EP 286.5: Why 'I'm Trying' Guarantees Recovery Failure ~The Neuroscience Every Woman Needs to Know **Must Listen Fav!**

EP 286.5: Why 'I'm Trying' Guarantees Recovery Failure ~The Neuroscience Every Woman Needs to Know **Must Listen Fav!**

From Her Best Self with Lindsey Nichol | Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast — Less Food Noise. More Life. by Lindsey Nichol - Certified Health Coach, ED Recovery Coach, ED Intuitive Therapy Certified

May 22, 2026 · 25 min

About this episode

This episode explores how the phrase 'I'm trying' can hinder recovery from eating disorders by programming the brain for partial commitment.

If you've been saying "I'm trying to recover" for months or years, this episode will completely change how you approach your healing journey. Today we're diving into the science behind why the phrase "I'm trying" is literally programming your brain for partial commitment—and why that guarantees you'l stay stuck. This isn't about willpower or motivation; it's about understanding how your language creates neural pathways that either support or sabotage your recovery. In this game-changing episode, you'll discover: The neuroscience behind why "trying" keeps you in limbo How decision defaulting protects you from commitment (and healing) Why your undernourished brain struggles with decisive action The trauma response component that makes decisions feel dangerous Two powerful exercises to shift from trying to deciding Real client stories of transformation through decisive language Warning: This episode will make you uncomfortable with your own excuses—and that's exactly the point. THE DECISION DEFAULTING TRAP Decision defaulting: When you avoid making definitive choices because not deciding feels safer than deciding "wrong." Sound familiar? "I'm trying to eat more" "I'm trying to stop…

People in this episode

Host: Lindsey Nichol

Topics covered

  • eating disorder recovery
  • neuroscience
  • decision making
  • commitment
  • language impact
  • transformation

Keywords

  • eating disorder
  • recovery
  • neuroscience
  • decision making
  • commitment
  • language
  • transformation
  • trauma response

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