Why You Lose Control Around Food and How to Stop with Dr. Glenn Livingston

Send us Fan MailWhy can you know exactly what you should eat and still feel completely out of control around certain foods?In this episode, I sit down with psychologist, author, and former binge eater Dr. Glenn Livingston to talk about the psychology behind cravings, overeating, and why willpower alone often isn’t enough.Glenn shares his own experience of reaching nearly 300 pounds, his years consulting for large food companies, and the unusual method that finally helped him create space between a craving and the decision to act on it.  We talk about why highly disciplined people can still struggle with food, how the modern food environment can amplify cravings, and why making a few clear food decisions in advance may reduce how much willpower you need in the moment. Glenn also explains something especially important: when you stop responding to a familiar food cue, cravings may actually become stronger before they become weaker. He calls this an “extinction burst,” and understanding it may help explain why so many people give in just when they think their cravings should already be disappearing. We also discuss how to respond in the moment when a craving hits, why sleep, stress, hydration, nutrition and other sources of pleasure matter, and why one overeating episode does not need to turn into an entire bad day. In this episode, we talk about:Glenn’s personal struggle with binge eating and weightwhat he learned working with the food industrywhy disciplined people can still lose control around foodhow food cues become connected with cravingswhy cravings can get worse before they get betterwhat an “extinction burst” ishow to respond when a strong craving hitswhy clear food rules can sometimes reduce decision fatiguehow breathing can help create a pause before actingwhy stress, sleep and nutrition affect your ability to resist cravingswhy one mistake easily turns into “the whole day is ruined”how to turn guilt into responsibilitywhy aggressive dieting can increase the risk of bingeingwhy less processed food may make cravings easier to managewhen overeating crosses into a bigger problemwhy the goal should be eating according to your own best judgmenthow one small rule can begin changing your identityIf you’ve ever promised yourself you’d “start again tomorrow,” this conversation will give you a different way to think about cravings, mistakes, and getting back on track.Learn more about Glenn and get a free electronic copy of his book:https://defeatyourcravings.com/Try The Consistency ResetMy new personalized coaching app for women 35–55 who are tired of starting over with diets, workouts, and healthy habits.Get simple daily actions, realistic workouts, practical nutrition habits, and Reset Mode to help you keep going when life gets busy.Take the quiz and build your personalized plan here: studio.com/turo/consistency-reset