Talking with Emma: The feminist health coach
Talking with Emma is the podcast for women who are tired of feeling like their health is the one thing they can’t get sorted.
I’m Emma Wright — feminist health coach, author, and someone who knows exactly how exhausting it is to live like not matter how much you try, the way you eat and look is never quite “good enough.”
After years of controlling my food, exercising harder, and constantly feeling like a failure, I discovered something different — and more powerful:
Coaching tools that break free of patriarchal structures so you can powerfully change the way you think and feel - and take charge of your health the way you want to.
Each episode, I’ll share the exact tools I use with clients who want relief from the mystery of why health feels so confusing and out of reach — and who are ready to reclaim their power, with the calmness and confidence to reach for their goals.
If you’re ready to see where patriarchy has infiltrated the health and wellbeing industry and kept you in a cycle of blaming yourself and keeping yourself small, this podcast is for you.
📥 Want to go deeper?
Download the Midlife Body Image Assessment — a free tool to help you uncover what’s really going on beneath the food and body noise that patriarchy is very happy for you to have, so you can start feeling more grounded, confident, and in charge.
Curious about working together?
I’m currently welcoming new 1:1 clients. Book a no-cost consultation where we’ll talk about how to achieve the health goals you have and what kind of support you need to do that, and of course, whether coaching with me feels like the right fit.
Talking with Emma: The feminist health coach
20: Food Addiction - A Different Perspective
This week on Talking with Emma, I’m diving into one of the most emotionally charged topics in the health world: food addiction. But instead of recycling the same old narratives, I’m offering a different lens — one that cuts through the confusion, the shame, and the pseudoscience. We’re pulling apart what people really mean when they say they feel addicted to food — and why that feeling is often more about cultural conditioning, restriction, and stigma than about the food itself.
If you've ever felt like you can’t trust yourself around chocolate or chips, or like food has power over you, this episode is for you. We’ll explore why the research around food addiction is messy and inconclusive, how shame and restriction create the very behaviours we label as addiction, and what you can do to shift the narrative and start healing your relationship with food.
Key Takeaways
- Food addiction isn’t a settled science. The evidence is unclear, and the definitions vary — is it a substance addiction like alcohol, or a process addiction like gambling? The science doesn’t agree.
- “Addictive” foods often reflect restriction + shame. When women say they feel addicted to food, it’s often the result of biological hunger colliding with dieting rules and cultural judgment.
- Restriction fuels the binge cycle. Most studies overlook the impact of restriction, even though it’s a major driver of feeling out of control around food.
- Cultural meaning shapes how we experience food. Pizza isn’t just calories — it’s memories, messages, and morality. The brain responds to all of it, not just the ingredients.
- Eating disorders and “food addiction” scores strongly overlap. This shows how easily we pathologise normal responses to restriction and shame.
- Weight stigma distorts everything. When you’ve been taught your body is a problem, it’s no wonder food feels like a battleground.
- Healing requires unlearning, not more control. Naming cultural scripts, questioning restrictions, and responding to your actual needs is the way out.
Links & Resources:
🎧 Download the Self Assessment + audio guide. It helps you see how — discover how patriarchal structures have impacted your health and wellbeing.
Curious about working together?
I’m currently taking private clients. Book a no-cost consultation where we’ll talk about your goals and see if I’m the right coach to support you.
Let’s stay connected:
🌐 Emma's Website
📬 Join the Talking with Emma newsletter
📱 Follow on Instagram, and LinkedIn
If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review. Let’s help more women stop fixing their bodies and start trusting them.