Have you ever wondered why you keep struggling with food, even when you know what to do? Why can you be successful in so many areas of life, yet feel stuck in an exhausting cycle of overeating, dieting, and self-criticism? If you’ve tried everything but nothing seems to stick, you're not alone.

The truth is, it’s not about willpower or food—it’s about what's happening beneath the surface. Emotional triggers, hidden trauma, and unconscious identities like “the strong one” or “the responsible one” silently drive your patterns. And when you avoid feeling what’s really there, you cling to control, diets, or food as a false sense of safety.

In this episode, Leslie reveals how to break free from that cycle—for good. She shares the emotional root causes of food struggles and introduces a new path to healing: calming the nervous system, trusting your body, and mastering emotions without relying on control. It’s not about another diet—it’s about finally coming home to yourself.

“ I can't ever know what's going to help someone unless I have a longer conversation with them. My kind of superpower is I'm able to really listen to you in a way that no one's been able to really hear you before. And consider that could be what your soul has really been asking for, for all these years that you've been trying to figure out the weight thing. And so I promise a breakthrough for you on any call that you get on with me and just know that I just absolutely love holding space for you as you're serious about learning what's in the way of your being able to master this area of your life.” - Leslie Thornton

What you will learn from this episode:

01:11 - What drives overeating isn’t just food —- it’s more than that

06:09 - What’s beneath every trigger that leads to emotional exhaustion and avoidance behavior

07:51 - How does avoidance behavior manifest

10:51- It’s not a weight issue; it’s an emotional thing

11:54 - Requirement to achieve lasting change with food and weight issues

15 :01 - Take it from those who tried Lesli’s program and how it changed them

17:01 - What you can expect from Leslie’s program

Valuable Resources:

• Join my next LIVE masterclass
• Join the 8-week Fastrack to Food Freedom Program -Guaranteed mental and emotional freedom from food

Connect With Leslie Thornton:

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

If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Why does it feel like no matter how hard you try, you just can’t stick with it? You know what to eat, you’ve tried all the diets, and you’re no stranger to discipline—but somehow, the old patterns keep pulling you back in. You end up feeling like a failure, stuck in a loop of shame and frustration.

The truth? It’s not about willpower. It’s not even about the food. Those habits you beat yourself up over—like stress eating, emotional eating, or late-night snacking—aren’t bad behavior. They’re survival responses from a nervous system that’s been trying to protect you for years, often shaped by old trauma and unconscious identity loops you didn’t even realize were running the show.

But there’s a way out—and it’s not another plan or set of rules. It’s an entirely new paradigm that rewires your nervous system, heals the root of the issue, and gives you real peace with food. That’s what Leslie walks her clients through—three powerful phases that create lasting transformation without diets, shame, or control. If you’re ready to feel at home in your body and finally stop the cycle for good, this episode is your invitation.

“You cannot heal survival with another plan. I want to make sure you hear me when I say that. You cannot heal survival with another plan. You actually need an entirely new paradigm, an entirely new paradigm in order to actually experience freedom in this area of your life.” - Leslie Thornton

What you will learn from this episode:

02:31 - What clients say about Leslie’s program even way back when she started it

05:38 - Explaining why you are not failing —— that you’re just stuck in survival mode

12:28 - Looking into a new paradigm of healing trauma masking as food addiction: First transformative phase

15:40 - What transformative phase two looks like

16:14 - How to work on the third transformative phase

19:22 - Client testimonials about Leslie’s program

21:12 - Inviting you to take the next bold step toward real food freedom

Valuable Resources:

• Join my next LIVE masterclass
• Join the 8-week Fastrack to Food Freedom Program -Guaranteed mental and emotional freedom from food

Connect With Leslie Thornton:

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

If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Have you ever thought the only thing standing between you and your ideal weight is more discipline, more motivation, or a love for the gym you just don't have? Do you catch yourself thinking, “If I could just stick to the plan…” but never actually do? Maybe you’ve convinced yourself that willpower is the missing piece. But what if the real problem isn't your lack of discipline—but the beliefs running the show behind the scenes?

Because here's the truth: smart, capable people still struggle with food. You know what to eat, you’ve read the books, maybe even tried the food addict label on for size—and still feel stuck. You want to feel in control, but old habits, emotional triggers, and inner chaos keep pulling you back into the same cycle. And the worst part? You’re doing everything “right” and still not getting the peace you crave.

That’s where Leslie comes in and her proven method. In this episode, she breaks down why your brain’s wiring — not your willpower – is the real reason you haven’t found food freedom yet. You’ll hear how letting go of restriction and building emotional safety can transform your relationship with food — and with yourself. No more obsessing, no more spirals—just real change that starts from the inside out.

