When "Healthy" Eating Backfires
The Hidden Harm of Diet Rules
I’ll never forget a story someone shared with me:
“My mother-in-law was on Weight Watchers and told me she couldn’t eat certain fruits and vegetables! But those fig newtons in the cabinet, they’re considered a ‘healthy’ snack. EXCUSE ME?! Make it make sense! She had so many binges, but would never believe me when I gently said, ‘I think your body just needs to be nourished instead of restricted.’”.
That story struck me hard, and not because it’s rare, but because it’s so common! So many people have been conditioned to trust a diet’s point system, rule-book, color-coding, or approved snack list more than their own body. And I’m over it!
The Problem with Their Priorities
Let’s be clear, no food is “bad”! Which is why it’s so alarming when systems make nourishing options like bananas or sweet potatoes feel off limits, while highly processed snacks are given the green light just because they fit within the system’s structure.
Here’s what that teaches your brain and body over time:
Hunger is not trustworthy.
Satisfaction is dangerous.
You must follow external rules, even when they leave you undernourished.
A snack with a label is safer than listening to your actual needs.
And that’s how we start to disconnect from ourselves! We begin to view eating as a test of willpower instead of a basic biological need, which is the opposite of what your body wants.
Restriction Leads to Binges
Now, your body isn’t getting enough energy, fiber, fat, or nutrients. So, it starts to panic. Hunger builds, cravings intensify, emotional and physical discomfort set in; until eventually, something gives. And often that “something” is your ability to care, as your total mental load is exhausted, leading to a binge.
So you can see, you’re not overeating because you’re weak or “lacking discipline”. It’s because your body is entering into survival mode and it’s doing whatever it can, trying to save you.
Which brings us to the main issue; you’re not out of control, you’re underfed.
Bingeing, in most cases, is a natural response to deprivation. And the cycle repeats itself as guilt takes over and leads people right back into restriction the more we we punish ourselves into submission.
What Your Body Actually Needs
Nourishment, plain and simple. When we stop labeling food as “good” or “bad” and start seeing it for what it is (fuel, comfort, connection, nourishment), we make space for real healing. So then we can find real satisfaction and real balance.
However, this doesn’t mean you abandon structure or ignore health! Don’t get this twisted! All it means is that you need to build self-trust, so your choices are made from a place of self-respect, not fear. And when you start feeding your body regularly, fully, intentionally, and without shame…
The binges slow down, the cravings get quieter, and eating becomes easier!
So to help you get this process started, ask yourself:
Am I avoiding this food because of a rule or because it doesn’t feel good in my body?
Am I eating this because it’s allowed, or because it’s what I truly want and need?
If I trusted my body more, what would I choose right now?
Weekly Reminder
You don’t need more rules and you never did! You need more trust, more nourishment, and more understanding of your own needs; not someone else’s plan.
And if you’re ready to rebuild your relationship with food from the ground up, that’s exactly what we do inside my 12-week coaching program, The No-Diet Eating Solution. It’s for people who are done playing tug-of-war with their hunger and ready to feel peace and ease around food again.
Apply now before the doors close on April 11th @11:59pm PST!
