EPISODE 87: Why "Just One Piece" of Halloween Candy Always Turns Into Ten

If you've ever promised yourself you'd "just have one" piece of Halloween candy—only to find yourself knee-deep in wrappers an hour later—this episode is for you.   In today's conversation, Steph and I are diving into why Halloween candy (and all "off-limits" foods) can feel so irresistible for chronic dieters—and what you can actually do to change that.   Spoiler: it's not about sugar addiction, it's about the scarcity mindset diet culture trained into your brain.   You'll learn how to: Break the all-or-nothing cycle that turns one bite into a binge Neutralize your relationship with "forbidden" foods so they lose their power Eat candy (or any food) with confidence, not guilt Practice self-trust instead of relying on willpower Reflect instead of spiral when you overeat   If you're tired of feeling out of control around sweets and want a calm, drama-free relationship with food—not just on Halloween, but year-round—this episode will show you exactly how to get there.   🎧 Tune in and learn how to enjoy the candy and keep your goals intact.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.     If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and want to master self-control at every bite while turning the volume down on food noise, watch the FREE "Curb the Urge" mini-training and download the accompanying workbook.     Or, if you want to be the first to know when we're opening the doors to our signature psychology-based weight loss program, Outsmart Overeating (and get exclusive access to early bird discounts and fast action bonuses), join the Interest List.   

If you've ever wondered, "Why am I suddenly binge eating when I've been doing everything right?" — this episode is for you.   This week, Coach Steph and I break down a Reddit post from a woman who sounds like so many of our clients — and our former selves: she's tracking her calories, eating "clean," exercising five days a week… yet somehow finds herself bingeing and feeling completely out of control around food.   Here's the truth: binge eating never starts "out of nowhere." It's not a willpower problem — it's a restriction problem.   In this episode, we dig into:   The hidden ways mental, emotional, and physical restriction fuel binge eating Why counting calories and labeling foods as "good" or "bad" keeps you stuck in the binge–restrict cycle How dieting actually creates the very loss of control you're trying to avoid What your binges are trying to tell you — and how to respond without guilt, shame, or more food rules   If you're tired of feeling like you can't trust yourself around food — and you've tried everything from journaling to "just eating carrots instead" — this episode will help you understand what's really driving your binges and how to finally break free from them.   🎧 Plus, we share a free tool — the 25 Scripts & Trigger Tracker — to help you uncover your emotional triggers and reframe your thoughts so you can respond instead of react.   Because you don't need more control around food — you need a safer, calmer relationship with it. Tune in to learn how to stop binge eating without relying on willpower or restriction.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.     If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and want to master self-control at every bite while turning the volume down on food noise, watch the FREE "Curb the Urge" mini-training and download the accompanying workbook.     Or, if you want to be the first to know when we're opening the doors to our signature psychology-based weight loss program, Outsmart Overeating (and get exclusive access to early bird discounts and fast action bonuses), join the Interest List.   

Ever notice how you can power through a stressful week without turning to food — but the second you finally relax, you find yourself in the pantry "treating yourself"?   In this episode, Coach Steph and I unpack a Redditor's post that perfectly captures one of the sneakiest forms of emotional eating — the kind that hides behind happy moments, nostalgia, and self-care rituals.   We'll explore: 🍫 Why emotional eating isn't always about sadness (and how joy can trigger overeating, too) 💭 How to recognize when "rewarding yourself" with food is really a substitute for something deeper 🧠 How to honor food memories that connect you to loved ones — without using them as a reason to overeat 💖 Simple ways to make yourself feel special that actually move you closer to your goals, not further from them   If you've ever thought, "I just love food too much," or struggled to stop eating once you start, this conversation will help you see your habits through a completely different lens — one that doesn't rely on restriction, guilt, or willpower.   Press play to discover how to keep the comfort, connection, and pleasure of food… without letting it control you.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.     If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and want to master self-control at every bite while turning the volume down on food noise, watch the FREE "Curb the Urge" mini-training and download the accompanying workbook.     Or, if you want to be the first to know when we're opening the doors to our signature psychology-based weight loss program, Outsmart Overeating (and get exclusive access to early bird discounts and fast action bonuses), join the Interest List.   

