It’s a familiar diet story.

You save your calories all week, desperate to stick to the miracle diet of the moment. Then the weekend comes and all bets are off.

That cheat day turns into a cheat weekend. By Monday morning, you’re bloated, exhausted, and miserable.

But not miserable enough to stop you from repeating it all a week later…

Either you’re starving or you’re splurging. You’re skimping or you’re binging. And it keeps on repeating.

I used to spend my weekends binging and my Monday mornings hating life, groveling an extreme food hangover. My usual next move? Go on some type of strict plan to get “back on track.”

Then there were the random moments throughout the week when I’d eat a cookie, figure that I blew it, and just keep eating until I found the bottom of the bag.

Then I realized that this all-or-nothing attitude about food was hijacking my weight loss. Not to mention my sanity and making my “off track” days even worse.

If you’ve ever planned a cheat day that turned into a cheat weekend and you thought the only answer was a rebound fast, this is for you.

If you’ve ever “slipped” and eaten a piece of candy, considered your diet ruined, and went on to eat your way through your cabinets, this might be why.

Look at all-or-nothing mentality and it makes no logical sense. But it’s such a common quirk that in diet world, it’s considered normal.

Where does this feast-or-famine mentality come from and why do we believe it? How can you stop it from triggering binging, weight gain, and misery?

I’m going to show you why playing forbidden foods “hot and cold” will backfire. I’ll also share the secret to a healthy weight and a balanced life (hint: it’s not about calorie overages and deficits!)

No more saving it up until cheat day, then waking up Monday morning with a splitting headache and a guilty conscience. No more going on those “might as well” binge-fests after accidentally eating a potato chip.

Watch this video to learn how to break free from the “all-or-nothing” eating for good!

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Our coaching director here at Beating Binge Eating, Stella Rivers, puts it this way…

If you dropped your phone and the screen cracked in the corner, would you slam it to the ground and stomp on it to finish it off, then go buy a new one?

You’d probably keep using it and fix it as soon as possible, not throw it out over one little ding.

Now, why would you go into full-on gorge mode just because you had a bite of cake or a few potato chips?

By this logic, it makes no sense whatsoever. But it happens every day.

We go all out with food while on vacation, assuring ourselves that the diet will start when we get home. We justify holiday binge-fests with New Year’s Resolution promises. We have one bite of a candy bar on Monday and decide to binge until Tuesday. And “start over” once again.

Worst of all, not only does it make you miserable, but it doesn’t lead to healthy weight loss. It often triggers unintended weight gain.

Where did this logic come from, and why do we still buy it?

It comes from what I like to call “diet culture,” that secret force that triggers you to look a certain way, and never stop dieting until you get there.

How does diet culture endorse the idea that it’s either binge or starve?   

One of the most notorious diet culture mantras is that you need a calorie deficit at the end of each day, or you won’t lose weight. Period.

That means that if you exceed your daily calorie limit on any given day, it’s over. And you might as well keep eating and give it another try tomorrow.

But is there any actual evidence to support this idea?

It’s true that your body operates in a circadian rhythm, and what you eat from day to day does impact your body.

But steady and supportive fueling over time is far more likely to help you release weight than fasting today and gorging tomorrow (or vice versa!).

The cumulative effects of food over time matters more than being over or under your calorie count for a single day. Really.

Let’s say you “gave in” and had a piece of chocolate cake. Now you’re panicking, envisioning the scale giving you bad news the next morning.

Obviously, a special dessert might bump up your calorie intake for the day. But will it make you gain 10 pounds overnight?

Of course not. It’s just one day, one moment. Contrary to popular belief, it won’t single handedly make or break your weight loss success.

Then, there’s the other downside to the calorie-deficit fallacy. Not only is it untrue, but it’s also counterproductive.

What happens when you stress over everything you eat (or don’t eat)? It triggers food-focused thoughts, overeating, and eventually, weight gain.

