When Food Feels Hard

Dr Sarah Cooke
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  • Nutrition
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If you struggle with emotional or binge eating and feel stuck in cycles of restriction, guilt, and starting over, this podcast is for you. You’ll learn why binge eating isn’t a willpower issue, how to break free from the binge–restrict cycle, and how to approach food with compassion instead of control. This podcast is for anyone ready to leave diet culture behind and build a healthier, more peaceful relationship with food.

  1. Aug 22

    Going Beyond the Food with Stephanie Dodier: Body Image Expert

    In this episode, I'm joined by Stephanie Dodier, Clinical Non-Diet Nutritionist, Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor and Cognitive Behaviour Coach, and host of The Beyond the Food Show. Stephanie spent 25 years caught in diet culture before transforming her own relationship with food and her body. Her experiences ultimately led her to create the Going Beyond The Food Method, a weight-neutral approach combining mindset, intuitive eating and body neutrality. We have a really honest conversation about what happens when you've spent years believing that being thinner will make you happier, more confident, healthier or more worthy—and what it takes to start questioning those beliefs. Together, we explore: How to work through the fear of weight gain when part of you still desperately wants to be thinnerHow to start building confidence that isn't dependent on your weight or appearanceThe first practical steps towards feeling safer and more comfortable in your bodyUntangling health from weight Stephanie's approach focuses on trusting the body, developing body respect and moving towards body neutrality rather than requiring people to love their bodies. If you've spent years dieting, struggling with emotional or binge eating, feeling uncomfortable in your body or believing that “I'll finally be confident when I lose weight,” this conversation is for you. Follow Stephanie on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/stephdodier Follow Stephanie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieDodiernutrition Stephanie's podcasts are here: The Beyond Food Show: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/beyond-food-show-empowering/id1172102796?mt=2 Undiet Your Coaching: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/undiet-your-coaching/id1581619598 Stephanie's website is here:  https://www.stephaniedodier.com/clientassessment, https://program.stephaniedodier.com/beyond-glp-1

  2. Aug 17

    “I can have it, so I will have it”

    The “I can have it, so I will have it” turns up when people are stopping restriction and giving themselves permission to eat the foods they weren’t eating before. Whilst this is part of the healing journey, it can start to become less helpful if you get stuck in this place. This episode talks through the messy area of loosening restriction and stopping dieting, but not yet feeling like your relationship with food is completely healed. It’s often called the “messy middle” where there’s still some eating which feels mindless and autopilot, and after eating, whilst it wasn’t a binge or necessarily emotional eating, it doesn’t feel good. This episode gives practical tips to help change this thought pattern and eating behaviour, how to tune into your body whilst eating, and how to decline food or choose a different option without it feeling restrictive. To book a free call to discuss my 1-2-1 program, click below: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  3. Aug 11

    What to do AFTER a binge

    In this episode we explore how to approach a binge once it’s happened. We discuss old patterns of self-criticism and restriction and how these will keep you stuck in the same cycles, and offer new things to think about when recovering from binge eating. This episode provides practical steps to take when you’ve binged to help you regain calmness and help you feel empowered about your recovery journey. To book a free no-pressure chat, click the link below: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  4. Aug 5

    Untangling Health from Weight

    We've been taught to believe that losing weight automatically means becoming healthier—but what if that's only part of the story? In this episode, I'm unpacking one of the biggest myths in health and nutrition: that your weight is the best measure of your health. We'll explore why weight and health are not the same thing, how diet culture has conditioned us to judge our bodies by the number on the scales, and what actually makes a meaningful difference to your long-term wellbeing. I'll share practical, weight-neutral ways to improve your health—without dieting—including increasing fruit and vegetable intake, moving your body in ways you enjoy, improving sleep, reducing alcohol, managing stress, and eating regularly to support both your physical and mental health. If you've ever thought, "I'll be healthier when I lose weight," this episode will help you challenge that belief and start measuring your health by your behaviours rather than your body size. In this episode, you'll learn: Why weight isn't a behaviour—and why that matters.How to separate health from body size.The impact of diet culture on the way you view your body.Weight-neutral health behaviours that genuinely improve wellbeing.Practical ways to start thinking differently about health today.If you're ready to stop chasing the scales and start building a healthier relationship with food, your body and yourself, this episode is for you. To book a free no-pressure chat, click the link below: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  5. Jul 27

    The Hidden Restriction No One Talks About

    This episode discusses the lesser talked about restriction- why restricting joy can lead to emotional and binge eating, and how to change it. We discuss the beliefs around needing to earn rest, pleasure, fun and play, and how they impact emotional and binge eating. We talk about how to recognise patterns and build awareness of this happening, and how to shift away from putting joy on hold, to making it a priority. There’s practical tips to try and things to help you reflect on your identity- are you the “sensible” one, the “fixer” the “problem solver” and how can you incorporate more fun and pleasure into your life starting today. To book a free no-pressure chat about working with me, click below https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  6. Jul 21

    Unhelpful Thought Patterns in Disordered Eating

    This episode goes through thought patterns which often occur in disordered eating, and how they keep you stuck with progress. Unhelpful thought patterns can often trigger restriction or bingeing, and it’s an important step of recovery to be able to recognise and challenge these thoughts. We go through patterns such as all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophising, mind reading and the “I shoulds” and work through how to be aware these are happening, and how to reframe and challenge them to help you change your behaviour. To book a free no-pressure chat, click below: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  7. Jul 14

    Your Relationship with Exercise

    This episode discusses how our relationship with exercise can mirror our relationship with food- with all-or-nothing thinking, perfectionism and rigidity often creeping in. We discuss how to shift away from all-or-nothing thinking, setting different intentions around exercise, using mental health and non-aesthetic goals as a motivator and the huge impact exercise (mostly walking) has on health - independent of weight loss. This episode will hopefully help you think differently about exercise, and feel empowered around the positive impact you can have for your health which doesn’t involve weight loss. The video I referenced is by Dr Mark Evans- 23 1/2 hours (search on YouTube) To book a free no pressure call to discuss working with me, click here: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  8. Jul 6

    The Diet Voice

    This episode dives deep into The Diet Voice- what it is, how you got, and how to change it. This is a powerful episode which will likely tap into thoughts you have about your body and eating that you maybe weren’t quite aware of- or didn’t realise there was even a name for. We discuss how shaming and critical this voice is, and how detrimental to your relationship with food and your body it can be if you believe it. I give three practical tips to start doing today to shift away from believing your diet voice and how to take back power and tune into your body. To book a free, no pressure chat to learn more about my 1-2-1 program, click here: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

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About

If you struggle with emotional or binge eating and feel stuck in cycles of restriction, guilt, and starting over, this podcast is for you. You’ll learn why binge eating isn’t a willpower issue, how to break free from the binge–restrict cycle, and how to approach food with compassion instead of control. This podcast is for anyone ready to leave diet culture behind and build a healthier, more peaceful relationship with food.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Sarah Cooke
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr Sarah Cooke
  • Show Website
    When Food Feels Hard