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Episode Description
Junk food was harder for Susan Peirce Thompson to quit than crack cocaine.
The founder and CEO of Bright Line Eating joins Chuck Carroll for a deeply personal conversation about food addiction, compulsive eating, cravings, and long-term weight loss.
Susan shares her remarkable journey from crystal meth and crack addiction to becoming a PhD and internationally recognized expert in the psychology of eating. She explains why food addiction can be uniquely difficult to overcome when triggers are everywhere and eating remains necessary for survival.
Chuck also revisits his own addiction-driven 10,000-calorie days, including a daily Taco Bell meal containing more than 4,000 calories.
Together, they explore the foods that may be most addictive, dopamine downregulation, ultra-processed foods, the return of cravings years into recovery, and the personal guardrails that can help someone finally break free.
Susan also shares lessons from her book Maintain and explains why lasting weight loss is not simply about completing a diet. It requires a fundamental shift in identity and becoming devoted to the habits that support your health.
Susan also explains why a person's recovery plan must be individualized and why occasionally experiencing a craving does not mean that years of progress have been lost.
Chuck and Susan will be speaking at the Plant Powered Party in Las Vegas with Chef AJ, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz and many others. Tickets are available now for the Labor Day weekend bash.
Exam Roomies of the Week
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📕 Maintain Book
❓Food Addiction Quiz
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This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
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The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.