The Action Factory Podcast

What if the key to quitting your diet isn’t willpower, but asking better questions?

In this episode, I’ll share one of the most powerful tools from Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and show how it can rewire your mindset around weight, failure, and progress.

We’ll explore:

Why some people see themselves as “lucky” and what it means for your mindset

How to spot the cracks in your “perfect problem”

The 4 essential SFBT principles I use to help people change without obsessing over weight

A simple one-line tool to flip negative self-talk in the moment If you’ve had enough of diets, calorie counters and meal plans, this episode is for you.

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👣 What to do next...

If today’s episode hit home, take the FREE quiz to find out which level your weight obsession lives on — and how to start changing from that level:

You’ll get:

🎥 Prefer video? You can watch this episode and the rest of the series over on the Quit Your Diet YouTube channel:

🎓 Become a site member today and get early, free access to my full training course when it launches.

☕ Like what you’re hearing? Support the show on Buy Me a Coffee and get exclusive invites to my monthly live coffee mornings:

📚 Explore more tools and resources at:

Thanks for tuning in — and remember:

As a cyclist, I've noticed something that might surprise you, and it challenges a common belief we all hold: there's often no direct correlation between size and fitness.

I've been on 80-mile rides, head down, pushing through, only to be passed by people considerably bigger than me. This isn't scientific fact, just my own observation, but it makes me question the rigid link we've created between wellness and weight.

I'm Michael Dawson, author of "Quit Your Diet Think to Shrink," and if you're done with calorie counters, meal plans, and constantly obsessing about food, you're in the right place. I'm here to help you build a 14-day roadmap to quitting diets forever, and I believe I can provide you with enough tools to do that absolutely free. My advice isn't medical, and you should always consult a professional for health concerns.

But I want to explore an instinctive truth: what if we could loosen that link between size and fitness a little bit? What if the solution to our weight struggles isn't more dieting, but something entirely different, something that non-dieters already embody? I'll explain why obsessing about problems (like weight) isn't the answer, and why focusing on the solution is.

____________________________________________

👣 What to do next...

If today’s episode hit home, take the FREE quiz to find out which level your weight obsession lives on — and how to start changing from that level:

You’ll get:

🎥 Prefer video? You can watch this episode and the rest of the series over on the Quit Your Diet YouTube channel:

🎓 Become a site member today and get early, free access to my full training course when it launches.

☕ Like what you’re hearing? Support the show on Buy Me a Coffee and get exclusive invites to my monthly live coffee mornings:

📚 Explore more tools and resources at:

Thanks for tuning in — and remember:

Have you ever wondered why your diet feels so resistive, like an uphill battle, while for others, it seems like plain sailing?

In my last episode, I introduced you to the Pyramid of Change, a concept that sheds light on why transforming our habits, especially around food, can feel incredibly difficult.

Today, I'm diving deeper into what that truly means for you, personally. I believe this idea explains why some people can diet for years without success, and then suddenly, everything just falls into place.

I'm Michael Dawson, author of "Quit Your Diet Think to Shrink," and I'm here to help you develop a 14-day plan to quitting diets forever. I'm going to show you how understanding your own level on the Pyramid of Change can be the key to unlocking real, lasting change for you. This video is a sample from my full "Quit Your Diet" course, and I hope it helps you see why your past diet experiences might have felt so frustrating.

____________________________________________

👣 What to do next...

If today’s episode hit home, take the FREE quiz to find out which level your weight obsession lives on — and how to start changing from that level:

You’ll get:

🎥 Prefer video? You can watch this episode and the rest of the series over on the Quit Your Diet YouTube channel:

🎓 Become a site member today and get early, free access to my full training course when it launches.

☕ Like what you’re hearing? Support the show on Buy Me a Coffee and get exclusive invites to my monthly live coffee mornings:

📚 Explore more tools and resources at:

Thanks for tuning in — and remember:

So here's the idea, one that perfectly explains why so many diets feel like an uphill battle. Imagine a beautiful champagne fountain, but someone's trying to fill it from the very bottom. It's overflowing, but nothing's reaching the top levels.

