This week I’m chatting with dietitian and author Kim Shapira about what it really means to feel free around food...

and how we can build a peaceful, trusting relationship with food, especially sugar.

Kim grew up with no food rules and a pantry full of snacks where nothing was off limits.

She says that that freedom, not restriction, is what helped her feel calm and in control around food. 

And as a mom, she shares how that approach shaped the way she raised her own kids, and how it still guides the work she does with her clients today.

We talk about sugar cravings, restriction backlash, and how to create a healthier  relationship with food that feels relaxed and respectful.

No guilt, no obsession, no needing to “be good.” 

Kim also opens up about her own sugar story: the one-week experiment that helped her break free from cravings, and how she now sees sugar: just not that big a deal.

Find Kim's book here.

To get personalized guidance from me, plus support and accountability in a small group... apply here to join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

Struggling with cravings? Download your 5 tips HERE to discover how you can get rid of cravings... even when you feel tired or stressed.

To rate and review this podcast:

1. scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
2. To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
3. Once you’ve finished, select “Send” or “Save” in the top-right corner.
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After selecting a nickname, tap OK. Your review may not be immediately visible, but it should be posted soon.
Thank you! - Netta

Disclaimer: Information provided by Life After Sugar is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care. Life After Sugar is not liable or responsible for any advice, information, services or product you obtain through Life After Sugar. You should always seek...

When I first told people I’d cut out sugar, everyone was so impressed — “Wow, that’s amazing! I could never do that!”

But when I mentioned I’d also stopped eating bread, the mood totally changed.
“Wait… no bread? Why?! That’s too extreme!”

It’s funny how cutting sugar gets applause, but cutting flour is judged.

And honestly, I get it. 

Bread and other flour-based foods have deep cultural roots — they’ve meant comfort, connection, even survival for generations. 

But the flour we eat today isn’t what our grandparents ate. Industrial milling made it finer, faster to digest, and a perfect ingredient for processed foods that keep us hooked.

In this episode, I talk about how flour became a staple in both tradition and modern food marketing — and why so many “whole grain” and “healthy” products aren’t nearly as wholesome as they sound.

And I’ll share what to eat instead of flour — not another powder or flour substitute, but real, satisfying foods that keep your blood sugar and energy steady... and your cravings quiet.

To get personalized guidance from me, plus support and accountability in a small group... apply here to join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

Struggling with cravings? Download your 5 tips HERE to discover how you can get rid of cravings... even when you feel tired or stressed.

To rate and review this podcast:

1. scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
2. To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
3. Once you’ve finished, select “Send” or “Save” in the top-right corner.
4. If you’ve never left a podcast review before, enter a nickname. Your nickname will be displayed on your review.

After selecting a nickname, tap OK. Your review may not be immediately visible, but it should be posted soon.
Thank you! - Netta

Disclaimer: Information provided by Life After Sugar is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care. Life After Sugar is not liable or responsible for any advice, information, services or product you obtain through Life After Sugar. You should always seek...

In this episode, my guest Mallary talks about her moving story of living with an eating disorder that began after losing her mother at the age of 12.

 Mallory opens up about how grief, perfectionism, and the need to “stay small” shaped her relationship with food—and how recovery became less about perfection and more about self-compassion.

This conversation with Mallary explores:

• the difference between eating disorders, disordered eating, emotional eating, and "normal" eating;
• how diet culture, judgment, and misinformation blur the lines between healthy habits and obsession;
• why emotional eating isn’t always “bad”—and when it can become a warning sign;
• how grief, trauma, and food are often intertwined; and
• the importance of open-mindedness and kindness in rebuilding a healthy relationship with food.

Mallary also shares insights from her book Slip, based on her own story and interviews with hundreds of others, to remind us that healing isn’t about control — it’s about connection, awareness, and compassion.

Find Mallary's book here.

To get personalized guidance from me, plus support and accountability in a small group... apply here to join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

Struggling with cravings? Download your 5 tips HERE to discover how you can get rid of cravings... even when you feel tired or stressed.

To rate and review this podcast:

1. scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
2. To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
3. Once you’ve finished, select “Send” or “Save” in the top-right corner.
4. If you’ve never left a podcast review before, enter a nickname. Your nickname will be displayed on your review.

After selecting a nickname, tap OK. Your review may not be immediately visible, but it should be posted soon.
Thank you! - Netta

Disclaimer: Information provided by Life After Sugar is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care. Life After Sugar is not liable or responsible for any advice, information, services or product you obtain through Life After Sugar. You should always seek...