So clearly, bouncing between hardcore binging and full-on fasting does a lot more harm than good. There is a better way, though–and it’s not something that you’ll learn from diet culture…

It’s connecting with your body, one moment at a time, and listening to its needs. Then responding with love and support.

Here’s an example…

Suppose you let yourself have dessert one night. What do you do the next day to stay in balance?

You’ll simply check in with your body, and let it tell you what it needs to feel energized.

Maybe it’ll tell you it needs an energizing workout. A workout that feels right for your body today, not as payback for a food indiscretion yesterday. Then again, maybe your body will ask for energizing food, like extra veggies at your next meal.

The key is to listen to your body, and take your cues on what it tells you in every moment.

The more you practice this, the more you’ll achieve a natural ebb and flow between fuel and activity. And it’ll happen without forcing, restricting or shaming.

It’s the natural antidote for eating extremes, and the results are magical!

I give you full permission to let go of all-or-nothing eating for good. Recognize that it’s nothing more than diet culture talking points, and it doesn’t work in the real world.

I also invite you to listen to your body in every moment instead of keeping a calorie tally for the day.  The sooner you stop letting extreme dieting own you, the more easily sustainable weight loss will happen for you!

I do get that this might not seem easy, especially if you’ve lived with diet culture shame most of your life. (I lived with it myself for nearly 12 years…)

If you’re still terrified that one potato chip will derail your weight loss, or you’re trying to wrap your mind around how many calories to cut to lose a pound of fat, I get it.

Here’s what I suggest…

Live your life. Focus on consistent care, with a little bit of freedom, fun, and flexibility along the way.

Connect with yourself in every moment. Pay attention to your body’s cues, and listen to what it needs. Not just what it needs to survive, but also the experiences and connections that it craves.

The answers lie in the present moment.

If you listen, your body will tell you what foods it needs to feel supported, loved, and connected. It’ll work with you to create the experiences that you want and choose the foods and activities that’ll help you feel your best.

What would make you feel energized? What would help you have more fun? How much joy do you want in your life, and are you allowing yourself the freedom and flexibility to create it?

For example, what if you could bend the traditional diet rules by having a “healthy” meal with a couple of cookies for dessert? It’s a lot more effective than forbidding those cookies, then mowing through an entire bag in one sitting when you finally crack.

As with many things in life the key is balance.

Allow yourself to live a little. Realize that the all-or-nothing madness is outdated, damaging, diet culture talk. It’s mind-control conditioning designed keep you on the diet train, buying more books, programs, and promises.

Focus on what you need, one moment at a time, and you’ll realize that your innate wisdom serves you better than the best diet strategies ever could.

Release that diet mentality, practice presence, and start living your life again!

I get how challenging this can be, especially if diet culture has ruled your life. But just because you’ve always done things one way doesn’t mean that you’re doomed to repeat this behavior forever!

There’s a better way–and it starts by being present in THIS moment.

If you need any support in this area, we are here for you!

Click the image below where I’ve got a special gift for you! We call them, “Craving Cards”, and they’re one of our most popular tools!

If you ever feel night time cravings, sugar cravings, the urge to just say “screw it I’m going to start my diet over tomorrow”, or like you need a little body confidence pick me up… 

Just grab a card, go through the prompts, and shift it instantly!

Click the image above and let me know where to send them!

You’ll also get mini demo video training sessions for each card where I share how to use the cards and some of my best tips for food freedom forever!

With our Craving Cards and Demo Series… 

You’ll learn how to stop cravings in their tracks, feel confident, and get back your power, fast! 

Love,
Brittany

PS: Want the exact freedom and ease with our foods that myself and thousands of our clients get to experience?

In our Beating Binge Eating Blueprint (BBEB), I show you how to make this happen in just 8 weeks!

Many of our students have seen a DRASTIC difference in as little as a few days!

It’s our signature program, and up until recently, it was $3000 or more to join.

For now, you can get it as a part of our Food Freedom Collection for practically free by clicking the image below!

There is no catch…every resource I’ve created for food freedom and body confidence will land straight in your if you just click that image below and let me know where to send it!