Ep 330 The 3 Food Drivers that Keep You Stuck
Mon Feb 02 2026
Feeling trapped in a painful cycle of restriction, control, and weight regain only to wonder why nothing ever truly sticks? In this episode, Leslie reveals why even the most disciplined approaches to food often backfire, leading to shame, food noise, and dramatic rebound weight gain. She shares her own experience of extreme restriction, long-term "success," and the devastating kickback that followed.
Leslie explains why strategies like strict dieting, food addiction labels, or external controls can feel logical but often deepen distrust with food and yourself. She breaks down why 95% of people regain weight after restriction and why willpower, perfection, and cutting foods out are not the missing pieces. Instead, she points to what's really driving overeating beneath the surface.
The breakthrough comes from understanding and healing the three internal food drivers that actually run the show: the mind spiral, emotional coping, and self-abandonment. By shifting the focus inward calming food noise, learning emotional regulation, and stopping self-betrayal you can finally create a peaceful, sustainable relationship with food and your body without tracking, restriction, or fear.
"This is not a food problem or a self-control problem. It's an internal problem and when you start there, everything on the outside begins to shift." — Leslie Thornton
What you will learn from this episode: 01:48 – Why 95% of people regain weight after restriction and exercise
02:10 – The three internal food drivers that keep you stuck
07:28 – Why extreme food rules and perfection create massive rebound weight gain
10:42 – How restriction trains your brain not to trust you
11:02 – The "beach ball" effect: why pushing harder always leads to kickback
16:11 – Internal Driver #1: The mind spiral (food noise & all-or-nothing thinking)
17:49 – How hypnosis helps calm overthinking and obsessive food thoughts
18:11 – Internal Driver #2: Emotional eating as a stress-release valve
19:22 – Why high performers struggle most with emotional regulation
21:40 – How unresolved emotions fuel compulsive eating
23:07 – Internal Driver #3: Self-abandonment and people-pleasing
24:08 – Why feeling unseen, depleted, or resentful leads to overeating
26:14 – Why external solutions (even surgery) can't fix internal patterns
Connect With Leslie Thornton:
Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!
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Feeling trapped in a painful cycle of restriction, control, and weight regain only to wonder why nothing ever truly sticks? In this episode, Leslie reveals why even the most disciplined approaches to food often backfire, leading to shame, food noise, and dramatic rebound weight gain. She shares her own experience of extreme restriction, long-term "success," and the devastating kickback that followed. Leslie explains why strategies like strict dieting, food addiction labels, or external controls can feel logical but often deepen distrust with food and yourself. She breaks down why 95% of people regain weight after restriction and why willpower, perfection, and cutting foods out are not the missing pieces. Instead, she points to what's really driving overeating beneath the surface. The breakthrough comes from understanding and healing the three internal food drivers that actually run the show: the mind spiral, emotional coping, and self-abandonment. By shifting the focus inward calming food noise, learning emotional regulation, and stopping self-betrayal you can finally create a peaceful, sustainable relationship with food and your body without tracking, restriction, or fear. "This is not a food problem or a self-control problem. It's an internal problem and when you start there, everything on the outside begins to shift." — Leslie Thornton What you will learn from this episode: 01:48 – Why 95% of people regain weight after restriction and exercise 02:10 – The three internal food drivers that keep you stuck 07:28 – Why extreme food rules and perfection create massive rebound weight gain 10:42 – How restriction trains your brain not to trust you 11:02 – The "beach ball" effect: why pushing harder always leads to kickback 16:11 – Internal Driver #1: The mind spiral (food noise & all-or-nothing thinking) 17:49 – How hypnosis helps calm overthinking and obsessive food thoughts 18:11 – Internal Driver #2: Emotional eating as a stress-release valve 19:22 – Why high performers struggle most with emotional regulation 21:40 – How unresolved emotions fuel compulsive eating 23:07 – Internal Driver #3: Self-abandonment and people-pleasing 24:08 – Why feeling unseen, depleted, or resentful leads to overeating 26:14 – Why external solutions (even surgery) can't fix internal patterns Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!