Life After Sugar

Latest Episodes:

301. "Recovery from sugar addiction is a zigzag journey": Paige Oct 18, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, I’m joined by Paige, who explains what "nervous system regulation" means with relation to recovery from sugar addiction.

Paige’s message is that when we reach for food under stress, the real issue is a nervous system that has gone into emergency mode. A calm brain doesn’t crave, so her approach starts with calming the body and using the small pause between a thought and an action.

Paige also talks about why the third week after reducing or cutting sugar is usually the hardest, and what happens to your taste buds and cravings if you keep going.

She believes real change comes from slowly retraining the brain, one small step at a time, and that every time you get through a craving, the next one comes back a little weaker.

Paige goes into more detail in her new book: Real Food Recovery: If Food isn’t the Answer, What’s the Question?

Paige has only one rule when it comes to recovery. Listen to this episode to hear what it is.

Find Paige's book here.

To get personalized guidance to stop emotional eating and break free from sugar cravings, plus support and accountability... join the 12-week program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

For step-by-step guidance toward freedom from cravings, get your copy of my new book: "Break Free from Sugar Cravings". Available on Amazon now!

For free resources, Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your cravings!

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

300. Back to basics, and why this podcast exists Oct 11, 2026

Show notes

It's episode 300 of the Life After Sugar podcast! Woo hoo!

To celebrate, I go back to some of the first things I ever talked about on this podcast, back in 2021, and to why the show exists in the first place.

Sometimes we forget the basics, so I think that the 300th episode is a good place to remember them.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

some different names for sugar, including the Cuba story that made me realize the white crystals we call sugar originally come from a plant
why "pure" sugar is mostly marketing, given the dozen or more industrial steps between the sugarcane or sugar beet and the white crystals
the chemistry of sugar, in simple terms: most sugars are built from glucose and fructose
how maple syrup and honey compare with table sugar on a molecular level
the fruit question: do I eat fruit, and where I get my vitamins if I don't eat much of it
what "life after sugar" and freedom from cravings means in real life, which is why this podcast exists

To get personalized guidance to stop emotional eating and break free from sugar cravings, plus support and accountability... join the 12-week program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

For step-by-step guidance toward freedom from cravings, get your copy of my new book: "Break Free from Sugar Cravings". Available on Amazon now!

For free resources, Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your 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:

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

299. How to maintain weight loss and a sugar free life: Susan Oct 04, 2026

Show notes

Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD, is a former food addict and the founder of Bright Line Eating. She and I recorded Episode 125 back in June 2023.

Susan is back on the podcast to talk about her new book, Maintain, the fifth book in her series about food addiction and weight loss.

In this episode, we talk about what happens after you lose the weight and why maintaining it can be harder than people expect.

A big part of that is learning what to do when you’re no longer using food, especially foods that contain refined sugar and flour, to deal with boredom, stress or difficult emotions.

Susan explains the three identity shifts she believes are important for maintaining weight loss: becoming devoted, resourced and liberated.

We also talk about dopamine and why some of us are more likely to reach for food when we’re stressed or tired, and Susan shares her 90-second practice for feeling an emotion instead of trying to make it go away.

And you'll hear about how to develop the skills to respond differently to cravings and emotions, because sugar can keep us stuck in the cycle of using food to avoid feelings, rather than learning how to deal with those feelings in a different way.

Find Susan's book MAINTAIN here.

To get personalized guidance to stop emotional eating and break free from sugar cravings, plus support and accountability... join the 12-week program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

For step-by-step guidance toward freedom from cravings, get your copy of my new book: "Break Free from Sugar Cravings". Available on Amazon now!

For free resources, Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your 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:

scroll down in your podcast player on your phone and click on the stars.
To leave a review, scroll down a little more and click on "Write a Review".
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298. "Sugar cravings are linked to dehydration": John Sep 27, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, I’m talking with John about sugar cravings, hydration, and what he calls “intracellular hydration.”

John shares his story of growing up in Columbus, Ohio, becoming a sugar addict, and eventually developing a very different perspective on health and the role of sugar and especially hydration in the body.

John surprises me with his fascinating “marbles and sponges” analogy to explain intracellular hydration.

He also explains why he believes sugar cravings are connected to dehydration.

And we talk about something I'm sure you can relate to: when it comes to sugar, moderation simply doesn’t work for everyone. John shares his own experience with sugar cravings and what changed for him when he stopped craving sugar.

Find John here.

To get personalized guidance to stop emotional eating and break free from sugar cravings, plus support and accountability... join the 12-week program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

For step-by-step guidance toward freedom from cravings, get your copy of my new book: "Break Free from Sugar Cravings". Available on Amazon now!

For free resources, Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your 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:

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

297. "My commitment is 100 days without sugar": Martin Sep 20, 2026

Show notes

Martin was a guest on the Life After Sugar podcast on Episode 110 in February 2023. He’s back to ask me some questions about sugar, to talk about his new book, and also about the concept of an "irrevocable commitment".

Martin practises intermittent fasting. But he’s continued to have something sweet after dinner, which is a habit that goes back to childhood (nothing wrong with that!).

In this episode, we talk about:

Martin’s 66-day experiment without desserts and what he learned from it
How his thinking about the emotional connection he has with sweets changed
Moderating or abstaining from sugar, and why what works for one person may not work for another
Intermittent fasting, hunger and whether sugar affects fasting
GLP-1 medications and changing our behaviour around food
Martin's irrevocable commitment: You heard it here first!

Find Martin’s book is Journey to Thinland: Your Path to Permanent Weight Loss here.

