This module addresses the harmful impact of weight loss-focused advice for women with PCOS, highlighting the unsustainability of dieting and its role in triggering the restrict-binge cycle. Restriction, whether through food groups or timing, often leads to intense cravings and eventual binge eating, which is followed by guilt and further restriction, continuing the cycle.
The diet cycle describes how initial enthusiasm and temporary weight loss from dieting often give way to feelings of failure when the diet is “broken” by hunger or other factors, leading to guilt and restarting the restriction. The module emphasizes that instead of blaming oneself, it’s crucial to recognize where restriction exists and address underlying issues like food intake and psychological limits.
It explores black or white thinking, a rigid mindset that sees food and health behaviors as all-or-nothing. This approach often leads to labeling foods as “good” or “bad” and struggling with flexibility. Cognitive restructuring is introduced as a method to combat this thinking, focusing on reframing negative thoughts with a more realistic and balanced perspective.
Finally, it highlights the dangers of weight cycling, where repeated dieting leads to greater health risks like diabetes and insulin resistance, and introduces set point weight theory, which suggests that the body naturally seeks a stable weight when not restricted by dieting.