What’s the difference between ditching diets and restriction and truly healing from them? Are you stuck in a messy middle of intuitive eating where you're not dieting but not making progress towards food freedom either?

It's time to shift your mindset and make a big impact on your journey towards food freedom. In this episode, I share 3 tips for overcoming rebellious eating and achieving true healing, including examining food rules, recognizing intuitive eating as a long-term approach, and tuning into how your body feels.

Time stamps

[00:00:53] The difference between ditching diets and restriction and the challenges of being stuck in the messy middle.

[00:02:50] The mindset of ditching diet culture and restriction and how it involves doing the opposite of what was done while dieting.

[00:06:29] Explores the concept of rebellious eating and how it can hinder the progress of intuitive eating.

[00:08:32] The importance of focusing on healing our relationships with food rather than just relying on social media for information.

[00:09:25] The normalcy of experiencing rebellious eating when starting to heal our relationship with food.

[00:10:20] Understanding the intention and why behind our food choices, rather than just rebelling against diet culture without true healing.

[00:16:50] Tips for overcoming rebellious eating and healing from diet culture by neutralizing food, avoiding mental restriction, and building a supportive community.

[00:18:28] Addressing the fear of intuitive eating being temporary and the need to reinforce that it is not a diet but a long-term approach to food.

[00:20:12] Importance of listening to your body's feedback, adjusting food choices based on how they make you feel, and using that data to heal from diet culture.

Ditching Diets vs. True Healing

So let's talk about the difference between ditching diets and restriction and truly healing from them. Ditching diets and restriction involves simply doing the opposite of what was done while dieting, without following a specific plan. However, this approach can still involve self-judgment and loud food noise- which leads to guilt and continued dysfunction with food (AKA what we want to avoid at all costs).

True healing on the other hand, involves not just rejecting diet culture, but turning inwards. It involves focusing on what is fulfilling and satisfying, rather than letting diet culture dictate choices. The goal of intuitive eating is to be neutral about food and make decisions based on personal preferences and needs. Healing our relationship with food involves reflecting on our choices, considering if they were enjoyable and if they aligned with our body's needs.

And while social media can provide helpful information about ditching diet culture and intuitive eating, it cannot capture the full picture of intuitive eating and food freedom- it's easy to miss our blind spots when we're accustomed to not seeing them.

Understanding the Intention Behind Our Food Choices

Rebellious eating is a normal part of the healing process, but it's crucial to reflect on our choices and get curious about them. Simply ditching diets and restriction without healing is not enough, so I really want to emphasize the importance of understanding the intention and the why behind our food choices. I want to help my clients find their own path and make choices that truly align with their desires and needs.

Three Tips for Overcoming Rebellious Eating

Examine Your Food Rules: If you struggle with certain foods, like chocolate, do you feel the need to eat it every night and end up overindulging? This may be a result of rebelling against diet culture. To move past this, it's important to neutralize the food and remove any morality attached to it.
Check Your Mental Restrictions: Sometimes, when we start eating intuitively, we treat it as a temporary joy ride, thinking it's just a phase until we reach our goals. This mental restriction can lead to rebellious eating and a reliance on certain foods. It's crucial to reinforce that intuitive eating is not a diet and that it's a long-term, sustainable approach.
Tune Into Your Body: Pay attention to whether certain foods make you feel good or not. While it's normal to occasionally overindulge and feel discomfort, the overall goal is to fuel your body in a way that feels good mentally and physically. Use the feedback from your body to adjust your eating habits and find what works best for you.

Remember, healing from diet culture and restriction is a journey, not a destination. It's about finding your own path and making choices that truly align with your desires and needs. Let's continue this journey together towards food freedom.

Taking Action Towards a Healthier Relationship with Food

For those who need additional support, my group coaching program, Food Freedom University gets started again September 18 & 20. This small-group coaching program designed to not only break you out of binge eating, overeating, poor body image and emotional eating patterns, but to also kickstart your journey to food freedom so you can cultivate a healthful life with balance and ease with food and exercise. If you are feeling alone in your struggle, if you thrive hearing from others and want to form a community around healing and empowering yourself to break free from these patterns for good, group coaching is for you. We get started on September 18th or 20th - finish off your summer right and feel supported during the holidays with food and body image. Head to brittanyallisonrd.com/group-coaching to learn more and book a free consult to see if it’s a good fit and enrol.

Until next time,

Britt