Ep 336 I asked my bf to lock the cabinet so I wouldn't eat..

Many people feel like they are addicted to sugar or certain foods. In this episode, Leslie shares her personal journey of believing she was a food and sugar addict and how that belief shaped her eating habits, behaviors, and identity for years. Because of her science background, the research around dopamine, habits, and reward pathways made the addiction model feel very convincing.

Over time, however, Leslie began noticing something deeper. The belief that she was addicted to sugar was actually intensifying the struggle. When foods are labeled as "dangerous," "forbidden," or "trigger foods," the brain creates fear, urgency, and scarcity, which can lead to the exact overeating patterns people are trying to avoid.

Leslie explains how the meaning we attach to food can influence our physiology, emotions, and behavior. When those beliefs shift, food loses its emotional charge and becomes neutral again. This shift can transform a chaotic relationship with food into one that feels calm, balanced, and sustainable.

"Once I stopped believing I was a food addict, food stopped having power over me."— Leslie Thornton

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

0:00 – Why many people believe they are addicted to sugar or food
1:19 – How identifying as a food addict initially helped Leslie control her eating
2:50 – The science behind food cravings and reward pathways
3:26 – How Leslie eventually shifted beyond the food addiction belief
5:22 – Why the beliefs that helped you before may stop working later
7:38 – Feeling frustrated watching others eat freely without gaining weight
9:34 – The milkshake study showing how belief changes physiology
11:13 – How identifying as a food addict can reinforce overeating patterns
12:25 – Why restrictive dieting often leads to overeating later in the day
13:27 – How labeling foods as "trigger foods" increases cravings
14:19 – What happens when you remove food rules and allow all foods
15:39 – How identity influences behavior around food
17:09 – The moment Leslie realized she simply wanted peace with food
19:19 – Why labels and diagnoses can sometimes keep people stuck
23:01 – Questioning the belief that you cannot have a normal relationship with food
24:31 – The mindset shift that helped Leslie move beyond the addiction identity
27:45 – Why changing the meaning attached to food changes behavior
30:27 – The "forbidden fruit effect" and why restriction backfires
31:32 – What a neutral relationship with food actually looks like
32:58 – The powerful question: What if the problem was never the food?

Connect With Leslie Thornton:

• Book A Clarity Call
• Website
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Email: Leslie@hpwl.co

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