Truce with Food with Ali Shapiro, MSOD, CHHC

The world is a lot right now. Globally, personally, often both. And when things are this intense, it can be easy to feel like your relationship with food is a first world problem, or that nothing matters, you're just going to eat. To dismiss the battle as something to deal with later, when things calm down.But this is exactly when it matters most. We can't all collapse at the same time. If you're hungry, depleted, or consumed by overriding your cravings, you don't have the energy for your own life, let alone for showing up with the values you want to see ripple out into the world. And the conditioning that tells you investing in yourself takes from others, that you should be able to power through, that your needs are too much, is the same conditioning that keeps the cycle going.In this episode of Truce with Food, I walk through three reasons your food battle matters more in hard times, not less. I cover why you need to be physically nourished to show up for what you care about, why the all-or-nothing thinking that says investing in yourself takes from others is the same conditioning we need to change, and why most weight and food struggles are really about a complicated relationship with power. Healing your relationship with food isn't a distraction from the work of this moment. It's part of it.5:47 – Why overriding your hunger actually robs you of the rebelliousness and energy needed for your life11:17 – Why learning to connect how you eat to how your body works is revolutionary13:52 – The cultural conditioning that makes you believe investing in your own health must come at the expense of your family or work17:23 – How this zero-sum cultural conditioning trap exists on every level19:55 – How a client learned the emotional work of tending to her needs, instead of trying to fix issues for her daughter21:13 – Your food battle as a doorway to examine where you’re still sacrificing yourself to unsustainable norms24:01 – How that guilty feeling you get for overeating or not working out is often a symptom of internalized capitalist productivity26:42 – Backlash as a sign of actual progress and how “slow and steady” keeps you in the game31:41 – How stubborn weight issues are often linked to an unconscious resistance to dominative power, and the need to redefine power as collaborative36:03 – The yin archetype’s association with food and body issues (including eating disorders)Mentioned In Healing Your Relationship With Food Is a Rebellious ActWhy Intuitive Functional Medicine Works When Protocols Don’t with Erin HoltWhat Your Food Stage Reveals About Why Nothing Has Worked Long TermFreedom from Cravings courseTruce with FoodFood Stage Finder Assessment

Twenty years ago, functional medicine changed everything for me. My IBS cleared. My skin cleared. My depression lifted. And for the first time, I understood food as medicine instead of just calories. But somewhere in the last five years, functional medicine started looking a lot like what it was railing against. A supplement for every lab marker. A protocol for every person. A business model that profits from making you feel more broken than when you walked in.So I stopped talking about it much here. But I still believe in root cause resolution. And I wanted to bring on someone who practices it the way it was meant to be practiced. That's why I brought Erin Holt on the show. Erin is a seasoned clinician, clinic founder, and trainer of other practitioners who has been vocal about what's gone wrong in this industry while still believing fiercely in what it can be. She practices what she calls intuitive functional medicine, a framework that starts with the physical body and refuses to stop there.In this episode of Truce with Food, Erin and I get into what's actually broken in functional medicine right now, why data can never replace discernment or lived experience, and how her five-phase formula bridges the physical, mental, emotional, and energetic aspects of healing. We also talk about why you can't rewire an inflamed brain with mindset work, and what it really means to self-source your health instead of outsourcing it to someone in a white coat.2:48 – Introduction to Erin and how she and her trainees help one-on-one clients7:56 – The shift in functional medicine over the last five years that’s recreating the exact problem it was designed to solve11:25 – Defining functional medicine and comparing it to more conventional medicine16:46 – What intuitive functional medicine is and what it looks like in Erin’s practice (and her training of other practitioners)24:08 – Self-sourcing vs. outsourcing your health and the long, underexamined history of the loss of self-trust in so many people34:09 – A basic example of how Erin helps her clients rebuild their self-trust (without forcing it)39:55 – Why too many choices in the name of empowerment can actually cause someone to freeze in response (and what skilled practitioners do differently)44:11 – The real point of fear-based marketing and how to spot it before it sells you something you don't need47:00 – Why the nocebo effect, medical hexing, and the labels a practitioner puts on you can quietly become the ceiling on your healing49:15 – Functional labs that are actually worth it and the very contextual, individualized way Erin administers them as a practitioner51:43 – Erin’s framework for whole-person healing, why the starting point doesn’t matter, and what needs to happen before you can rewire your brain using mindset work1:00:42 – The importance and meaning of self-compassion and why you must only work with those who see your potential to healMentioned In Why Intuitive Functional Medicine Works When Protocols Don't with Erin HoltManifest Your Health™The Funk’tional Nutrition | Instagram | Facebook | PinterestFunk’tional Nutrition Academy (FNA) Funk’tional Nutrition: How Belonging, Not Willpower, Shapes Your EatingFind Your Food Stage Quiz

You've tried the plans. The protocols. Maybe therapy, journaling, intuitive eating. And food still feels like a battle. The problem isn't that you haven't tried hard enough. It's that no one has ever shown you where you actually are.I've spent 19 years working with women who've tried everything and nothing's worked long term. What I keep finding is that the approach mismatches the stage. And you can't know what to do next until you know where you're starting from.In this episode of Truce with Food, I walk through I walk through the four developmental stages of resolving your food battle and introduce my free Food Stage Finder Assessment. If you've ever wondered why you're still struggling despite everything you've done, this is where to start.1:40 – How women's healthcare concerns get dismissed and what led Ali to this work3:59 – Why food struggles fall into two extremes and why both miss the point6:26 – What the Food Stage Finder Assessment is and why Ali created it7:34 – Why more information stopped being the problem for Ali's clients9:03 – Women's health span post-menopause and why midlife is the time to get this right11:56 – Taking responsibility for your own body literacy without burning out13:11 – Why intuitive eating is hard when you've never had healthy eating patterns14:06 – How adolescent culture shapes our food culture and why quick fixes dominate19:50 – Why maturity, not more learning, is what actually creates food freedom22:38 – The four developmental stages of resolving your food battle25:53 – Stage one: Gathering Evidence27:04 – Stage two: Breakthrough Ready29:37 – Stage three: Practicing Freedom32:48 – Stage four: Trusting in Satisfaction36:19 – Why most people are surprised by their Food Stage Finder results36:32 – How to take the free Food Stage Finder AssessmentMentioned In What Your Food Stage Reveals About Why Nothing Has Worked Long TermTruce with FoodFood Stage Finder Assessment

After nearly a decade of conversations about food, culture, and psychology, this podcast has a new name. What was Insatiable is now the Truce with Food Podcast. What started as a rebrand turned into an honest look at how success, ambition, and identity shift over time.Ten years ago, metrics like downloads and productivity felt like the scorecard. Then motherhood happened. Menopause happened. The realities of limited time and energy became impossible to ignore. I had to ask what actually feels like success now.In this episode of Truce with Food, I share how hustle culture quietly shaped my definition of success and how I used my own framework to work through overworking. Because creating a truce with food often means creating a truce with the relentless pursuit of success itself.4:26 – How a decade of podcasting quietly reveals how cultural definitions of success shape our goals and habits 9:57 – When things began to shift in my energy and capacity regarding hustle culture13:13 – What the rebrand is about and why a years-long evolving framework involving work with real people matters now more than ever16:48 – The Truce with Food framework as a way to take back your power and how I used it to stop overworking23:32 – Re-evaluation of time, energy, and capacity as a result of hustle culture limits in midlife 32:54 – What is and isn’t changing about the podcastMentioned In What a Truce with Food Taught Me About Redefining SuccessTruce with FoodHow Just Showing Up Ended Years of BingingContent with Carlos | my husband, who designed my new website and content strategyBraid Creative | Kathleen Shannon on Skipping One-Size-Fits-All and Experimenting InsteadHealth, Body, and Business with Ali Shapiro (Being Boss Podcast)Find Your Food Stage Quiz

