Have you ever wondered why every diet you've tried has eventually failed — even when you were doing everything "right"? This week Sarah chats with Jenny McDonald, the Food Freedom Fairy, and it's fair to say this isn't your typical wellness conversation about food.

Jenny's story starts in the eighties — bullied at school, hiding food under her bed, desperate to just feel normal. It travels through decades of diet cycles, a stint working inside the diet industry itself, and arrives at a completely different question: not what are you eating, but why?

Because here's the thing Jenny has discovered working with women on their relationship with food — most of them already know exactly what to eat. The missing piece isn't nutrition knowledge. It's understanding the hidden beliefs quietly running the show underneath all of that.

In this episode you'll hear about:

Why restriction almost always backfires, and what's actually happening in your body when it does
The inner child reconnection work that gets to the real reason you reach for food when you're not hungry
A muscle testing technique that reveals what your subconscious believes — even when your conscious mind is absolutely certain it's ready to change
How the people around you — partners, parents, the friend you always share cake with — are more tangled up in your food story than you might realise
Why moving towards something feels so different to moving away from it, and why it matters more than you'd think

And if you're thinking "this isn't really about me, I don't have a problem with food" — Jenny's insight reaches well beyond the plate. The lessons here apply to anyone carrying an old story they haven't quite heard yet.

Jenny's book The Book the Diet Industry Doesn't Want You to Read (https://amzn.eu/d/ho7gXAt) is a brilliant place to start.

Links to all Jenny's programmes are below:

21-day audio challenge The Food Freedom Reset: https://foodfreedomfairy.com/reset21/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foodfreedomfairy/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/foodfreedomfairy/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodfreedomfairy/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/foodfreedomfairy/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Dq0OHvSTh-FF9jaGKFNsQ?view_as=subscriber

Exploring Ways to Wellness is hosted by Sarah Gorev and is brought to you by TapIntoYou.co.uk

Curious about EFT tapping? If you've been feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or just not quite yourself lately, it could be just the thing. Host Sarah Gorev offers EFT and energy sessions via Zoom, plus virtual EFT tapping card decks if you'd like to explore at your own pace - find everything at tapintoyou.co.uk. Come and say hello on Instagram too @sarahgorev

This podcast is here to inform and inspire curiosity, not to tell you what to do. Everything discussed reflects the personal experiences of our guests, and Sarah doesn't personally endorse any particular practice or approach. You're always in the driving seat — it's entirely your choice whether to explore further. Where guests offer the chance to try things for yourself, you'll find links below. And as always, nothing here is suggested as a substitute for personalised advice from your own healthcare professionals.

Thanks for listening.