Will power is not infinite & it doesn’t have separate buckets. If you’re having to use a ton of willpower to make sure you don’t eat anything after dinner, that’s the same willpower bucket you have for: not spending half your paycheck at Target, not screaming at your kids, not flicking off drivers in traffic, not telling your MIL to shove it…

What I found was the more I tried to eat less, the more money I spent. Literally because my willpower stores were totally tapped out.

Then I noticed something interesting: as a result of feeling guilty for blowing money like a moron, I’d vow to BUCKLE DOWN, SPEND LESS, GET BACK ON TRACK WITH THE BUDGET… but then I’d do it again! And again. And again….

THE SAME HAPPENS WHEN WE RESTRICT FOOD.

Restricting food can be anything from intermittent fasting, avoiding or limiting certain food groups, eating an apple when you really want a sandwich, or intentionally eating smaller portions regardless of hunger levels.

The more you restrict, the bigger your blowback.

I didn’t start to feel normal around money until I started to feel normal around food- this is no mistake. My brain needed to stop feeling like everything was a high stakes game. Then, I was able to make decisions rooted in empowerment vs fear and scarcity.

Since I no longer restrict money, does this mean I spend it recklessly & frivolously? No way.

Just like with food- when you stop restricting and lead with trust, you’re not going to end up on “My 600-Pound Life” on TLC.

I can now walk into Target and not cringe at checkout just like I can walk into any restaurant without some rain-man formula for how not to blow it.

Food freedom did more than fix my relationship with food + my body. A dream trip with my dad would not have happened if I was still trying to lose weight. I’d have blown that money long before I could book the tickets.

What can finding food freedom do for you? I bet it’s more than you think.