Diet culture, anti-diet rhetoric, and functional medicine all live in a messy middle ground. Our culture trains us to outsource authority, chase gold stars, and equate thinness with worth. We're taught to live by someone else's food rules, health rules, weight rules. So if you're still struggling to figure food out, it's not a failure of discipline. It's a misunderstanding of safety and belonging.In this episode of Insatiable, I join Erin Holt on The Funk'tional Nutritionist podcast to talk about how functional medicine, adult development, and lived experience create pendulum swings in eating patterns. We get into why food feels like both the problem and the solution, and what it means to author your own choices around health and weight without shame, dogma, or perfectionism.6:28 – How Ali’s history with cancer, functional medicine, and adult development work led her to see “falling off track” with food as a symptom instead of a core issue10:15 – Erin’s history with eating disorders and how her story overlaps with Ali’s14:00 – How the “good girl” (or socialized) mindset influences your thinking with food, weight, and health (even after you’ve rejected diet culture on the surface)18:10 – Example of how seeing yourself (not others) as the author of your story changes what “success” looks like.22:54 – Why people “go off track” with food and how it has nothing to do with willpower27:45 – Erin’s food memories that illustrate the clash between the need for rest and resourcefulness vs. the need for approval and belonging 34:34 – How tools like GLP‑1s aren’t inherently good or bad and can help or harm 38:32 – Why weight loss alone can never deliver belonging, purpose, or a meaningful life42:37 – Why it’s okay if you still feel like weight loss should be your focus right now46:56 – Where to start if you don’t even know what emotional needs you have that need to be met 52:26 – Seeing the inner critic as protection, not self-sabotage, and an example of how healing doesn’t always have to be difficultMentioned In Funk’tional Nutrition: How Belonging, Not Willpower, Shapes Your EatingThe Funk’tional Nutrition PodcastFind Your Food Stage QuizDr. Deborah MacNamaraNext Level by Stacy Sims

What happens after you've tried everything? The plans, protocols, cleanses, and tracking apps. The running, the restriction, the attempt to outrun the fork. At some point, the effort becomes its own kind of exhaustion. You're no longer chasing health, you're chasing relief.In this episode of Insatiable, I sit down with Dee, a graduate of the Truce with Food: Consistency program, to talk about what actually creates lasting change when food has become comfort, numbness, and self-punishment all at once. Dee shares what it was like to move from binging and rigid thinking into something quieter and more powerful: just showing up.3:51 – Why Dee felt stuck before joining Truce With Food: Consistency 7:47 – Why Dee had no hesitation about signing up, even after having tried so many things before11:04 – What changed for Dee when success was defined as simply showing up13:47 – Having a safe space and the role of compassionate witnesses in ending her isolation 21:13 – The unexpected power of language in reshaping Dee’s thinking and behavior27:23 – Where things shifted for Dee and where she is now compared to when she started30:50 – How Dee’s rigid thinking and perspective on movement and motivation have changed34:40 – The biggest shift for Dee in her relationship with food and why intensity and duration matter more than perfection37:19 – The shift from measuring thinness to measuring aliveness40:32 – What else surprised Dee about the work within the program and her words for anyone considering joiningMentioned In How Just Showing Up Ended Years of BingingFinding Me: A Memoir by Viola DavisFind Your Food Stage Quiz

You tell yourself you're too busy and too tired to focus on yourself. You'll do it when things calm down, when work eases up, when the kids need less, when you finally get a good night's sleep. But food still calls your name at all the wrong times. You've tried to fix it, but the cycle keeps repeating.You're not lazy. You're not broken. You're trying to solve exhaustion without understanding where it actually comes from.In this episode of Insatiable, I break down why "too busy and too tired" is often protective resistance in disguise and why waiting for life to calm down costs you more than you think. I walk through how midlife physiology, perfectionism, lack of agency, and how we're conditioned as women all fuel the tired trigger. Plus, why turning to food makes complete sense as a solution, not a character flaw.1:48 - Why “too busy and too tired” can be protective resistance disguised as practicality4:48 – Example of how investing in your health earlier creates dividends you can’t see until later6:33 - Biological shifts in midlife that quietly change hunger, satiety, and energy9:16 - How perfectionism and over-functioning impact your energy9:50 - Why sugar and “I deserve this” thinking are solutions before they’re problems12:03 - Example of the surprising role of agency in chronic exhaustion15:25 – How investing in the right support for yourself and self-compassion can energize you19:25 - Final takeaways for this episode and an invitation to youMentioned In Why Being Too Tired Is Exactly Why You Need SupportOura RingFREE Workshop on February 10th - ​​Untangle Your Food Triggers: Catch Yourself Before You Fall Off TrackFind Your Food Stage Quiz

You've followed the plans. Upped the discipline. Doubled down on getting back on track. And still, food and taking care of yourself feel harder than they used to.You're not the problem. The problem is trying to apply the same strategies you relied on in your twenties and thirties to a body and life that have fundamentally changed.In this episode of Insatiable, I share the five shifts that finally make consistency possible when perfectionism stops working. You'll learn why your resistance to showing up imperfectly is protective, not personal, and how to stay in the game even when it feels like you're barely moving forward.3:28 - Why old strategies no longer working for you isn’t a sign of your failure11:06 - Why C-plus effort triggers disgust and why that disgust has nothing to do with laziness19:52 - How certainty becomes a shield against vulnerability and keeps you repeating the same all-or-nothing loop24:51 - Why “momentum” sounds like a soft metric but becomes the only measure that compounds into lasting change28:52 - The protective resistance that shows up the moment you try to break the cycle and why planning for it is non-negotiable34:25 – Quick recap of the five shifts that redefine what success actually looks like in midlife with food strugglesMentioned In Five Shifts to Finally Stay Consistent With FoodFREE Workshop on February 10th - ​​Untangle Your Food Triggers: Catch Yourself Before You Fall Off TrackFind Your Food Stage Quiz

You've done the work. Tried the protocols, followed the plans. And yet food still takes up way too much mental space. You're not the problem. Those one-size-fits-all protocols you've been handed were never going to work for where you actually are.After nearly two decades working with clients, I've watched the wellness space get louder and louder with protocols and plans telling you what to do without knowing who you are or what stage you're in. Frameworks meet you where you actually are and help you figure out why you keep turning to food in the first place. That distinction is everything when it comes to lasting change.In this episode of Insatiable, I explain why frameworks work when protocols don't, walk you through the four developmental stages most women move through in their relationship with food, and share details about my free Untangle Your Food Triggers workshop coming up in February for those ready to move beyond protocols. 5:52 - How last year’s “composting phase” reshaped my body of work9:46 - Why midlife women need frameworks instead of protocols13:19 - An appetizer for the Truce with Food Consistency program to kickstart your year15:16 - Stages in the developmental process to a truce with food17:16 - Why stage two is both the most confusing and the most hopeful place to land (and how to leverage it)Mentioned In Why Food Plans Fail After 40 and What Works InsteadFREE Workshop on February 10th (not 11th, misspoke in episode) - ​​Untangle Your Food Triggers: Catch Yourself Before You Fall Off TrackBraid Creative and ConsultingHow to Better Understand Stress with Andrea NakayamaFind Your Food Stage Quiz

