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Category: Undieting

  • Why Do I Keep Going Back to Dieting? 5 Real Reasons (and What Helps)

    Why Do I Keep Going Back to Dieting? 5 Real Reasons (and What Helps)

    TL;DR: You keep going back to dieting because a diet offers a plan, certainty, and hope at the exact moment weight fear, social pressure, or a rough week hits. It’s not weak willpower. It’s a learned habit with real triggers. You stop by spotting your trigger, asking what you actually want underneath the diet, and replacing the structure diets gave you with gentle boundaries that aren’t rules.

    Why do I keep going back to dieting? If you’ve asked yourself that, you’re in good company.

    A follower told me, “I’ve tried quitting dieting several times in the last few years, but I keep going back to it.” Another said, “Every week I think I’ll start Monday.” Sound familiar?

    Here’s where I’m coming from. I started dieting at 19 and kept at it for about 15 years. Calorie counting hooked me the most, and at one point I became a Beachbody coach, which was basically a weight-loss coach lol. So I know the pull. I felt it again last year, and I wrote about that whole story here.

    This post is about why the pull keeps happening and what actually helps you stop. It’s not about you being weak or doing it wrong.

    Is Going Back To Dieting a Willpower Problem?

    TL;DR: No. Going back to dieting is a habit built on years of hearing that your body is a problem to fix. Diets also work for a while, which keeps you coming back. Willpower isn’t the missing piece.

    Let’s be real. Diets often do something in the short term. The scale moves, you get compliments, and you feel in control.

    Then the weight comes back, because it usually does. Research on long-term weight loss shows most people regain it, and I break that down in another post. So the diet “failed,” and somehow we blame ourselves instead of the diet.

    That’s the loop. A short win, a regain, a bit of shame, and then the next plan looks like the answer. Of course, you keep going back.

    Why Do I Keep Going Back To Dieting? 5 Real Reasons.

    TL;DR: The most common triggers are weight going up, seeing someone else lose weight, the “start Monday” loop, believing life would be better in a smaller body, and missing the structure diets gave you. Naming yours is the first step.

    1. Your Weight Goes Up and the Fear Kicks In

    Weight creeping up can feel like an emergency. Some of the people I talk to are scared to buy the next size up in clothes, as if buying them makes it permanent.

    That fear is what pushes people straight back to a diet. The panic feels urgent, and a plan feels like relief.

    2. You See Someone Else Losing Weight

    Social media, coworkers, and now GLP-1 before-and-after photos all say the same thing. Losing weight gets applause.

    A follower told me she’s made peace with food and her body, but the world’s reaction to weight loss still bothers her. It’s hard to feel settled when everyone around you is being cheered for shrinking.

    3. The “Start Monday” Loop

    “I’ll start Monday” gives you a reason to eat everything today. Then Monday comes, you try to be perfect, and it falls apart by Wednesday.

    Then the all-or-nothing thinking shows up. The whole week feels ruined, so you wait for the next Monday. I lived in this loop for years.

    4. You Think Life Would Be Better in a Smaller Body

    People have told me they’d have more energy, more confidence, even a better shot at a partner if they were slimmer. Those are real wants.

    Weight loss isn’t a guaranteed route to any of them, though. Diets quietly attach a lot of hope to a number on the scale. If you want to dig into that, this post on what to ask yourself when you feel like you need to lose weight is a good place to start.

    5. You Never Replaced What Dieting Gave You

    This one gets missed. Dieting gives you a plan, rules, and a clear answer when you’re second-guessing yourself.

    Without it, you’re left asking, “Is this the right food? Too much? Too little?” That kind of constant doubt is exhausting. Of course, a rulebook starts to look tempting again.

    Graphic listing 5 reasons why do I keep going back to dieting: weight fear, seeing others lose weight, the start Monday loop, believing smaller is better, and missing structure

    Why Does Quitting Dieting Feel Like Giving Up?

    TL;DR: After years of diet culture, quitting a diet feels like quitting on yourself. But stopping a method that keeps failing isn’t giving up. It’s looking for something that works for you.

    Another follower asked whether she should “go back to weighing everything and not ‘give up’ on dieting.” That phrase, give up, tells you a lot.

    We’re taught that being on a diet means we’re trying and being off one means we’ve stopped caring. That’s diet culture talking.

    If you’ve tried the same approach over and over and keep ending up in the same place, the issue isn’t that you quit. The method has a built-in revolving door.

    What Actually Helps You Stop Going Back To Dieting?

    TL;DR: Spot your trigger, ask what you actually want underneath the diet, keep gentle structure that isn’t a rulebook, stop mentally restricting, and wear clothes that fit now. Support makes it much easier.

