"swap this for that" is a dumpster fire of advice
Let’s just get one thing out of the way: “Eat This, Not That” lists are the worst. New outfit, same tired diet culture. Still obsessed with control, still ignoring satisfaction, and still somehow making you feel like you’re doing it all wrong.
You know the ones:
“Swap out your creamy pasta for spiralized zucchini!”
“Craving dessert? Have 6 almonds and a smile!”
“Instead of chips, why not try… celery?”
Seriously?
On paper, this all sounds reasonable. But in real life? You're eating what you're “supposed” to, still thinking about food, and wondering why you're hungry again an hour later.
i’ve heard it a hundred times…
I can’t even count how many times women have said to me, “If I just had a list of healthy swaps, I’d be fine.” Like some magical spreadsheet of approved foods will finally solve the chaos in their brain.
But here’s the thing: it’s not the absence of a list that’s the problem. It’s the dependence on needing one in the first place. Because as long as you’re relying on external rules to tell you what’s okay to eat, you’re never actually listening to your body, or learning to trust it.
And when you’re outsourcing your hunger to a set of rules, food becomes just another thing to micromanage. Which is exactly what keeps you stuck in the restrict-binge-guilt spiral you're trying to escape.
Let's discuss....
1. it keeps the food police in charge
“Eat This, Not That” is just Diet Culture in a new outfit—still rigid, still shaming, just now wearing yoga pants and calling itself “wellness.” It reinforces the belief that some foods are morally superior, and if you really cared about your health (read: weight), you’d make the “right” choice.
This is not freedom. This is you eating cucumber slices while fantasizing about the chips in your pantry.
2. you’re swapping, not satisfying
Let’s be clear: I like zucchini noodles. They’re fresh, fun, and pretty fantastic with pesto or tossed into a good stir-fry. But let’s not kid ourselves: they are not fettuccine alfredo. So if what you’re really craving is creamy, cheesy, carb-loaded comfort? Zoodles just aren’t gonna cut it.
The problem isn’t the food, it’s the why behind the choice. If you’re eating zucchini noodles because they actually sound good tonight, awesome. But if you’re forcing them down while your brain is practically screaming, “This is fine… I’m full… I think?”
Yeah, that’s a red flag.
Because here’s what usually happens: you finish dinner still thinking about food. Ten minutes later, you’re elbow-deep in the pantry doing a DIY trail mix of peanut butter, chocolate chips, and potato chips, wondering what just happened.
Satisfaction matters. And when you eat what you think you should instead of what will actually satisfy you, you don’t solve the craving, you just reroute it. You eat the “healthy” thing, then you eat three more things trying to feel full, and suddenly you’re stuffed, ashamed, and questioning your so-called willpower.
Spoiler alert: this is not a willpower issue. This is a satisfaction issue. And diet culture has done a damn good job of making you ignore that.
3. it hijacks your brain with food noise
When every bite becomes a mental calculation (“Did I burn enough calories to deserve this? How many macros is that? Should I just have half?”), eating becomes exhausting. “Eat This, Not That” isn’t simplifying your life, it’s turning your brain into a calorie-tracking crime scene.
No wonder you can’t stop thinking about food. You’ve outsourced your eating decisions to a set of arbitrary rules that don’t even consider your actual needs.
4. it fuels the all-or-nothing mindset you’re desperate to escape
Let’s say you choose the “bad” food one day. Because, gasp, you were tired, hungry, or just wanted it. Cue the “What-the-Hell Effect”: “Well, I already screwed up, so I might as well keep going.” You end up overeating not because you’re out of control, but because you’ve been taught to see food as black-and-white.
This is the restrict-binge cycle in action. This is why food feels like a constant battle. And this is why you’re not broken—your rules are.
So… What Actually Works?
Intuitive Eating. Satisfaction. Trusting your body. And no, not in a “just eat cupcakes and vibe” way.
Let’s ditch the swaps and start choosing foods that actually hit the spot, nourish your body, and quiet the mental food noise.
Because life’s too short for sad zucchini noodles.
cindy 💙
