Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Binge Eating Breakthrough

Is there really a connection between ADHD and binge eating? Research shows ADHD and binge eating show up together far more than chance would explain, and once you see what's actually driving that overlap, some of your own patterns might finally make sense.

In this episode, I'm looking at what the research actually tells us about ADHD and binge eating and, more importantly, how this information might help you better understand your own eating patterns.

What You'll Discover:

• The real research connection between ADHD and binge eating
• What ADHD explains and what it doesn't
• How attention and hunger and fullness cues might be connected
• The question worth asking instead of "is ADHD why I binge?"

If you've been diagnosed with ADHD, suspect you might have it, or simply recognize yourself in some of these patterns, this episode is for you.

If you would like to explore getting support with your eating challenges, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

If you want to go deeper into the four pillars I mention in this episode, you can find my book, The Binge Eating Breakthrough.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

In this 200th episode of the Binge Eating Breakthrough Podcast, I'm sharing the 20 things I most want you to understand about binge eating and what it really takes to change your relationship with food.

Maybe you're still caught in the binge eating cycle and wondering why nothing you've tried has created lasting change. Or maybe you've already made significant progress but still find yourself struggling with urges, food rules, or trusting yourself around food.

Either way, this isn't a list of 20 tips or another plan to follow. It's 20 ways of understanding binge eating, restriction, urges, nervous system regulation, self-trust, food freedom, connection, and progress that may change the way you understand your relationship with food and yourself.

What You'll Discover:

• Why binge eating is a symptom and what your behavior may be trying to tell you
• How you can be eating enough food and still experience restriction
• Why an urge to binge and a binge are two different things
• Why knowing what to do isn't the same as having the capacity to do it
• Why connection may be one of the most important pieces of ending binge eating

If you've ever felt like you've tried everything to stop binge eating and can't understand why you still struggle, this episode offers a different place to start: not with another set of rules, but with a better understanding of what's happening and why.

Want all 20 ideas in one place? I've created a free download with all 20 Things You Need to Know to Stop Binge Eating so you can save them, revisit them, and notice which ones might change the way you understand your own experience.

Get your free copy at janepilger.com/top20

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

In this episode I'm exploring a question most of us have never consciously asked ourselves: Who am I practicing becoming? Maybe you're still deep in the binge and restrict cycle, waiting for the day it finally stops. Or maybe you've already made real progress and you're wondering why you still don't feel as free as you thought you would. Either way, I break down why the life you want doesn't start with your circumstances changing, and what it actually means to build it from the inside out, one small practice at a time.

What you'll discover:

• Why you're always practicing becoming someone, whether you realize it or not
• The difference between internal and external when-then thinking
• Why your nervous system fights change even when you want it
• What it actually means to build your life from the inside out

If you've ever thought your peace was waiting on the other side of losing weight, changing jobs, or someone else finally changing, this episode is for you.

If you would like to explore getting support with your eating challenges, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

What does it really take to change your relationship with food? That's the question I'm answering in this episode, in a very specific way. Whether you're just starting to look closely at your relationship with food for the first time or you've already put in years of work and still find certain moments hard, I'm walking through five specific things that changed everything for me.

What You'll Discover:

• The real reason awareness has to come before anything else
• A tool I use almost daily to reconnect with my body
• The one question that replaced years of self-judgment
• Three forms of courage that might surprise you

If you've tried to change your relationship with food through willpower alone and it just hasn't stuck, this episode walks through what will.

If you would like to explore getting support with your eating challenges, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

In this episode, I'm talking about something I think a lot of us are quietly doing without realizing it. Maybe you're still in it, reading and listening to everything you can find about binge eating and emotional eating, trying to finally understand it well enough that something changes. Or maybe you've already gone through most of what's out there and you're left wondering why understanding it hasn't actually changed anything. 

Either way, we're diving into the real difference between learning about change and actually doing it, and why staying informed, through books, podcasts, or anything else, can quietly become its own way of staying stuck.

What you'll discover:

• Why understanding something doesn't automatically change it
• What I call shelf-help, and why it feels so safe
• What reading actually gives you, and what it doesn't
• What doing the work actually requires

If you've read every book, listened to every podcast, and you're still stuck in the same place with food, this episode is for you.

The Book Experience begins August 18 and enrollment is open now. You can also find my book, The Binge Eating Breakthrough, and the companion workbook at janepilger.com/book.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

In this episode, I'm talking about what actually creates peace with food, because it's probably not what you've been told. Maybe you're still in it, trying every rule and every plan to stop binge eating or emotional eating. Or maybe you've already tried most of what's out there, from books to structured programs, and you're left wondering why none of it fully stuck. 

Either way, I'm breaking down the four things that actually get you to trusting yourself around food again, and why more willpower or another set of food rules was never going to be one of them.

What you'll discover:

• Why information and support alone weren't enough
• The four things that actually create peace with food
• Why shame keeps people stuck instead of motivating change
• What it actually feels like to trust yourself around food

If you've tried nearly everything to stop binge eating or emotional eating and you're starting to wonder what you're missing, this episode is for you.

Check out my book The Binge Eating Breakthrough.

Join me for the live Book Experience beginning August 18th. 

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

In this episode, I'm continuing last week's conversation about GLP-1 medications, but this time I brought in someone who actually is the expert. Dr. Matthea Rentea, a board certified internal medicine and obesity medicine physician, joins me to answer the questions I'm not qualified to answer myself. 

Maybe you're on a GLP-1 right now and know there's more to it than what your last appointment covered. Or maybe you're considering one and don't know where to start. Either way, we get into what these medications actually do in the body, who they're really for, and what almost nobody tells you about using them well for the long haul. 

