We may feel deprived when we think of limiting or eliminating certain foods from our diet. This is not about starving ourselves which is unhealthy, but about making healthier food choices. Most likely, it’s these very foods that we feel deprived about that are the main cause of our excess weight gain. We become so attached to these foods and we tell ourselves that we can’t give them up.
The dilemma is that we want these foods so badly AND we want to get in better shape. This puts us on a roller coaster of emotions because we enjoy the short-lived pleasure of these foods and then we may go through a cycle of guilt and self hate when we look in the mirror.
We have to understand that our desire to get in better shape must be greater than our desire to have these foods.
So how can you handle your deprived feeling?
1. Flip it.
If you really want to get in better shape, then having these foods are depriving you of being in better shape. They may give you pleasure, but they are depriving you of feeling good about your body. They may even be depriving you of health.
2. Let go of your story.
You may keep telling yourself the same story:
“I can’t give up (my wine, my chocolate, my pizza, my cookies, etc.)”
“Life will be boring without my…”
“After my stressful day, I deserve my…”
These are not true stories and the more you repeat them, the more attached you get to them. Letting go of your story is just a decision that you can choose to make.
3. Ground yourself with your goal.
When you’re feeling deprived, visualize the goal you really want. See yourself with a smaller waist in a smaller dress or pants. See yourself smiling in the mirror at your new physique. Be bigger than your deprived feeling in the moment and that can help you manage your decision better.
You can absolutely enjoy certain pleasurable foods, but it’s not worth it if it’s done so much that you’re out of shape, unhealthy and not feeling good. These tools can help you make better decisions in the moment so you can look and feel better.
Be Healthy and Fit!