Happy New Year, Insatiable listeners! Welcome to 2026.Today I’m resharing my conversation with parenting expert Dr. Deborah MacNamara, where we explore how food connects to our deep need for belonging, how feeling significant plays into belonging and food choices, as well as the many ways we can heal our relationships with food, fullness, and needing other people.If you want to make real changes with your or your loved ones eating, this episode just might help you make life-changing connections that have been elusive for years and be focused in the right direction for 2026.Tune in, then make sure to check out my new website trucewithfood.com. 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 we can learn to depend on othersMore about our guest: Dr. Deborah MacNamara is the author of two books, Nourished: Connection, food and caring for our kids (and everyone else we love), and Rest, Play, Grow: Making sense of preschoolers (or anyone who acts like one). She is on Faculty at the Neufeld Institute and the Director of Kid’s Best Bet counselling.Connect with Dr. Deborah MacNamara:WebsiteBooksFacebookInstagramMentioned in this episode:Dr. Gordon Neufeld & Dr. Gabor MatéThe Religion of Wellness Culture with Anne Helen Petersen (Episode 252)

What if your inability to change isn't a failure of willpower, but your heart's way of protecting you from something you're not ready to face?Today I’m sharing a conversation I had with Meghan Telpner for the Courageous Pivot podcast about how my journey from overworking addiction to radical life redesign began with a simple question: "Why does this make sense?"I reveals how addressing my relationship with food became the gateway to confronting deeper questions about worth, identity, and what success actually means—and why healing often requires becoming a beginner all over again. From my journey through cancer, infertility, and postpartum menopause to finally redefining wealth as "freedom over my time," we get into how having the courage to slow down and listen to your body's wisdom can unlock transformations you never imagined possible.Essential listening for anyone measuring busyness instead of impact, struggling to make changes they know they need, or ready to understand why their body might be wiser than their ambition.We discuss:Why only 1 in 7 heart attack survivors actually change their diet and lifestyle—even when they know it could save their livesThe hidden cost of measuring busyness instead of impact and how it perpetuates chronic exhaustionThe developmental reason we spend the first half of life proving we can exert our will on the world—and what the second half requiresWhy food (and overwork) are “almost addictive”—soothing just enough to quiet the alarm but never enough to meet the actual needWhat “immunity to change” reveals about the knowing-doing gap and why willpower will never be the answerHow cultural conditioning around productivity and “earning your worth” gets embedded in our nervous systemsThe question that transforms self-judgment into constructive self-compassionConnect with Meghan:Visit Meghan’s websiteListen to the Courageous Pivot PodcastMentioned in this episode:Culinary Nutrition: How to Cook for Health and Taste with Meghan Telpner – Insatiable Season 12, Episode 2Enneagram: personality typesImmunity to Change by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey — published by Harvard Business Review PressRest, Play, Grow by Dr. Deborah MacNamaraNourished by Dr. Deborah MacNamara — available through her foundation websiteLaura McKowen — writer on sobriety whose rule "it's not your fault, but it is your responsibility"Dr. Stacy Sims — exercise physiologist, Ali references regarding protein recommendations

Today, Sas Petherick returns for the fifth installment of our Body Stories series — and she’s nearly a year into her holistic weight-loss journey!In this conversation, Sas shares what’s become unmistakably clear along the way: true change happens at the pace of your body, and all-or-nothing thinking around food and movement is far more pervasive (and sneaky) than we realize.Together, we discuss:Why dieting isn’t an either/or thing — and you’re never just “on track” or “off track”How Sas embraced her birthday dinner without stressing over macrosMoving at the pace of your body instead of rushing to the “end” of a dietThe realities of The Biggest Loser and the ways they faked things for TVHow to choose a trainer you can actually trustSelf-compassion as an antidote to perfectionismSas’ sobriety journey and finding the third wayMake sure to check out Ali’s new website trucewithfood.com, and take the new Find Your Food Stage assessment!Connect with Sas Petherick:Visit Sas’s websiteFollow Sas on InstagramSubscribe to Sas’s newsletter Courage & SpiceMentioned in this episode:How to Lose Weight AND Love Yourself (because you can do both!) with Sas Petherick [Body Stories Series #1]“We’re the Brave Ones” — Discipline vs Devotion, Macros & Being “Sporty” with Sas Petherick [Body Stories Series #2]Emotions & Embodiment for Sustainable Weight Loss with Sas Petherick [Body Stories Series #3]How to Hold Your Weight Loss Goals Loosely (for better results) with Sas Petherick [Body Stories #4]Fit For TV: The Reality of The Biggest LoserSelf-compassion books from Kristin NeffTrain with Joan

You’ve probably heard the advice: “Feel your emotions.” But what does that actually mean in everyday life? Especially when so many of us believe we’re feeling our feelings when we’re actually thinking our feelings. And thus, not feeling better or resolving our stubborn bad habits.In this episode, Mary Tilson joins me to explore how we’ve each learned to stay with and move through our emotions.Mary also opens up about her journey with addiction and anorexia, offering an honest look at how activation, dysregulation, and stress show up in our bodies and minds.We discuss:Being with our feelings instead of “rising above” themPracticing mindful awareness with the R.A.I.N. acronymSimple (but effective!) ways to resource yourselfAddiction as an adaptationThe realities of recovery and finding joy every dayThe science of awe and the healing powers of nature More about our guest: Mary Tilson is a Certified Professional Recovery Coach and Somatic Practitioner with a Master’s Degree in the Psychology & Neuroscience of Mental Health. She draws on a holistic background, which includes Somatic Experiencing, a body-based approach to healing trauma and stress-related disorders and over a decade of experience as a Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher. Having experienced drug and alcohol addiction firsthand, Mary's approach to coaching is rooted in compassion and understanding. She has been sober for over 12 years and is passionate about helping others build fulfilling lives substance-free. She supports clients through 1:1 Coaching and Retreats.Connect with Mary:Visit her website at sunandmoonsoberliving.comFollow her on IG: @marytilson @sunandmoon.soberlivingListen to her Podcast: The Sun & Moon Sober Living PodcastJoin her 2026 Women's Recovery Retreat: sunandmoonsoberliving.com/banff