What you'll discover:

• Why GLP-1s target a hormonal problem, not a willpower one
• The warning signs of losing muscle too fast, and how to prevent it
• Why going without the right support can backfire
• How to tell if your medical team is helping or hurting you

If you've ever wondered whether you're using a GLP-1 the right way, or whether it's the right choice at all, this conversation is for you.

Previous episodes referenced:

What a GLP-1 Can't Do for Your Binge Eating

If this conversation left you with more questions, Dr. Rentea has answers waiting. Her free podcast roadmap lets you search by exactly what you want to know, whether that's a specific medication, protein, fiber, or anything else that came up for you today. You can also learn more at her website.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

In this episode, I'm answering a handful of questions that come up again and again around GLP-1 medications and binge eating. Maybe you're on one right now and still working out what it means for you. Or maybe you're considering starting one and aren't sure what to expect. Either way, I get into what these medications can actually do, what they can't touch, and what it really takes to feel at peace with food, whether you use one or not.

What you'll discover:

• Why a GLP-1 is a tool, but never the only one
• What these medications can quiet, and what stays underneath
• What determines whether old patterns return when you stop
• What no medication can touch, no matter how much weight changes

If you've ever wondered whether using a GLP-1 means you didn't really do the work, or you're on one and still don't feel at peace with food, this episode is for you.

If you would like to explore getting support with your eating challenges, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

In this episode, I'm answering a question your brain may already be asking without you realizing it. Maybe you're still in it, trying to stop binge eating or find some peace with food. Or maybe you've already reached your goal and don't know what to do with yourself, or your life, without the constant food noise. Either way, I explore why the food struggle can quietly become an identity, and what it actually takes to figure out who you are without binge eating or the constant focus on food, diet, and weight.

What You'll Discover:

• Why the food struggle becomes an identity, not just a behavior
• Why "who would I be without this" is so hard to answer
• What's actually underneath the struggle
• How to build an identity your brain can move toward

If you've ever felt like food, diet, or weight has taken up more space in your life than you'd like, whether you're in the thick of it or standing on the other side wondering what's next, this episode is for you.

Previous episodes referenced:

Your Identity as an Eater

The Part of You That Hides

The Part of You That Checks Out

If you would like to explore getting support with your eating challenges, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

This episode explores the part that goes numb, zones out, and checks out when things get hard, and what it means that so much eating happens while we're not fully there. I draw on my own experience of surfacing mid-binge and not knowing where I'd been, and look at why eating on autopilot makes complete sense as a protective strategy, and what it actually takes to start building enough safety to stay present.

What You'll Discover:

• Why eating on autopilot and zoning out around food aren't about willpower and what the part doing the checking out is actually protecting you from
• Why the checking out tends to get harder to interrupt over time and what it costs you to keep not being there
• What the part that checks out actually needs and why trying to force yourself to stay present tends to make it worse
• Why the most useful moment isn't when you checked out and everything to do with what was happening right before

If you've ever found yourself coming back to awareness mid-binge and genuinely not knowing how you got there, this episode is for you.

Previous episodes referenced:

The Part of You That Hides

Understanding the Part of You That Wants to Binge (Part 1)

If you would like to explore getting support with your eating challenges, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Does it ever feel like you are living a double life? Where you eat one way around other people but a completely different way in secret? Do you have a part of you that wants to hide your eating behaviors but don't understand why you do it or how to stop?

In this episode, I share from my own experience of hiding my binge eating for years, including a memory of sneaking food as a young child, and explore why secret eating and hiding food make complete sense as a protective strategy, and what it actually takes to begin stepping out of it.

What You'll Discover:

• Why secret eating and hiding food aren't character flaws and what the part doing the hiding is actually trying to do
• Why the hiding tends to increase the shame over time and what living a double life around food costs over time
• What the part that hides actually needs and why forced accountability tends to backfire
• Why the first step out of hiding has nothing to do with telling anyone and everything to do with how you see yourself

If you've been carrying this alone, whether no one knows at all or the people in your life only know part of it, this episode is for you.

Previous episodes referenced:

How to Talk to Your Loved Ones About Your Secret Eating

Understanding the Part of You That Wants to Binge (Part 1)

If you would like to explore getting support with your eating challenges, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If the idea of feeling safe in your body sounds unfamiliar, or even a little strange, you're not alone. In this episode we explore why so many people disconnect from their bodies in the first place, why that disconnection makes complete sense as a nervous system response, and what safety in the body actually feels like when you begin to find it. 

You'll also get a short guided experience to help you recognize that feeling for yourself, and one simple daily practice to start building it.

What You'll Discover:

• Why disconnecting from your body is a nervous system adaptation, not a character flaw
• How the two-way communication between your brain and body shapes your relationship with food
• What feeling safe in your body actually feels like, and how to begin recognizing it
• Why this work is often hard to do alone, and what co-regulation makes possible 

If you've ever wondered why you reach for food even when you're not hungry, or why being still and quiet feels unbearable, this episode may answer questions you didn't know you had. 

Want to go deeper? 

Explore The Gathering, a monthly guided experience to learn how to trust yourself.

Book a Breakthrough Call.  

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

You did the work to let go of the rules, challenge the rigidity, and give yourself permission to eat freely. And then the pendulum swung in the other direction, and the freedom didn't feel like freedom at all. 

This episode is for anyone who has experienced food freedom and found it more complicated than expected, and for anyone holding tightly to restriction because the other end of the pendulum looks too frightening to risk.