    1. Spot Your Trigger Before You Act

    The next time you feel the pull, pause and ask what just happened. Did your jeans feel tight? Did you scroll past a transformation post? Was it Sunday night?

    You don’t have to fix it right then. Noticing is the whole job for now.

    2. Ask What You Actually Want Underneath the Diet

    When I got pulled toward a GLP-1, I asked myself what I really wanted. It turned out I was stiff, tired, and uncomfortable in my clothes, and none of that needed weight loss to address.

    Try it yourself. What do you believe losing weight would change for you? Is there a way to take care of that need directly? If you want the full story, it’s here.

    3. Keep Gentle Structure That Isn’t a Diet

    Some of us need structure, and that’s okay. The difference is between a boundary and a rule.

    A boundary sounds like “I eat breakfast because I feel better when I do.” A rule sounds like “I can’t eat after 7pm.” Boundaries care for you. Rules punish you when you slip. If you’re not sure which is which, this checklist will help you spot a diet in disguise.

    4. Stop Restricting in Your Head

    Even if you’re not officially dieting, “I shouldn’t eat that” still counts as restriction. It also feeds the binge cycle that makes people run back to a diet. I explain how that works in How to Stop Binge Eating.

    5. Buy Clothes That Fit Your Body Now

    Waiting to shrink before buying clothes keeps you stuck in the “next size up” fear. Clothes that fit comfortably aren’t giving up. They’re basic care for the body you’re in today. I buy most of mine second hand, so it doesn’t have to be expensive.

    6. Do It With Support

    Most people who keep going back to dieting are trying to quit alone, with no plan for the hard moments. That’s like quitting something while everyone around you keeps offering it.

    Support turns the next Monday from a crisis into something you can handle.

    How Do I Stop Going Back To Dieting For Good?

    TL;DR: You stop by learning to work with food noise, hunger, and your own cues instead of fighting them. That takes time and support. The Food Noise ResetTM is my 8-week program built for exactly that.

    If the same triggers keep pulling you back, you don’t need another plan. You need a way to quiet the food noise, handle the hard moments, and make peace with your body without a rulebook.

    That’s what The Food Noise ResetTM is for. It’s 8 weekly lessons, delivered by email, and each one takes about 30 to 45 minutes along with the exercises. There’s also a body acceptance module. Women who are on a GLP-1 are welcome too.

    Join the Food Noise ResetTM waitlist here.

    Not ready for that yet? Start with my free 5-Minute Emotional Eating Check-In Workbook. It helps you notice what’s really going on before you reach for a diet or for food. Download the free workbook here.

    And if you’d rather work 1-on-1, here’s how coaching works.

    FAQ: Why Do I Keep Going Back to Dieting?

    Why do I keep going back to dieting even though it never works long term?

    Diets give quick results, certainty, and a sense of control, so they feel like the answer each time. Then the weight returns and the cycle restarts. It’s a habit with real triggers, not a flaw in you.

    Is going back to dieting a sign I can’t do intuitive eating?

    No. Plenty of people go back and forth while they unlearn diet culture. Each return is a chance to notice your trigger and respond differently.

    How do I stop the “I’ll start Monday” cycle?

    Start by noticing that “Monday” is a rule you’re setting for later. Eat in a way that cares for you today, and drop the all-or-nothing idea that one off day ruins the week.

    What if I’m scared of gaining weight if I stop dieting?

    That fear is very common, and I won’t pretend your weight can’t change. What I can say is that fear-based restriction tends to lead to the binge cycle. Working on your food and body relationship gives you more steady footing than another diet does.

    Can I stop dieting if I’m on a GLP-1?

    Yes. Being on a GLP-1 doesn’t mean you have to follow diet rules. If you’ve stopped one and eating feels intense, I wrote about binge eating after stopping a GLP-1 too. Questions about medication are for you and your prescriber.

    Want more real talk on ditching diet culture for good? Come follow along on Instagram @laraslosingit!

  • How I Quiet Food Noise Without a GLP-1 (My Honest Story)

    How I Quiet Food Noise Without a GLP-1 (My Honest Story)

    TL;DR: I’m a food freedom & intuitive eating coach, and last year I still almost signed up for a GLP-1 medication. What stopped me wasn’t willpower; it was getting curious about why I actually wanted to lose weight in the first place. Underneath “I need to lose weight” was a real, specific discomfort (stiffness, low energy, clothes that didn’t fit right), and none of that actually required weight loss to fix. Reconnecting with gentle movement and gentle nutrition quieted my food noise without a prescription. This is my story, not an argument against GLP-1s for anyone else.