This week, Beatriz Victoria Albina returns to Insatiable for part two of our conversation on ending emotional outsourcing — the habit of looking outside ourselves for validation, safety, and worth.In this episode, we explore the practices that help you come back home to yourself: tuning into your needs, regulating your nervous system, returning to your body, and reclaiming your center.It all begins with one simple but powerful question: What feels good right now?Join us as we explore what it means to live from that place of connection and self-trust.We discuss:How to reconnect with your biological impulsesFunctional freeze and how to feel your feelings (not think them)Why wellness is not about coffee enemas or random supplementsThe dangers of emotionally outsourcing to wellness professionalsHow we’re trained to prioritize productivitySomatic practice and praxisMore about our guest: Beatriz (Béa) Victoria Albina, NP, MPH, SEP (she/her) is a UCSF-trained Family Nurse Practitioner, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Master Certified Somatic Life Coach, author of End Emotional Outsourcing: a Guide to Overcoming Codependent, Perfectionist and People Pleasing Habits and Breathwork Meditation Guide with a passion for helping humans socialized as women to reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems and rewire their minds, so they can break free from codependency, perfectionism and people pleasing and reclaim their joy.She is the host of the Feminist Wellness Podcast, holds a Masters degree in Public Health from Boston University School of Public Health and a BA in Latin American Studies from Oberlin College. Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Béa grew up in the great state of Rhode Island. She has been working in health & wellness for over 20 years and lives with her wife, Billey Albina and their handsome all-black cat Wade.Connect with Béa:WebsiteBook WebsiteInstagram: @beatrizvictoriaalbinanpPodcast: Feminist WellnessFacebookLinkedInFree Meditations

Today, I’m joined by Beatriz Victoria Albina for a conversation about the emotions that often hide beneath common gut issues—and why codependency isn’t the real problem (and boundaries aren’t the full solution).We also dive into her new book, End Emotional Outsourcing: A Guide to Overcoming Codependent, Perfectionist, and People-Pleasing Habits, where Beatriz offers powerful reframes on parenting, community, and self-trust.This episode feels like a deep exhale—a reminder that healing isn’t about fixing yourself, but coming home to yourself.Join us for part one today, and come back next week for part two.We discuss:Our backgrounds with functional medicineWhat it means to end emotional outsourcingWhy codependency isn’t the problem and boundaries aren’t the answerHow patriarchy undermines caring for each other and ourselvesWhy perfectionism isn’t an identity - it’s a habitAttachment styles and “good enough” parentingHow to stop striving and actually relaxPolyvagal theory for healthy skepticsFunctional freeze and why we dissociate from joyWhy people-pleasing isn’t a problem — it’s a protection strategy More about our guest: Beatriz (Béa) Victoria Albina, NP, MPH, SEP (she/her) is a UCSF-trained Family Nurse Practitioner, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Master Certified Somatic Life Coach, author of End Emotional Outsourcing: a Guide to Overcoming Codependent, Perfectionist and People Pleasing Habits and Breathwork Meditation Guide with a passion for helping humans socialized as women to reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems and rewire their minds, so they can break free from codependency, perfectionism and people pleasing and reclaim their joy.She is the host of the Feminist Wellness Podcast, holds a Masters degree in Public Health from Boston University School of Public Health and a BA in Latin American Studies from Oberlin College. Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Béa grew up in the great state of Rhode Island. She has been working in health & wellness for over 20 years and lives with her wife, Billey Albina and their handsome all-black cat Wade. Connect with Béa:WebsiteBook WebsiteInstagram: @beatrizvictoriaalbinanpPodcast: Feminist WellnessFacebookLinkedInFree Meditations

Today I’m joined by everyone’s favorite poet, Kate Baer, for a tender conversation about midlife transitions, medical anxiety, and the power of female friendship.We talk about how to orient around ideas instead of problems, and we share a few poems from Kate’s forthcoming collection, How About Now, out November 4th.If you’ve been feeling a little lonely, uncertain, or in-between — or all three — this one is for you.We discuss:How the body makes itself known in midlifeBody neutrality, medical anxiety, and illnessThe public scrutiny around Kate’s weight lossParenting in a fatphobic world“Menopause is when all the girls you were come out to play”How to cultivate female friendships — even through conflictThe difference between community and friendsBeing erased from the male gaze as you ageMore about our guest: Kate Baer is the 3x New York Times bestselling author of What Kind Of Woman, I Hope This Finds You Well, and And Yet. Her work has also been published in The New Yorker, Literary Hub, Huffington Post and The New York Times. Her next book, How About Now, is out November 4, 2025.Connect with Kate:Kate’s website: www.katebaer.comKate’s Instagram: @katejbaerBuy How About Now. Pre and early orders help authors so much: bookshop.org/p/books/how-about-now-poems-kate-baerMentioned in this episode:Katie Sturino

This week Liz Wolfe returns to the show for a candid conversation about all the fitness myths we’re seeing around the wild world of wellness in 2025.Together, we get into why people are slapping the word “perimenopause” on everything, how to focus on agility as much as strength training, and everyone’s favorite fall purchase: weighted vests.We also discuss:Taylor’s new album and why we love her with TravisWhy strength is different than muscle massLiz’s tips for injury prevention at any ageThe nervous system benefits of proper formHow to reclaim your range of motion to prevent injuryPerfectionism as a protection strategyHow much muscle you can actually build (and maintain)The very real risks of under-eating in midlifeFinding yourself on the spectrum of detrained to trainedMuscle and strength don’t vanish from a few off weeks but at 4-6 weeks of no trainingWhat Liz really thinks about weighted vests More about our guest: Liz Wolfe is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Certified Personal Trainer, best-selling author and award-winning podcaster. She’s also a mom, a military spouse, and an Enneagram 6 (with a STRONG 5 wing).When it comes to wellness, Liz has always been curious about where the truth actually lies. She’s wrote the Wall Street Journal best-seller Eat the Yolks, which tackles many of the lies we’ve been told about nutrition over the last 50 years. She’s also the founder of supplement company IdealAge and the host of the Ideal Age podcast.Connect with Liz:Visit Liz’s websiteFollow Liz on Instagram @realfoodliz Mentioned in this episode:Simplifying Food: Liz Wolfe on the Magic of Macros (especially as we age)Over 40 Metabolism Myths with Liz Wolfe, NTP and Certified Personal Trainer

This week, I’m joined by my former cohost Juliet Root for a fun, truth-seeking conversation about how our perspectives on food, body, and movement have shifted in 2025.Together, we share the biggest things we’ve changed our minds about—what no longer feels true, what surprised us, and what new possibilities opened up when we let old beliefs go.We discuss:Releasing restriction and shameProtein, fiber, and variety in our dietsDental care and holistic vs Western dentistsIs getting to the “root cause” endless? and reconsidering functional medicineUpdating our views on mammogramsThe nuanced truth about weighted vestsReal talk about “vanity weight loss”Where we stand with food tracking and GLP1sChanging our minds about zone two cardio & HIITThe value of community and how connection improves our health More about Juliet: Juliet Root is the co-founder of Ultralife, an online coaching platform, where she has spent nearly two decades helping people achieve lasting health, fitness, and longevity. As a certified personal trainer, board-certified nutritionist, and health coach, Juliet has worked with thousands of clients ranging from busy parents to high-performing executives and celebrities. Her mission is to cut through the noise of fitness fads and give people clear, sustainable strategies to feel and perform their best. Juliet has been featured in Shape Magazine, NBC, ABC, and Fox News, and is known for making complex training and nutrition science practical and actionable. At her company Ultralife she and here team help adults 35+ build strength, energy, and resilience so they can thrive in every season of lifeMentioned in this episode:Juliet Root and UltralifeErin Holt297. Why I Joined Orange Theory (even though it’s “Bad” if you’re over 40)

