Let’s talk about something that often gets overlooked in health and weight loss: your mindset.
If you’ve ever told yourself “I can’t have that” or “I just need to be more disciplined,” you’re not alone. But research shows that this deprivation-based thinking can backfire, making it harder to stick to your goals, increasing cravings, and leading to feelings of guilt, shame, or binge behavior.
Studies in cognitive psychology and nutritional science have shown that when we frame food choices around restriction, the brain interprets it as a threat to survival—leading to increased preoccupation with food, lower willpower, and more frequent lapses.
But wait, doesn't your program say I should avoid gluten, grains, dairy and refined sugar? How isn't that restrictive? Well, let us explain a bit more.
First of all, we aren't in charge of your body- you are. We aren't lurking in the corner of your kitchen, ready to swat a piece of bread out of your hand. We simply provide advice and recommendations as to what we have seen work for hundreds of clients over the years. If you have something off plan, that is 100% your choice, just know your results may look different than if you followed the plan exactly as written. You are the CEO of your body, we aren't kicking anyone out of the program for going off plan.
Second, a modified elimination diet (like our program) isn't saying don't have these foods *ever*- it's saying *avoid them for now" so you can learn how foods affect you. Once you reach your goal weight and begin experimenting with different foods, you may find there are off-plan foods you enjoy and your body tolerates well without weight gain. Even at goal, we will always recommend that the majority of your diet be fruits, vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats, simply because that is best for your health! But there is more "wiggle room" to discover your own personal balance of sustainable health and enjoyment.
Lastly- and this is the real key piece that helps determine client success- what is your internal monologue around food? Are you coming from a place of restriction and food guilt? Or, are you telling yourself, "I've invested in myself and my health. I want to see how good I can look and feel when I really focus on healthy foods and movement. Sugar, bread, and pasta will always be there and I can decide to have them if I want to, For now, I'm choosing to lean into healthier choices, and then I can find the right balance for me".
What happens when you focus on deprivation
👉 A 2013 study in *Appetite* found that individuals with a "dieting mindset" that focused on what they couldn’t eat experienced more cravings and higher consumption of “forbidden” foods compared to those who took a positive or balanced mindset. Those with a "dieting mindset" are more likely to use food to soothe emotional imbalance.
👉 A 2017 study published in *Health Psychology* concluded that reframing food goals around health, energy, and nourishment—rather than weight loss or restriction—significantly improved adherence and emotional well-being over time.
So how can you shift your mindset to one of positivity?
✅ Focus on what you’re adding rather than subtracting—
- Make a list of healthy foods that you love eating.
- Think about all the things you'll gain by adopting a healthier diet- longer lifespan, less inflammation, more energy. Yes, a smaller jean size and feeling confident at the beach are great rewards, but think of things that will matter when you're 80.
✅ Make it Enjoyable-
- Challenge yourself to try one new fruit or vegetable a week.
- Treat yourself to delicious spices and ingredients.
- Buy healthy cookbooks and browse them. Get excited about trying new, delicious things.
- Romanticize your meals- making them pretty and interesting. Eat off real plates and ensure your meals have a variety of color. Play music and sit at the table.
.✅ Shift your language:
- Instead of saying “I can’t eat that,” say “I’m choosing not to have that right now. I'll have it another time"
- Don't ever think of food as "bad" or say "I was bad" if you make a less healthy choice. Shift it to, "I made a choice that didn't align with my goals, here's what I can do differently next time". Food is neutral. We never want you to feel guilt or shame around what you ate or didn't eat. Period.
- Personify your negative self-talk. This is a weird one, but it works. When you hear negative self-talk in your head, imagine it as an ugly troll, or a monster. Give it a name. Anytime you hear it in your head, tell yourself, "That's just my doubt monster." Then tell it to shut up.
- Start each day with a positive affirmation and state your intentions for the day "I am so happy and excited to fuel myself with healthy food today" or "I am so grateful I can exercise and move my body". Here are some of our favorites if you need inspiration.
✅ Practice self-compassion.
- Progress doesn’t come from perfection—it comes from consistency, grace, and a mindset rooted in self-respect.
- Remember that what hurts you most are the things you tell yourself. What hurtful or limiting scripts do you have in your head that need reframing? How you talk to yourself and your relationship with food is 100% within your control to heal and redirect.
- Know that progress isn't linear and one off day doesn't make or break you- it's how you recover and redirect that matters.
✅ Ask yourself why you're triggered
- If stepping on the scale is triggering anxiety, stop and think. It is a piece of plastic. The only scary thing about it is the internal monologue you have around its number. What lies are you telling yourself when you step on the scale?
- Sometimes clients feel bad about the scale because their food/health choices haven't aligned with their intentions. That's okay. Ditch the guilt and instead take some time to refocus on your *why*. Focus on what you're doing each day, and the results will come.
✅ Resolve ambivalence
- Sometimes clients struggle because there are two conflicting voices in their head that are add odds: Maybe one voice says "I'll feel better and live longer if I'm a healthy weight and eat nutritious foods". The other one says "obsessing about what you eat isn't good for your mental health, It's restrictive and disordered" Or "I should treat myself, I deserve it". Maybe you feel guilty wasting food. Taking time to get strongly rooted in your goals is key in moving forward rather than the back-and-forth dance of stagnant progress.
- When you're ambivalent, the most important thing to do is get very clear on what is most important *right now* and don't doubt it. List out all the things you will gain by staying firmly rooted in your health goals. Why did you decide to start the program? Visualize your healthiest self- what do they look like? How do they feel? Start each day by reminding yourself that, for now, this is your number one priority and not negotiable.
When you stop punishing your body and start supporting it, everything changes.