My guest this week is functional medicine nutritionist Sarah Reilly, founder of Get Nourished. 

Sarah opens up about her long battle with undiagnosed Lyme disease and the surprising discovery that sugar was actually feeding the infection. 

For Sarah, cutting sugar wasn’t just about weight or cravings — it became a critical part of her healing journey.

We talk about:

• How Lyme disease forced Sarah to rethink her relationship with sugar.
• The link between sugar, chronic illness, and low immunity.
• Why even “healthy” foods like smoothies can trigger blood sugar crashes.
• The lasting benefits she sees from stabilizing blood sugar naturally.

Sarah’s story shows how even the toughest health challenges can spark life-changing breakthroughs.

Find Sarah here.

To get personalized guidance from me, plus support and accountability in a small group... apply here to join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

Struggling with cravings? Download your 5 tips HERE to discover how you can get rid of cravings... even when you feel tired or stressed.

To rate and review this podcast:

1. scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
2. To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
3. Once you’ve finished, select “Send” or “Save” in the top-right corner.
4. If you’ve never left a podcast review before, enter a nickname. Your nickname will be displayed on your review.

After selecting a nickname, tap OK. Your review may not be immediately visible, but it should be posted soon.
Thank you! - Netta

Disclaimer: Information provided by Life After Sugar is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care. Life After Sugar is not liable or responsible for any advice, information, services or product you obtain through Life After Sugar. You should always seek...

Ciao! Take the time to listen to this episode... because it's about what I learned about food in Italy...

but especially, it's what I learned about time.

My experience in Italy in the summer of 2025 showed me that the Italian family's priority is taking the time to source high-quality fresh ingredients.

And taking the time to cook traditional, delicious meals is also a priority.

Eating meals together is a priority too.

And I saw this in the Italian coffee culture, as well as in slow processes such as the one used to make balsamic vinegar.

It was an eye-opener for me, because I live in North America (Canada) where it feels like the priority is to make food as fast and cheap as possible.

Maybe that's why we're so reliant on processed foods?

So how come one culture seems to have the time to prep and eat good-quality meals, but another culture doesn't?

You'll hear my thoughts when you take the time to listen to this episode.

To get personalized guidance from me, plus support and accountability in a small group... apply here to join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

Struggling with cravings? Download your 5 tips HERE to discover how you can get rid of cravings... even when you feel tired or stressed.

To rate and review this podcast:

1. scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
2. To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
3. Once you’ve finished, select “Send” or “Save” in the top-right corner.
4. If you’ve never left a podcast review before, enter a nickname. Your nickname will be displayed on your review.

After selecting a nickname, tap OK. Your review may not be immediately visible, but it should be posted soon.
Thank you! - Netta

Disclaimer: Information provided by Life After Sugar is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care. Life After Sugar is not liable or responsible for any advice, information, services or product you obtain through Life After Sugar. You should always seek...

Growing up, Jonathan described himself as "the fat kid".

His weight yo-yo'd constantly, reaching over 400lbs as an adult.

Jonathan had tried hundreds of diets, but he could never keep the weight off.

One day, he saw himself in a photo and he was shocked.

So shocked that he made an appointment for weight loss surgery.

In the weeks before, he decided to be more mindful of what he was eating, as well as how much and how often.

In this episode, you'll find out how Jonathan's mindset shifts saved him from surgery and helped him lose weight and maintain a healthy mind and body.

To get personalized guidance from me, plus support and accountability in a small group... apply here to join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

Struggling with cravings? Download your 5 tips HERE to discover how you can get rid of cravings... even when you feel tired or stressed.

To rate and review this podcast:

1. scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
2. To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
3. Once you’ve finished, select “Send” or “Save” in the top-right corner.
4. If you’ve never left a podcast review before, enter a nickname. Your nickname will be displayed on your review.

After selecting a nickname, tap OK. Your review may not be immediately visible, but it should be posted soon.
Thank you! - Netta

Disclaimer: Information provided by Life After Sugar is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care. Life After Sugar is not liable or responsible for any advice, information, services or product you obtain through Life After Sugar. You should always seek...

My guest this week is very special... because it's my mum, Marcia!

And it's her birthday too!

In this episode, we talk about how and why my mum decided to try cutting sugar 10 years ago, at the age of 68.

But she didn't just cut sugar... Marcia also cut flour. 

But why?? Well... partly because she saw me cut sugar and flour and feel so much better.

