BUT ARE YOU SURE YOU "CAN'T" EAT THAT...

I used to always tell myself that I couldn't eat potatoes because carbs, and typically I would binge eat curly fries from Jack in The Box.

Not surprisingly, I've been told countless times by clients that they "can't" eat certain foods, too.

Maybe it's because of a diet they are on, or once they pop they can't stop or perhaps it's a genuine health concern like a food sensitivity or allergy.

And yet, they can't stop binge eating that food.

Allergic to gluten but polishing off glazed donuts?

Dairy intolerant but face first in a pint of ice cream?

Afraid of weight gain yet eating the entire bag of chips in one sitting?

Funny. It seems no matter how old we get, we always want what we can't have, huh?

Growing up it was the boy who didn't like us back. Now it's the food.

But here is the thing... unless you live on a deserted island, in a food desert, or legitimately DON'T HAVE ACCESS to food, YOU CAN EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT.

I mean that.

You literally can eat all the foods that you are telling yourself that you can't and guess what- you are, in fact, eating them. Typically really fast, alone in your room so no one can see.

So why in the world are you telling yourself that you can't eat them?

Allergic to gluten or not, you can still put bread in your mouth. You really can, so this whole "I can't eat bread thing" is a lie. It's kinda bullshit.

You could also stop paying your electricity bill. I am not saying that there are not consequences for not paying the bill, but you do not have to pay it if you don't want to.

The same goes for food.

Fundamentally, regardless of the consequence, you need to understand that you can eat whatever you want.

Try naming one food that you binge on that you totally allow yourself to eat, a food that you never tell yourself you "can't have"? A food you eat free from judgement, shame, and guilt.

I bet you can't name one.

Saying you can't have something totally backfires. This is why unconditional permission to eat is key.

Unconditional permission to eat = sanity around food = no binge eating.

Once you get to this place of true understanding, you now can ask yourself, do you want it?

Embrace your true freedom to eat whatever you want and watch what happens.