To get personalized guidance to stop emotional eating and break free from sugar cravings, plus support and accountability... join the 12-week program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

For step-by-step guidance toward freedom from cravings, get your copy of my new book: "Break Free from Sugar Cravings". Available on Amazon now!

For free resources, Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your 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:

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

296. "Some people can moderate sugar, some can't": Heike Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

Heike grew up in Germany eating lots of sugar and large portions, and she was overweight by the time she was a teenager.

After moving to the United States in her early 20s, she discovered a very different food environment than the one she was expecting. She was surprised by how much fast food, fried food, burgers, French fries and starch-heavy foods there were, and how little emphasis there seemed to be on vegetables.

In this episode, we talk about:

how some people can moderate sugar, and others have an all-or-nothing relationship with it and need to abstain
“choosing to choose” — taking responsibility for your food choices instead of feeling powerless around sugar
the diet culture, learning to trust yourself again, and finding an approach that works for you

Get Heike's book, Pursue Your Spark here.

To get personalized guidance to stop emotional eating and break free from sugar cravings, plus support and accountability... join the 12-week program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

For step-by-step guidance toward freedom from cravings, get your copy of my new book: "Break Free from Sugar Cravings". Available on Amazon now!

For free resources, Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your 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:

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

295. What we’re getting wrong about nutrition and sugar: Dr. Nathan Sep 06, 2026

Show notes

Dr. Nathan Bryan has spent years researching human health and physiology... but during his medical training, he received zero dedicated training in nutrition.

In this episode, we talk about what he learned after his medical training and through his research, and how the nutritional quality of our food has degraded over time.

Dr. Nathan and I talk about how we consumers need to educate ourselves (which is easier said than done with all the confusing info out there!).

We also talk about sugar, insulin resistance, intermittent fasting, nutrient deficiencies, and whether supplements can help fill the gaps in our diet.

Dr. Nathan challenges some of the assumptions we’ve come to accept about nutrition and health, and explains what his research has taught him about what your body actually needs (hint: it's NOT sugar!).

To get personalized guidance to stop emotional eating and break free from sugar cravings, plus support and accountability... join the 12-week program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

For step-by-step guidance toward freedom from cravings, get your copy of my new book: "Break Free from Sugar Cravings". Available on Amazon now!

For free resources, Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your 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:

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

294. How to end sugar cravings for good (without diets or willpower) Aug 30, 2026

Show notes

You probably don't need another diet, another list of foods to avoid, or another reminder about what you already know you should be doing.

If you've been struggling with sugar cravings for years, the problem may not be a lack of information... or a lack of willpower.

It may be that you're trying to change a deeply ingrained pattern without the right process, support, and accountability.

In this episode, I explain why so many capable, motivated women can know exactly what they want to change and still find themselves back in the same cycle of cravings, restriction, giving in, and starting over. (I know — I've been there!)

I also explain what makes the Freedom from Cravings Formula different, and why having guidance while you actually implement the changes can make the process much more efficient and effective than trying to figure it all out on your own.

By the time you're 50, you've been dealing with sugar cravings for years. And you don't want to waste any more time and energy obsessing about food or your next sweet snack.

This episode will help you understand the missing piece and what it could look like to finally feel free from cravings.

And if you're wondering whether the Freedom from Cravings Formula could be the right fit for you, book free a call with me to talk about where you are now, where you want to be, and whether my approach can help you get there.

Book your free call with me here.

For step-by-step guidance toward freedom from cravings, get your copy of my new book: "Break Free from Sugar Cravings". Available on Amazon now!

For free resources, Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your 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:

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

293. "I ate sugar because I didn't feel loved": Sharon Aug 23, 2026

Show notes

For Sharon, sugar was much more than a sweet treat.

Sugary foods were something she used to help her through all-nighters and cope with difficult times.

But eventually, she realized that sugar was was helping her cope with difficult relationships and family issues.

In this episode, Sharon shares her journey from eating brownie batter straight from the bowl to adopting a raw vegan lifestyle.

She talks about the difficult events that fuelled her sugar addiction, and the moment she realized she didn't want to spend the next 40 or 50 years feeling miserable.

Most importantly, Sharon explains how she came to see the connection between food, her emotions, her self-talk, and the rest of her life, and how getting off the sugar roller coaster became part of a much bigger shift in herself.

Find Sharon here.

To get personalized guidance to stop emotional eating and break free from sugar cravings, plus support and accountability... join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

For step-by-step guidance toward freedom from cravings, get your copy of my new book: "Break Free from Sugar Cravings". Available on Amazon now!

For free resources, Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your 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:

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

292. "Sugar, inflammation, and heart health are connected": Dr. Boone Aug 16, 2026

Show notes

What does sugar have to do with heart disease?

According to Dr. Geoffrey Boone, preventive cardiologist, much more than most people realize.

After decades of helping people prevent heart disease, he explains how sugar contributes to inflammation, damages the lining of the arteries, and why these changes can begin years before any symptoms appear.

In this episode, we talk about why Dr. Boone believes prevention still isn't the main focus of healthcare, how modern imaging can detect heart disease long before a heart attack, and why highly processed foods have become such a problem.

We also discuss why moderation isn't always realistic for people with sugar addiction, where lifestyle changes fit alongside medication, and the practical steps you can take today to protect your heart for the long term.

Find Dr. Boone's book here.

To get personalized guidance to stop emotional eating and break free from sugar cravings, plus support and accountability... join the 90-day program, Freedom from Cravings Formula TODAY.

For step-by-step guidance toward freedom from cravings, get your copy of my new book: "Break Free from Sugar Cravings". Available on Amazon now!

For free resources, Do the Cravings Quiz and take the first step to get rid of your 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:

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

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