I found my Big Why and
peace around food
I found my Big Why and
peace around food
Dr Victoria Baxter’s story
As a child, the “things” I noticed about food were subtle. One of the funniest, in hindsight, was my peculiar “rule of 3.” I didn’t realise it at the time, but I always felt meals needed three components—meat, carbs, and vegetables—for them to feel complete.
This “rule” explained why I disliked hot pot tea, even though I liked all its ingredients. Hot pot came in a single bowl, which didn’t feel right to me. It was only later, as an adult, that I identified this quirk. It was bizarre, but understanding it was a step toward challenging my own food rules.
As I explained in Sandra’s book The Weight’s Over: Take Back Control, My earliest memory of food being a “thing” dates back to my teenage years. Looking back, I can’t say I had an unhealthy relationship with food as a child, but it certainly played a big role in my life.
Every celebration revolved around food, takeaways were seen as a “treat,” and I loved playing grown-up by preparing the family tea after school while waiting for my parents to get home from work.
When I started earning my own money at 15, I spent most of it on takeaways, reinforcing the idea of food as a reward after a hard day. It became so ingrained that I barely noticed how much it influenced me.
In my twenties and thirties, I struggled with yo-yo dieting. I successfully lost three stone with Weight Watchers in my twenties but found the weight gradually crept back on during my thirties. Life changed when I had a child, and I couldn’t keep up with the exercise routine that had helped me manage my weight until then.
Pregnancy and maternity leave gave me a “sod it” mentality. I saw it as an excuse to indulge, thinking I’d return to slimming clubs eventually, but for the time being, I wanted to take full advantage of being a new mum and eating whatever I wanted.
After maternity leave, I went back to Weight Watchers. By this point, I was a pro at manipulating the points system. I knew how to “save” points during the week through near starvation to allow for the takeaways and wine I wanted at the weekend. This pattern felt normal on the plan, but it wasn’t sustainable. One weekend, as I struggled to calculate the points for a kebab, someone said, “Why are you bothering? You’re just going to get the kebab anyway.” That comment hit me hard. They were right. I had a mini tantrum and swore off dieting for good.
The next day, I began researching nutrition. I discovered intuitive eating and realised I needed to address my mindset if I wanted to make lasting changes. Dieting hadn’t worked for me because it was always about restriction and guilt. I started with my “rule of 3,” encouraging myself to eat single bowls of wholesome food until it stopped feeling wrong. Over time, I learned to enjoy a simple bowl of soup for tea without forcing myself to add bread, butter, or crisps to make it feel complete.
I work as an NHS clinical psychologist and so I began practising what I preach, using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to clarify what mattered most to me—being healthy for my daughter—and aligning my relationship with food to those values.
This mindset shift helped me feel freer around food, but by 2020, I hadn’t lost any weight or inches. While I was happier not dieting, I still needed to improve my health. My risk of visceral fat and other health concerns meant I couldn’t stop there. In April 2024, I found Slimpod, and everything changed.
Slimpod felt like the missing piece of the puzzle. Its ethos aligned perfectly with my values and made what I’d been working so hard on for years feel effortless.
For the first time, I felt instinctively drawn to healthier behaviours. I started trying new foods, only eating when hungry, and turning down free food—a massive surprise to me! I began living by a new mantra: “Consistency is key.” These subconscious shifts reinforced my conscious goal of improving my health.
Since starting Slimpod, I’ve dropped a dress size, lost a few pounds, and seen significant improvements in my health stats. At a recent check-up, all my stats looked great, apart from one area to work on—cholesterol.
Slimpod hasn’t just helped me with food; it’s improved so many other aspects of my life. I’ve drastically reduced my alcohol intake and started running again—something I hadn’t done properly since before my pregnancy. It feels incredible to be moving my body in ways I enjoy, rather than out of obligation. Running gives me a sense of achievement, and I’m excited to keep building on that progress.
I’ve also made Slimpod a consistent part of my daily routine. I watch all the coaching videos, listen to the pods daily, and write my three wins. When I think of what keeps me going, it’s always the same thing—my daughter’s face. She’s my constant reminder of why I want to be healthier. I want to be there for her for as long as possible, and I want to model a positive relationship with food and health for her.
The changes Slimpod has brought to my life feel almost surreal. I’ve stopped seeing food as “good” or “bad.” Food is just food—something to nourish me and enjoy.
I’ve let go of the guilt that used to accompany every indulgence. For example, my husband and I recently had a barbecue to celebrate the start of his holiday. I enjoyed ribs, burgers, and buns without a second thought, trusting my body to tell me when I’d had enough.
Looking back, I can’t believe how far I’ve come, which why I am so happy to share my story in The Weight’s Over: Take Back Control.
I no longer feel trapped by food rules or diet mentality. I’ve found a way to live that feels balanced and sustainable. Slimpod has been a game-changer, not because it gave me strict rules to follow but because it helped me trust myself again. I now feel at peace around food, something I never thought possible.
I’m excited about the future and the health improvements I’ll continue to see. For the first time in years, I feel hopeful and confident. Thank you, Slimpod, for helping me find this peace and joy in my life.
