Hi! I work full time as a health coach, and I want you guys to know you are not alone in the seemingly never ending “diet struggle.” As a professional, I cannot stand the concept of a traditional “diet” - essentially, you are setting yourself up for failure. My three tips for you are moderation, mindfulness, and accountability. For fear of rambling on too long, I’ll just briefly touch on each. Moderation is key to any healthy lifestyle change- nothing is “bad” or “off limits” - labeling foods as such creates feelings of deprivation, and can lead to binging. The statement “everything is okay in moderation” is true! Craving chocolate cake? Great! Have a few bites, maybe even a small piece. My next point, mindfulness, is a follow up to this. Imagine craving that cake- is a few bites enough to satisfy the craving? Do you need to eat the whole thing, or can you be happy and feel satisfied, but not guilty or self loathing, afterward?
Finally, accountability. As Theresa mentioned, keeping a food diary or another log of everything (and yes, I mean everything!) is a great way to notice patterns in your eating and identify areas you might want to change.
I hope this blurb was semi helpful to you- do any of these three feel like they can be applied to your life/goals?