This episode explores what's actually happening when food freedom feels like it's working against you, and what it looks like when the pendulum finally stops swinging in either direction.

What You'll Discover:

• The difference between food freedom and body connection 
• Why the pendulum swing happens and what's actually happening in the body when freedom feels out of control
• What real food freedom feels like and how to start imagining that for yourself
• A question to sit with to begin developing your own definition of food freedom

If you're wondering what it looks like to do this deeper work with support, schedule a Breakthrough Call today. 

This is the third episode in a three-part series on what happens when the old strategies stop working. Listen to the first two episodes here:

• How to Measure Success Beyond the Scale  
• What If I Need to Lose Weight for My Health?

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

This episode comes directly from a listener question, one I hear in some form regularly. What do you do when your doctor has told you that losing weight is medically necessary, but everything you've tried has kept you stuck in the same cycle? 

With her permission, I share a message from a listener who has been in the binge and restrict cycle for over 45 years and is navigating real health consequences. We discuss why restriction, even for medical reasons, keeps the cycle spinning, and what it actually looks like to work toward health when the scale has been the only measure you've ever known.

What You'll Discover:

• Why restriction backfires even when the medical reason for it is real and serious
• How to hold both truths at once: your doctor's concern is valid, and another diet is not the answer
• What to focus on instead of body size and why these behaviors directly support the health markers that matter
• Why what you focus on expands, and how shifting from "what to lose" to "what to add" changes everything

If you've ever felt caught between a medical recommendation and the knowledge that dieting makes things worse for you, this episode is for you.

Previous episode referenced: Supportive Structure

If you would like to explore getting support with your eating challenges, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If the number on the scale has been your primary way of knowing whether things are going well with food, this episode is for you. A conversation with a new client, who is literally a scientist, sparked something I knew I had to bring to the podcast.

You can be making real progress, feeling calmer around food, binging less, feeling more connected, and still find yourself on the scale waiting for the number to confirm what you're already experiencing. And when it doesn't? All that real progress disappears.

In this episode, I talk about why the scale is measuring the wrong thing entirely, what it actually means to track success in your relationship with food, and what I've seen in my own experience when a number became the thing I was chasing.

What You'll Discover:

• Why chasing a number keeps you in monitoring mode rather than in connection with yourself
• What the scale can't measure and why that data matters more than the number
• My own experience with using the scale as a measure of control, and what I can see now that I couldn't then
• What to do with the scale if you're not ready to put it away entirely

If you've ever felt like you were making progress, only to have the scale talk you out of it, this episode will give you a different way to measure what's actually happening.

If you want to know what it would look like to explore this with support, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

"I just don't trust myself around food." If that sentence is familiar, this episode is for you. 

Today I'm unpacking what self-trust actually is, and what it isn't, because most people are working toward a version of self-trust that was never achievable to begin with. And that definition might quietly be keeping you stuck.

What You'll Discover:

• Why the most common definition of self-trust sets you up to fail before you even begin
• What self-trust actually is
• The difference between self-monitoring and self-awareness, and why one creates more shame while the other creates real change
• Why respect is often more accessible than love, and how practicing respect with your body builds the safety that self-trust actually requires

If you've ever dismissed your own progress because you didn't get it perfect, this episode will give you a different place to stand.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Gathering is a monthly guided experience for women who want to slow down and learn how to trust themselves. Each session, I bring the topics I'm personally working through and the patterns I keep seeing in my clients, and we go there together. Our most recent session was a full conversation on self-trust, self-respect and self-love. Replays are available for one month until the next live call. 

What to Do After a Binge: your 5 step guide to return to yourself after a binge or out of control moment with food.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If you've ever wondered why binge eating or emotional eating seems to happen at the same times of day, after work, after lunch, on Sunday nights, or when you get home from a trip, this episode is going to reframe everything. 

The answer might not be about food at all. It might be about transitions.

In this episode I break down what transitions actually are, why the brain finds them so hard to navigate, and how so many binge eating triggers are really just transition moments your nervous system didn't know how to get through. 

Whether you're dealing with the small daily transitions that fly under the radar or a bigger life change that's been quietly driving your eating, this episode will help you finally understand what's happening and what to do about it.

What You'll Discover:

• Why your brain treats transitions as a threat and how that drives binge eating and stress eating urges
• The daily transition moments most people never recognize and how to spot the ones that are hardest for you
• How to tell if a big life transition is behind your current food struggles and the question to ask yourself right now
• How to minimize transitions where you can — a nervous system strategy that also happens to be a productivity strategy
• A practical framework for navigating the transitions you can't avoid so food stops being your brain's default relief valve 

If you've ever found yourself reaching for food after work, during a stressful season, or at the same time every day without knowing why, this episode will help you finally connect those dots. Binge eating triggers aren't random. And understanding them is the first step to changing them. 

Do you want help navigating big or small transitions? Schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If you struggle with binge eating and feel like you're holding it together on the outside while something quietly unravels on the inside, this episode is for you.

A contestant on the survival show Alone had everything he needed to win and tapped out on day eight anyway. Not because of anything going wrong on the outside. Because of everything he had never learned to be with on the inside. His story reveals something important about why binge eating happens and why willpower will never be the answer. 

What You'll Discover:

• Why high-achieving people who struggle with binge eating often don't recognize their own coping mechanisms
• What binge eating and emotional avoidance have in common — and what the body is actually reaching for
• The difference between a willpower problem and a capacity problem — and why it changes everything about binge eating recovery
• Why building capacity to be with difficult emotions is hard to do alone — and what support actually looks like 

If you've ever wondered why you binge eat even when life looks fine from the outside, or why staying busy feels easier than slowing down, this episode will help you understand what's actually going on underneath. 

