Outsmart Overeating

Leslie Hooper
  • 4.5 (92)
  • Fitness
  • Updated Weekly

You know exactly what to do. You've read the books, created the meal plans, promised yourself tomorrow would be different. But you're burned out—running a career, a household, everyone else's needs but your own—and somewhere along the way, food stopped being something that adds to your life and became something that runs it. I'm Leslie Hooper, and on Outsmart Overeating, my co-host Steph Miramontes and I go straight to the psychology... not another hack, not another dead-end diet, but the actual psychological reasons that are keeping you stuck.

  1. 1d ago

    EPISODE 129: From 20 Years of Dieting to "Food Is Boring Now"

    Why does discipline seem to work everywhere else in your life except with dieting? Why do you white-knuckle a diet for months, then binge on the one thing you "weren't allowed" to have? Why does getting "back on track" never actually stick?   Agne asked herself those exact questions for 20 years. Cabbage soup diets, keto, six-day CrossFit weeks, a coach who told her maybe her body was just built to stay stuck.   She joined Outsmart Overeating in 2023 and shared her story on the podcast in fall 2024. Listen to that episode here.   Now she's back, two years later, with the real answer: the food rules were never the problem. Her thinking was.   This episode breaks down exactly what changed and how, so you can start applying it today:   Why you can't diet your way out of a mindset problem How rigid, perfectionistic rules create the exact bingeing they're meant to prevent What it actually looks like to loosen your grip on control without your life falling apart Why needing support again after progress isn't failure (and what to do when it happens)   If you're tired of "getting back on track," start here.   Doors open for our next Outsmart Overeating group August 31 - September 3rd. Click here to join the Interest List. No obligation to join, just first access to the program details and exclusive fast action bonuses.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.     If you want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but also lose the struggle along side it, you can get started by taking the Weight Loss Psychology Quiz: Discover Your Diet Personality Type

  2. Aug 11

    EPISODE 128: Your Brain Isn't Wired for Change. It's Wired for Comfort. (How to Break the Cycle Anyway)

    Ever notice how right before you're about to make a change in your life, your brain immediately comes up with a thousand reasons why you shouldn't?   That's fear. Your brain's only job is to keep you safe and familiar, not happy or fulfilled. That's why you keep going back to the same diets and rules that have already failed you, over and over.   Same fear that keeps people stuck in jobs or relationships they've outgrown. It shows up at your dinner table too.   Coach Steph and I get into why your brain hands you a pile of excuses the second you try something different, even after what you're doing now hasn't worked.   I also share the scariest thing I've ever done (quit my career, sold everything, moved to NYC with two suitcases) and what it taught me about acting scared instead of waiting for the fear to pass.   What you'll get:   Why your brain fights change, even good change How to tell real intuition from fear in disguise Why more of what hasn't worked won't get you anywhere new What it feels like when food stops taking up so much space in your head   Nothing changes if nothing changes. Pick one thing and use it tonight.   Doors open for our next Outsmart Overeating group August 31 - September 3rd. Click here to join the Interest List. No obligation to join, just first access to the program details and exclusive fast action bonuses.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.     If you want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but also lose the struggle along side it, you can get started by taking the Weight Loss Psychology Quiz: Discover Your Diet Personality Type

  3. Aug 4

    EPISODE 127: She Lost Weight in Menopause After 33 Years of Yo-Yo Dieting... Without Calorie Counting

    Client, Beth, spent 33 years on the diet hamster wheel. Six feet tall since high school, she never fit the mold, so she spent decades running the numbers: calories counted, macros tracked, every bite calculated before it hit her plate.   She swore she wasn't an emotional eater. Turns out, wanting to eat something just because it tastes good IS emotional eating. Nobody told her that.   Today, on her 53rd birthday, she's eating cake without the guilt spiral. No calorie math. No "I'll start over Monday." Just food, freedom, and sleep that isn't wrecked by shame.   Here's what you'll walk away with:   Why "emotional eating" doesn't look like sad-girl ice cream binges, and what it actually looks like for high-achievers The real reason trigger foods lose their power (hint: it's not willpower) How to tell the difference between over-desire and actual hunger Why going "overboard" with a forbidden food can be part of healing, not a relapse The exact self-talk that replaces number-crunching at every meal   If you've built a successful career and a solid life but can't crack this one thing, Beth's story will hit different. This isn't about another diet. It's about learning to trust yourself again.   Doors open for our next Outsmart Overeating group August 31 - September 3rd. Click here to join the Interest List. No obligation to join, just first access to the program details and exclusive fast action bonuses.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.     If you want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but also lose the struggle along side it, you can get started by taking the Weight Loss Psychology Quiz: Discover Your Diet Personality Type

  4. Jul 28

    EPISODE 126: Weight Loss Isn't Supposed to Be Hard. It's Supposed to Be Boring.

