57 | Why Not Eat Your Favorite Foods AND Lose Weight?

Welcome back!

Have you ever decided you were starting a diet on Monday, only to spend Sunday night eating everything you were convinced you wouldn’t be “allowed” to have anymore?

There’s actually a name for that: the Last Supper effect. And it’s a perfect example of what can happen when our approach to weight loss becomes overly restrictive.

In this episode, I’m talking about the cycle of restriction, overeating, guilt, and starting over—and why the answer isn’t always creating even stricter rules.

Because yes, weight loss requires a calorie deficit. Portions matter. Your overall eating pattern matters. Nutrition matters. But enjoyment matters, too.

We’ll talk about why making a food completely off-limits can sometimes make it feel even more powerful, how significantly undereating during the day can leave you ravenous and feeling out of control at night, and why it’s important to look at the whole pattern instead of blaming everything on willpower.

I’m also introducing something I call inclusion with intention: instead of automatically asking, “How do I stop eating this?” we start asking, “How could this fit?”

That might mean learning how pizza, pasta, chocolate, bread, ice cream—or whatever food you genuinely love—can exist within an eating pattern that still supports your goals.

Because food gets to be nourishment and joy. Fuel and comfort. Health, culture, tradition, celebration, memories, and love.

Sustainable weight loss isn’t about finding the strictest diet you can temporarily tolerate. It’s about creating an eating pattern you can actually live with for the rest of your life.

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Ready to Stop Starting Over?