If you're ready for support with your relationship with food, schedule a Breakthrough Call today. 

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

This week's episode is a little different. I recently crossed the finish line at the 130th Boston Marathon, and I invited my friend and fellow coach Shelby Tutty to sit down with me for a conversation about the race, the journey, and what it actually feels like to reach a goal you've been chasing for years.

But this isn't just a race recap. If you have a dream you've been putting off, a goal that feels just out of reach, or something you've tried before and haven't quite gotten to yet, there's something in this conversation for you. 

What You'll Discover:

• What makes the Boston Marathon unlike any other race and why qualifying is only half the battle
• How your brain can quietly shift the goalposts the moment you get close to something you've worked hard for
• A simple framework for taking the first step toward any goal, even one that feels impossible right now
• Why support matters more than willpower when you're going after something big

If you've ever had a dream sitting quietly in the back of your mind that you haven't let yourself fully go after yet, this episode is for you.

Shelby Tutty is a perimenopause educator and coach. Find previous episodes with Shelby here:

• Perimenopause & Disordered Eating
• Perimenopause & Peaceful Eating
• What happened in New Zealand?

If you'd like to read more about the journey to Boston and see photos from the weekend, check out my Substack posts here:

The Road to Qualifying for the Boston Marathon
Race Weekend in Boston
The Boston Marathon Dream Fulfilled

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

There is a thought that lives alongside binge eating for almost everyone who struggles with it: "nobody can know". 

In this episode I share my own story of hiding. The years of secrecy, what it actually cost me, and what changed when I finally let someone in. 

If you've never told a single person about your struggle with food, or if you've told someone and still felt completely alone in it, this episode is for you.

What You'll Discover:

• Why shame forces us to hide and how that secrecy keeps the cycle going longer than almost anything else
• Why loving support isn't always enough and what actually makes the difference
• The vitamin metaphor for understanding why you can't see yourself clearly from the inside
• What co-regulation is and why the right support changes things at a nervous system level, not just emotionally

If you've been struggling alone and wondering whether it's time to reach out, or whether reaching out would even help, this episode will give you a real answer. 

Related episodes: 

• How to Talk to Your Loved Ones About Your Secret Eating
• The Power of Co-Regulation

Book a Breakthrough Call today. Join the email list: janepilger.com

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Most people have a picture in their mind of what it looks like to finally break free from binge eating — a switch that flips or a moment that changes everything. The reality is different. And in a lot of ways, it's more hopeful. 

In this episode, I walk through the phases people often move through on the journey to food freedom, not as a prescribed timeline, but as a map of recognizable places you might find yourself. 

Wherever you are, you'll be able to identify yourself in one or more of these phases.

What You'll Discover:

• Why breaking free is not linear, and what to expect instead
• The phases most people move through on the way to real food freedom
• The recalibration phase, the most misunderstood and most common exit point in the journey
• Why the journey takes longer than we want it to, and why that's not a sign it isn't working 

If you've ever wondered whether what you're experiencing is normal, or whether the progress you're making is real even when you can't see it, this episode is for you. 

Ready to explore what it would look like to get support on your journey? Book a Breakthrough Call today.

Learn more about my Cultivate group coaching program.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

What if the key to breaking free from binge eating isn't more control, but less fighting? 

In this episode, I'm talking about what it actually looks like to stop going to war with the part of you that binges, and what becomes possible when you do. 

What You'll Discover:

• The different types of parts that exist within each of us and their unique roles
• Why the part that binges feels so urgent
• Three concrete steps for shifting from fighting to working with this part
• What this approach is not and why it leads to more lasting change than willpower ever could

If you're exhausted from the battle with yourself around food, this episode offers a genuinely different way forward. 

Previous episode referenced: The Part of You That Binges Isn't the Enemy 

Ready to do this work with support? Learn more about Cultivate or book a Breakthrough Call today. 

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

What if the part of you that binges isn't broken and isn't something to be eliminated? 

In this episode, I'm sharing something that changed my own relationship with food, and that I've watched change so much for the people I work with. 

If you've ever hated that part of yourself, felt ashamed of it, or wondered why fighting it so hard hasn't made it go away, this episode is for you.

What You'll Discover:

• Why fighting the part that binges tends to make it stronger not weaker
• What that part is actually trying to do for you even when its strategy creates more pain
• The fear that keeps people from trying a different approach and why it makes sense
• What becomes possible when you stop fighting and start listening to what's underneath 

If you've ever thought you'd be a better, more lovable person without this part of you, I understand. I thought the same thing. This episode is where that starts to change. 

Ready to do this work with support? Book a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If you've genuinely wanted to change your relationship with food and still found yourself stuck, this episode is for you. We explore why change feels so difficult even when the desire is real, and it has nothing to do with willpower or weakness. 

What's actually happening in your brain and nervous system when you try to change a pattern might surprise you.

What You'll Discover:

• Why the brain resists change even when you genuinely want it
• The real reason shame slows progress rather than motivating it
• How new neural pathways actually form and why the path feels hard before it feels clear
• Why change is often happening before you can see it and what it looks like to keep going anyway
• What your nervous system actually needs to make lasting change possible

If you've ever wondered why knowing what to do and doing it are two completely different things, this episode offers a compassionate, science-grounded explanation and a different way forward.

