from these cues can erode this trust, but it’s always possible to rebuild.
Genuine trust in your body includes:
- Recognizing your body’s cues
- Consistently fulfilling your hunger
- Enjoying delicious foods
- Offering yourself unconditional eating permissions
- Relishing food without guilt
- Treating your body with respect
Consistent and adequate eating can soothe the body’s fears of scarcity, while exposure to various foods can make them less enticing over time.
By decoupling negative emotions from food, we promote healthier, more fulfilling eating experiences.
Intuitive Eating and the Diet Loop
The Intuitive Eating framework, encompassing ten principles, aims to guide you out of the diet loop, ensuring a balanced dietary regime that nurtures all facets of your being.
If you seek further guidance, consider my intuitive eating course, designed to help you reconnect with your innate cues. Our virtual nutrition therapy and coaching services are also available, offering assistance in nurturing a wholesome relationship with food and your physique.
Caught in the diet loop before? Share your story below, discussing challenges or strategies that aided your journey.
