"Deanna I want to stop dieting and start eating moderately, but every weekend when I go out to restaurants I can’t stop myself from eating until I am stuffed. I feel sick to my stomach too. I also can't say no to desserts at parties either! HELP! How do I stop? "

- DM from a woman called Naomi.

We all can relate to Naomi. If any of you have been on a diet, you usually are counting down the days until you can let loose around food again. Here are some tips to stop the restrict- binge cycle.

Tip # 1 - Don’t diet.

You need to stop following rules and start creating frameworks around how you eat.

The old rules of dieting keep us stuck. On or off the "diet" wagon. Cutting sugar, alcohol, and carbs leads to a deprivation mindset.

Dieting during the week sets you up for bingeing on weekends. It increases the intensity with food by putting you into a scarcity mindset.

Refrain from setting foods as off limits, from labeling any foods as good or bad.

Commit to focusing on eating foods that make you feel good physically (no being stuffed, bloated, overfed) and emotionally (no guilt, regret).

Prioritize nutrition but always be in a state of permission with food, especially the foods you enjoy

Tip # 2 - Feed yourself!

When dieters/former dieters know there will be extra food around, they tend to think in terms of math and calories - skipping meals, eating less, “saving room”.

The best thing you can do to ward off cravings and overeating is to feed yourself nutritious food at regular intervals.

Being near extra sweets while you’re hungry will of course lead you to eating with abandon. If you are making sure to eat enough during breakfast, lunch and dinner, this will help you stay mindful with your hunger cues. There is a difference between fighting hunger and feeling hunger. . I like to try and eat protein and veggies at each meal, and then stay mindful around any "trigger" food.

Tip # 3 - Permission

Allow yourself to have what you want with full permission. If you can’t stop eating it, it’s time to question what’s actually going on - are there emotions to deal with? Are you eating enough? Do you know you can have more tomorrow, and the next day, without guilt? No need to eat it all right now, as cookies, chips and chocolate are available all year round. Most of us only register 2 levels of hunger: starving or stuffed. Mindfulness cuts to the middle of that spectrum and helps you tune into the nuances in how your body’s feeling and what it wants. I have a Instagram post that digs into the difference between hunger and cravings: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIv0C9EA8D8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Tip # 4 - Healthy Boundaries

Ask yourself, if this weren’t here, would I feel like I was missing out or restricted without it? In the Moderation365 curriculum we call this situational eating.

Even in a state of permission, it’s ok to have boundaries. If you don’t feel restricted and like you’re missing out, it’s ok to throw the cookies and squares away or give them away. It’s ok to put the Christmas baking in containers and freeze them where they are not in sight for you to grab every time you walk by the kitchen.

Let me know if you need to reach out for more information on how to eat #Moderation365. I am here to help.

Coach Deanna