Trapped in Diet Prison for F-O-R-T-Y YEARS: How This Therapist Found Freedom and True Worthiness at 54

“I Was Afraid of All Food—Whether It Was a Piece of Celery or a Cookie”

Meet Susan.

She’s an occupational therapist, a wife, and a mom. And for 40 years, she lived in a self-imposed “diet prison”.

F-O-R-T-Y Y-E-A-R-S.

Every diet promised freedom, but instead, it left her feeling more trapped—more consumed by guilt, shame, and the constant battle with food and her body.

Susan started to believe that this was just her reality. “This is how it’s always going to be,” she told herself.

But deep down, she wasn’t okay with it.

Her obsession with food and her body was taking a toll—not just on herself but on the people she loved most. Missed moments, crushing guilt, and the feeling of “never enough” became her daily norm.

“I felt like I was failing,” Susan confessed. “Not just as a woman, but as a wife, a mom, and even a therapist. How could I help others when I couldn’t even get this part of my life together?”

And yet, Susan knew there had to be another way.

Her turning point came when she decided to stop fighting food and her body. She made the bold choice to let go of dieting altogether and instead commit to healing her relationship with herself.

Now, Susan joins me to share her remarkable story of transformation.

How she overcame decades of food obsession and fear to finally find peace.
Why it’s never too late to rewrite your story—no matter how long you’ve been stuck.
The steps she took to release shame, heal her body, and reconnect with herself, her loved ones, and even her faith.

Susan’s story is proof that healing is possible—even after 40 years. No matter where you are or how long you’ve struggled, freedom is waiting for you, too.

HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington 

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