It Was Never About the Food: The Truth About Food Addiction No One Talks About

This conversation centers around Michelle Petties’ journey with food addiction and the deeper emotional, psychological, and societal layers that surround it. Through discussing her book Leaving Large: The Stories of a Food Addict, Michelle reframes overeating not as a simple lack of discipline, but as a complex and often misunderstood addiction rooted in pain, coping, and learned behaviors. The dialogue highlights how society tends to judge people struggling with weight without recognizing the underlying relationship with food, and emphasizes the importance of naming it honestly—“food addiction”—to begin addressing it with compassion and clarity.As the conversation unfolds, Michelle shares personal insights about her own experiences, illustrating how healing requires more than diets or willpower—it involves self-awareness, emotional work, and redefining one’s relationship with food and self-worth. Leslie and Michelle explore the cultural shifts happening around this topic, noting how it’s becoming more visible and openly discussed. The tone remains both compassionate and empowering, encouraging listeners to move away from shame and toward understanding, while recognizing that lasting change comes from addressing the root causes, not just the symptoms.Michelle's info: https://go.michellepetties.com/mindovermealshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJLr53XlIV4https://go.michellepetties.com/pvchttps://leavinglarge.com/**The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute  legal advice;  instead, all information, content and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this podcast  may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This podcast contains links to other third party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser.