Insatiable

Hey, Insatiable listeners. Today I’m sharing a conversation I had with Sonia and Kathleen for their podcast Sisters in Sobriety all about food, belonging, and self-awareness during the holiday season.In this episode, I answer big questions, like:How do cultural narratives around food shape our holiday habits?What role does food play in our sense of connection?How can we honor our health while participating in long-standing traditions?We also discuss actionable strategies for balancing blood sugar, managing holiday expectations, and identifying emotional triggers that lead to overeating.I hope this episode can be your a roadmap for mindful eating and resilience during this festive yet often challenging time. Happy holidays!Hear me on Sisters in Sobriety:Emotional Eating & Self-Worth: Ali Shapiro’s Guide to True Food FreedomBreaking Free from the Food Guilt Cycle with Ali ShapiroEnjoying Food and Staying Balanced During the Holidays with Ali Shapiro Send me (Ali) a text message.Connect with Ali & Insati

Ah, sugar…referred to as the sugar dragon, sugar siren, and sugar addiction. There are physical and emotional root causes and solutions of how to reduce sugar in your life.In this episode, we will discuss:Why sugar is so dangerous and yet it comforts us5 easy food swaps and additions to your diet to naturally prevent cravingsThe four emotional triggers that cause sugar cravings and how to work through triggers without sugarFor more support, I recommend my self-study course Freedom from Cravings: https://alishapiro.com/freedom-from-cravings/Send me (Ali) a text message.Connect with Ali & Insatiable: Looing for a solid first step to break free from cravings? My self-paced Freedom From Cravings program is only $67 for a limited time. Have a burning question for Ali, suggestion for show topic or guest? Click here to text Insatiable (for privacy, we only see the last 4 digits of your phone number). We won't be able to text back, but you may be acknowledged on the air! Help me reach 200 reviews! It only ta

Send me (Ali) a text message.Happy Halloween season, dear Insatiable listeners! As we move toward this sweet-and-spooky holiday, I wanted to share how we approach candy in my household — before, during, and after trick-or-treating.In this episode, I'll explain the three flexible, biology-rooted rules that guide how I handle sweets for my almost five-year-old son, Eça. I also talk about how I approach candy for myself. Because it isn’t just for kids, and the idea that there’s food for kids and food for adults is just a marketing strategy.Tune in to hear about:Why food “rules” need more nuanceMy 3 principles for candy consumption: blood sugar, immunity, & joyHow to center joy & belonging in your Halloween traditionsModeration as a radical approachOur Halloween night protocolsThe challenges of intuitive eating for kids Mentioned in this episode:Episode 280: What’s Missing From the “Emotional Eating” Conversation with Dr. Deborah MacNamaraEpisode 257: Alcohol, Food, and Body Image: Push Off From Here

Send me (Ali) a text message.Not eating the right foods for our unique bodies creates anxiety. This anxiety shows up as a felt sense of anxiety AND also “needing something more” to eat but not knowing what that is or a general feeling of being unsatisfied with what they just ate.To help us go into depth and teach us about this sugar-anxiety feedback loop, I’ve invited a holistic psychiatrist and my friend Dr. Ellen Vora onto the show. In this episode, we will discuss:Real and false anxietyHow and why sugar creates anxietyClean eating versus nutrient-dense foodsDr. Vora’s top foods to add in for reducing anxiety and sugar in one’s dietCaffeine’s role in anxiety and how to end your coffee habit Read Dr. Vora's book, The Anatomy of AnxietyConnect with Ali & Insatiable: Click here to text Insatiable (for privacy, we only see the last 4 digits of your phone number) and won't be able to text back. Please don't delete prepopulated numbers as that identifies your message is meant for us. Help me re

Send me (Ali) a text message.I’ve shared on the show before that starting menopause radically changed my body. And we’ve talked about how hard it is to find smart, supportive, and true information about health, hormones, and HRT in midlife.But now there is finally a book that shares everything I wish I knew five years ago! And I’m thrilled to talk about it with the authors today.In this episode, I’m joined by Kristin Johnson and Maria Claps of Wise and Well, who wrote The Great Menopause Myth: The Truth on Mastering Midlife Hormonal Mayhem, Beating Uncomfortable Symptoms, and Aging to Thrive.We discuss:How health declines during menopauseThe impacts of hormone loss as we ageDeciding if HRT is right for youHow to prepare yourself for HRT & manage your expectationsWhy you might need a new doctor in mid-lifeWeight loss during menopauseThe relationship between stress & weight gainWhy “you have to pick your hormones or your alcohol”The importance of critical thinking & self-advocacyWhy you probably don

