Nina Kaufmann

Have you ever found yourself saying you’ll never eat carbs again on Monday, promising yourself that this time you’ll be “good for real,” only to find yourself raiding the kitchen by Friday night? If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

This experience is part of a pattern many people who diet fall into – a cycle of restriction followed by binge eating (feeling out of control with food,) then unbearable guilt and feeling like a failure, and back to restriction again, making promises of “never eating” this or that food again. It can go on for decades; I’ve had clients who were stuck in this cycle for +30 years until they worked with me.
It’s frustrating, confusing, and emotionally exhausting. But here’s the thing: you’re not weak, you’re not “lacking willpower,” and you’re not broken. Your body is simply trying to protect you!

Let’s talk about why this cycle happens and how you can finally break free.

What is the Restrict-Binge Cycle?

The restrict-binge cycle is a typical pattern dieters go through, beginning with restriction; whether it’s cutting calories, avoiding certain foods, skipping meals, eating only at certain times or following rigid food rules. Initially, you might feel like you’re in control. But over time, restriction leads to intense cravings, obsessive thoughts about food, and ultimately, binge eating – eating large amounts of (“forbidden”) food in a way that feels chaotic or out of control.

Of course, after eating all of the food comes the guilt. The shame. Feeling like a failure. Then, the promise to “start over tomorrow” often with even more and stricter rules. Which are impossible to sustain long term, and intense cravings come again.

And so the cycle repeats. For years, decades.

Why Does the Restrict-Binge Cycle Happen (and Why It’s Not Your Fault)

Let’s be clear, again: this isn’t a matter of willpower. You do not end up binge eating because you’re a failure, or weak! There are powerful biological and psychological forces at play here, with the role to protect you from starvation. Your body wants you to be nourished, so you can have energy to live your life fully, to thrive and be healthy.

• Biologically, your body sees restriction as a threat, a famine. When you’re not eating enough, your brain kicks into survival mode – slowing your metabolism, increasing cravings, and intensifying hunger. Eventually, it starts shutting down non-essential systems, such as reproductive system. (Learn more about that, and how to nurture your hormones here.)
• Psychologically, labeling foods as “bad” or “forbidden” makes them even more enticing. The moment you “break a rule,” (and you likely will, because of the intense cravings mentioned above) it often triggers an all-or-nothing mindset, also typical for dieters: “Since I already screwed everything up, might as well eat it all.”

Your body is not sabotaging you. It’s protecting you from starvation, both physical and emotional. Your body doesn’t understand that we live in a diet culture that tries to erase all body diversity while making good money as long as you feel horrible about yourself. It simply wants to be nourished, to have enough energy to live a full, happy life. And it’s difficult to do so when you’re barely surviving.

The harmful effects of restriction are probably best highlighted in a popular The Minnesota Starvation Experiment – while ethically.. questionable, this study provided incredible insights in what happens when people are subjected to prolonged food restriction. One of the most important insights is how it changes the personality of the hungry person; participants experienced intense cravings, food obsession and developed “complex processes for eating the little food that was provided.”

Harold Blickenstaff recalled the frustration of constantly thinking about food:
“I don’t know many other things in my life that I looked forward to being over with any more than this experiment. And it wasn’t so much … because of the physical discomfort, but because it made food the most important thing in one’s life … food became the one central and only thing really in one’s life. And life is pretty dull if that’s the only thing. I mean, if you went to a movie, you weren’t particularly interested in the love scenes, but you noticed every time they ate and what they ate.”

And if you think “well, they were starving, they must have gotten tiny amounts of food!”, think again. The study started with calorie amount much bigger than many of the diets I’ve seen circling around, and after a while the calorie amount was drastically reduced – still a larger amount than many of the popular diets would recommend!
(I’m not sharing the numbers on purpose, if you want to learn more and are sure it will not trigger you, read more details on the study here.)

Break the Cycle: Intuitive Eating

The way out of this cycle starts with rebuilding your trust, and connection with your body.
To break the restriction-binge cycle, you need to embark on the journey of reconnecting with your internal cues, challenging the food rules, rejecting diets and building a peaceful, balanced relationship with food, one without restriction or guilt.
With intuitive eating, you give yourself unconditional permission to eat, removing morality from food, and realizing that eating what you love and what feels good in your body can coexist.

What peaceful relationship with food looks like:
– Eating when you’re hungry – without fear of being out of control.
– Allowing all foods to fit into your eating world, knowing that you can enjoy all foods in a happy, healthy life.
– Tuning into your fullness and satisfaction, without pressure or shame, knowing you can eat again when you want to.
– Nourishing your body gently from a place of care and love, not control.
– Healing your mindset and embracing self-compassion.
– Letting go of perfectionism: eating should be pleasurable and flexible, without the need to “do it perfectly.”

How Intuitive Eating Coaching Can Help

Healing from the restrict-binge cycle isn’t easy to do alone, especially if you’ve been stuck in it for years or decades. That’s why I offer personalized coaching to support you through every step of this journey.

Together, we’ll:

• Unpack and heal the root causes of your food struggles.
• Gently release the harmful diet rules and beliefs.
• Rebuild your relationship with your body and food.
• Learn health and nutrition tools that actually work for you, not against you.

Clients often tell me they go from obsessing over food and feeling like they “can’t be trusted” to finally enjoying meals again; in peace, with balance, and without guilt. And that’s all I want for you, being able to live a full, happy, healthy life!

Book a free discovery call today, and let’s see how intuitive eating coaching can help you feel more at home in your body – no more diets, guilt, or stress.
I offer different packages so working with me can fit your lifestyle and your budget. Check them out here.

What It Looks Like to Work with Me

Each client’s journey is unique, but here’s a bit of a framework on how we’ll work together:

• Free Discovery Call – No-pressure chat to see if we’re a good fit. No strings attached!
• 1:1 Coaching Sessions – In-depth, 60-90 minute sessions focused on intuitive eating, mindset shifts, and practical strategies, individualized for your specific needs.
• Unlimited Messaging Support – Have questions, concerns or breakthroughs between sessions? I’ve got you covered.
• Workbooks and Practical Exercises – Tools to help you integrate intuitive eating into your daily life; whether we’re talking intuitive eating journals, gentle nutrition guides or coping with your emotions tools!
• Ongoing Guidance and Accountability – Support that flows with your needs, every step of the way. I’m here to listen—while I will offer insights and advice, I recognize that you’re the expert of your body and your experience. Therefore, everything we work through will be centered around your needs.

Or in the words of my client, “Nina helped me change my relationship with food in a way I never thought it could be possible. She gave me life long tools to empower myself and my health.“

Take the first step toward food freedom—my coaching packages start at only 97€. Click here to learn more!