The 4 Different Types of Restrictions That Are Harming You
Full Restriction
This is probably the most common form of restriction.
An example of this would be telling ourselves we’re not going to eat any more sugar.
We think by restricting a certain food, the craving for it will eventually go away.
What happens more often is that restricting foods from your diet leads to an intensification of your cravings. If you limit certain foods only to find that you then overeat them when they’re in your vicinity, you’re probably overeating them because you restricted them to begin with.
Deprivation sets off a biological drive. This is especially so if you have experienced deprivation outside of food, such as love, attention, material things, and so on, because food represents so much more than just a physical need, thus you’ll feel the deprivation much more intensely.
It’s also true that the longer foods are prohibited, the more seductive they become.
We end up placing certain foods on a pedestal simply because we tell ourselves we can’t have them.
We always want what we can’t have. Isn’t that the truth?
How to release this restriction:
Day Time Restriction
If you find that you overeat at night, especially at dinner time and afterward, perhaps it’s time to look at what you’re eating throughout the day.
Calories are units of energy the body uses to keep us alive.
Our bodies need a certain amount of energy to keep our basic needs met (heart pumping, lungs breathing, brain thinking, etc.) Pst… If you’re old enough to read this newsletter, it’s not 1,200 or 1,500. There can be serious implications in the long term if you don’t get your basic needs met.
If those needs aren’t being met throughout the day, our internal hormones and biological functions will kick in later to make sure we make up for it. It’s not something to despise, it’s something to be grateful for.
How to release this restriction:
Add some more food into to your current meals.
An extra scoop of nut butter in your oatmeal or smoothie.
An extra slice of bread for your avocado toast.
Adding protein into your salad or pasta.
Eating the whole sandwich instead of half.
Adding an extra serving into your meal of choice.
Add a snack in between lunch and dinner.
Understand that calories are a NECESSITY and ESSENTIAL for survival. They’re not something to be scared of.
Think about it this way, wouldn’t you rather have all that energy earlier on in the day, so you can use it efficiently and make the most of it, rather than later on at night when you’re about to go to bed?
Week Restriction
This one is very similar to day time restriction.
If you go HAM over the weekend and get upset when Monday comes around that you ate as much as you did, it might be time to do a weekly review.
Are you not eating enough throughout the week?
Are you not eating enough of the things you ENJOY over the week?
Are you bored with what you’re eating throughout the week?
Do you look at the weekend as a way to “let loose” from all the rules and routines during the week?
We think of weekends as a time to “let go” and enjoy, thus we perhaps eat the things we normally wouldn’t “let ourselves” throughout the week, and because of that, we eat more than we normally would because we know we’re going to go a full week without enjoying meals again.
Instead of being super restrictive during the week, and the “letting loose” over the weekend, how can you implement more of the things that you love into the week? How can you make your meals more enjoyable?
How to release this restriction:
Add some more food into your week (see tips I shared under day time restriction).
Sprinkle in some foods that you really enjoy and “indulge” on over the weekend.
Try some new recipes that you really like the taste of that are a bit more exciting for you throughout the week.
Pseudo Restriction
I left this type of restriction last because it’s a bit harder to conceptualize (and implement), but just as important as the others.
Clients will ask me, “I’m allowing myself to eat the brownie, but I still can’t seem to stop eating more than I originally wanted.”
When we go deeper into what’s going on in the moment, we find that their internal chatter may look like the following:
I really shouldn’t be eating this right now.
I can’t believe I’m eating a brownie right now, I ruined my day of eating well.
These brownies are so good but I should have had fruit instead.
I need to eat really well tomorrow to make up for this brownie.
Once I’m done with this brownie, I’m not going to eat anymore.
I can have this brownie today, but tomorrow I can’t have another.
It’s okay if I have this brownie, it’s the only one I’ve eaten all week.
Physically, you’re allowing yourself to eat the brownie, mentally you’re telling yourself you shouldn’t be and you’re not giving yourself permission to enjoy it.
Here’s the thing most people don’t realize:
Mental restriction can create a threat of future deprivation which often leads to eating past comfortable fullness.
This is a natural response to potential food scarcity and can lead to a phenomenon called, “The Last Supper.”
On another note, if we have this idea that we, “ruined a good day of eating,” the thought implies that we have something to ruin to begin with, which is an “all or nothing” mentality to nutrition. This type of thinking will almost always lead to overconsumption because you don’t care about your future actions because you believe it’s all been “ruined” anyways. Nothing has been “ruined,” you are simply living in the ebb and flow of life.
How to release this restriction:
Notice any thoughts that come up for you when you’re eating.
Reframe negative restrictive thoughts to more positive ones.
I really shouldn’t be eating this right now > I deserve to enjoy this brownie and this moment, simply because I am alive.
I can’t believe I am eating this brownie, I ruined my day > There’s nothing to ruin. I nourished my body today and honored all of my body’s needs.
I should have had fruit instead > If I want fruit, I’ll eat fruit. I wanted a brownie, so I’m going to enjoy this brownie.
I’m not going to eat anymore > I’m going to enjoy this brownie, and then decide if I really want another one after or not. Either choice is okay.
Practice. Practice. Practice.
It feels scary at first, to give ourselves unconditional permission to eat, and it might take some time before you stop feeling “out of control” with your cravings, but with time, the body will begin to understand that nothing is going away, and it doesn’t need to “fill up” on whatever it is its craving, because it will always be there. The more you practice sitting and simply enjoying things for what they are, the less control they will have over you.
Photo by Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash
If you’re looking for a safe space where you'll receive support and guidance in achieving your health goals, you're right where you need to be :) Submit a client application to receive your free 15 min consultation with me. I work with clients all over the world-changing their relationship with their health and wellness so that they can reestablish trust in their bodies and feel empowered and confident that they’re always making the best decision for themselves.
Hi, I’m Azul Corajoria, an Integrative Health Coach, Personal Trainer & Yoga Instructor. I support my clients in making step-by-step changes so that they can live a healthy and balanced life. By recognizing the interdependent roles of mindset, nutrition, and movement I educate and hold my clients accountable for achieving their health goals through lifestyle and behavior adjustments with an emphasis on self-care. Together, we navigate the contradictory world of nutrition through intuitive eating, practice mindful movement, and implement small mindset and lifestyle shifts that empower them to be their best selves in the easiest way possible.