If you’ve ever thought “Why can’t I just stick with it?”, this episode is for you.Today I’m resharing a conversation I had with Noelle Tarr of Coconuts & Kettlebells for her podcast, Well-Fed Women.We discuss why willpower isn’t the problem, how shame hijacks true behavior change, and what it really takes to heal your relationship with food and your body. We also dive into emotional eating, weight loss without diet culture, and the mindset shifts that actually work—no guilt trips included.Questions we explore:How can people start to rethink the idea of willpower so it’s not the enemy?Why is it that I feel like a lot of us know what to do but we can’t follow through consistently?In your work, what is the biggest mindset shift for women struggling with food and fitness?How do we distinguish between emotional hunger and physical hunger, especially if it’s been disconnected for years?I’ve noticed a week before my period I have intense carb and sugar cravings. Is there a reason?Why do I still lie to myself even when I know the thing will hurt me?How do we approach weight loss without feeling shame or guilt?How can we change mindset and behavior and see results in our bodies and help our children with it without shame?How do you start a regular exercise routine when you don’t have the time?I was a weight watchers girl and have tracked points and calories on and off.  I haven’t tracked my food the past few years, but I’m at the point where I think tracking macros would be helpful. Any tips on how to ease back into tracking?I was diagnosed with cancer and have been down for the count with treatment and recovery has been slow. How do I come back from this? How do I position my mindset going in to the end of treatment?With all the advertisements for GLP-1s, it definitely feels like the new savior. I am classified as obese by the medical system and have high blood pressure. How do we make sure we’re making decisions on medical treatment that are grounded in health and not vanity? Mentioned in this episode:Coconuts & KettlebellsWell-Fed WomenGluten-Free Dinner Rolls

It’s officially back-to-school season! Which means you might be thinking it’s time for a new nutrition plan, exercise routine, or self-improvement challenge.But before you set out once again, I want you to ask yourself: “Will I just end up back here in six months if I don’t get to the root of what’s really going on with my relationship to food?”In this episode, I share the three most common things I hear when people are wrestling with “Why am I eating this now?” — and how each one points to deeper truths about your health and habits.Tune in for insights that go beyond quick fixes. And if you’re ready to create lasting change, join me in Why Am I Eating This Now. Doors close September 10th!I discuss:Fresh starts versus clean slatesThe little known mindset shift necessary for results that last (and you can enjoy)Why investing in our health is even more important when the world is on fireHow to re-think success for results beyond what you can imagine right now Mentioned in this episode:⭐️ Why Am I Eating This Now? — Join our next live cohort, starting September 13thEpisode 301: You Don’t Have to Feel Powerless Around Food with Ginny and Isis

Tara Schmidt, M.Ed., RDN, LD is the lead dietitian for the Mayo Clinic Diet, host of the Mayo Clinic On Nutrition podcast, and Medical Editor of the Nutrition & Fitness channel.Today she joins me for a holistic, evidence-based conversation about GLP-1s, where we cut through the misinformation around these drugs and offer information you can really trust.If you’re already taking Ozempic or Wegovy, you want to start so you can lose weight, or maybe your doctor’s recommending it — this episode is for you.I hope you enjoy it, and if you do, RSVP for my FREE Workshop on September 3rd, Untangle Your Food Triggers: Catch Yourself Before You Fall Off Track.We discuss:What GLP-1s are and how they workThe place of medication and are these long term drugs?Micro-dosing and low-dosing GLP-1sWhich doctors should be prescribing metabolic drugsRegenerative healing from GLP-1sThe causes of food noiseHunger vs appetiteThe triggers for emotional eatingWhy eating for comfort makes senseReclaiming your agency so you want to change (rather than feeling like you “should”) More about our guest: Tara Schmidt, M.Ed., RDN, LD is a registered dietitian and an instructor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. As the lead dietitian for the Mayo Clinic Diet, she provides guidance rooted in evidence-based principles, helping individuals develop sustainable and realistic strategies for long-term health. She also hosts Mayo Clinic On Nutrition, a podcast that dives into current nutrition research and practical weight management tips, and she lends her expertise as the Medical Editor of the Nutrition & Fitness channel. In addition, Tara co-authored The Mayo Clinic Diet: Weight Loss Medications Edition, highlighting her commitment to thoroughly researched and medically sound advice.Beyond her professional endeavors, Tara is devoted to reducing weight bias and ensuring that everyone, regardless of size or background, has access to accurate, empathetic dietary information. She balances her busy career with family life, staying active with her husband, two children, and a golden retriever who—just like the rest of the family—enjoys a healthy serving of vegetables.Connect with Tara and Mayo Clinic:On Nutrition podcast from Mayo ClinicMayo Clinic DietMayo Clinic Press Mentioned in this episode:Insatiable Episode 280: What’s Missing From the “Emotional Eating” Conversation with Dr. Deborah MacNamaraInsatiable Episode 271: Over 40 Metabolism Myths with Liz Wolfe, NTP and Certified Personal Trainer

Why Am I Eating This Now? is open for registration!Today I’m resharing a great conversation — and a powerful “Where are they now?” update — with two past Why Am I Eating This Now?: The Courage for Consistency participants who tell their powerful stories of going from “failing” at every program they tried to address the root issues of why they were 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)⭐️ Ready to catch yourself before you fall off track? RSVP for my free workshop on September 3rd.

Welcome to the 300th episode of Insatiable! To celebrate this milestone, I’m sharing three essential lessons every woman over 40 should know about health, weight loss, and nutrition in midlife.After years of making this show and working with real life clients, I’ve seen what actually works for women in perimenopause and menopause—and it’s not counting calories, cutting carbs, or blaming yourself when your body doesn’t respond the way it used to.Instead, we need to improve the quality of our food, quit punishing ourselves with exercise, and learn how to pivot without triggering our inner-perfectionist.Want to know more? Tune in and share this one with your friends. These insights will save you so much time, energy, and (maybe even) digestive distress.Learn about:The reality of counting calories and eating less over 40Why you need to eat carbs (especially if you can’t sleep)How to find joy in exercise (even if you’ve never been consistent!)Pivoting into a flexible mindset and prioritizing your health as you ageWhy pushing harder is rarely the answer and there is no perfect plan Mentioned in this episode:⭐️ FREE Workshop on September 3rd — Untangle Your Food Triggers: Catch Yourself Before You Fall Off Track⭐️ Why Am I Eating This Now? — Get earlybird pricing on our next live cohortWhy I Joined Orange Theory (even though it’s “Bad” if you’re over 40)Insatiable named to FeedSpot’s Top 20 Emotional Eating podcasts

Body Stories is back — and we’re halfway through the journey.Sas Petherick returns to share what she’s learning six months into her year-long holistic weight loss experiment. She opens up about how her relationship with food is evolving, what strength feels like in her body now, and how all of it is reshaping her work as a coach.Together, we explore what it means to approach weight loss as an act of care — not punishment — especially in midlife, when everything from metabolism to motivation starts to shift.If you’re tired of all-or-nothing thinking about your health, this one’s for you. And if you're ready to untangle your own food triggers, RSVP for my free workshop on September 3rd.We discuss:The power of loving limits and keeping promises to yourselfHow diet culture, wellness influencers, and capitalism shape your body storyWhat “complexity fitness” means — and why it matters for you to hold the nuanceWhy taking a break from Instagram can change how you see yourselfWhy a glucose monitor won’t give you all the answersLetting yourself be more high-maintenance More about our guest: Sas Petherick believes that healing our self-doubt is one of the most important contributions we can make to ourselves, our families, our work, and the world.Sas holds a Master's degree from Oxford, and her research on self-doubt was published in the International Journal of Coaching and Mentoring. She has developed an evidence-based, trauma-informed, ICF-accredited coaching methodology for cultivating self-belief.For over a decade, Sas has coached with hundreds of women experiencing self-doubt in their professional and personal lives. Sas hosts the top 1% rated self-doubt podcast Courage & Spice which has enjoyed over half a million downloads. She is also an accomplished speaker and has developed coaching workshops and programmes for clients like BBC Worldwide and Pinterest. Her writing has appeared in numerous magazines.After 25 years in the UK, Sas currently lives by the beach in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, with her partner Ash and pooch Bohdi, imagining a post-capitalist world, exploring consciousness, and listening to obscure UFO podcasts.Connect with Sas Petherick:Visits Sas’s websiteFollow Sas on InstagramSubscribe to Sas’s newsletter Courage & Spice ⭐️ Ready to catch yourself before you fall off track? RSVP for my free workshop on September 3rd.

