Last week, a client came to see me who really felt deprived when she dieted. It's common. Counting points or watching calories forever is just no way to live one's life.
The antidote is simple. I told her to eat consciously. She was encouraged to eat each bite with full awareness, chewing thoroughly, without the distractions of reading or TV. And, I told her that if she wanting to eat something"wrong", to do so with full intention and awareness. That way she'd be in control, instead of being at the mercy of her resentments and feelings of being deprived.
The occasional intentional high caloric indulgence will make no difference in the long run. It will however, eliminate the internal resentments or feeling deprived and restricted by a diet. The focus shifts from walking the straight an narrow to enjoyment of life.
