So last week I sent an email to my list talking about food freedom and fat loss.   I said:   “Food freedom feels like being in control around food but not NEEDING to control food - because:   1. It’s just not AS exciting anymore (don’t get me wrong I still LOVE food but I don’t feel addicted to it)   2. You trust your body. That when you have more cravings or hunger you must need the food, and you know it will balance out later on”   And one of my list members responded.   She said:   “If that is the case then why do people become overweight or obese in the first place if they listen to their body? Isn't that the trouble, that listening to our bodies can make us unhealthy, unfit, reduces life span etc?”   VALID.   This is basically the biggest fear my clients have when they start my program.   They are fit women struggling with binge eating, missing periods and digestive issues.   These are all signs of under-eating.   And I tell them they need to take a break from exercise and start eating what they want, when they want, until they don’t want anymore food.   They're like…uhhh Elena? Aren’t I just going to endlessly gain weight and end up on “My 600-lb Life?” But that’s not what happens.    Listening to their hunger and giving their bodies temporary rest allows their hormones to heal, their binge urges to go away, and their cravings to decrease.   And I’m explaining WHY in this episode of the podcast.   It’s truly too long for me to type in an email lol, so I hope you give it a listen.   Any questions?   Contact me: DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird      Email me at [email protected]   ✨ Click here to learn more + apply for my small group program: https://6c4aacdb6e461e386fe04ab2538fc20f.mykajabi.com/normaleater   Resources for this episode: Previous episode: Hyperpalatable foods: How to Trust Yourself Around Them https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/hyperpalatable-foods-how-to-trust-yourself-around-them Metabolically healthy obese https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2802164#:~:text=Main%20Outcomes%20and%20Measures%20Metabolically,%2DC)%2C%20or%20triglycerides%20based Dieting predicting future weight gain: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3759019/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16650913/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-020-0547-1#:~:text=The%20notion%20that%20dieting%20makes,classic%20longitudinal%20Minnesota%20Starvation%20Experiment. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471015315000045 2014 meta-analysis showed: Compared to normal weight-fit individuals, unfit individuals had twice the risk of mortality regardless of BMI. Overweight and obese-fit individuals had similar mortality risks as normal weight-fit individuals. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033062013001552?via%3Dihub Restraint vs Restriction past podcast episode: https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/dietary-restraint-vs-restriction-the-key-to-reaching-physique-goals-without-binge-eating