Today Elise Loehnen returns to Insatiable for a much-needed reminder that you don’t have to be good. And in fact, focusing on being “good” or “nice” might perpetuate your battle with food and leave you feeling deeply unfulfilled.In this conversation, we unpack what it means to be whole, why it’s fine if some people don’t like you, and how to stop seeking external approval. We also tap into how the stories we tell about goodness impact our relationship to food and our body (including what the deepest layer of body image is really about).Tune in for a huge permission slip to rest and replenish — even when you’d rather push through (and learn how this supports staying on track with your food). And stick around until the end for a great reframe for envy!We discuss:How your desire to be “good” shows up in your daily lifeWays to unhook from external validationThe shadow & why it matters in midlife, health includedRejecting the “sin” of sloth & learning to restMAHA and why it’s not selfish yet essential to tend to your inner life during political turmoilEnvy as a GPS for your soul More about our guest: Elise Loehnen Fissmer is a writer and editor living in Los Angeles with her husband, Rob, and their sons, Max and Sam. She is the host of *Pulling the Thread* where she interviews cultural luminaries on the big questions of the day. While she’s co-written 12 books, including five New York Times Best Sellers, her first book under her own name, *On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good* (Dial Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House), was also an instant New York Times bestseller. Previously, she was the chief content officer of goop, where she co-hosted The goop Podcast and The goop Lab on Netflix, and led the brand’s content strategy and programming, including the launch of a magazine with Condé Nast and a book imprint.Connect with Elise:Preorder Elise’s new workbook Choosing Wholeness Over Goodness: A Process for Reclaiming Your Full SelfGet Elise’s book On Our Best BehaviorListen to Elise’s podcast Pulling the ThreadFollow Elise on Instagram @EliseLoehnen Mentioned in this episode:Why Am I Eating This Now? — Get the free masterclass and earlybird pricing hereRethinking Food Guilt, Gluttony, and “Goodness” with Elise LoehnenWomen’s Bodies, Envy, and Scarcity with Elise Loehnen (Part 2)

A few months ago, my exercise routine stopped working for me. I’d been focusing on strength training for years, but I just didn’t want to go to the gym anymore. I felt super apathetic.At first, I chalked it up to bad sleep and low energy. But then I realized that some sneaky Menopause 101 messaging was actually holding me back from doing what felt right for my body.In this episode, I take you behind-the-scenes on how I noticed I was falling off track and the method that helped me return to movement again.Tune in to hear about:How to bridge the Knowing-But-Not-Doing gapMy experience with Orange Theory as a cardio-skepticHow to find the triggers that get you off trackPolarity lessons I’ve learned from HIIT classesThe results I’ve noticed with my sleep, my energy, my mental health, and my weight since reintroducing cardio Mentioned in this episode:Next Level by Dr. Stacy SimsListen to Dr. Stacy Sims on Insatiable podcastTry a free Orange Theory classGet my free Masterclass: Untangle Your Food Triggers: Catch Yourself Before You Fall Off TrackLearn about the Truce Coaching CertificationSpecial thanks to Juliet for her expert guidance. Learn more or work with Juliet here. 

Our Body Stories series is back with another installment of my friend Sas Petherick’s intentional weight loss journey.We’re three months in now, and she’s discovering how her new routines are integrating into her daily life and reshaping her identity in the process.Tune in to hear us unpack the emotional body, the power of habits, and how to actually stop treating food as an escape.We discuss:Self-authoring and redefining what it means to “work out”How to cultivate self-compassion without resignationWays that Sas is handling “bad days” without turning to food as an escapeRated of Perceived Exertion (RPE) & the reasons we underestimate our abilityWhy support from others is so importantThe Kardashians' new food productHow much weight Sas has lost so far (stick around to the end for that!) More about our guest: Sas Petherick believes that healing our self-doubt is one of the most important contributions we can make to ourselves, our families, our work, and the world.Sas holds a Master's degree from Oxford, and her research on self-doubt was published in the International Journal of Coaching and Mentoring. She has developed an evidence-based, trauma-informed, ICF-accredited coaching methodology for cultivating self-belief.For over a decade, Sas has coached with hundreds of women experiencing self-doubt in their professional and personal lives. Sas hosts the top 1% rated self-doubt podcast Courage & Spice which has enjoyed over half a million downloads. She is also an accomplished speaker and has developed coaching workshops and programmes for clients like BBC Worldwide and Pinterest. Her writing has appeared in numerous magazines.After 25 years in the UK, Sas currently lives by the beach in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, with her partner Ash and pooch Bohdi, imagining a post-capitalist world, exploring consciousness, and listening to obscure UFO podcasts.Connect with Sas Petherick:Visits Sas’s websiteFollow Sas on InstagramSubscribe to Sas’s newsletter Courage & Spice Mentioned in this episode:291. How to Lose Weight AND Love Yourself (because you can do both!) with Sas Petherick [Body Series #1]295. “We’re the Brave Ones” — Discipline vs Devotion, Macros & Being “Sporty” with Sas Petherick [Body Stories Series #2]

Today we continue our Body Stories series with Sas Petherick!She joined me on Insatiable last month (listen here!) to talk about her intentional weight loss journey. This week she returns so we can catch up on how things are going one month in.Tune in as we explore public weight loss, before and after photos, psychological flexibility, how it feels to eat more calories, healing our childhood wounds around sports, and more.And if you relate to anything in this episode, join me (Ali) for Your Emotional Eating Blueprint this spring! You can enroll or sign-up for a free sneak peek here: https://alishapiro.com/blueprint/We discuss:Why we shouldn’t judge a celebrity (or anyone) who loses weightHow it feels to be bombarded by before & after photosRejecting weight loss as a “hero’s journey”Discipline vs devotion & the myth of consistencyWhere Sas is going for support with eating, food & workoutsHow Sas felt when her trainer suggested she eat more calories per dayLearning about macros & how they impact satiationThe stories we have around sports & who’s “sporty”What’s shifting for Sas around movement & being active More about our guest: Sas Petherick believes that healing our self-doubt is one of the most important contributions we can make to ourselves, our families, our work, and the world.Sas holds a Master's degree from Oxford, and her research on self-doubt was published in the International Journal of Coaching and Mentoring. She has developed an evidence-based, trauma-informed, ICF-accredited coaching methodology for cultivating self-belief.For over a decade, Sas has coached with hundreds of women experiencing self-doubt in their professional and personal lives. Sas hosts the top 1% rated self-doubt podcast Courage & Spice which has enjoyed over half a million downloads. She is also an accomplished speaker and has developed coaching workshops and programmes for clients like BBC Worldwide and Pinterest. Her writing has appeared in numerous magazines.After 25 years in the UK, Sas currently lives by the beach in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, with her partner Ash and pooch Bohdi, imagining a post-capitalist world, exploring consciousness, and listening to obscure UFO podcasts.Connect with Sas Petherick:Visits Sas’s websiteFollow Sas on InstagramSubscribe to Sas’s newsletter Courage & Spice Mentioned in this episode:291. How to Lose Weight AND Love Yourself (because you can do both!) with Sas Petherick269. Let’s Get Triggered: Oprah, Ozempic, and Our OutrageRegistration for Your Emotional Eating Blueprint is now open. You can enroll or sign-up for a free sneak peek here: https://alishapiro.com/blueprint/

