{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Why Diets Backfire: What Women Need to Know About Food, Fear, and the Nervous System with Sherry Shaban","description":"If you\u2019ve ever thought\u2026 \u201cWhy can\u2019t I just be normal around food?\u201d You\u2019re not alone. So many women who are smart, disciplined, and deeply self-aware still find themselves stuck in cycles of guilt, restriction, cravings, and starting over. And the frustrating part? Most of the advice we\u2019re given tells us to fix it with more control. More discipline. More rules. More tracking. But what if the problem was never a lack of willpower? In this conversation with Sherry Shaban, we unpack the deeper reasons food can feel so loaded for women and why patterns that look like self-sabotage may actually be your nervous system trying to protect you. This episode goes far beyond food. We talk about shame, safety, body image, parenting daughters, and what it actually takes to heal your relationship with food in a way that lasts. Episode Summary In this episode, Sherry Shaban and I talk about food freedom, body image, and the surprising role the nervous system plays in cravings, binge eating, and feeling out of control around food. We explore how shame and fear shape eating behaviors, why dieting often backfires, and how healing your relationship with food starts with safety, not stricter rules. If you\u2019ve ever felt stuck in all-or-nothing eating patterns or want to raise daughters with a healthier relationship to their bodies, this conversation is for you. What You\u2019ll Hear in This Episode \u2714\ufe0f Why the women who \u201cknow better\u201d often struggle the most with food \u2714\ufe0f The moment healthy eating quietly turns into obsession, shame, and loss of control \u2714\ufe0f Why the fear of eating certain foods can do more damage than the food itself \u2714\ufe0f The nervous system pattern that keeps women stuck in guilt, cravings, and binge-restrict cycles \u2714\ufe0f What your food struggles may actually be protecting you from \u2714\ufe0f What it really looks like to model body trust and food safety for your daughters \u2714\ufe0f The subtle ways diet culture sneaks into homes that are trying to do everything \u201cright\u201d \u2714\ufe0f Why healing your relationship with food starts with safety, not stricter rules Listen to this related podcast episode: How To Use Your Body For Bigger Biz Results Key Takeaways \u27a1\ufe0f Self-sabotage is often self-protection. The patterns you judge most harshly may actually be protective mechanisms built by a very intelligent nervous system. \u27a1\ufe0fFood fear changes your biology. When food is loaded with guilt, fear, shame, or pressure, your body can read that as danger. That changes digestion, stress response, sleep, cravings, and fat storage. \u27a1\ufe0fThere is no one \u201cright\u201d way to eat. There is no universal formula that makes you good, healed, disciplined, or worthy. There is only learning what works for your body and your life. \u27a1\ufe0fKids learn more from what we model than what we say. This conversation is a huge reminder that our daughters are watching how we stand in front of the mirror, how we speak about food, and how safe we make hard conversations. \u27a1\ufe0fCuriosity heals faster than blame. Blame shuts the door. Curiosity opens it. Whether it\u2019s food, body image, or any repeated behavior, healing starts when we stop shaming the pattern and start understanding it. Why It Matters Because so many women are still trying to solve a nervous system problem with a food rule. More tracking. More cutting things out. More guilt. More \u201cstarting over Monday.\u201d This episode matters because it invites you out of the cycle of shame and into a different question entirely: What if your behavior isn\u2019t proof that you\u2019re failing\u2026 but evidence that your body has been trying to protect you? That shift changes everything. Not just how you eat. But how you parent. How you move. How you speak to yourself. How you heal. This Episode Is For You If\u2026 \u2705 You feel like food takes up way too much space in your head \u2705 You swing between being \u201cgood\u201d and then feeling out of control \u2705 You\u2019ve tried all the plans and still don\u2019t feel at peace around food \u2705 You want to raise kids without passing down body shame \u2705 You\u2019re realizing your relationship with food might be rooted in stress, fear, or old beliefs \u2705 You\u2019re tired of blaming yourself for behaviors you don\u2019t fully understand yet Meet Sherry Sherry Shaban is a certified athletic therapist, osteopath, and transformation coach who helps people break free from self-sabotaging patterns and make peace with food  without restriction, guilt, or burnout. With over 20 years of experience in the health and wellness field, Sherry guides her clients through nervous-system-based transformations that reset the body\u2019s stress response, regulate cravings, and create lasting weightloss from the inside out. She's the founder of the Make Peace with Food Podcast, host of the Transformation in Paradise retreat, and creator of the Make Peace with Food Method, a neuroscience-driven framework that helps people rewire their habits by shifting from protection mode to safety mode. Her compassionate, science-backed approach bridges the gap between mindset, metabolism, and emotional healing, empowering people to live fully in their healthiest, happiest bodies. Connect With Sherry If this episode opened something up for you, go connect with Sherry and let her know what landed. Facebook  Facebook Page \u2060Instagram \u2060TikTok\u2060 \u2060LinkedIn\u2060 \u2060YouTube Free Resource sherryshaban.com\/reset www.sherryshaban.com\/hormones Want the deeper reset? Come to Awaken Your Wild Feminine Retreat 2026 in San Diego, April 20\u201324, 2026. It\u2019s strategy, nervous system restoration and real sisterhood. Ready to Grow Your Business in Flow Without Burning Out? If you\u2019re a coach, healer, or feminine leader scaling to $10K months and tired of hustle-based strategies, here\u2019s your next step: A 12-week business planning program that teaches female entrepreneurs how to create a cycle-synced business strategy, build consistent $10K months, and grow without burnout. Apply for Your Cycle Advantage: Learn cycle-aligned business planning, hormonal productivity strategies, and how to build a flow-based workweek. A guide to planning your coaching business around your menstrual cycle. Designed for women ready to stop hustling and start syncing for more impact, income, and ease. Grab Your Free Cycle Sync Your Business Book: Your business and your body will thank you. ","author_name":"The Cycle Advantage","author_url":"https:\/\/www.renaefieck.com\/podcast\/","html":"