I believe many of us are doing exactly this with our weight problems, working at a "lower level" that creates constant resistance. In this video, I'm going to walk you through the "Pyramid of Change", a concept that reveals the different levels where we try to instigate change, and why diets are seldom the answer.

You'll understand why your past diet attempts might have felt like hard work and what it really means to create lasting change.

I'm Michael Dawson, author of "Quit Your Diet Think to Shrink," and I'm here to help you develop a 14-day plan to quitting diets forever. This video is part of my full course, and I think it will explain the resistance you've felt with diets and why you're not alone.

____________________________________________

👣 What to do next...

If today’s episode hit home, take the FREE quiz to find out which level your weight obsession lives on — and how to start changing from that level:

You’ll get:

🎥 Prefer video? You can watch this episode and the rest of the series over on the Quit Your Diet YouTube channel:

🎓 Become a site member today and get early, free access to my full training course when it launches.

☕ Like what you’re hearing? Support the show on Buy Me a Coffee and get exclusive invites to my monthly live coffee mornings:

📚 Explore more tools and resources at:

Thanks for tuning in — and remember:

I've often seen people chase what they think is "success", especially when it comes to their bodies. But what if the way we've been measuring progress, like on the scale, is actually sabotaging us?

In this episode, I'm sharing the surprising truth I learned from a mental health project: true success in quitting diets isn't measured in pounds or kilos.

I'll explore how our obsession with a number can lead to a cycle of failure and frustration, and why it's time to redefine what "working" truly means. Just like the fisherman in my opening story, what if your definition of success is already within reach, if you only dared to look beyond the conventional? Discover: Why traditional weight loss metrics often backfire.

How your personal definition of success is the key to lasting change. A simple, powerful tool (my Dateless Calendar) to track real progress without the scale.

____________________________________________

👣 What to do next...

If today’s episode hit home, take the FREE quiz to find out which level your weight obsession lives on — and how to start changing from that level:

You’ll get:

🎥 Prefer video? You can watch this episode and the rest of the series over on the Quit Your Diet YouTube channel:

🎓 Become a site member today and get early, free access to my full training course when it launches.

☕ Like what you’re hearing? Support the show on Buy Me a Coffee and get exclusive invites to my monthly live coffee mornings:

📚 Explore more tools and resources at:

Thanks for tuning in — and remember:

Have you been feeling like your body is sabotaging your weight loss efforts? Yep, me too.

In this video, I'm revealing the powerful concept of your body's "set point", the natural weight range it strives to maintain. I'll explain why constant dieting sends "danger signals" that make long-term weight loss almost impossible. We'll discuss a gentler, smarter approach focused on building trust with your body through calm, consistency, rather than endless restriction. Could your set point be influenced by more than just food? #diet #foodobsession #weightloss

____________________________________________

👣 What to do next...

If today’s episode hit home, take the FREE quiz to find out which level your weight obsession lives on — and how to start changing from that level:

You’ll get:

🎥 Prefer video? You can watch this episode and the rest of the series over on the Quit Your Diet YouTube channel:

🎓 Become a site member today and get early, free access to my full training course when it launches.

☕ Like what you’re hearing? Support the show on Buy Me a Coffee and get exclusive invites to my monthly live coffee mornings:

📚 Explore more tools and resources at:

Thanks for tuning in — and remember:

What If Quitting Diets Actually Makes Sense?

What does a world-champion cyclist building his bike from washing machine parts have to do with quitting diets? A lot, actually.

In this episode, I talk about breaking rules, facing resistance, and challenging the status quo, just like Graeme Obree did when he rewrote the book on cycling. I take on the most common (and emotional) objections I hear when people first consider quitting diets:

Isn’t it dangerous?

Won’t I gain weight?

Aren’t diets the only structured solution?

These aren’t strawman arguments, they’re real concerns I’ve heard from clients, critics, and maybe even the voice in your own head. But what if the structure of dieting is the very thing that keeps you stuck?