"Most of us were taught weight loss equals restriction. But real freedom isn't about following food rules. It is emotional mastery. It's having a nervous system that doesn't panic when you're tired, sad, overwhelmed, a nervous system that also doesn't panic when you experience your next level of joy or excitement. When you close a deal at work or you have some kind of personal breakthrough in your life or you get married or something incredible happens, your nervous system needs to be able to calibrate for that and know how to react and respond. Is also being able to hear your body and respond to it with love instead of punishment." - Leslie Thornton

What you will learn from this episode:

04:24 - Why your ideal weight isn’t hiding at the gym — it’s buried under snack panic and food rules

05:41 - Your ideal-weight self isn’t more disciplined – she’s just less obsessed

08:38 - Food freedom as all about compassion and not about control

11:12 - Drawing from her own experience and how she broke free from food addiction labels and restriction panic

15:48 - Not a willpower issue but an unconscious wiring

18:09 - Leslie helping you spot the real problem hiding under the surface so you can finally let it go

21:54 - Chasing shiny fixes won’t set you free, choose the real glow-up instead

Valuable Resources:

• Join my next LIVE masterclass
• Join the 8-week Fastrack to Food Freedom Program -Guaranteed mental and emotional freedom from food

Connect With Leslie Thornton:

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

If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

For countless smart, high-achieving women and men, the battle with food and body image has felt endless. Diets work for a while—until they don’t. And the shame of “failing” yet again makes it all feel like a personal flaw.

But what if the real problem isn’t food, willpower, or discipline? What if your nervous system is stuck in a pattern of survival, and dieting only reinforces the struggle? The truth is, the rules, restrictions, and guilt are keeping you trapped—and stealing your freedom, joy, and peace.

In this episode, Leslie shares about her upcoming masterclass, and reveals why diets have failed you—and what actually works instead. She’ll guide you through the emotional and subconscious layers that drive compulsive eating, and teach you how to finally trust yourself around food. This isn't about willpower; it’s about lasting transformation, and stepping into the life—and the freedom—you were always meant to have.

"If you're done with food obsession, if you're done with the guilt and you don't want to dread summer anymore, if you want to let go of your fear of the scale and going to the doctors and seeing lab results, if you're ready to feel free and safe and powerful and really in charge of your life, again without the fear of overrating and all of that stuff, then come to this masterclass. I want you to join us in the program if it speaks to you. But even if you don't, I want this masterclass to change the way that you think forever." - Leslie Thornton

What you will learn from this episode:

01:14 - Break free from dieting rules and step into a life of true food freedom, confidence, and inner peace with this masterclass

07:30 - What you will get from this masterclass and what it is not about

11:21 - Ditch that fear: What her approach to this masterclass is not about and what you can expect

14:51 - What Leslie covers in her upcoming masterclass and highlighting that true transformation happens through unconscious work and not control

20:29 - Another segment of the masterclass you can look forward to

23:49 - Sharing powerful client success stories to illustrate how this work leads to lasting identity shifts and emotional freedom—not just weight loss

Valuable Resources:

• Join my next LIVE masterclass
• Join the 8-week Fastrack to Food Freedom Program -Guaranteed mental and emotional freedom from food

Connect With Leslie Thornton:

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

If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

For many, battling overeating and food obsession feels like a never-ending struggle, especially when relying on quick fixes like GLP-1 medications. The constant cycle of cravings, guilt, and dieting can leave you feeling trapped in your own body and mind. It’s exhausting to live with food drama dominating your thoughts and daily choices.

That struggle can steal your joy, confidence, and freedom, making every meal a source of anxiety instead of nourishment. When food controls you, it’s hard to fully enjoy life or even simple pleasures like traveling or socializing. The mental and emotional weight piles up, creating a sense of helplessness and frustration.

But there’s a way to break free from that cycle and find lasting peace with food and your body, just like Líza did. Through a powerful journey of mindset shifts, neuroscience, and self-trust, she transformed from food battles and overeating to living food drama-free.

In this episode, Lisa shares her inspiring story and practical insights on reclaiming your freedom.

"This sounds cliche, but just like the view from the other side of this is just spectacular. It really is. It really is freeing. It really is freedom. It's freedom from everything that kept you a prisoner before." - Liza

What you will learn from this episode:

01:31 - How Liza's life looked like before enrolling into Leslie's program

05:10 - What rigid systems and control cost her

11:32 - Opening up the shame and isolation of binge eating and how it's deeply self-critical

16:02 - Celebrating feeling like a “normal person” around food with trust, balance, and freedom, replacing fear and control

19:25 - A turning point that leads her to confront her relationship with food and begin a deeper journey of self-love and body trust

24:11 - How accepting her love for food novelty without judgment helped break the shame cycle and brought peace to her eating habits

26:31 - Shifting from fighting her body to teaming up with it and discovering the power of hypnosis and subconscious reprogramming — a major turning point in her transformation.