    Table of Contents

      The Night I Almost Signed Up for a GLP-1

      I want to talk about something that might surprise people coming from an intuitive eating and food freedom coach.. last year, I strongly considered going on a GLP-1 medication.

      I had already healed my relationship with food and my body years earlier. I’d been an intuitive eater for years. I knew how to recognize diet culture; I understood restriction and the restrict-rebound cycle, and I genuinely felt confident around food. And still, I got pulled into the GLP-1 conversation.

      Here’s the honest part: at that point, my food noise was loud. I felt like I was back to being “addicted” to certain foods, my appetite felt huge, and I was struggling not to overeat every single night. So when I started seeing GLP-1s described as something that could quiet all of that, quiet my mind around food entirely, it was genuinely appealing. Who wouldn’t want the noise to just.. stop?

      One night, I found myself up late researching them. Googling. On TikTok, listening to people’s experiences. Trying to figure out whether this was something I should do. I got far enough that I actually signed up for a consultation through an online service that prescribed GLP-1 medications. I ultimately didn’t go through with it, but I came very close.

      Why I Hesitated (Even With the Loud Food Noise)

      TL;DR: I wasn’t approaching the question neutrally; I was trying to convince myself to say yes. But listening to various people’s personal accounts of “food noise” returning with a vengeance after stopping GLP-1s made me pause and ask what I was actually looking for.

      I think it’s important to be honest about the headspace I was in while doing all that research: I wasn’t approaching the question neutrally. At that point, I was trying to convince myself to take the medication. That matters, because confirmation bias is real. When we’re searching online, especially on social media, it’s incredibly easy to find the information that supports the answer we already want.

      But while I was looking for reasons to say yes, I kept coming across something that made me hesitate. I saw accounts from people who’d taken GLP-1 medications, stopped, and described their hunger and food noise returning intensely. Some described feeling like their appetite was even harder to manage after stopping.

      Those personal accounts made me ask myself a bigger question: what was I actually looking for here?

      For me, the idea of needing an intervention indefinitely just to maintain its effects felt uncomfortably familiar. It brought me right back to the dynamic I’d spent years getting away from.. doing something primarily to make my body smaller, knowing that if I stopped, I might end up right back where I started, food noise and all.

      The Question Underneath “Should I Take a GLP-1?”

      TL;DR: Instead of asking “should I take a GLP-1,” I got curious about the question underneath it: why do I want to lose weight right now? The surface answer was “I gained weight.” That wasn’t the whole answer.

      So instead of continuing to ask “should I take a GLP-1,” I got curious about the question underneath it: “why do I want to lose weight right now?“

      The surface-level answer was obvious. I had gained weight. But that wasn’t really the whole answer.

      The previous couple of years had been difficult and stressful. A lot of the practices that normally helped me feel good had fallen to the wayside. Somewhere in there, I stopped paying much attention to one important part of being an intuitive eater: gentle nutrition.

      I was eating a lot of foods I genuinely enjoy- chips, pizza, cookies, other fun foods- but I wasn’t paying much attention to how my overall eating patterns were making me feel. I wasn’t exercising consistently either. Over time, I gained some weight, and my food noise crept back up right along with it.

      What I Found When I Got Curious

      So I kept digging. What was actually bothering me?

      I realized I was feeling stiff and achy. Some of my clothes had gotten tighter, which was physically uncomfortable. I felt run down, tired, fatigued. In general, I just didn’t feel very good in my body.

      And then came the question that changed the direction I was heading: do I actually need to lose weight to address those things?

      Of course the answer was no.

      I could address stiffness without making weight loss the goal. I could buy or wear clothes that fit my body comfortably now. Working on my energy levels, moving more regularly, and bringing gentle nutrition back into my life didn’t need to involve shrinking my body either. None of those things required me to make my body smaller the project.

      Do I actually need to lose weight to fix food noise, stiffness, low energy, or feeling disconnected from my body? Or is there a way to address it directly?

      What I Did Instead

      So that’s what I did.

      Moving My Body Again

      I started exercising again, but gently. There was no declaration that I was suddenly going to work out six days a week. Sometimes the goal was simply, “I’m going to move my body for 20 minutes today.” I returned to forms of movement I actually liked and wanted to do.

      Bringing Intuitive Eating Back Into the Picture

      I also started being more intentional with food again, not restrictive, not dieting, and not trying to earn or compensate for anything I ate.