This episode is about inviting those questions to the table and offering an alternative mindset, one that doesn’t rely on food obsession or willpower gymnastics. You’ll hear why I believe structure can come from identity, why mindset trumps meal plans, and why the people who "just don't diet" might be the ones we should be paying the most attention to. If you’re on the fence, or feel like you're clinging to your diet like it’s a parachute, this might be the episode that gives you permission to start thinking differently.

____________________________________________

👣 What to do next...

If today’s episode hit home, take the FREE quiz to find out which level your weight obsession lives on — and how to start changing from that level:

You’ll get:

🎥 Prefer video? You can watch this episode and the rest of the series over on the Quit Your Diet YouTube channel:

🎓 Become a site member today and get early, free access to my full training course when it launches.

☕ Like what you’re hearing? Support the show on Buy Me a Coffee and get exclusive invites to my monthly live coffee mornings:

📚 Explore more tools and resources at:

Thanks for tuning in — and remember:

In this episode, we explore how survivorship bias shows up in diet culture and why it’s time to stop copying the “super slimmers” and start learning from those who don’t diet at all. These are the people I call the weightless, not because they’ve hit a number on a scale, but because food no longer runs the show. You’ll hear how identity plays a central role in real change, and how casting tiny “votes” for your future self can shift you from the cycle of diet-restart-diet into a calmer, more natural relationship with food. If you've ever thought, "I just want to be someone who doesn't think about food all the time," then this one’s for you.

____________________________________________

👣 What to do next...

If today’s episode hit home, take the FREE quiz to find out which level your weight obsession lives on — and how to start changing from that level:

You’ll get:

🎥 Prefer video? You can watch this episode and the rest of the series over on the Quit Your Diet YouTube channel:

🎓 Become a site member today and get early, free access to my full training course when it launches.

☕ Like what you’re hearing? Support the show on Buy Me a Coffee and get exclusive invites to my monthly live coffee mornings:

📚 Explore more tools and resources at:

Thanks for tuning in — and remember:

I’m Michael Dawson, author of Quit Your Diet: Think to Shrink. In this episode I reveal the mindset shifts that helped me drop cigarettes and alcohol for good and whether those same principles appear in my 14-Day Escape Plan to quit dieting forever. On reflection I discovered : Why a non smoker is carrying a cigarette around, how a countdown super-charges commitment. The power of my goodbye letter that closes the emotional loop with an unhealthy habit Put up or shut up was an ultimatum that ended my drinking years and how ditching booze gave me 10–20 extra productive hours a week.

_____________________________________________

👣 What to do next...

If today’s episode hit home, take the FREE quiz to find out which level your weight obsession lives on — and how to start changing from that level:

You’ll get:

🎥 Prefer video? You can watch this episode and the rest of the series over on the Quit Your Diet YouTube channel:

🎓 Become a site member today and get early, free access to my full training course when it launches.

☕ Like what you’re hearing? Support the show on Buy Me a Coffee and get exclusive invites to my monthly live coffee mornings:

📚 Explore more tools and resources at:

Thanks for tuning in — and remember:

It’s Michael Dawson, author of Quit Your Diet. I’ve spent my life supporting change and helping people quit things, but recently I got a fair question: has any of this worked for me?

In this episode, I’m sharing three everyday habits that used to run my life, extra sugar in every mug, a lifelong nail-biting reflex, and a coffee schedule so predictable that baristas recognized me on sight. I’ll explain the quick mindset shifts that helped me ease sugar down to zero, the 20-minute NLP “swish” that silenced nail-biting for good, and why dropping caffeine cold turkey didn’t turn me into a hermit.

If you’re curious about quitting sugar, stopping nail-biting, or giving yourself a caffeine detox without drama, this chat is for you.

_____________________________________________

👣 What to do next...

If today’s episode hit home, take the FREE quiz to find out which level your weight obsession lives on — and how to start changing from that level:

You’ll get:

🎥 Prefer video? You can watch this episode and the rest of the series over on the Quit Your Diet YouTube channel:

🎓 Become a site member today and get early, free access to my full training course when it launches.

☕ Like what you’re hearing? Support the show on Buy Me a Coffee and get exclusive invites to my monthly live coffee mornings:

📚 Explore more tools and resources at:

Thanks for tuning in — and remember: