I fought food and my body for 20 years before I escaped the diet trap
I fought food and my body for 20 years before I escaped the diet trap
[Published on www.1news.co.nz 8th June 2025]
High-profile author, columnist and nutritionist Claire Turnbull might look like she's enjoyed a lifetime of fresh wholesome food and healthy self esteem, but her latest book reveals a painful 20 years spent on the diet/binge cycle. Determined to help others escape the trap, she's written a book, End Your Fight with Food.
I started my first diet at the age of nine.
Having heard my mum talk negatively about her body every day of my life, refusing to wear togs or shorts because of her cellulite and varicose veins, I learnt as a child that the shape and size of your body was a reflection of your worth.
I watched my mum go on and off diets, weighing her food, and I sat through more than a few Weight Watchers meetings with her, learning how to count calories and "be good" to make the numbers on the scale go down.
Back in the '80s, rigid diets were all the rage. Tracking everything you ate, banning certain foods, and constantly judging your body formed the backbone of the booming weight loss industry. At the same time, many of us were told to finish everything on our plates, “think of the starving children in Africa” was a common phrase around our dinner table and many others at that time. We were rewarded with food for being "good", and routinely had our appearance commented on by adults as if that were completely acceptable.
My own dieting journey began after my dance teacher called me "chubby" and commented on my "chunky thighs". I took action by secretly following the Hip and Thigh Diet book I’d found stashed in my mum’s cupboard. That marked the start of a very messy 20-year battle with food and my body, one that eventually led me to a point where I no longer wanted to live.
Throughout my teenage years, university and beyond I was stuck in a destructive loop of dieting, bingeing, and self-harm. Even moving from the UK to New Zealand in 2005 in an attempt to escape this viscious cycle didn't free me from it.
As the Zen proverb says, “Wherever you go, there you are.”
Eventually, I realised I couldn’t run from my problems forever. I sought professional help and began a wild, transformative journey of self-discovery. Through this process, and through supporting thousands of others in my work, I became deeply passionate about helping people improve their relationship with food and themselves.
Because the cost of living at war with yourself is HUGE.
The deep, hidden cost of diets
Diets and food rules rob us of the simple joy of eating and sharing meals with the people we love. We should be able to eat for enjoyment and nourishment, without guilt.
Constantly thinking about what you "should" or "shouldn’t" eat, beating yourself up for slipping off a plan, and judging your worth by your clothing size or body shape is no way to live. Not only does it consume precious mental energy, but it also chips away at your self-worth.
So many people delay intimacy or dating because of the shape of their stomach or the size of their underwear. That’s heartbreaking. We shouldn't need to look like an influencer on Instagram to feel comfortable in our skin and free to connect with others.
And beyond the emotional toll, let’s not forget the money spent chasing the next trend, supplement or meal plan that promises to "fix" everything.
When I set out to write my book End Your Fight with Food I wanted to help people build a healthier, kinder relationship with food, and with themselves.
If you're stuck in the maze of diets and unhealthy eating, your own journey out of there will be as joyfully transformative and unique to you as mine was. And sometimes it can be complex too - that's why I've written a whole book on it!
Here are five tips to get you started:
1. Become aware of when and why you eat
There are so many reasons we eat that have nothing to do with hunger. We eat because the clock says it’s time, to be polite, to celebrate, to soothe our emotions or reward ourselves. Understanding why you eat (and drink), when you do, is incredibly empowering. It puts you back in the driver’s seat. Awareness, without judgement, is the first step towards change.
2. Prioritise sleep
When you're tired, your appetite hormones become disrupted, making it harder to regulate how much you eat. You’re more likely to crave carbs, sugar, and salty foods — and less likely to feel motivated to move your body. Improving your sleep can make a big difference to your relationship with food.
3. Change the way you speak to yourself
The way you speak to yourself matters. Most of us aren’t even aware of the daily mental dialogue running through our minds - and sadly, it’s often harsh and critical. This inner voice can drive self-sabotage and unhelpful behaviours. Learning to break this pattern and be kinder to yourself is another key step in freeing yourself from destructive patterns.
4. Focus on addition
What you eat does matter. But instead of obsessing over what you “can’t” have, I encourage you to focus on what you can add to help you feel energised, nourished and satisfied.
5. Manage your stress
We live in a busy, noisy, complicated world, and for many of us, stress has become the default setting. But stress messes with your sleep, impacts your food choices and makes mindful eating a real challenge. There are lots of different ways to reduce stress, from long walks to meditation to breathing exercises. Find something that works for you and prioritise it as another essential tool in your self-care kit.
Please don’t waste another day fighting yourself. It doesn’t have to be this way. Right now, is the perfect time to take a new approach to looking after you.
Here’s a link to this article on 1news.co.nz which includes my Breakfast TV interview video: I fought food and my body for 20 years before I escaped the diet trap
You can buy my book online and get in touch if you have a wellbeing related media request or if you’re looking for an inspiring speaker for your event or conference. You can also sign up to my mailing list below for recipes, news, ideas and inspiration!