      Instead, I started asking questions like, “How will this food make me feel?” “What have I eaten today?” “Would adding some fruit or vegetables feel good?” “Could I use some protein?” “Is there a snack I could have right now that would give me the energy and nourishment I’m looking for?”

      The chips didn’t become forbidden. The pizza didn’t become “bad.” The cookies didn’t need to disappear. I simply brought the rest of intuitive eating back into the picture.

      Gentle movement at home with dumbbells, part of reconnecting with self-care without needing a GLP-1 for weight loss

      What Actually Changed

      And I started feeling better. My energy improved. Moving my body helped with how I physically felt. I felt more connected to myself and more intentional about caring for my body again. And the food noise? It got quiet, not because I forced it to, but because I was actually giving my body consistent, adequate food and attention again.

      I also ended up losing the weight I had gained, but that wasn’t the focus, and I think that distinction matters. The goal was never “how do I force my body back to the size it used to be?” The goal was “what am I actually uncomfortable with, and what would help?”

      For me, the answer wasn’t a GLP-1 medication. It was reconnecting with the habits and forms of self-care that made me feel good without turning my body into a problem that needed to be fixed.

      This Isn’t a Verdict on GLP-1s

      I want to be clear that this is my personal story, not an argument that nobody should take GLP-1 medications. These medications have medical uses, and someone’s decision to take one is between them and their healthcare provider. What I’m interested in is the pressure many of us can feel when weight loss becomes culturally available, visible, and seemingly expected again.

      Because if someone who had already spent years healing her relationship with food could find herself awake at night trying to convince herself to pursue weight loss again, I know I’m not the only one who’s felt that pull.

      If You’re Asking Yourself the Same Question

      Sometimes “I need to lose weight” is the first thought. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the final answer.

      There may be something underneath it: clothes that don’t fit comfortably, feeling sluggish, wanting more strength or mobility, feeling disconnected from your routines, comparing yourself with other people, or simply living in a culture that keeps telling you a smaller body would solve the discomfort.

      Before turning the desire for weight loss into an instruction, it can be worth getting curious about it. What am I actually feeling right now? What do I believe weight loss would change for me? And is there a way I can care for that need directly, without making my body smaller the prerequisite for feeling better?

      If this is a question you’re sitting with too, this is exactly the kind of work I do with coaching clients, getting underneath the “I need to lose weight” thought to find out what’s actually going on, and what would actually help.

      I’m also hosting a free live workshop on this exact topic. Save your spot here.

      And if food noise is the thing you’re mainly trying to quiet, my free 5-minute Emotional Eating Check-In Workbook is a good place to start noticing what’s actually driving it. Grab it here.

      FAQ: Quieting Food Noise Without a GLP-1

      Can you quiet food noise without a GLP-1?

      Yes, for many people. Food noise often gets louder due to restriction, stress, or disconnection from your body’s actual cues, not just from needing medication. Addressing those underlying causes (through consistent, adequate eating and gentle nutrition) can quiet food noise without a prescription.

      Do I need a GLP-1 to lose weight?

      Not necessarily. Weight loss can happen as a side effect of addressing what’s actually going on underneath the desire to lose weight, whether that’s low energy, discomfort, or disconnection from your routines, without making weight loss itself the goal. The key for a lot of people is to become more neutral about your weight. So, it’s no longer the focus or what you are trying to achieve.

      Is it normal to consider a GLP-1 even as an intuitive eater?

      Yes. Cultural pressure around weight loss doesn’t disappear just because you’ve healed your relationship with food. Even people with years of intuitive eating experience can feel pulled toward the GLP-1 conversation; it doesn’t mean anything went wrong.

      Are GLP-1 medications compatible with intuitive eating?

      That’s a personal medical decision between you and your healthcare provider, not something this post argues for or against. This post is specifically about the question underneath “should I take a GLP-1,” not a stance on the medication itself.

      Want more honest, real talk on ditching diet culture for good? Come follow along on Instagram @laraslosingit

    • What If I Feel Like I NEED To Lose Weight? (An Intuitive Eating Coach’s Take)

      What If I Feel Like I NEED To Lose Weight? (An Intuitive Eating Coach’s Take)

      TL;DR: If you feel like you need to lose weight, start by asking what you’re actually hoping to fix. Then address that directly (health, comfort, pain relief) through behaviours, not the scale. Weight loss isn’t a behaviour; it rarely lasts in the long term, and you don’t need to know your weight to feel better.

      I wanted to address one concern that comes up A LOT for people on the journey towards becoming an Intuitive Eater: what if I feel like I need to lose weight?