Podcast Episodes Referenced:

• I Know What to Do But I Can't Make Myself Do It
• Progress Over Perfection 

If you're ready to explore support to change your patterns with food, book a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Today I'm joined by Lauren Carlisle Brown, the emotions coach, for a conversation that gets right to the heart of why feeling our feelings is so much harder than it sounds. If you've ever known that emotions were driving your eating but had no idea what to actually do about it, this episode is going to give you a whole new way to think about that.

Lauren shares her Emotions Manifesto: five truths we can choose to believe about our feelings, and we dig into why feeling our emotions is so much harder than it sounds, and what to do instead of going straight to food when something feels too big to handle.

What You'll Discover:

• The five truths about emotions that can change everything. Lauren's Emotions Manifesto and why choosing to believe them matters
• Why we struggle to feel our feelings in the first place and why it has nothing to do with being broken
• The emotional flow map. Four ways we handle emotions and how to move through them with more awareness and less shame
• What your food cravings might actually be telling you  and how to use that information as a starting point

If you've ever thought "I know I'm eating to avoid something, but I don't know what else to do", this conversation is for you.

Lauren's free worksheet to go deeper with this work is linked below.

Resources mentioned:

• Lauren's worksheet
• Lauren's podcast: All the Feels with Lauren Carlisle Brown Listen on Apple | Spotify
• Lauren's website: laurencarlislebrown.com
• Lauren's course: The Emotions Crash Course

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If you've ever started a day completely certain it would be different, only to find yourself in the same place again by the end of the day, this episode is for you. 

We explore the gap between knowing and doing, why it has nothing to do with willpower, and what's actually happening underneath the surface when that determined morning version of you seems to completely disappear.

What You'll Discover:

• Why the "knowing/doing" gap is a nervous system signal, not a willpower failure
• How the part of you that binges is actually trying to help you, not hurt you
• Why shame makes it nearly impossible to find real answers
• The questions that can actually open something new and the ones that keep you stuck

If you've been asking yourself what is wrong with me? This episode offers a different question entirely, and helps you understand what's really going on.

If you're ready to explore this work with additional support, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If you've ever felt like you're either doing it perfectly or completely blowing it, this episode offers a different way to think about your journey with food. We explore what black-and-white thinking looks like around eating, why rigid standards can actually create the very behaviors we're trying to stop, and how learning to look for progress — not perfection — changes everything.

What You'll Discover:

• Why all-or-nothing thinking keeps you stuck in binge cycles
• What progress with food can actually look like (it might surprise you)
• Why small changes are more powerful than big overhauls
• How what you focus on shapes what you create more of

If you've been measuring your days as good or bad, and the bad days keep leading to more bad days — this episode offers a way out of that cycle.

Ready to stop navigating this alone? Schedule a Breakthrough Call with Jane

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If you've ever binged and immediately asked "what is wrong with me?" this episode is for you. You'll learn exactly why binge eating makes sense, why it's never actually self-sabotage, and what to ask yourself instead. 

You'll hear two real stories: one woman in the thick of shame and self-blame, convinced she's broken, and another who spent months white-knuckling through Sunday night promises before something finally shifted.

What You'll Discover:

• Why "self-sabotage" is almost always self-protection in disguise
• The one question that will shift you out of the shame spiral
• The signs you are making progress that you might ignore
• What becomes possible when you stop fighting yourself and get curious instead

If you've ever acted in a way that didn't make sense to you and then blamed yourself for it, this episode will change the question you ask next time.

Interested in exploring 1:1 coaching? Schedule a Breakthrough Call.

Click here to get on the waitlist to be notified when Cultivate opens.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

After watching the Olympics for two weeks I wanted to share the stories that have resonated with me the most. Stories about what it takes to keep going, to trust your body, to come back after something hard.  

This podcast isn't just about inspiration, it's about what these athletes can teach you on your journey to food freedom. 

What You'll Discover:

- Why inspiration is one of the most underrated tools on your path to food freedom

- The mindset required to overcome hard things

- What Mikaela Shiffrin's approach to fear and focus can teach you about your relationship with food

- How elite athletes think about food and why it's the opposite of what diet culture taught you 

Plus 5 key themes that apply both to Olympic athletes and your journey to become a calm, connected and confident with food. 

If you've ever wondered why finding peace with food feels so challenging even when you're putting in the work, this episode offers a new way to see your journey. You might be further along than you think. 

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Shame might be the most powerful force keeping you stuck in the binge cycle—and you might not even realize it's there.

Today I'm joined by Kyira Wackett, a licensed therapist specializing in shame, burnout, and anxiety, for a conversation that gets to the heart of why shame and binge eating are so deeply connected. Shame is the painful belief that we are fundamentally unworthy of love, belonging, and connection—a feeling that shows up intensely after binges or any behavior we try to hide.

Kyira shares her own story of struggling with food and body image, and how her "protective shame parts" developed in childhood to keep her safe. She walks you through practical exercises to identify your shame stories and understand what's really driving the behaviors you want to change.

What You'll Discover:

• The difference between shame and guilt—and why shame leads to hiding and performing
• How to identify if shame is running the show in your relationship with food
• Why trying to control the externals keeps you stuck (and what to focus on instead)
• The problem with most New Year's goals—and how to set intentions that actually align with your values

If you've ever felt like you're stuck in a cycle of trying to be "good" with food, only to end up binging and drowning in self-criticism, this conversation will help you understand what's happening underneath—and give you a path forward.

Connect with Kyira at https://adversityrising.com

Listen to Jane's conversation on Kyira's podcast, Untethering Shame, where they discuss shame, binge eating and parts work. Listen on Apple | Spotify | Youtube  

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

What if the exhausting battle with food could actually end? Not through more willpower or another restrictive diet, but through understanding what's really happening underneath the struggle. 