Do you feel trapped in a cycle of dieting and frustration? Why do your best efforts with food seem to fail when it matters most? Is it possible that your food struggles are about something deeper than food itself?In this episode of Wits & Weights Podcast, host Philip Pape explores the deeper roots of food consistency with Insatiable’s own Ali Shapiro!Tune in to learn all about:Why food struggles aren’t about foodUnderstanding emotional hungerTools Vs. Deeper psychological workFood and the human experienceStress, loneliness, secret eating, and falling off trackThe T.A.I.L. framework for emotional triggersFacing triggers and learning growthAli’s personal journey with food and healthFinding trust and meeting your needsCompassionate witness and feeling significant Mentioned in this episode:Philip’s episode of InsatiableAli’s Truce with Food programRegistration for Your Emotional Eating Blueprint is now open! You can enroll or sign-up for a free sneak peek here: https://alishapiro.com/blueprint/

Here at Insatiable, we’re all about providing the education you need for perimenopause, menopause and aging. I mean, we did a whole season on it, and it's obviously been my own focus since going through early menopause a couple of years ago.But I'm starting to notice something alarming in terms of what we're not talking about — which is what these hormonal shifts mean for our stress and how this changes what works for our energy after 40.So this week, we’re diving into the often-overlooked topic of how hormonal shifts in perimenopause and menopause impact our emotional stress resilience.Because, did you know that the drop in estrogen and progesterone as we age removes a physiological stress buffer for cortisol? This means that the stress we're used to handling might now leave a mark on our energy, mood, and food choices.So if you’re experiencing stress and food struggles in midlife, tune in to this episode to learn about:The exhaustion-fueled cravings cycle that I see with clientsWhy our relationship with food and our relationship with stress go hand-in-handEmotional stress resilience in menopause and beyondStories from the real-life women I support about how to overcome burnout, comparison, and overeatingAnd if you appreciate this episode, get on my list to be the first to know when my Your Emotional Eating Blueprint: Why Am I Eating This Now? course is open for registration in early April!

I love Philip Pape’s approach to health, because everything he teaches is evidence-based.So today he’s joining me on the podcast to unpack a few “trendy” nutrition and fitness topics like fat loss, muscle building, protein, calorie-counting, satiety, GLP-1s and more!Join us a we explore what’s really going on with health and weight loss — especially for women over forty. And don’t forget that this spring I’m teaching the first and only live round of Your Emotional Eating Blueprint: Why Am I Eating This Now? course, which you can hear more about by getting on my email list hereWe discuss:Mindset shifts for health over 40Why Philip uses the term “fat loss” instead of “weight loss”Over-fat vs under-muscled & why that’s a false dichotomyWhy crash diets don’t workHow Ali shifted her nutrition through perimenopause and menopauseProtein’s role in satiety and satisfactionWalking vs running and the importance of sleepGLP-1s and dieting More about our guest: Philip Pape is the host of Wits & Weights, a top 1% nutrition podcast where complex science meets real-world results. Known as the Physique Engineer, he combines his engineering background with evidence-based nutrition expertise to help people build stronger, leaner, and healthier bodies without the usual fitness industry confusion. Through his work, Philip proves that transforming your physique doesn't require endless hours in the gym, cardio, or extreme dieting—it just requires working smarter.Connect with Philip Pape:Follow Philip on Instagram @witsandweightsGet the Muscle-Building Nutrition BlueprintTry Wits & Weights Physique University for 14 days and get your first challenge FREE: https://link.fastpaydirect.com/payment-link/679e81b4ea47af97fc12172eListen to this episode of Philip’s podcast for more on this topic: The Most UNDERRATED Fat Loss Secret Making You FATTER (and Sabotaging Muscle Gain Too) | Ep 257 

Today’s episode is with my long-time friend and colleague Sas Petherick. It’s about those times when you want to lose weight… but you also want to love your body.This is also the beginning of our new Body Series: ongoing conversations about the nuances of being in relationship with our bodies. And today I'm announcing the first live round of my Your Emotional Eating Blueprint: Why Am I Eating This Now? course, which you can hear more about by getting on my email list!We discuss:Sas’ relationship with her body + illnessDiet culture as “thin at all costs”Feeling peace within our bodiesCentering strength & health instead of weight lossHow Sas has changed her eating habitsWhy restriction is different than deprivationDoing the “good thing” vs actually feeling goodFinding satisfaction in our day-to-dayLetting go of the Weight Watchers “walk of shame” More about our guest: Sas Petherick believes that healing our self-doubt is one of the most important contributions we can make to ourselves, our families, our work, and the world.Sas holds a Master's degree from Oxford, and her research on self-doubt was published in the International Journal of Coaching and Mentoring. She has developed an evidence-based, trauma-informed, ICF-accredited coaching methodology for cultivating self-belief.For over a decade, Sas has coached with hundreds of women experiencing self-doubt in their professional and personal lives. Sas hosts the top 1% rated self-doubt podcast Courage & Spice which has enjoyed over half a million downloads. She is also an accomplished speaker and has developed coaching workshops and programmes for clients like BBC Worldwide and Pinterest. Her writing has appeared in numerous magazines.After 25 years in the UK, Sas currently lives by the beach in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, with her partner Ash and pooch Bohdi, imagining a post-capitalist world, exploring consciousness, and listening to obscure UFO podcasts.Connect with Sas Petherick:Visits Sas’s websiteFollow Sas on InstagramSubscribe to Sas’s newsletter Courage & Spice Mentioned in this episode:That Sugar FilmFreedom From Cravings Self StudyOpt in here to be the first to hear about the first live round of my Why Am I Eating This Now? mini-course  

2025 has been the longest year ever (already), hasn’t it?My sleep issues are back. I’m working on HRT shifts. The political climate is chaos. And I just needed to take February to rest.But the podcast is coming back! I’m here today to let you know that we have a lot of exciting episodes coming up — including a new Body Stories series, an interview with a personal trainer about how to lose weight in mid-life, and minisodes from me about emotional eating and belonging.Plus! In mid-April I’m launching a Why Am I Eating This Now? mini-course for only $97. Get on my email list to be the first to know when registration opens. And tune back in next week for a new episode!