31:45 - The Accelerator program as a means to a deeper support and a strong foundation to build lasting self-trust and confidently navigate real-life challenges

36:50 - Understanding her cravings and responding with awareness and choice instead of reacting impulsively

39:23 - Highlighting how joining the program brings a liberating freedom from the constant obsession with food, weight, and self-judgment

Valuable Resources:

• Join my next LIVE masterclass
• Join the 8-week Fastrack to Food Freedom Program -Guaranteed mental and emotional freedom from food

Connect With Leslie Thornton:

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

If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

You’ve checked every box—career, family, responsibilities—and yet, food still has power over you. Why is it that even the most successful, driven women feel stuck in cycles of emotional eating, body frustration, and self-doubt? If success were the answer, wouldn’t you feel free by now?

Instead, you’re spinning on the diet hamster wheel, trying everything “right” but still feeling wrong in your body. The mental noise around food, weight, and willpower never stops. You may even be wondering if something is broken inside you—but it’s not.

In this episode, Leslie explores the deeper roots of food struggles—and why permanent transformation starts with self-awareness, emotional mastery, and living in alignment with your truth. She offers a proven path to lasting food freedom that doesn’t rely on restriction, but on safety, self-trust, and support. If you have always wanted peace that lasts beyond the scale, this conversation is your first step.

"You're not addicted to food; you're addicted to escaping emotions. So we teach you how to feel free and how to actually feel your emotions. And the way you feel free is to actually learn how to feel your emotions and not just crying and blabbering and being like a victim to actually go all the way to the source of what is underneath that emotion. Once you see it, once you get the tools to transform it, quick five minutes or so, boom, back to wholeness. Not binge eating anymore. Move on with your day." - Leslie Thornton

What you will learn from this episode:

04:00 - Emotional avoidance as the real issue and not food addiction

10:19 - Leslie's unique approach that helps high-achieving, emotionally repressed individuals break free from food struggles

14:33 - What makes Leslie's program a high ticket one

18:11 - Leslie sharing her conviction: true health naturally follows when you live an authentic, joy-filled, aligned life—free from restrictive rules and driven by what genuinely feels good to you

23:17 - One more important key to permanent weight loss: self-mastery

24:54 - What investing deeply in yourself amount to

28:48 - Addicted to food versus escaping emotions

29:25 - Three crucial things for sustainable and permanent weight loss

33:12 - Consequences when you're out of alignment with yourself

37:30 - A supportive space to uncover the root of your food struggles and begin a personalized path to lasting freedom

40:41 - An invitation to book a free, supportive call to uncover the root of your struggles

Valuable Resources:

• Join my next LIVE masterclass
• Join the 8-week Fastrack to Food Freedom Program -Guaranteed mental and emotional freedom from food

Connect With Leslie Thornton:

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

If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Episode Description:
In this powerful episode, Leslie discusses the transformative power of radical honesty and the importance of embracing vulnerability. She shares her personal journey with anger, grief, and the societal pressures to keep quiet and “keep the peace.” Leslie reveals how suppressing your true feelings can disconnect you from yourself and those around you. By practicing radical honesty, you can break free from emotional patterns, deepen your relationships, and begin true healing.

Leslie discusses how authentic expression, especially within family and romantic relationships, is a key step toward lasting change. This episode is filled with spiritual wisdom, raw storytelling, and practical advice to inspire you to listen to your body’s signals and speak your truth courageously.

Quote from the episode:
"Radical honesty isn't about being harsh—it's about giving your truth a voice before your body turns it into pain."

• [00:00 – 02:50] Introduction and why radical honesty matters
• [02:51 – 07:30] The cost of suppressing anger and avoiding conflict
• [07:31 – 12:10] Childhood roots of emotional patterns
• [12:11 – 17:05] Self-gaslighting for the sake of peace
• [17:06 – 22:45] Vulnerability as a bridge to connection
• [22:46 – 27:30] Applying radical honesty in relationships
• [27:31 – 33:00] Listening to your body’s emotional cues
• [33:01 – End] Final reflections and call to action

Valuable Resources:

• Join my next LIVE masterclass
• Join the 8-week Fastrack to Food Freedom Program -Guaranteed mental and emotional freedom from food

Connect With Leslie Thornton:

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

If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!