In this episode, we explore what it means to become a peaceful eater - someone who is calm, connected, and confident with food - and why that transformation might be more attainable than you think.

What You'll Discover:

• Why fighting food harder only makes the fight bigger - and what to do instead

• What it actually means to be a "peaceful eater" (it's not perfection)

• The shift that changes everything - from treating symptoms to addressing root causes

• Real stories of transformation from people who stopped fighting and started healing

If you've been battling with binge eating, emotional eating, or feeling out of control around food, this episode offers a different path forward - one grounded in understanding, compassion, and connection rather than willpower and restriction.

Ready to go deeper?

Join the Book Experience starting February 17th - seven weeks of structured guidance, personalized support, and community as we work through The Binge Eating Breakthrough together. Learn more and sign up here.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

One month into the new year, many people are feeling discouraged. Maybe you're not where you thought you'd be. Maybe you feel like you've backslid into old patterns. 

This episode offers a completely different way to look at where you are - one rooted in both truth and compassion. You'll learn about measuring the gain instead of the gap, why you're never actually back at square one (even when it feels like it), and how to find what's different even in familiar patterns.

What You'll Discover:

• The Gap and The Gain: two completely different ways to measure progress

• Why you're never actually back to square one (even when the pattern looks identical)

• How to find what's different even when you feel like you've backslid

• Why old patterns are signals from your nervous system, not evidence of failure

If you're feeling discouraged about where you are right now, this episode will help you see your progress with new eyes - and understand what you actually need to move forward.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Book: The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan & Dr Benjamin Hardy
• Learn more about 1:1 coaching and schedule a Breakthrough Call: janepilger.com/breakthrough

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Your nervous system craves predictability - but that doesn't mean rigid rules. 

This episode explores why rhythm and routine matter so much for nervous system regulation, what to do when you rebel against structure, and how to create Supportive Structure that feels like freedom instead of restriction. 

Even if you think you hate routine, this episode might change your perspective.

What You'll Discover:

• Why your nervous system needs predictability to feel safe

• The difference between rigid rules and Supportive Structure with flexibility

• How to work with rebellion against routine instead of forcing yourself through it

• Why even unwanted patterns (like binge eating) have their own rhythm - and what that means for change

If you've ever told yourself "I'm not a routine person" or felt trapped by structure, this episode offers a completely different way to think about rhythm and routine.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Previous Episode: Supportive Structure
• Previous Episode: What Does the Nervous System Have to Do with Binge Eating?
• Previous Episode: A Nervous System Approach to Goal Setting
• Schedule a Breakthrough Call to explore 1:1 coaching

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Most goal-setting advice completely ignores your nervous system - and that's why most goals fail. 

When you understand how your nervous system responds to different types of goals, you can set yourself up for sustainable success instead of constant struggle. 

This episode reveals why traditional goal-setting often backfires and offers a completely different approach that works with your body instead of against it.

What You'll Discover:

• Why most goals trigger your nervous system's threat response
• The difference between "away from" and "toward" goals and why it matters
• How to set True Goals that work with your nervous system
• Why willpower isn't the answer (and what actually creates sustainable change)

If you've ever felt like you were fighting against yourself to achieve your goals, this episode will help you understand why - and show you what to do instead.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Previous Episode: What Does the Nervous System Have to Do with Binge Eating?
• Cultivate: Jane's signature group program for creating sustainable change with food (opens in April - get on the waitlist to be notified)

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If you've been trying to use willpower to stop binge eating and it's not working, there's a reason. Your binges aren't about discipline or control - they're about your nervous system trying to bring you back to safety. In this foundational episode, you'll learn a simple framework for understanding your nervous system and why it matters so much for your relationship with food.

What You'll Discover:

• The "Home Base" framework for understanding your nervous system states

• Why binges are actually your nervous system's attempt to regulate itself

• The cycle that keeps you stuck (and how to start breaking it)

• Simple tools for checking in with your nervous system throughout the day

If you've ever felt like you know what you "should" do but can't seem to make yourself do it, this episode will help you understand why - and what to do instead.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Episode: The Power of Co-Regulation
• The Gathering: Monthly experience to slow down and listen to your inner wisdom

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Do you think you're a person who can't trust themselves around certain foods? 

Would you love to trust yourself but don't know how, or don't think it's possible for you? 

If you want to cultivate more self-trust in your life, this episode is for you. I'm joined by Dawn Ledet, the Self-Trust Coach, to talk about what self-trust is and how you can cultivate it in your life. 

Topics discussed:

• The definition of self-trust
• The steps you can take starting today to create more self-trust
• How to look for evidence that you already to have self-trust in your life
• The importance of stillness and being able to hear your own inner guidance

 This is a conversation that will give you tangible action steps to create more self-trust in 2026 and beyond. 

Resources mentioned on the podcast:

Self Trust Identity Map 

The Inner Room Practice

The Inner Room (Book on Amazon)  

Want help in learning how to slow down, stop trying to fix yourself, and start learning to listen to yourself so that you can have more self-trust in your life? Join me inside The Gathering. (Join this week to access the 2026 Intention Setting & Alignment Workshop and lock in the founding members rate.)

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

It's New Year's Eve, and you're probably already thinking about January 1st. About fresh starts and new resolutions. About finally getting it right this time. But what if instead of another promise to fix yourself, you could step into 2026 with something completely different?

In this episode, we explore what it actually takes to create lasting change (hint: it's not more discipline or willpower), and I share a new offering I've created specifically to support this work.