After nearly 300 episodes of the Insatiable Podcast, I know you likely understand food challenges intellectually—now it's time for real change.Join me, Ali, for a FREE breakthrough session that will transform your relationship with food. This Wednesday (Jan. 8th) at noon EST, I'm hosting Stop the Quick Fix Cycle: Why Band-Aid Solutions Make Emotional Eating Worse (and How to Actually Get Results). In this episode, I briefly address 3 of the things I most often hear from people considering Truce with Food:1) "I've tried everything" – Learn why emotional safety and belonging are the missing pieces.2) "I know what works; I just can't stick with it" – Discover how unmet emotional needs, not willpower, affect your consistency.3) "If there were a solution, I would have found it by now" – See why knowledge isn't enough and why you've been looking in the wrong direction (along with most of the nutrition and fitness industry)At this free breakthrough session, we'll dive deeper into these three beliefs and you'll hear direcly from past participants who've achieved sustainable and lasting transformation with their relationship to food. And you'll learn how to set transformational goals (and how they're different from traditional health and weight loss goal setting). Ready to make this year really different? 👇 Register below to turn your insights into action 👇

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 

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/

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 with Laura McKowen – Insatiable Special EpisodeEpisode 234: How to Exercise to Prevent Sugar Cravings with Alisa VittiEpisode 233: Quitting Alcohol and Managing Sugar Cravings with Laura McKowen

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 Mentioned in this episode:Read Dr. Vora's book, The Anatomy of AnxietyAli’s Breakfast Experiment

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’t need to be on DIMMore about our guests: Maria, an FDN practitioner, and Kristin, an NTP Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition, are plainspoken friends and practitioners who share a passion for women's health, especially women's health at midlife. They are the authors of the widely acclaimed book "The Great Menopause Myth", a comprehensive, science based, yet easy to read guide for women who want their best chances at healthy longevity. As both are themselves menopausal, they've refined the art and science of thriving as a midlife woman based on both clinical and personal experience. They combine individualized nutrition and lifestyle changes tailored to midlife women's needs with mindset coaching, lab testing and hormone replacement therapy education to help women thrive so that they can stop or prevent their health from spinning out of control.Connect with Kristin & Maria:Get The Great Menopause MythLearn more about Wise and WellExplore the Mastering Midlife Mentorship

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! Mentioned in this episode:Episode 278: How to Better Understand Stress with Andrea Nakayama, Functional Medicine Nutritionist and EducatorFood Freedom 2: Feel In Control, Not Controlled By FoodEpisode 280: What’s Missing From the “Emotional Eating” Conversation with Dr. Deborah MacNamara

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!

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 extreme calorie deficitsDiagnosing stomach acid issues & H. pyloriSimple steps to heal your gut without supplementsWhy we need to pay attention to insulin sensitivity as we ageWhat to do before you start fasting or biohackingProtein intake recommendations & sustainabilityHow rest & recharge in a minute or less More about our guest: Dr. Jannine Krause is a naturopathic doctor, acupuncturist, and host of The Health Fix Podcast specializing in helping women over 40 not age like their mothers or society. She has a doctorate in naturopathic medicine, master’s in acupuncture, and bachelor’s in biology.Connect with Jannine:WebsiteInstagramYoutubeMentioned in this episode:HCL Challenge PDFLumenKate Northrup 

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 we can learn to depend on others More about our guest: Dr. Deborah MacNamara is the author of two books, Nourished: Connection, food and caring for our kids (and everyone else we love), and Rest, Play, Grow: Making sense of preschoolers (or anyone who acts like one). She is on Faculty at the Neufeld Institute and the Director of Kid’s Best Bet counselling. Connect with Deborah:WebsiteBooksFacebookInstagram Mentioned in this episode:Dr. Gordon Neufeld & Dr. Gabor MatéThe Religion of Wellness Culture with Anne Helen Petersen (Episode 252)

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 Questions Explored:How can "being in choice" begin to loosen the feeling of restriction?What does the often repeated HALT tool miss?How can the TAIL tool help you begin to dampen food noise?How do our upbringing and early food struggles show up in our present-day lives?While this work isn't therapy, how can it still be therapeutic? How can we begin repairing trust in ourselves for sustainable transformation?How can midlife be viewed as a deeper calling?

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 was diagnosed with a brain tumor and given 6 months to live while she was pregnant with their first and only child. In response, she doubled down on an area she was passionate about—nutrition—in an attempt to extend his lifespan beyond his 30s. They made it over two years, and in the wake of his death, she discovered that she had developed Hashimoto’s. The transition from caregiver to patient challenged her to advocate for herself and others within a healthcare system that routinely pushes cases like hers and her late husband’s to the margins. As the host of the 15-Minute Matrix Podcast and the founder of Functional Nutrition Alliance, Andrea is leading thousands of students and practitioners around the globe in a revolution to offer better solutions to the growing chronic illness epidemic. Connect with Andrea Nakayama: InstagramLinkedInWebsite

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 Now? (Ali's Live 12-week Group Program, Starts in September!)Liz Wolfe's IdealAge Daily Aminos+Connect with Dr. Jannine KrauseThe Health Fix PodcastInstagram FacebookPinterest

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 Metabolism program. Connect: Instagram, Facebook, WebsiteMentioned:Liz Wolfe's 8-week Own Your Metabolism course is open through June 28th (Use code "Ali50" for $50 off!) 271. Over 40 Metabolism Myths with Liz Wolfe, NTP and Certified Personal Trainer164. Radical Healing: Light, mitochondria dysfunction and weight gain with Brandon Mentore117. Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong with Journalist Angela Saini

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 Hills, Angela was in over her head with a drinking problem that was relentless. She got sober in 2006 and dedicated her life to helping others do the same. She has spent the last 18+ years working in addiction/recovery as an Interventionist and trainer, and now serves as a Master Life Coach, host of the nationally-ranked Addiction Unlimited Podcast, national speaker, and entrepreneur. Connect with Angela Pugh: InstagramFacebookWebsiteMentioned in this episode:The 12 Steps of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous)Why Am I Eating This Now? Ali's live group program,  (opens in September)Please help Ali reach her goal of 200 podcast reviews on Apple Podcasts by the end of the summer! It takes 30 seconds and really helps support the show.

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 know you shouldn’t, this mindset shift helps.How mainstream goal setting, predicated on “You are not your story! Day 1 starts today”” sabotages us exactly like "Diet starts tomorrow" and a different approach to goal setting that resolves our root-causes and works in our real lives. The root cause of my bingeing and weight loss obsession that cancer deepened but wasn’t any more destructive than diets. And a simple practice for you to get to the root of your destructive eating habits.What I now believe about how weight is or isn’t related to health.And then I answer listeners' questions, which include:What role does diet play in your life as a survivor? Have you put your cancer in the rear view mirror, or does it still occupy your thoughts?Residual worries and things you have to be concerned about that others don’t?How can friends be supportive? 

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 and review on Apple Podcasts is scroll down the Insatiable show page, select a star rating, and tap “Write a review.” These reviews really do help others find the show—they mean more to me than you know.Past Insatiable episodes mentioned:267. Esther Blum Demystifies Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for Perimenopause and Menopause Relief269. Let’s Get Triggered: Oprah, Ozempic, and Our Outrage271. Over 40 Metabolism Myths with Liz Wolfe, NTP and Certified Personal TrainerAlso mentioned in this episode:Why Am I Eating This Now? (Ali's Live Group Program, begins in September 2024)The Truce Coaching Certification: A New Paradigm of Change (email Ali directly to be added to free upcoming trainings. No worries, these trainings are not sales calls in disguise.)