When Food Feels Hard

Dr Sarah Cooke
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Nutrition
  • Updated Weekly

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. 4d ago

    What if You Never Started Another Diet?

    What if you never started another diet? In this episode, we explore the fear underneath giving up dieting, what you might actually gain from stepping away from the diet cycle, and why stopping dieting isn't giving up — it's choosing to build a different relationship with food, your body and yourself. To book a free no-pressure chat to learn more about working with me, click below: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  2. Sep 28

    Why “I'll Just Have One” Doesn’t Work

    Why does telling yourself “I’ll just have one” sometimes make you want even more? In this episode, we’re exploring the difference between choice and restriction, and why rules around food can create more urgency and food obsession. We’ll look at the “f**k it” effect, all-or-nothing thinking, and how giving yourself genuine permission can help you make choices around food without fear or guilt. Because food freedom isn’t about always eating more — it’s about being able to choose what you want without a rule making the decision for you. To book a free no-pressure chat to discuss working together, click below: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  3. Sep 21

    What’s Really Behind Your Night-Time Eating?

    Do you feel like you can manage your eating all day… and then the evening comes and suddenly you can’t stop thinking about food? You might tell yourself you have no willpower, that you’re an emotional eater, or that you just need to learn how to control yourself around food. But what if there’s something else going on? In this episode, we’re looking at what’s reallybehind night-time eating — from not eating enough during the day and psychological restriction, to the “I’ve been good all day” mentality, perfectionism, emotional exhaustion and finally having some time for yourself. We’ll explore why the urge to eat can feel so much stronger in the evening, why trying harder to control it can actually make things worse, and how the “f**k it” or permission-slip mentality can keep you stuck in a cycle of restriction, overeating and guilt. I’ll also give you some practical questions to ask yourself when you find yourself standing in the kitchen at 9pm wondering, “Why am I doing this again?” Because night-time eating isn’t necessarily something you need to “fix”. It’s information. And sometimes, the answer to what’s happening at 9pm starts with looking at what happened at 9am, 12pm, 3pm and 6pm— and everything in between. To book a free, no-pressure chat with me about my 1-2-1 program, click below: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  4. Sep 14

    The “F**k it” button: Why You Binge When You Feel You’ve Blown It

    Have you ever eaten something you’d planned not to eat and suddenly thought, “F**k it — I’ve already blown it, so I may as well carry on”? That moment can feel like the switch has been flipped. One biscuit becomes the whole packet. One unplanned meal becomes a full day of eating. And afterwards, guilt and the urge to “make up for it” often lead straight back into restriction. In this episode, I explore the “F it” button and why it isn’t simply about a lack of willpower or self-control. We look at how restriction, food rules, perfectionism, all-or-nothing thinking and the diet voice create the perfect conditions for bingeing. You’ll learn: Why the “F it” thought often appears after breaking a food rule.How restriction can create urgency, scarcity and a need to eat everything now.Why the permission slip to binge is often the other side of the restriction coin.How perfectionism keeps you stuck in the “on track” or “off track” cycle.What to say to yourself when the “F it” button gets pressed.How to move away from compensation, guilt and starting again tomorrow.Why true food freedom comes from being able to eat imperfectly without turning it into a crisis.If you’re tired of feeling like one food choice has ruined everything, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on — and how to begin responding differently. To book a free, no-pressure chat about my 1-2-1 program, click below: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  5. Sep 7

    “They’ve lost weight, they look amazing…”

    Have you ever seen someone who has lost weight and immediately thought, “they’ve lost weight they look amazing… maybe I should lose weight too?” You might not even realise it, but that thought can be your diet voice sneaking back in. In this episode, we’re talking about why someone else’s weight loss can trigger body dissatisfaction, comparison and the urge to start dieting again — even when you’ve worked really hard to move away from dieting and binge eating. We’ll explore why we’ve been conditioned to believe that smaller automatically means better, why weight loss is so often interpreted as success, and how one seemingly innocent thought can quickly turn into restriction, food obsession, cravings, overeating and bingeing. But this isn’t about pretending you can’t notice that someone has lost weight or that you have to convince yourself they don’t look different. Instead, it’s about becoming curious about what that thought means for you and what it makes you want to do next. We’ll look at: ​How to recognise when your diet voice has been activated​Why comparison can pull you back into the diet-binge cycle​The hidden assumptions behind “they look amazing”​Why you don’t actually know what someone else’s weight loss means for their health, happiness or relationship with food​How to challenge the belief that their body changing means yours needs to​What to do when you suddenly feel the urge to diet, restrict, exercise or lose weight​How to have a diet thought without automatically acting on it​Why true food freedom isn’t about never having these thoughts — it’s about not letting them dictate your behaviourThe goal isn’t to replace every uncomfortable thought with “I love my body.” It’s to get better at recognising the diet voice, questioning what it’s telling you and choosing whether you actually want to listen. Because someone else’s body changing doesn’t mean yours needs to. And sometimes freedom is simply being able to think, “There’s my diet voice,” and carry on with your life. Book a free, no pressure chat here: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976

  6. Sep 2

    September Reset

    The September Reset: Why Autumn Can Trigger Binge Eating & Body Image Struggles September can feel like a fresh start. The summer is coming to an end, routines are changing, and suddenly there can be a familiar pressure to “get back on track” — eat better, lose weight, exercise more and finally get your body under control. But what if September didn't have to be another opportunity to start a diet? In this episode, we explore why the change of seasons can trigger binge eating, emotional eating and body image struggles — and how the desire for a “fresh start” can actually pull you straight back into the restriction-binge cycle. Most importantly, we'll consider what a different kind of September reset could look like — one that isn't about changing your body, but about changing your relationship with food, your body and yourself. In this episode, you'll discover: Why September can trigger the urge to diet and “start again”How the fresh-start mentality can keep the binge/restrict cycle goingWhy you don't need to wait until you feel better about your body to start living your lifePractical ways to approach the new season without falling back into dietingHow to create a September reset focused on food freedom rather than weight lossA different kind of September reset Instead of asking: “How can I lose weight this autumn?” Try asking: “How do I want my relationship with food and my body to feel this autumn?” You don't need a new diet. You don't need to “make up” for what you ate over the summer. And you don't need to change your body before you're allowed to enjoy your life. September can be the season you stop trying to fix yourself — and start learning to trust yourself instead. To book a free, no pressure chat to learn more about working together, click below: https://drsarahcookenutrition.as.me/?appointmentType=47479976 To learn more about my program, The Food Freedom Method, click below https://sarahcookenutrition.lpages.co/the-food-freedom-method/

  7. 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

  8. 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

See All (43)

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
    43
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr Sarah Cooke
  • Show Website
    When Food Feels Hard