What You'll Discover:

• Why January 1st won't change you (and what will)

• How to set intentions that actually align with what you want

• The difference between fixing yourself and reconnecting with yourself

• A new monthly space designed for nervous system safety and self-trust

Imagine waking up in 2026 without the constant mental noise about food. Imagine trusting yourself, feeling calm in your body, and actually appreciating the life you have. It's possible—but not through another resolution.

Join The Gathering: A monthly space to stop trying to fix yourself and start learning to listen to yourself. Learn more and join at janepilger.com/gather

Special January Offer: Join by January 10th to receive free access to the 90-minute Intention Setting and Alignment Workshop on January 12th at 5pm Eastern.

Founding member rate available if you join by January 20th.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

It's Christmas Eve, and maybe you're already thinking about January 1st. Already making plans to finally fix yourself—to eat better, exercise more, have more control. But what if the greatest gift you could give yourself this holiday has nothing to do with fixing yourself at all?

In this episode, we explore why the constant search for the next fix keeps you stuck, and what actually creates lasting change. 

What You'll Discover:

• Why trying to fix yourself is actually keeping you stuck

• What your body really needs instead of more control

• How to rebuild self-trust from the inside out

• The gift that actually changes everything

Whether the holidays are joyful or difficult for you, whether you're surrounded by loved ones or navigating loss, there's insight here that can help you break free from the fixing cycle.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

You know that moment when something inside you says "screw it—I deserve this, life's too short for all these rules"? It might happen after you've been trying to "be good", or it might happen just from thinking about cutting back. 

You might think this part is sabotaging you, making everything harder. But what if this part is actually trying to help you? 

In this episode, we explore the "screw it" part using parts psychology, understand what it's really trying to give you, and learn how to work with it instead of against it.

What You'll Discover:

• The "screw it" part isn't sabotaging you—it's trying to help you
• The cycle two parts that keeps you stuck
• Why January 1st won't change you (and what will)
• How to work with your parts instead of fighting against yourself

If you're caught in the cycle of being "good" and then saying "screw it," this episode will help you understand what's really happening—and how to break free.

Struggling to do this work alone? Schedule a Breakthrough Call to explore one-on-one support.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

You're longing for permission. Permission to eat the cookie, enjoy the party, or finally stop trying so hard. Maybe you're someone who pushes forward without it, achieving and succeeding while carrying the weight of guilt and doubt. Or maybe you stay stuck, paralyzed by not knowing what's "right." Either way, underneath is a deep, quiet longing for someone to tell you it's okay to be imperfect. 

What if the permission you're actually searching for has nothing to do with food?

What You'll Discover:

• Why the permission you seek around food isn't actually about food at all

• How perfectionism keeps you trapped in cycles of control and binging

• The real permission that transforms your relationship with food and yourself

• A practical framework for giving yourself the permission you need

Struggling to do this work alone? Schedule a Breakthrough Call to explore one-on-one support.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If you've ever felt trapped in a spiral, unable to stop binge eating once you've started, this episode offers a powerful way forward. 

I'm sharing three transformative questions, one for before you eat, one for during, and one for after, that can interrupt automatic patterns and create space for real change. But first, I talk honestly about what it really means to "stop a spiral" and how lasting change actually works in your brain.

What You'll Discover:

• Three powerful questions to interrupt a binge spiral at different stages

• Why asking the question is the change, even if you still binge

• How neural pathways work and why change takes time and practice

• The dashboard metaphor that transforms how you see binges

If you're tired of feeling out of control around food and ready for tools that actually address the root cause of binge eating, this episode will give you a practical, compassionate framework for interrupting the spiral.

I have a limited number of spots available for 1:1 coaching in December and early 2026. If you are ready to get support for your struggles with food, schedule a Breakthrough Call today.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

What if the strategies you've been using to "prepare" for holiday meals are actually setting you up for the exact struggle you're trying to avoid? 

In this episode, we explore the unintentional mistakes people make with food around the holidays - mistakes that seem logical but work against your body's physiology. 

From skipping meals to "save calories" to trying to compensate the next day, we break down what's actually happening in your body and what to do instead.

What You'll Discover:

• Why "saving up calories" for a big meal backfires - and what actually happens in your body when you restrict

• The restrict-binge cycle explained - how one day of fasting can lead to days or weeks of struggle

• 5 common myths about holiday eating - and the physiological truth behind each one

• Practical strategies that work with your body instead of against it

If you've ever fasted all day before a holiday meal, only to eat until you're miserably full, this episode will show you a different way - one that allows you to truly enjoy special foods without the suffering.

Previous episode: Food, Family, and Finding Peace During the Holidays

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

The holidays are coming, and if you struggle with food, you might already feel the anxiety building. 

In this episode, we explore why holiday gatherings are so challenging for people with complicated relationships with food - and what you can actually do about it. 

We're not talking about willpower strategies or strict rules. We're talking about a grounded, connected approach that helps you navigate food, family dynamics, and all the emotions that come with this season.

What You'll Discover:

• Why the "buckle down" and "screw it" approaches both backfire

• The real reasons holiday gatherings trigger food struggles (hint: it's not just about the cookies)

• Practical strategies for before, during, and after gatherings that help you stay connected to yourself

• How to handle family comments about your body, food, or life choices

If you've ever felt anxious about holiday gatherings, found yourself driving around after parties looking for food, or struggled with feeling out of control during this season, this episode will help you create a different experience this year.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Black-and-white thinking might be the single most powerful pattern keeping you stuck in cycles of binging and restriction. 

