Dietary Restraint vs Restriction - The Key to Reaching Physique Goals Without Binge Eating

If you’re reading this, it’s likely because you’re struggling with some combo (or all) of these 4 symptoms:

➡️Binge eating

➡️Missing periods

➡️Constant food thoughts

➡️Anxiety/guilt around food

 

You went through a fitness/weight loss journey, felt SUPER in control and “finally” confident in your body, but then these issues crept in and it’s been a struggle to regain control ever since.

 

The reason you’re struggling with these things?

 

You are engaging in RESTRICTION around food vs RESTRAINT or Intuitive Eating.

 

☝️Restriction = rigid and extreme dietary control to reach or maintain a certain weight or aesthetic goal, or pursue “health”. 

 

It’s governed by pre-planned rules around what, how much and when one can eat.

 

🤗Restraint = moderate and flexible dietary control to reach or maintain a certain weight or aesthetic goal or pursue “health”. 

 

It’s focused on general intentions around health/aesthetics that influences food choices and ebbs and flows day to day, moment to moment.

 

🌈Intuitive Eating = both a 10-step program of healing from chronic dieting/diet culture and eventually a long-term way of life. 

 

It focuses on letting go of control over weight and instead listening to hunger and fullness cues, honoring food preferences/cravings, engaging in physical movement for health/feeling good…

 

…and integrating how different foods make you feel + providing your body the nutrients it needs to thrive as part of decision-making around what/how much to eat.

 

RESTRICTION is associated in the research with feeling out of control around food vs restraint.

 

Intuitive Eating is the MOST associated with a peaceful relationship to eating.

 

So how do you shift from restriction to restraint, you ask?

1️⃣Focus on becoming an Intuitive Eating FIRST

2️⃣If you’re struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder, work with a dietitian to create a plan to eat adequately + consistently throughout the day BEFORE transitioning to intuitive eating

3️⃣Heal/manage the root causes of low self worth and anxiety that caused you to become restrictive in the first place

 

Want to learn more about all this?

 

I go into lots more detail in this episode.

 

Give it a listen and let me know what you think/any further questions you have!

 

Contact me:

DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird     

Email me at elena@elenakunicki.com

 

✨ Click here to learn more + apply for 1:1 coaching: bit.ly/elenakwebsite

 

Resources for this episode:

1. Research on restraint shown to be less associated with LOC than restriction: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36688566/#:~:text=Public%20significance%3A%20Some%20research%20suggests,both%20within%20and%20between%20individuals.

2. 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating - https://www.intuitiveeating.org/about-us/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/

3. Past podcast episode on Mental Restriction (what, when and how much food rules): https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/mental-restriction-the-hidden-cause-of-your-binge-eating