On this episode of the Outsmart Overeating Podcast, we're diving into one of the biggest challenges for anyone who's battled dieting: instant gratification.   That little voice telling you to "just eat the cookie now and worry about the diet later"?   Yeah—it's not about weakness, laziness, or lack of willpower. It's your brain, wired for quick hits of pleasure—made even harder to resist when you've spent years restricting and denying yourself the foods you crave.   Join us as Coach Steph and I break down why dieters are especially vulnerable to this cycle of craving, guilt, and bingeing—and why naturally thin people experience food so differently.   We'll reveal how scarcity thinking, diet history, and emotional triggers amplify urges, and why doubling down on willpower or stricter rules only makes it worse.   But here's the good news: there is a way out.   In this episode, you'll learn actionable strategies to shift from chasing instant gratification to building self-trust, think like a naturally thin person, and stop letting urges control your life. You'll hear practical tips you can try this week to delay gratification, calm your brain, and meet the real needs behind your cravings—without having to sit on your hands.   If you're done with the cycle of bingeing, restriction, and "I blew it, might as well keep going," this episode is for you.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.   If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and want to master self-control at every bite while turning the volume down on food noise, watch the FREE "Curb the Urge" mini-training and download the accompanying workbook.   Or, if you want to be the first to know when we're opening the doors to our signature psychology-based weight loss program, Outsmart Overeating (and get exclusive access to early bird discounts and fast action bonuses), join the Interest List.   

If you've ever sworn off carbs, skipped meals after 8 p.m., or lived by a long list of "shoulds" about food—only to end up overeating the very things you tried to avoid—you're not alone.   In this episode of Outsmart Overeating, Coach Steph and I dig into the hidden trap of food rules: why they feel safe at first, but ultimately create more guilt, shame, and out-of-control eating.   We'll show you how dieting trains you to cling to rigid rules instead of learning to trust yourself—keeping you stuck in a cycle of restriction and bingeing.   You'll hear:   Why rules give the illusion of control (and why your brain loves them) How food rules actually increase food obsession and overeating A powerful metaphor that will change how you think about eating forever The difference between control and trust—and how to start building self-trust today Practical ways to eat with confidence without counting calories, weighing food, or white-knuckling your way through cravings   If you're tired of feeling like the only way to "stay on track" is through extreme rules and constant willpower, this conversation will help you see a new way forward—one where food feels simple, peaceful, and enjoyable again.   👉 Listen now to learn how to break free from restrictive dieting, feel in control around all foods, all the time, so you can lose weight for good.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.   If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and want to master self-control at every bite while turning the volume down on food noise, watch the FREE "Curb the Urge" mini-training and download the accompanying workbook.   Or, if you want to be the first to know when we're opening the doors to our signature psychology-based weight loss program, Outsmart Overeating (and get exclusive access to early bird discounts and fast action bonuses), join the Interest List. 

Most dieters start the year strong, but by February, the excitement has fizzled out—and so has the plan. Sound familiar?   In this episode, Coach Steph and I flip the script on waiting until January 1st to "start fresh" and challenge you to make the last 100 days of 2025 the turning point you've been waiting for.   Instead of another round of extreme diets, food rules, and "no sugar, no carbs" resolutions that always backfire, we'll show you how to:   Shift from all-or-nothing, results-based goals to simple, doable process goals that actually last Break free from the guilt-shame cycle that fuels binge eating Build trust in yourself with one small decision at a time—no more starting over tomorrow Use the holidays as a training ground to feel in control around food instead of terrified of it   If you've ever wondered why you can lose weight temporarily but struggle to keep it off without losing your mind, this episode is going to connect the dots. By the end, you'll see exactly how a single, sustainable habit can change not just the next 100 days—but the next 10 years.   🎧 Tune in now and let's make 2025 the year you stop dieting and lose weight for the very last time.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.   If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and want to master self-control at every bite while turning the volume down on food noise, watch the FREE "Curb the Urge" mini-training and download the accompanying workbook.   Or, if you want to be the first to know when we're opening the doors to our signature psychology-based weight loss program, Outsmart Overeating (and get exclusive access to early bird discounts and fast action bonuses), join the Interest List. 

