Nowadays, many people are looking for a way to eat “without restrictions”, opting for what they call flexible dieting: eating healthy most of the time, but indulging in “treats” from time to time.
Although it sounds balanced in theory, in practice it is often the slowest (and sometimes impossible) path to a healthy relationship with food.
The reason is simple: you can’t moderate something that is designed to make you lose control.
And that’s exactly what happens with sugar and ultra-processed foods.
🍩 The flexible diet trap.
The flexible diet promises freedom: to be able to eat what you want “in moderation”. But the problem is that the brain doesn’t understand moderation when it comes to sugar, refined flours and ultra-processed foods.
These products activate the same reward circuits in the brain as drugs.
Every time you consume them, even in small doses, your brain releases dopamine, creating a feeling of pleasure that makes you want to repeat.
👉 So when you try to eat “just a little bit,” you end up thinking about that candy, pizza or soda all day long.
It’s not a lack of willpower.
It’s a normal biological response to foods created to get you hooked.
🔁 The vicious circle of “just a little bit”.
When you decide to “allow yourself something” on the weekend, your brain interprets that signal as a reward, and eventually begins to expect it.
What was “an exception” becomes a habit:
- Monday: perfect diet.
- Friday: “I’ve earned it”.
- Sunday: craving.
- Monday again: guilt and tiredness.
And so, without realizing it, you return to the same point over and over again.
👉 The only way to break that cycle is to completely eliminate the offending foods.
🧠 The power of mindset: all or nothing does work (when consciously)
The “all or nothing” mentality is often criticized, but when it comes to food addictions, it is the most effective.
It’s not about being extreme, it’s about understanding how your body and mind work.
As long as you keep taking “a little”, you will continue to crave more.
On the other hand, when you eliminate it completely for a while, the body readjusts and the desire disappears.
What was once irresistible no longer appeals to you.
👉 It’s a real liberation: stop fighting food and start enjoying eating for real.
🥦 The alternative: real food, always.
The solution is not in counting calories, but in going back to eating as people did before the food industry:
natural foods, no labels, no additives, no sugar.
Eat real food:
- Vegetables, fruits, legumes
- Eggs, meat, fish
- Nuts, seeds
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Water, infusions, coffee without sugar
When you eat this way, the body regains its natural balance:
- Appetite regulates itself
- No more cravings
- You have more energy
- Your mood improves
- You sleep better and think more clearly
💪 It’s not restriction, it’s freedom.
Eliminating sugar and ultra-processed foods is not about punishing yourself, it’s about freeing yourself.
To stop relying on food for pleasure or comfort is one of the most powerful sensations there is.
You no longer think about “whether or not you can eat something”. You just don’t need to.
And that’s what gives you real freedom.
🌱 Conclusion: the ultimate change.
Flexible dieting may seem appealing, but it keeps the link to the foods that hurt you alive.
Instead, adopting a “this is no longer part of my life” mentality allows you to close the cycle and move forward.
It’s not about living on a diet, it’s about living well, with energy, mental clarity and balance.
And that can only be achieved by eating real, real food.
🧘♀️ When the body is cleansed, it no longer needs it.
Something incredible happens when you have been weeks or months without consuming sugar or ultra-processed foods: your body adapts and stops asking for them.
What once seemed irresistible to you, now even provokes rejection or disgust.
Just by seeing those products full of artificial colors and synthetic smells, your body identifies them as something foreign.
And if at some point you decide to try “a little”, you notice it right away: discomfort, bloating, stomach pain or heavy digestions.
Your body, which is now clean and balanced, rejects what it used to tolerate.
That’s the ultimate proof that eating real food is what’s natural and what really makes you feel good.