Send me (Ali) a text message.Too many of us feel like we have to go it alone with food. We put so much work into trying to lose weight and get healthy, but we just end up feeling isolated and ashamed.In this episode, I’m joined by my clients Ginny and Isis to talk about why all of us (even the “bad joiners”!) need community support to heal our food triggers, and how working alongside other people can improve our self-awareness, self-talk, and self-esteem.This is part two of a conversation about the transformations Ginny and Isis experienced in my program Why Am I Eating This Now?.Tune in to hear us discuss:Why even “bad joiners” need communitySelf-monitoring vs self-awarenessThe ways Why Am I Eating This Now? can support weight lossHow to satisfy your food noise triggers without foodWhy you are not your coping strategiesIsis’ Ozempic experienceWhat you can expect if you join Why Am I Eating This Now? this fall And if you love this episode, make sure sign up for my free masterclass that’s happening tomorrow! M

Send me (Ali) a text message.Have you ever asked yourself, ‘why am I eating this now?’I’ve talked about this in many of my past episodes, but today I’m excited to have two clients joining me to share their powerful stories of going from “failing” at every program they tried to addressing the root issues of their falling off track with food.Tune in to hear Ginny and Isis talk about the diets they’ve been on, the health concerns they’re navigating, and how our work together transformed their eating habits, including food no longer being their go-to.We discuss:Our unique health priorities & how they relate to what we eatThe many ways popular diets shame & isolate usWhy Ginny & Isis decided to join Why Am I Eating This Now?How to know you’re ready to invest in yourselfSupport for pulling yourself out of feeling powerlessThe importance of having a flexible path (not a rigid rulebook) Part two of this conversation is coming next week. Make sure you sign up for my free masterclass before then!Connect wit

Send me (Ali) a text message.As a cancer survivor, I’ve always felt like aging is a privilege. But now in my mid-forties, I’m learning firsthand that perimenopause, menopause and midlife bring their own set of body image issues and health concerns.My clients ask me questions like: Should I lift weights to stay strong? Is it normal or OK to gain weight in midlife? Will I ever sleep through the night again? How do I focus on my health and not get caught up in vanity yet still want to look good for my age?I hear you! And we all know that we can’t trust anyone on Instagram to give us the answers.So in today’s episode, Dr. Jannine Krause joins me to talk about the free, simple things you can do to support your body as you age. Because you don’t have to “go downhill” as is often the default expectation, and you can take control of your health as you get older.We discuss:Jannine’s path to Naturopathic medicineBody image issues in perimenopause & menopauseHow to approach calorie restriction & the problem with

Send me (Ali) a text message.Have you ever struggled with family dinners, comfort foods, or getting your kids to eat? Or do you feel like you should be working harder to change your own eating habits? If you answered yes, then this episode just might help you make life-changing connections that have been elusive for years.In this conversation with parenting expert Dr. Deborah MacNamara, we explore how food connects to our deep need for belonging, why there’s no such thing as a “picky eater,” and the many ways we can heal our relationships with food, fullness, and needing other people.We discuss:The difference between attachment and belongingWhat Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is missingHow to focus on receptivity in relationships with our kidsWhy food is often the place our relationship dynamics play outThe surprising connection between food, fullness, and vulnerabilitySelf-soothing vs satiationWhy feelings are different than emotionsThe problematic invasiveness of “work mode”Experimenting with being “needy” so

Send me (Ali) a text message.I'm thrilled to bring you the powerful, perspective-shifting stories of two recent participants in my Truce with Food group program. In this deep dive conversation, we explore the idea of restriction as a moving target, not just in our food struggles, but throughout our lives. This reframing of restriction is a concept we also work through—in a supportive group setting and with effective tools—in my upcoming  Why Am I Eating This Now program that launches in September. If the conversation in this episode ressonates with you, be sure to sign-up for the waitlist to be included in an upcoming FREE masterclass. In the Why Am I Eating This Now? program, we'll also unpack why the same hard work and discipline that has gotten you so far in life often backfires when you try and apply it to your eating and what’s really happening when your food discipline disappears in the moments when you feel like you need it most. 12 WEEKS. MASTER COACHING. GROUP SUPPORT. Learn moreAmong the Q