Have you ever had a single sentence completely shift the way you think about food—and your body? On this episode of Outsmart Overeating, I share a powerful story from Reddit that perfectly captures why so many of us struggle with dieting, bingeing, and feeling out of control around food.   For years, this woman tried extreme diets—OMAD, intermittent fasting, under 1,000 calories a day—only to get stuck in the cycle of restriction, bingeing, guilt, and shame. It wasn't until she stumbled upon one simple idea—"I relearned my hunger cues"—that everything changed. Suddenly, she realized hunger wasn't the enemy, and food didn't have to feel like a battleground.   In this episode, Coach Steph and I break down:   How to reconnect with your body's natural hunger and fullness signals The critical difference between hunger, cravings, and emotionally-driven urges Why dieting and willpower aren't the solution—and what actually is How to stop letting food control your emotions, your thoughts, and your life Step-by-step ways to experiment with hunger so you can finally feel in control   If you've spent decades dieting, restricting, and feeling guilty every time you "slip," this episode will give you practical tools to stop the cycle and start trusting your body again. We also explain why our approach is different from intuitive eating and how it actually helps you lose weight without obsession, extreme restriction, or chaos.   Tune in and discover how one simple shift in thinking can transform your eating, your habits, and your relationship with food—for good.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.   If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and want to master self-control at every bite while turning the volume down on food noise, watch the FREE "Curb the Urge" mini-training and download the accompanying workbook.   Or, if you want to be the first to know when we're opening the doors to our signature psychology-based weight loss program, Outsmart Overeating (and get exclusive access to early bird discounts and fast action bonuses), join the Interest List. Spots limited.

Did you catch our Virtual Live Event Unlock Your Brain to Stop Binge & Emotional Overeating last week? 🎉   If not, don't worry—you didn't miss it! In this special two-part bonus series, Coach Steph Miramontes and I are answering the powerful questions we didn't have time for during the live training.   This is Part 2, and we're diving into your biggest struggles with emotional, binge, and compulsive eating—plus giving you the practical tools to start creating lasting change.   👉 If you're ready to stop feeling out of control around food and lose weight for the very last time without restriction or willpower battles, check out the Outsmart Overeating program CLICK HERE.

Did you catch our Virtual Live Event Unlock Your Brain to Stop Binge & Emotional Overeating last week? 🎉   If not, don't worry—you didn't miss it! In this special two-part bonus series, Coach Steph Miramontes and I are answering the powerful questions we didn't have time for during the live training.   This is Part 1, and we're diving into your biggest struggles with emotional, binge, and compulsive eating—plus giving you the practical tools to start creating lasting change.   👉 If you're ready to stop feeling out of control around food and lose weight for the very last time without restriction or willpower battles, check out the Outsmart Overeating program CLICK HERE.

Unlock Your Brain to Stop Binge & Emotional Overeating by attending our upcoming FREE LIVE VIRTUAL EVENT for women who have a history of all-or-nothing eating and want to who want to Discover THE Science-Backed Method to Stop Bingeing and *Finally* Lose Weight for Good STARTING TODAY... Without Food Noise, Restrictive Dieting, or Relying on Willpower ==>  REGISTER NOW   No matter how many diets you try, if you keep thinking like a dieter, you'll always end up in the same place: stuck in the binge–restrict cycle.   Why? Because your thoughts are like your brain's GPS. If the destination programmed in is scarcity, rules, and willpower,that's exactly where you'll land—again and again.   But when you learn to think like a naturally thin person—someone with an abundance mindset around food—you set your GPS to a completely different destination: freedom, peace, and control.   In this episode, Coach Steph Miramontes and I break down the Mindshift Method—a simple way to retrain your thoughts so you stop relying on willpower and finally re-route your brain toward balance. You'll discover:   Why "dieter thoughts" keep you spinning your wheels How to update your mental GPS so your choices feel effortless What life looks like when food no longer controls you   🎧 Press play to start shifting your thoughts—and your destination.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.   If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and want to master self-control at every bite while turning the volume down on food noise, watch the FREE "Curb the Urge" mini-training and download the accompanying workbook.   Or, if you want to be the first to know when we're opening the doors to our signature psychology-based weight loss program, Outsmart Overeating (and get exclusive access to early bird discounts and fast action bonuses), join the Interest List. Spots limited.