The Deprivation and Guilt See-Saw | WBT October 31, 2021
WBT (We’ve Been Thinking) is our weekly mini virtual “soul-therapy” sesh sent straight to your inbox every Sunday Morning, in which we cover a range of topics and give you actionable tips and tools that you can start applying today to raise your vibe and feel amazing. All in a less than 3-minute read. Interested in getting yours every Sunday? Sign up for our weekly newsletter below!
WBT… About the deprivation and guilt see-saw (and how to get off the damn thing for good!)
One of my favourite concepts from the Intuitive Eating philosophy is the deprivation/guilt see-saw. When I first read about it, it was a major “A-ha!” moment for me and it’s changed my food philosophy forever.
Here’s the low-down: Imagine a see-saw with deprivation on one end and guilt on the other. When you’ve been really good on your diet, and you haven’t eaten any “bad” foods in a while (in other words, you’re doing a great job at restricting or depriving yourself), chances are, your feelings of food-guilt would be non-existent at that time. Actually, you’d probably be feeling pretty proud of yourself!
And what do we do when we’re proud of ourselves? We treat ourselves! So you decide to reduce your food restrictions and treat yourself a little. Then you treat yourself a little more. And slowly over time, you’re back to eating in a way that has deprivation at a minimum and guilt at an all time high. (Because that’s how a see-saw works.)
So then you say “OMG. I really need to get back on my diet. I’ve been so bad!” And the cycle continues. Been there, done that. Right?
To get off the deprivation/guilt see-saw, you need to dismantle it. Give yourself 100% unrestricted, guilt-free, unconditional permission to eat. No more good or bad foods.
(Guess what? No single food has the power to make you fat, sick, skinny, or healthy… Even though it can definitely feel that way.)
Yes, it’s easier said than done. But here’s the kicker: when you don’t limit foods, they lose their power. When you know that you can eat anything, it allows you to actually listen to your body and the signals it’s sending you. Signals that would otherwise be smothered by guilt, negative thoughts, and bad advice about eating.
I dare you to give it a go! I know it sounds freaky, but it might just change your life.