Send me (Ali) a text message.Stress. We experience it so much in our lives today, yet do we truly understand it? We bring stress to our healing, to our eating, to our health challenges, but how often do we pause to take in the whole picture of what's really going on? How can we begin to tune into ourselves among all the noise out there? How can we start moving through stress more effectively? In this conversation with Functional Medicine Nutritionist and educator, Andrea Nakayama, we go deep on all things stress and how to "separate the problem from the solution" for a more holistic understanding of what's really going on.Among the Questions Explored:How can we develop a deeper understanding of stress?How can being self-aware be self-care?Why do quick fixes and endless data often do more harm than good?How can working within a group on food and other stressful issues be life changing? How has functional medicine gone off the rails?Guest: Over two decades ago, Andrea Nakayama's husband

Send me (Ali) a text message.I've been a guest on a lot of podcasts lately. When I believe these episodes may be helpful to you, dear Insatiable listeners, I'll post them here in my feed. Today's episode is a rebroadcast of my appearance this week on The Health Fix Podcast with Dr. Jannine Krause. Our conversation showcases what is often kept behind-the-scenes as my work with clients and in groups is confidential. Coaching can often feel abstract until you witness it in action and my hope is that this episode will shed some light on the front. Listen as I coach Dr. Krause through two stress eating situations in her life (when she visits her dad and before she heads to work in the morning). We zero in on stress eating triggers, terrain we cover extensively in my upcoming Why Am I Eating This Now? 12-week LIVE group program (starting in September). If this episode resonates with you, be sure to join the wait list to learn more and join an upcoming free Masterclass. Mentioned:Why Am I Eating This

Send me (Ali) a text message.Audience favorite Liz Wolfe is back! Macros matter more than you might expect. Liz and I both cover macros in our work, although from different (yet complimentary) angles, so expect a wide-ranging, dot-connecting conversation that'll give you a deeper understanding of the magic of macros. Among the Questions Explored:What exactly are macros and how do I balance them to quiet food noise and reduce emotional eating?   Why is protein so crucial, especially as I age?How do I know if I'm getting enough protein?Wait, I don't have to fear carbs?!About Liz: Liz Wolfe is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Certified Personal Trainer, and best-selling author who encourages women to embrace their inner (and outer) badass while keeping the efficiency high and the drama low. She's the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Eat the Yolks, host of the award-winning Balanced Bites Podcast, founder of IdealAge supplements and Daily Aminos+, and creator of the Own Your Met

Send me (Ali) a text message.Get ready for an insightful conversation with Angela Pugh, a renowned recovery expert and life coach. We discuss how to tell when thoughts and behaviors around food and alcohol tip over into problematic, even when life is seemingly going well to all outside appearances (i.e. the myth—for many—of "hitting rock bottom"). Angela shares the dramatic moment that set her on the path to sobriety and led to her life's mission to be of service to others. We explore coping mechanisms, addictive behaviors, and the identity shifts that are necessary for truly sustainable change. Among the Questions Explored:Why is sugar such a struggle for many in the sober community?What is the overlap between struggles with food/sugar and alcohol? Why does Angela says that being an alcoholic is the best thing that ever happened to her?How do you recognize when a behavior is crossing the line or tipping over to unhealthy? About Angela: After bartending her way across Hollywood and Beverly Hill

Send me (Ali) a text message.In this special Insatiable podcast episode, I celebrate a major milestone: 30 years as a cancer survivor. I’ll share how what resolved my acne, depression, IBS, infertility, and out of control eating was learning how to redefine health beyond losing weight and learning to trust in my body feeling satisfied, not sacrificing and suffering. And how this new orientation led to transformational health results I didn’t even know were possible. Including sustainable weight loss, a Truce with Food, and a relationship of awe and gratitude for my body. I share:Why knowing the difference between authorities and experts is essential for transformational results. Especially if like me, as the first generation of childhood cancer survivors, there’s very little research to go on for your own body challenges.How I got out of the insanity of “I know sugar feeds on cancer” yet would binge on it during “scanxiety” season. If you struggle with health issues that are exacerbated by eating things you k