      Some people feel that way after a doctor tells them they need to lose weight. Others feel this way because they’ve recently gained weight and they’re more uncomfortable now than they were when they were smaller, or they’re dealing with a health concern and/or physical pain that they feel losing weight would help with.

      If you’ve recently gained weight, remind yourself that while, sure, your new larger body may feel different than it did when it was smaller, different is not necessarily bad or uncomfortable. Be aware of how you’re labelling your feelings in that regard.

      Quote card reading 'Different is not automatically bad' - intuitive eating mindset shift

      So if this is something you’re navigating, here are the three questions I always come back to with my coaching clients when the urge to lose weight shows up.

      Table of Contents

        Question 1: What Am I Really Hoping Weight Loss Will Give Me?

        TL;DR: Improved health and comfort don’t need you to know your weight. Nutrient-rich food, movement that feels good, good sleep, and self-care get you there. Dealing with joint pain? Strengthen the muscles around it, instead of trying to lose weight.

        The first thing to ask yourself if you feel this way is: what are you really hoping to gain from weight loss? On the surface, you may think it’s about improved health or comfort, but you can improve your health and comfort without ever knowing how much you weigh.

        Weight loss is not a behaviour. You can do things like eat more nutrient-rich foods, move your body in ways that feel good on a regular basis, prioritize good sleep, practice self-care, etc, etc.- all of these things are health-promoting behaviours, and none of them have anything to do with what you weigh.

        If you’re dealing with physical pain like joint pain, the best thing to do for that is to strengthen the muscles that connect to that joint. Visit a physical therapist if you can. Google “how to strengthen knees” or “how to alleviate knee pain” and you will find a lot of suggestions! Once again, you can work towards this without even knowing how much you weigh.

        Question 2: What Would a Thin Person Do About This?

        TL;DR: No health condition exists only in larger bodies – so ask what a thin person with the same issue would do, then do that! It’s the root cause that needs fixing, not your weight.

        The second thing to ask yourself is – what would a thin person do about this particular issue or discomfort? Remember that no health condition exists solely in larger-bodied people. There just isn’t. So any health condition or physical pain that you’re dealing with right now – there are thin people out there who deal with and have dealt with that same thing.

        So what is something that they would do? We covered some of this in question #1, but ultimately it comes down to actually addressing the cause of the problem and working to help that. Once again, your weight in and of itself is not causing anything.

        Graphic explaining that addressing the root cause, not weight, resolves most health concerns

        Question 3: What Happened Last Time I Tried?

        TL;DR: Intentional weight loss almost never sticks long-term. A well-known meta-analysis tracked people for 5 years after weight loss and found that the average person had regained nearly 80% of what they’d lost! So treating a health or comfort issue with weight loss is usually just a temporary fix.

        Third – remind yourself of your previous attempts to lose weight and how they ended up in the long run. Contrary to what diet culture will try to tell you, your experience with gaining back weight that you previously lost is not unique. A meta-analysis that tracked people for years after intentional weight loss found that, on average, only 21% of the weight lost was still off at the 5-year mark, meaning the average person had regained close to 80% of what they’d lost. Remind yourself that intentional weight loss is one of the strongest predictors of future weight gain, so trying to treat anything by losing weight tends to be a temporary fix at best.

        You Deserve to Feel Comfortable Right Now

        TL;DR: Comfort doesn’t have to wait on weight loss! Well-fitting clothes you feel good in (even second-hand finds!) can fix that today. You deserve to feel comfortable no matter what the scale says.

        Ultimately, remember that you do deserve to be comfortable! If your clothes aren’t fitting very well, get some new ones that are comfortable and look good! If you can’t afford new clothes, don’t be afraid to shop second hand – I personally buy most of my clothes second hand, and it is amazing what you can find!

        Lara Curry, Intuitive Eating Coach, wearing a comfortable second-hand outfit she feels confident in

        Your weight is not a problem that needs to be fixed. Society’s views of higher weights and larger bodies is the problem that needs to be fixed!

        FAQ: Weight Loss, Health, and Intuitive Eating

        What if my doctor says I need to lose weight?

        Ask your doctor exactly which health marker they’re worried about, then ask what you can do about it directly! Most of the time there’s a behaviour you can work on (movement, sleep, nutrition, stress) that has nothing to do with the number on the scale.

        Can I be healthy without losing weight?

        Yes! Health comes from behaviours – how you eat, move, sleep, and handle stress – not a number on a scale. People with larger bodies have the same health outcomes as people with smaller bodies, and the same goes the other way.

        Is it true that most people gain back the weight they lose?

