Clinical psychologist Dr. Sera Lavelle, has seen it over and over again: people creating a “bad list” of foods they’ll never eat again. But guess what happens? Those same foods often end up being the ones they binge on.

Why?
Labeling foods as “bad” makes them more appealing. It’s the classic “forbidden fruit” effect—what we can’t have, we want even more.

Here’s the psychology behind it: When you say, “I’ll never eat this,” your brain creates a conflict between your actions (wanting the food) and your beliefs (thinking it’s bad). This is called cognitive dissonance, and it’s incredibly stressful. To resolve it, many people end up bingeing—and then feeling even worse afterward.

Here’s the challenge: Take something small off your “bad list” and eat it intentionally. Notice how it feels. Talk to Bea about what’s on your bad list and make a plan for how often it would feel okay to eat it.

This simple exercise helps reduce the power these foods have over you—and frees you from the binge-restrict cycle.