    Goals feel amazing to set. They just don't work.   "Once the kids are back in school, I'm starting fresh." You've said some version of that sentence more times than you can count. You set the goal, you get the rush, you white-knuckle it for three weeks, then you fall off. Then comes the guilt. The shame. The "why can't I just stick to anything" spiral.   Here's the truth: goals aren't the problem. They're the easy part. It's the boring, unsexy habits underneath them that create real, lasting change. Nobody wants to talk about that, because habits don't come with a before-and-after photo.   In this episode, Coach Steph Miramontes and I break down why even well-intentioned goals collapse under real life, and what to build instead. You'll learn:   Why goals have a finish line and habits don't The mindset shift that changes how you approach food for good The exact keystone habits creating outsized results for our clients Why waiting for the "right time" sets you up to fail How to stop negotiating with yourself over every bite   You don't need an overhaul. You need one small, repeatable habit. Pick one. Start today.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.   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 want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but also lose the struggle along side it, you can get started by taking the Weight Loss Psychology Quiz: Discover Your Diet Personality Type

  5. Jul 21

    EPISODE 125: What the 5% Who Keep the Weight Off Actually Do Differently

    You've counted the calories. Weighed the food. Followed the plan to the letter. So why are you still standing in the pantry at 9pm, promising yourself Monday will be different?   Here's the uncomfortable truth: this isn't a food problem. It's a thought problem.   Every diet has you managing the action: track this, skip that, get back on track. But if the thought underneath stays broken, "I already blew it, might as well keep going," you'll keep landing in the same place no matter how well you follow the plan.   Wrong address, perfect directions. Still lost.   Steph and I break down the real mechanism behind change this week:   Why changing what you eat has to start with changing how you think, not the reverse The thought → feeling → action chain running every single bite The exact reframe for the second you think "screw it, I'll start over tomorrow" Why identity, not discipline, decides what you do next Where this overlaps with therapy, and where it doesn't   You'll leave with a shift you can use tonight, standing in front of that same pantry.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.   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 want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but also lose the struggle along side it, you can get started by taking the Weight Loss Psychology Quiz: Discover Your Diet Personality Type

  6. Jul 14

    EPISODE 124: Your Body Tells You When to Stop Eating. Diets Teach You Not to Listen.

    Your brain takes 20 minutes to register fullness. By then, you've usually finished eating 15 minutes ago.   That's the physical piece. But if you've spent years dieting, stopping when you're full isn't just about timing. It's about scarcity, habit, and emotional attachment to food that no amount of willpower can override.   In this episode, Steph and I break down exactly why fullness feels impossible to read and what to actually do about it.   You'll learn:   The 4 physical signs your body gives you when it's done eating (most people miss all of them) Why "just eat slower" isn't the fix, and what actually rewires this The permission reframe that kills the "last chance" panic around food Better questions to ask mid-meal instead of "do I want more?" (spoiler: you always want more) Why tracking your fullness on a 1-10 scale actually works   These aren't abstract concepts. You can try the mid-meal pause at your very next meal today.   If you've ever looked down at an empty plate and thought "where did my food go?", this one's for you.   Want more support? We're building our interest list for the next round of Outsmart Overeating.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.   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 want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but also lose the struggle along side it, you can get started by taking the Weight Loss Psychology Quiz: Discover Your Diet Personality Type

  7. Jul 7

    EPISODE 123: Why You Rebel Against Your Own Food Rules (And How to Stop)

    Here's why you keep "falling off" your diet by Thursday, even though Monday-you had the best intentions.   Dieters often want to blame their lack of willpower, discipline or for being weak, but it has nothing to do with that. It's a psychological problem.   In this episode, Coach Steph and I break down the four ways your brain rebels against restriction, and why the stricter your rules, the harder you crash. If you've ever cleared out the pantry after a "bad" weekend, you need to hear this.   We're covering:   The Monday-Thursday split: why the version of you who made the rules isn't the version who has to follow them The pink elephant problem: why banning a food guarantees you'll obsess over it The rebellious teenager response: why your brain fights back the second something feels off-limits The exhale effect: why "blowing it" isn't a lack of control, it's relief from mental exhaustion   And we don't just leave you with the why. You'll walk away with two shifts you can start using today: how to trade rigid rules for real reasons, and how to give yourself permission without becoming permissive.   If you're smart, disciplined, and still can't crack this one thing, this episode is for you.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.   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 want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but also lose the struggle along side it, you can get started by taking the Weight Loss Psychology Quiz: Discover Your Diet Personality Type

  8. Jun 30

    EPISODE 122: She Lost 50 Lbs and Started Binge Eating. Will a GLP-1 Help?

    A woman on Reddit is down 50 pounds, going through a brutal breakup, and spiraling into emotional binge eating. She wants to know if GLP-1s will fix it.   Coach Steph and I give her an honest, judgment-free answer and it's probably not what she's expecting.   Here's what we get into:   Why emotional eating and binge eating aren't two separate problems (and what's actually driving the behavior) What GLP-1s actually do and why they're the wrong tool for this specific situation Why "time heals all wounds" is a lie your nervous system doesn't believe The real reason food becomes your go-to during heartbreak, grief, and life upheaval What emotional regulation actually looks like and the skill set that changes everything   This episode isn't about shaming anyone for reaching for a quick fix. It's about understanding why the quick fix won't work and what will.   If you've ever found yourself eating when you're not even hungry, this one's for you.   You can also connect with Leslie & Steph on Instagram.   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 want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but also lose the struggle along side it, you can get started by taking the Weight Loss Psychology Quiz: Discover Your Diet Personality Type

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4.5
out of 5
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About

You know exactly what to do. You've read the books, created the meal plans, promised yourself tomorrow would be different. But you're burned out—running a career, a household, everyone else's needs but your own—and somewhere along the way, food stopped being something that adds to your life and became something that runs it. I'm Leslie Hooper, and on Outsmart Overeating, my co-host Steph Miramontes and I go straight to the psychology... not another hack, not another dead-end diet, but the actual psychological reasons that are keeping you stuck.

Information

  • Creator
    Leslie Hooper
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    373
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Outsmart Overeating