If you've ever thought "I already messed up, so I might as well keep going," this episode is for you. We explore how all-or-nothing thinking creates the binge-restrict cycle, why it's so common among high-achievers, and most importantly, how to start shifting into the gray area where actual peace with food lives.

What You'll Discover:

• Why "I've already blown it" thinking leads directly to binging

• How perfectionism and diet culture fuel black-and-white thinking

• The power of "good enough" as an alternative to perfect or failure

• Practical ways to introduce gray area thinking, especially during the holidays

If you're someone who struggles with an "on the wagon" or "off the wagon" mentality with food, this episode will help you understand why that framework doesn't work - and what to do instead.

Perfect timing for the holiday season when black-and-white thinking tends to intensify!

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

In this second part of our series on parts work, we get practical. You understand now that you have parts - but how do you actually work with them? This episode covers the critical missing piece: trust. 

Learn why your parts don't trust you yet, how the internal critic keeps you stuck, and practical questions you can ask to start building relationship with your parts. This is deep, root-cause work that addresses why you binge eat, not just what you eat.

What You'll Discover:

• The internal critic dynamic and why it keeps the binge cycle going

• Why your parts need to trust your Anchored Self before they'll change

• Practical questions to ask your parts 

• How to use "a part of me" language to create separation and awareness

If you've been trying to stop binge eating through willpower and control, this episode offers a completely different approach based on building internal trust and collaboration rather than fighting yourself.

Resources mentioned:

• The Binge Eating Breakthrough - includes additional questions for parts work and frameworks for understanding your relationship with food
• The Binge Eating Breakthrough Workbook - structured exercises and prompts for working with your parts
• Limited 1:1 coaching spots available starting December 2025 and into 2026 - Book a Breakthrough Call

Catch up on Part 1: Understanding the Part of You That Wants to Binge - where we explore what parts are and why the part that binges is trying to protect you

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

If you struggle with binge eating or emotional eating, you've probably felt like you're at war with yourself. One part desperately wants to eat while another part screams "no, don't do it!" 

This episode explains the psychology behind binge eating using parts work and Internal Family Systems (IFS) concepts. Learn why the part of you that binges is actually trying to protect you, not sabotage you - and why understanding this changes everything.

What You'll Discover:

• Why binge eating is a protective mechanism, not self-sabotage
• How to identify different parts and what triggers them
• The Anchored Self concept and why it matters for recovery
• Why trying to eliminate binge urges makes them stronger 

If you've tried willpower, diets, and restriction but still struggle with binge eating, this episode offers a completely different approach based on understanding your internal system rather than fighting it. 

Next week: Part 2 - How to Work With the Part of You That Wants to Binge, where we'll get into practical strategies, questions to ask your parts, and how to build trust with them.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Have you ever noticed that your comfort foods and your fear foods are often the same? 

In this episode, we explore the Safety Paradox - the confusing experience of seeking safety in food while simultaneously feeling unsafe with that very same food. Through nervous system science and practical strategies, you'll understand why this happens and how to work with it rather than against it.

What You'll Discover:

• Why your nervous system turns to food for safety and comfort

• How past food experiences create conflicting responses in your body

• Practical nervous system regulation techniques you can use anywhere

• The two-part approach to resolving the Safety Paradox

If you've ever felt torn between craving and fearing the same foods, this episode will help you understand that your responses make complete sense - and show you a path forward.

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

What to Do After a Binge (Without Spiraling Into Shame)

Learn the exact framework that transforms your most difficult moments with food into opportunities for growth. In this episode, we dive deep into the CALM Process - a step-by-step approach to responding to binges and out-of-control eating with curiosity instead of judgment. Stop the shame spiral and start creating real change.

What You'll Discover:

• The CALM Process: a 4-step framework for post-binge recovery

• Why shame and judgment prevent lasting change

• A real-world example of the process in action

• What to do when you're too deep in shame to access the framework

If you've ever had a binge and immediately spiraled into self-attack and promises to "do better tomorrow," this episode will give you a completely different way to respond - one that actually creates change instead of keeping you stuck.

Get the complete guide: Download the free 5-step plan for what to do after a binge at janepilger.com/after

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Now that you understand binges are signals and you know the 8 primary reasons why they happen, it's time to get practical. In this episode, you'll learn how to become the scientist of your own experience and decode what YOUR specific signals mean. No more guessing - you'll have a clear toolkit for understanding your patterns.

What You'll Discover:

• The Scientist's Toolkit for observing your own patterns

• How to use The 3 Powerful Questions to gather data about your signals

• Common patterns to look for and what they might mean

• How to connect your personal patterns to the 8 reasons framework

If you're ready to stop feeling confused about your relationship with food and start understanding exactly what your body is trying to tell you, this episode will give you the tools to become your own expert.

 Catch up on previous episodes:

• Signals, Not Setbacks: What Binges Really Mean
• The 8 Reasons Why People Binge (and the Real Solutions)

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today. 

Finally, understand why "just eat when hungry, stop when full" has never been enough. In this comprehensive episode, we explore the 8 primary reasons why people binge eat and the real solutions that address each root cause. This isn't about willpower or quick fixes - it's about understanding what's really happening underneath your struggles with food.

What You'll Discover:

• The 8 underlying reasons that drive binge eating

• Why shame and judgment act like a "50-pound weight" preventing real change

• How these reasons interconnect and reinforce each other

• Real solutions that address root causes, not just symptoms

If you've tried everything and still struggle with food, this episode will finally help you understand why - and what actually needs to change.

 Previous Episode:

• Signals, Not Setbacks: What Binges Really Mean

Want to know why you struggle with food and what to do next? Start watching The Food Freedom Mini Series today.