        Yes, most of it tends to come back over time. A meta-analysis of nearly 30 studies found that people maintained only about 23% of their initial weight loss on average 4 to 5 years later. That’s exactly why an intuitive eating, non-diet approach focuses on behaviours instead of the scale.

        What should I do about joint pain or physical discomfort instead of trying to lose weight?

        Go after the actual cause! For joint pain, that usually means strengthening the muscles around the joint (a physical therapist is amazing for this). Addressing the root of it works better and faster than weight loss ever would.

        One Last Thing…

        Let me know if this helped you at all! And if you’re not sure where you land with all of this, take my free Food Freedom Quiz to find out what’s really keeping you stuck.

      • Is It Actually a Diet? 5 Red Flags Even “Anti-Diet” Programs Miss

        Is It Actually a Diet? 5 Red Flags Even “Anti-Diet” Programs Miss

        Quick answer: Run any program through this is-it-a-diet checklist: food rules, restricted foods or food groups, “allowed” quantities of anything, or a weight-loss-first goal are all red flags. If any one of those is present, it’s a diet… no matter how they brand it. The real test isn’t the marketing. It’s about whether the plan is teaching you to trust and listen to your own body, or to override it.

        Table of Contents

          “Anti-Diet” Is Everywhere Now… But Is It Real?

          Back in 2019, when I first started writing about this, “anti-diet” was just becoming a buzzword. Now, in 2026, it’s no longer a niche philosophy… It’s a full-blown marketing category. Every corner of wellness culture has caught on: coaches, influencers, even some dietitians, are dropping the word “diet” and replacing it with “protocol,” “reset,” “lifestyle,” or “metabolic rebalance.” Meanwhile, GLP-1 drugs have pulled weight loss culture in a totally different direction, and a wave of “food noise” and “soft dieting” content has popped up to fill the gap for people who don’t want a prescription but still want the diet mentality dressed up in gentler language.

          Here’s my honest opinion, unchanged since 2019: rebranding a diet doesn’t make it not a diet. If a program is handing you rules about food, it’s a diet… even if the word “diet” never appears once in their marketing copy.

          So how do you actually tell the difference between real food freedom and a disguised diet? Here are the checkpoints I use and the same ones that I walk my coaching clients through.

          The Is-It-A-Diet Checklist: 5 Red Flags to Watch For

          Checklist graphic showing 5 signs a program is secretly a diet: food rules, removed food groups, allowed amounts, weight loss goal, ignoring body cues

          Quick answer: Watch for food rules, eliminated foods or food groups, “allowed amounts” of anything, a weight-loss-first framing, or any instruction that pulls your attention away from your own hunger and fullness cues.

          1. There Are Rules Around What to Eat

          Portion sizes, “acceptable” food lists, specific gram or calorie targets, macros to hit… if there’s a rulebook, it’s a diet. Doesn’t matter if it’s dressed up as “intuitive macros” or a “flexible framework.” A rule is a rule.

          2. You’re Told to Remove Foods or Food Groups

          Can’t eat sugar. No carbs, no dairy, no “ultra-processed” foods, no seed oils, no gluten unless medically necessary. If a program is asking you to eliminate entire categories of food without a genuine medical reason, that’s restriction… and restriction is the engine that drives every diet, whatever it’s called.

          3. There’s a “But You Can Still Have It… With Conditions” Clause

          This one’s sneaky, and it’s everywhere in 2026’s wellness-washed diet culture. “It’s not a diet, you can totally have chocolate!” …as long as it’s 1 oz of 90% dark chocolate, eaten before 3 pm, on a day you “earned” it. That’s not food freedom. That’s a diet with better PR.

          4. Weight Loss Is the Headline

          If the program leads with weight loss… even softened into “sustainable fat loss,” “body recomposition,” or “hormone balance for a leaner you,” it’s a diet. Food freedom doesn’t sell itself on the scale.

          5. It Pulls You Away From Listening to Your Body

          This is the real litmus test, and it covers everything the first four points are really pointing at. If any part of a program takes your attention away from your own hunger, fullness, cravings, and satisfaction and puts it on an external rule instead, it’s a diet, full stop.

          Why Your Body Already Knows What It Needs

          Here’s the thing I still believe, seven years and a lot of client conversations later: your body is extremely intelligent. When you learn to trust it, and it learns it can trust you, it will tell you exactly what it needs and when. It’ll tell you which foods it doesn’t love in big quantities, and which ones it genuinely thrives on.

          Weighing yourself. Counting calories, carbs, or points. Diligently following someone else’s meal plan, even a “gentle” or “intuitive” one. All of it distracts you from the one source of information that actually matters: your own body.

