“The diet starts Monday” does something to Sunday.
Food that was available all week suddenly becomes urgent. The person orders the thing they will soon prohibit, finishes what must be removed from the house, or eats far beyond comfort because tomorrow promises a new period of control.
This is often called last-supper eating. It makes sense inside scarcity.
The brain responds to expected access
Scarcity is not limited to empty shelves. It also exists when access is conditional, unpredictable, or scheduled to disappear.
If a person believes this is the last opportunity to eat a desired food, the value of eating it now rises. Saving some for later is irrational if “later” means it will be forbidden.
Diet culture repeatedly manufactures this scarcity:
- The cleanse begins tomorrow.
- Carbohydrates disappear on Monday.
- Dessert is allowed only during a cheat meal.
- The kitchen closes after a specified hour.
- A higher intake today must be repaid tomorrow.
The overeating is then presented as proof that the person cannot be trusted with access.
Restriction can make abundance feel temporary
Someone may live in an environment of physical abundance while experiencing psychological scarcity. The relevant question is not merely whether food exists. It is whether access feels dependable and morally safe.
This is why removing restrictions can initially increase eating. The person has heard promises of permission before, often followed by renewed dieting. The nervous system has no reason to trust that access will last.
Reliability is learned through repetition. The food remains available tomorrow. There is no forced compensation. A larger eating episode does not trigger a new emergency plan. Over time, the need to maximize each opportunity can diminish.
Food insecurity adds another layer
For people who have experienced material food insecurity, scarcity is not just a diet metaphor. Uncertain access, fluctuating income, childhood deprivation, and unpredictable caregiving can shape how food is valued long after circumstances change.
Clinical advice that treats stockpiling, eating while food is available, or anxiety about waste as irrational may miss the learning history completely.
Reliable nourishment is not only a nutritional intervention. It is new evidence.
The question beneath the behavior
Instead of “Why did I eat all of that?” ask:
What made this feel like my last chance?
The answer may be tomorrow’s diet, household rules, financial uncertainty, a history of deprivation, or fear of losing control. Each answer points toward conditions that punishment cannot repair.
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References
- Polivy J, Herman CP. Overeating in restrained and unrestrained eaters. Front Nutr. 2020;7:30. doi:10.3389/fnut.2020.00030
- Nettle D, Andrews C, Bateson M. Food insecurity as a driver of obesity in humans: the insurance hypothesis. Behav Brain Sci. 2017;40:e105. doi:10.1017/S0140525X16000947
- Stinson EJ, Votruba SB, Venti C, et al. Food insecurity is associated with maladaptive eating behaviors and objectively measured overeating. Obesity. 2018;26(12):1841–1848. doi:10.1002/oby.22305
About the author
Jennifer Nickell, RD
Jennifer Nickell is a registered dietitian and nutrition educator whose work connects nutrition science with human development, adult learning, eating behavior, and the real-life conditions that shape health.
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Educational information only. This article is not a diagnosis or individualized medical or nutrition treatment. New, severe, persistent, or concerning symptoms should be evaluated by an appropriate healthcare professional.