So she thought: I'll give it a try! What have I got to lose?

So at the age of 78, how's my mum's health today? And how does she feel?

That's what you'll find out in this episode!

To get personalized guidance from me, plus support and accountability in a small group... apply here to join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

Struggling with cravings? Download your 5 tips HERE to discover how you can get rid of cravings... even when you feel tired or stressed.

To rate and review this podcast:

1. scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
2. To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
3. Once you’ve finished, select “Send” or “Save” in the top-right corner.
4. If you’ve never left a podcast review before, enter a nickname. Your nickname will be displayed on your review.

After selecting a nickname, tap OK. Your review may not be immediately visible, but it should be posted soon.
Thank you! - Netta

Disclaimer: Information provided by Life After Sugar is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care. Life After Sugar is not liable or responsible for any advice, information, services or product you obtain through Life After Sugar. You should always seek...

Alicia ate sugar and processed foods all her life, into her 50s.

Then after a medical appointment, she realized that she needed to make a change for her health.

And even though it wasn't easy, she decided to stop eating sugar.

She wasn't necessarily ready... but she did it (imperfectly) anyway.

Alicia is interested in a data-driven approach for the first 7 days of cutting sugar. Because there's more to it than just changing your food.

In this episode you'll learn about Alicia's "5 Ws and a H" approach, which teaches you the skills to cut sugar for good.

Find Alicia here.

To get personalized guidance from me, plus support and accountability in a small group... apply here to join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

Struggling with cravings? Download your 5 tips HERE to discover how you can get rid of cravings... even when you feel tired or stressed.

To rate and review this podcast:

1. scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
2. To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
3. Once you’ve finished, select “Send” or “Save” in the top-right corner.
4. If you’ve never left a podcast review before, enter a nickname. Your nickname will be displayed on your review.

After selecting a nickname, tap OK. Your review may not be immediately visible, but it should be posted soon.
Thank you! - Netta

Disclaimer: Information provided by Life After Sugar is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care. Life After Sugar is not liable or responsible for any advice, information, services or product you obtain through Life After Sugar. You should always seek...

Alex struggled with food for most of his life, but he never knew that he had a real problem with food addiction.

He thought that he was lazy, weak-willed, and doomed to be overweight and unhappy forever.

His self-esteem was low, and he used sugar and processed foods as a source of familiarity and comfort.

By his mid-20s, Alex weighed about 400lbs.

He decided to make a conscious change to lose weight and get his health back.

Listen to how Alex went from feeling like a helpless victim to feeling in control and free from cravings and the hold that sugar had on him.

To get personalized guidance from me, plus support and accountability in a small group... apply here to join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

Struggling with cravings? Download your 5 tips HERE to discover how you can get rid of cravings... even when you feel tired or stressed.

To rate and review this podcast:

1. scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
2. To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
3. Once you’ve finished, select “Send” or “Save” in the top-right corner.
4. If you’ve never left a podcast review before, enter a nickname. Your nickname will be displayed on your review.

After selecting a nickname, tap OK. Your review may not be immediately visible, but it should be posted soon.
Thank you! - Netta

Disclaimer: Information provided by Life After Sugar is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care. Life After Sugar is not liable or responsible for any advice, information, services or product you obtain through Life After Sugar. You should always seek...

Ah! Italy!

La dolce vita!

Pasta... pizza... gelato!

Delizioso!

So did I eat all those typical Italian foods during our trip to Italy in July-August 2025?

Because... you know, I've been sugar free and flour free for 10 years now... so…

Want to know what I ate?

Listen to find out!

P.S. This is Part 1 of two episodes about what I ate (and what I learned about food) in Italy. Part 2 will be out in a few weeks.

To get personalized guidance from me, plus support and accountability in a small group... apply here to join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

Struggling with cravings? Download your 5 tips HERE to discover how you can get rid of cravings... even when you feel tired or stressed.

To rate and review this podcast:

1. scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
2. To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
3. Once you’ve finished, select “Send” or “Save” in the top-right corner.
4. If you’ve never left a podcast review before, enter a nickname. Your nickname will be displayed on your review.

After selecting a nickname, tap OK. Your review may not be immediately visible, but it should be posted soon.
Thank you! - Netta

Disclaimer: Information provided by Life After Sugar is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. This is general information for educational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical or professional care. Life After Sugar is not liable or responsible for any advice, information, services or product you obtain through Life After Sugar. You should always seek...