          I’ve coached people through every single one of the patterns above… the Friday “treat day” that spirals into a weekend write-off, the all-or-nothing thinking, the constant food “shoulding,” the reaching for food as the only tool in the emotional toolbox. A better rule doesn’t fix any of those patterns. Rebuilding trust with your body does.

          Intuitive eating coach Lara writing at her laptop with a coffee, working on food freedom content

          Curious which pattern actually sounds like you? I built a free 2-minute quiz, What’s REALLY Keeping You From Food Freedom?, that sorts you into one of four patterns (Restrict-Rebound, All-or-Nothing, Food Rules, or Emotional Eating) and gives you a starting point that’s actually built for how you eat, not a generic plan.

          How to Actually Stop Dieting (Without Just Starting a New One)

          Quick answer: Ditch the scale, stop outsourcing your food decisions to someone else’s plan, and start rebuilding the habit of checking in with your own hunger, fullness, and cravings before you check in with a rule.

          A few starting points:

          • Get rid of the scale, or at least stop stepping on it daily. It can’t tell you anything your body isn’t already telling you more accurately.
          • Notice when you’re about to follow a rule instead of a body cue… that pause is where the real work happens.
          • Practice naming hunger and fullness in the moment, even before you’re sure you’re “doing it right.” It’s a skill, and skills take reps.
          • If stress-eating or emotional eating is your go-to, don’t try to white-knuckle your way out of it. That pattern needs a replacement tool, not just willpower.

          If emotional eating hits home, I put together a free 5-minute Emotional Eating Check-In Guide… a simple, judgment-free way to pause and ask what you actually need in the moment before you’re on autopilot and reaching for food. Grab it here.

          FAQ: How Do I Know If It’s a Diet?

          What’s a quick way to tell if something is a diet?

          Run it through the is-it-a-diet checklist above: food rules, eliminated foods or food groups, “allowed” amounts of anything, or a weight-loss-first focus. If any of those show up, it’s a diet, regardless of what it’s called.

          Is intuitive eating just another diet with a different name?

          No, genuine intuitive eating has no food rules, no restricted foods, and no weight-loss goal. If a program calling itself “intuitive eating” includes any of those things, it’s not actually intuitive eating; it’s a diet using the term as a rebrand.

          Can a program be “anti-diet” and still ask me to avoid certain foods?

          No. Asking you to eliminate specific foods or food groups without a genuine medical reason is restriction, which is the defining feature of a diet… regardless of what the program calls itself.

          What’s the difference between a food preference and a food rule?

          A preference comes from your own body noticing how a food makes you feel and choosing accordingly. A rule comes from an external source telling you what’s allowed before you’ve had the chance to notice anything yourself.

          Do GLP-1 medications count as “not a diet”?

          That’s a separate conversation from what this post covers. GLP-1s are a medical intervention, not a food philosophy. But the “soft dieting” and food-rule-heavy content marketed alongside them often follows the exact same red-flag pattern above.

          Want more of this kind of straight talk on ditching diet culture for good? I’m back on Instagram @laraslosingit — come say hi and follow along.

        • Emotional Eating as a Non-Dieter: Why It’s Normal (and What Actually Helps)

          Emotional Eating as a Non-Dieter: Why It’s Normal (and What Actually Helps)

          Quick answer: Emotional eating without dieting doesn’t mean eliminating it, it means understanding it. Emotional eating is a completely normal way to cope, and everyone does it sometimes! It’s only worth a closer look if it’s become your main way of dealing with hard emotions, or if it’s tipping into a binge (which is usually a sign of restriction, not a lack of willpower). The first step isn’t quitting.. it’s noticing your patterns.

          Table of Contents

            Is Emotional Eating Actually Bad?

            Quick answer: No! Emotional eating is completely normal, and diet culture has demonized something that’s actually a natural part of being human.

            I talk with people about emotional eating and emotional binge eating all the time. What they describe is exactly what I’ve experienced myself, turning to food to deal with a certain emotion or situation, and then feeling totally out of control with that food in the moment.

            I used to get so focused on trying to completely quit eating emotionally, or quit bingeing altogether. Guess what? It never worked!

            Here’s the thing: eating emotionally is completely normal. Everyone does it every now and then. Diet culture has demonized the act of eating to comfort ourselves, but it’s actually pretty natural. Food is meant to bring us satisfaction, and satisfaction and comfort go hand in hand! So don’t beat yourself up for emotional eating.

            (Side note: if emotional eating often turns into a full binge for you, you’re very likely restricting that food somewhere else.. which changes the picture a bit. I go deep on that connection in Why Do I Binge Eat at Night? if that sounds familiar.)

