I Could Handle a Classroom… But Not a Box of Cereal

Back when I was still teaching English,

I teach grammar by day… and lose cereal battles by night.

I was the go-to person for everything.

Recording audio for a lesson? I’d jump in and say, “I’ll take care of it.”

Setting up a video? “No problem, I’ve got it.”

Printing out worksheets, troubleshooting tech, rewriting entire assignments—I was that teacher.

I didn’t show people how to do things.

I just did it all myself.

Why?

Because at work, I trusted myself completely.

I didn’t hesitate. I knew I’d get it done.

But when it came to food…

I second-guessed everything.

Should I eat this? Should I not? Will I regret it later?

I didn’t feel in charge anymore.

And that gap between how I showed up at work and how I felt around food?

It drove me nuts.

The Crunchy Cereal Confession

I could manage 32 students, 3 projects, and an entire school day without blinking.

But when I got home, kicked off my shoes, and opened the kitchen cabinet?

I’d stare at that box of crunchy cereal like it was a siren calling me from the rocks.

I told myself, “I’ll just have a handful.”

One handful turned into two. Then a bowl.

Then I’d think, Well, I’ve already gone this far… I’ll just finish it and start again tomorrow.

I felt like someone who couldn’t be trusted.

The Real Problem

For years, I thought I needed more discipline.

More rules.

Maybe a stronger morning routine, or to stop buying cereal altogether.

But the problem wasn’t the cereal.

The problem was how I thought about food.

I believed that once I started eating something “bad,” I’d spiral.

That belief created the spiral.

And the more I restricted, the more out of control I felt.

What Finally Changed

Everything shifted when I stopped relying on willpower and started building real trust—with myself.

I began practicing simple thoughts like:

✔ I can have this whenever I want

✔ I don’t need to finish it now

✔ A bowl of cereal doesn’t mean anything about me

And it was wild how fast the cravings quieted down.

No more guilt. No more panic. No more needing to “start over.”

Just calm. And peace. Around food.

Want to Learn How to Stop Overeating Without Feeling Bad?

If any part of this sounds like your life, join me for my free webinar next Tuesday:

“How to Stop Overeating for Good… Without Feeling Bad”

You’ll learn:

✅ Why willpower isn’t the answer (and what works instead)

✅ How to break the overeating cycle—even when you're overwhelmed

✅ The exact steps I used to feel calm and in control again

👉 Save your seat here! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-stop-overeating-for-good-without-feeling-bad-tickets-1272497577509?aff=oddtdtcreator

You can trust yourself around food.

And I’d love to help you get there.

xo,

Nan