Food Junkies Recovery Stories Episode 27: Christine Trimpe
Release Date: 08/13/2025
Food Junkies Podcast
In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Dr. Vera Tarman speaks with Bonnie Newlin, registered dietitian nutritionist, Certified LEAP Therapist, founder of Crave Nourishment, and member of the Lipedema Education Group. Bonnie specializes in the nutritional management of lipedema and chronic inflammation. Lipedema is a progressive adipose and connective tissue disorder that primarily impacts women, often misdiagnosed as obesity. Bonnie shares her own story of living with lipedema—including a 170-pound weight loss, delayed diagnosis, and eventual lipidema reduction surgery—and how food...
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In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Dr. Vera Tarman and Clarissa Kennedy welcome back Dr. Nicole Avena — neuroscientist, researcher, and author — to discuss her team’s latest paper exploring a provocative question: Could GLP-1 receptor agonists, while reducing food cravings, also negatively impact dopamine regulation, mood, and addiction risk? Dr. Avena breaks down the science behind GLP-1 drugs, their effects on the brain’s reward pathways, and why these mechanisms might lead to unintended consequences such as anhedonia, apathy, and depressive symptoms. Together, they examine...
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Christine Trimpe is a transformative wellness leader dedicated to empowering professional Christian women to reclaim their health and vitality through her faith-based, holistic approach to weight loss. As the founder of The SugarFreed Me Method and a certified SUGAR® Licensed Practitioner, Christine helps clients achieve lifelong healing from sugar addiction and food-related struggles. Her clients experience dramatic transformations, including sustained weight loss and breakthroughs in physical, emotional, and spiritual health, with over 80% retention in her programs. After a personal...
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Dr. Tro Kalayjian is a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine, and the founder of Toward Health, a virtual metabolic health clinic helping people break free from food addiction and chronic metabolic disease. He’s also a founding member of the Society of Metabolic Health Practitioners and an international speaker on metabolic psychiatry, obesity, and nutrition science. But what makes Dr. Tro’s work truly powerful is that it’s personal. He grew up in a household affected by obesity and struggled with his own weight into adulthood, reaching over 350 pounds....
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In today's insightful Clinician’s Corner episode, Clarissa Kennedy and Molly Painschab delve into chronic invalidation as a trauma response, exploring its origins, impacts, and practical healing strategies. This episode offers clinicians compassionate insights and actionable tools for supporting clients on their healing journeys. Key Highlights: Understanding Chronic Invalidation Chronic invalidation occurs when emotions, needs, or perceptions are consistently dismissed, causing internalization of critical voices. Common invalidating statements include "You're too sensitive," "It's not that...
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We’re honored to welcome back Dr. Claire Wilcox, a trailblazer in the field of food addiction. Claire is an addiction psychiatrist, former internist, and associate professor of translational neuroscience at the Mind Research Network. She’s worked in everything from eating disorder treatment centers to general psychiatry and is on the frontlines of research, clinical care, and advocacy. Her academic textbook Food Addiction, Obesity and Disorders of Overeating has helped shape the professional dialogue—but today, we’re talking about her newest book, Rewire Your Food-Addicted Brain: Fight...
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In today’s episode, we explore the groundbreaking intersection of addiction, biology, and cancer with internationally recognized scientist Dr. Rafael Cuomo. Drawing on insights from his book Crave, Dr. Cuomo reveals how addiction is not simply a behavioral or psychological issue—it’s a biological condition that reshapes the terrain of our health and directly contributes to the development of chronic disease, including cancer. Dr. Cuomo introduces the concept of “molecular scars”—long-term physiological changes left behind by repeated addictive behaviors, even low-grade ones like...
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Dr. Hillary McBride is a therapist, researcher, speaker, and author dedicated to helping people grow, heal, and reconnect with their wholeness. With a PhD in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia, she specializes in trauma, embodiment, eating disorders, perinatal mental health, and psychedelic integration. Known for making complex psychological concepts accessible and meaningful, Hillary is passionate about creating therapeutic spaces grounded in safety, trust, and hope. Her clinical work is informed by evidence-based, de-pathologizing approaches including AEDP, IFS,...
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In this compassionate and insightful episode, Clarissa and Molly dive into the phenomenon of post-event collapse—the physical, emotional, and psychological crash that can follow highly stimulating or meaningful experiences. Whether it’s a vacation, a major life event, a group share, or even just navigating a family gathering, many in food addiction recovery find themselves disoriented and vulnerable in the days that follow. They unpack the biology (hello dopamine crash), psychology (emotional contrast effects), and the nervous system’s role (freeze/dorsal vagal responses), and they offer...
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Dr. Diana Hill, PhD is a clinical psychologist and internationally recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and compassion-based approaches to well-being. She is the host of the Wise Effort podcast and author of The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, ACT Daily Journal, and the forthcoming Wise Effort. Diana teaches individuals and organizations how to build psychological flexibility so they can live more aligned, courageous, and meaningful lives. I first discovered Diana and the transformative power of ACT through her course on using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for eating...
info_outlineTurning Points Matter – A single moment of frustration or physical limitation can become the catalyst for lasting change when paired with ownership and action.
Small Steps First – Christine didn’t overhaul her diet overnight. She began by removing obvious sources of sugar, then gradually tackled carbs like bread, pasta, and potatoes.
Medical Clues Can Guide Recovery – A sleep apnea diagnosis, fatty liver disease, and hormonal concerns pushed her to seek deeper answers.
Education Is Empowerment – Learning about insulin resistance through Dr. Jason Fung and others helped her connect the dots between her symptoms, cravings, and food choices.
Freedom from Food Obsession – Letting go of “everything in moderation” and embracing abstinence from trigger foods brought lasting relief from cravings and secret eating.
Faith as a Foundation – Daily Bible reading and spiritual reflection became Christine’s source of true satisfaction and stability, replacing food as a coping mechanism.
Social Strategies Work – She uses simple, non-judgmental responses when offered foods she avoids, focuses on connection over food, and prepares mentally before events.
Recovery Evolves – What worked at one stage may shift with life changes (e.g., menopause), and flexibility paired with self-awareness supports long-term success.
Planting Seeds – Helping others often means sharing your story without expectation, trusting that the right moment for change will come in their own timing.