Send me (Ali) a text message.Today's episode is all about you, dear Insatiable listeners. The questions are coming in hot via voicemail and text messaging. Please keep them coming! I love connecting with you and I'll  continue to do my best to guide you along your path. In today's episode, I address 3 very different recent questions.  But before we dive in, especially if you’re a regular Insatiable listener, please consider rating and reviewing the show on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. My goal is to reach 200 reviews on Apple Podcasts in the U.S. in the next couple of months, but to get there I'll need your help. If you’re stuck on what to write, you can simply say what you like about the show or the episode that made you a regular listener or if you have a favorite guest or episode. A lot of work goes into putting out this podcast and this is a free way for you to support my show and all it takes is about 30 seconds. It’s really simple too. All you have to do to leave a rating a

Send me (Ali) a text message.I've been on a lot of podcasts lately, but this recent episode with Deb Masner from Alcohol Tipping Point is one that stands out. On her podcast, Deb shares personal stories and her expertise as a nurse, health coach, and sober person, as well as brings on experts about the different ways alcohol can impact physical and mental health, relationships, and overall quality of life. I work with a lot of sober folks and food often was either their original issue and then alcohol supplanted it, or in coming off alcohol, they turned to food (especially sugar) because we can only really focus on one thing at a time. In this episode from the Alcohol Tipping Point, Deb makes personal connections that have eluded her for years. I was so thrilled she was willing to work through my coaching questions as I have these deeper conversations every day in my groups, but they would obviously never make it onto the air.  So, I'm grateful Deb was willing to go there with me.If you're stru

Send me (Ali) a text message.Liz Wolfe has been in the nutrition and wellness space almost as long as I have, so it's hard to believe our paths haven't really crossed until now! This in-depth conversation is a paradigm shift from how we often think about metabolism, which is basically just about calorie burning and  boosting. Metabolism—especially at midlife-ish—is about so much more and (news alert!) most of what we've read and been fed about metabolism and aging is either wrong or misunderstood. We also get into what Liz describes as her "intentional weight loss" with peptides (and the backlash) and much more. Among the Questions Explored:Why is hunger a good thing and what does it say about your metabolism?Why does it feel like it our metabolism slows down as we age, even though current metabolic science says it doesn’t really change from 20-60? Why are muscle and protein so crucial to our metabolic health as we age?What does Liz really want people to understand about metabolism as

Send me (Ali) a text message.Alcohol is one of the most consumed forms of sugar and quitting alcohol can lead to an increase in sugar cravings and consumption. In this episode, bestselling author Laura McKowen and I discuss:How she stopped eating so much sugar after it initially increased with sobrietyThe relationship between her drinking and history of eating disordersHer process to sobriety, which included recognizing our collective, unhealthy story around alcohol and her most important practiceHow she learned to own her personal story and discern what was her truth versus the judgments she had about herself to heal her painRewind Episode Note: Increasingly, clients and participants in my Truce with Food group program are sober and now looking to examine their relationship with food, especially sugar. To explore this intricate relationship and and celebrate the recent paperback release of Push Off from Here: Nine Essential Truths to Get You Through Sobriety (and Everything Else) I've decided to publish

Send me (Ali) a text message.Today’s solo episode grew out of Oprah’s Weight Loss Special Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution that aired on ABC this Monday night. Because it’s network TV, only so much could be covered, which is why I created this episode to go deeper.  Most of the people having big reactions to Oprah's weight loss are those who’ve never struggled with their weight (and so don’t understand) OR those who have historically struggled with weight and haven’t yet found the peace they want with their bodies.As someone who struggled with her body and weight for two decades, I know how sensitive it can be to be in a place where you’re struggling. Our culture is fat phobic and really hard on people in large bodies. I’m hoping this episode can help us unearth what’s really going on and why fat phobia is one of the last accepted prejudices. The opportunities for us to be triggered are seemingly endless with these types of conversations. And yet, I believe that we shouldn’t let the fear of p