Do you have restriction or restraint with your food? Are you restricting or restraining yourself with your food choices?
This may seem like just a matter of semantics, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a matter of your mindset and approach to how you treat certain foods in your life.
What is Restriction?
Restriction is completely limiting yourself and thinking that you really CAN’T eat any Oreos because they’re high in calories, not “clean” (whatever that means), and you’ll gain all of your weight back. You think to yourself, “I’ll re-gain everything I’ve lost with just a few cookies, so I’ll restrict myself from them!”
…And then you proceed to binge on the Oreos the next day like I wrote about here.
What is Restraint?
Restraint is best understood with the concept of moderation. You think about balance, such as, “I CAN eat all of these Oreos if I really want to. But I know I probably won’t feel awesome afterwards, so I’ll just eat two Oreos instead.” You allow yourself the slight indulgence minus the guilt. You ask, “What harm can a couple of Oreos really cause me?”
Which is Better – Restriction or Restraint?
Restraint allows you to find that happy medium or middle road to eating with moderation.
It is in the magic land between restriction and going off the deep end by binging on the whole freaking bag of Oreos.
Restraint allows you to be gentle with yourself and indulge a little if you’re in the mood for a damn Oreo.
Too much restriction can lead to a lack of success with your nutrition and performance goals due to the need to have “cheat meals” or binging yourself into oblivion, like I discussed here.
Ultimately, we’re all human and we will ALL have cravings or a feeling that we want to enjoy a beer, donut, Oreo, or whatever else we feel like enjoying. This is normal! It’s called life.
Be gentle with yourself and allow yourself to indulge a little, with moderation, and without stuffing your face. Enjoy a little taste of life, with restraint, not restriction.
Restraint tastes divine because that’s the taste of freedom from having a fear of food.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
If you want to learn more about nutrition and how to increase your overall wellness and mindset through food, reach out. Comment below or email me, and I’d be more than happy to help you make sense of it all.
If you want to have your macronutrients or a customized nutrition plan created for you and paired with attentive coaching, then check-out my Services page first to see what I offer. Message me and we can arrange a chemistry call for a free consultation.