EPISODE 85: Emotional Eating Isn’t Always Obvious — Here’s the Kind No One Talks About

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.

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   In this episode, I sit down with a former client, Nesmah ElDesouky, whose story will feel all too familiar if you’ve ever lived through the exhausting cycle of dieting, restriction, and binge eating.   She shares how what started as a simple fitness routine in college spiraled into 800-calorie meal plans, food fear (yes—even of tomatoes and bananas), secret late-night binges, and hiding wrappers so no one would know. Like so many of us, she thought the solution was just to “try harder” with dieting—but the harder she tried, the worse things became.   Together, we talk about:   Why restriction and “fear foods” only fuel binge eating (and what to do instead) The surprising role emotional connection plays in healing your relationship with food How she went from secretly bingeing in her room to running her own cookie business—without obsessing, overeating, or fearing weight gain The exact first steps that helped her stop binge eating and finally feel in control around food   If you’ve ever worried that “eating what you want” will only lead to more weight gain—or if you’ve tried every diet under the sun and still feel broken around food—this conversation will show you what’s actually possible.   👉 Listen now and discover how freedom with food can finally become your reality.   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.

Maybe you’ve tried therapy. Maybe you’ve healed pieces of your past. But when it comes to food, you’re still stuck in the same binge–restrict cycle. You know better, but you don’t do better—and that’s the missing piece most therapy never addresses.   In this episode of Outsmart Overeating, my former client (and now therapist) Nicolette shares why therapy helped her understand why she used food… but still left her obsessing over calories, macros, and “good” vs. “bad” foods. What finally set her free wasn’t more analyzing—it was learning how to replace dieting rules with a new, sustainable framework for eating.   You’ll discover:   Why therapy alone didn’t break Nicolette’s food obsession How macro tracking kept her stuck in “eating disorder light” The missing bridge between understanding your past and actually changing your patterns The mindset shift that finally gave her peace with food and her body   If therapy has helped you heal but food still feels like the unsolvable problem—this episode will show you the missing piece keeping you stuck. And if you'd like to follow Nicolette's journey while getting some useful tips on managing trauma, you can find her on Instagram at @nicolettetalkstherapy.   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.