            When Emotional Eating Is Worth a Closer Look

            Quick answer: If emotional eating has become your main way of dealing with uncomfortable emotions, and it’s having a real negative impact on your life, it’s worth exploring other ways to cope. Not because emotional eating is “bad,” but because you deserve more than one tool.

            It’s also important to actually feel some of these emotions and process them, that’s part of the human experience!! If you’re mainly numbing feelings out, whether with food or with other things like TV, mindless scrolling, or even exercise, that’s not going to help you long term either. Food isn’t the only numbing tool out there, and it’s not uniquely villain-coded compared to the rest of them.

            Emotional eating without dieting: food, TV, scrolling, and over-exercising are all ways we numb out

            Emotional Eating vs. Emotional Binge Eating

            Emotional eating and emotional binge eating aren’t the same thing, and it’s worth knowing the difference.

            Emotional eating is reaching for food to cope with a feeling, stress, sadness, boredom, loneliness. It’s normal, and on its own it isn’t a problem to fix.

            Emotional binge eating is when that turns into feeling completely out of control with food in the moment, like you couldn’t stop even if you wanted to. That loss-of-control feeling is usually less about the emotion itself and more about restriction happening somewhere else in your eating. If that’s the pattern you’re in, Why Do I Binge Eat at Night breaks down exactly why that happens and what helps.

            How to Actually Notice Your Patterns

            Quick answer: Start by journaling the moments you turn to food for reasons other than hunger, the time, how you were feeling, what you were doing, and what you were thinking about right before.

            The first step is to begin recognizing the common times you turn to food for reasons other than hunger. This might not even always be tied to a specific emotion, it can be pretty habitual too. Either way, the best way to catch it is to journal.

            Note things like:

            • What time it is
            • How you were feeling right before
            • What you were doing right before
            • What you were thinking about right before

            When I first did this myself, I found I was eating as a form of procrastination a lot more than I expected!

            Emotional eating without dieting journal prompts: what time is it, how were you feeling, what were you doing, what were you thinking before you ate

            What to Do Once You See the Pattern

            Quick answer: Once you can see your patterns clearly, you can start facing what’s underneath them directly, whether that’s stress, grief, or something else, instead of reaching for food or a distraction every time it comes up.

            Once you’re able to see the patterns, you can start to tackle them. If there’s a big stress in your life that you notice you turn to food around every time you start thinking about it, maybe it’s time to actually face that thing head on.

            If you’ve recently gone through a loss and you’re just feeling sad from that, allow yourself to sit in that feeling without turning on the TV or grabbing food. Meditate, journal, allow yourself to actually feel the emotions and process them. It’s uncomfy AF, but if you don’t deal with them, they will keep coming back up.. Ruthlessly!

            This is exactly the kind of pattern work I do with coaching clients, helping you tell the difference between genuine hunger, a nervous system that’s overwhelmed, and everything in between.

            I also have a free Emotional Eating Check-In Workbook to help walk you through this exact process, a simple, judgment-free way to start noticing what’s actually driving it, before you’re on autopilot reaching for food. Download the free guide here and let me know how it goes!

            Not sure which pattern is even driving your eating in the first place? My free 2-minute quiz, What’s REALLY Keeping You From Food Freedom?, can help you find your starting point.

            FAQ: Emotional Eating Without Dieting

            Is emotional eating a form of disordered eating?

            Not on its own. Emotional eating is a normal coping behavior most people use sometimes. It becomes worth closer attention if it’s your main or only coping tool, if it’s happening very frequently, or if it’s tipping into a loss-of-control binge, which is often a sign of restriction elsewhere, not a character flaw.

            How do I stop emotional eating without dieting?

            You don’t have to stop it entirely, the goal is to understand it, not eliminate it. Start by journaling the moments you reach for food outside of hunger, look for patterns, and build in other ways (rest, processing the emotion directly, talking it through) so food isn’t the only tool available.

            Is it normal to emotionally eat even as an intuitive eater?

            Yes! Even people fully practicing intuitive eating still emotionally eat sometimes, it’s a normal, human way to cope, not a sign you’re doing intuitive eating “wrong.”

            What’s the difference between emotional eating and binge eating?

            Emotional eating is reaching for food to cope with a feeling. Binge eating adds a loss-of-control element, feeling like you can’t stop. That loss-of-control feeling is usually driven by restriction happening somewhere else, not by the emotion itself.

            Want more real talk on ditching diet culture for good? Come follow along on Instagram @laraslosingit!