This Is What You’re Really Hungry For

by Kim Shapira, MS, RD

Quit your on-again, off-again relationship with dieting for good—and become healthier and happier than ever.

You've tried to eat only vegetables. You've tried to eat only meat. You've gone gluten-free, dairy-free, satisfaction-free—but you shouldn't have to. In fact, you don't have to.

It’s time to stop restricting yourself and learn to make your relationship with food healthy—without forcing yourself to eat "healthy."

Dietitian Kim Shapira has developed six simple rules that will change your relationship with food forever. In This Is What You’re Really Hungry For, she breaks down the science to get your brain and your body on board; replaces fad diets that do not last with a sustainable method that encourages you to eat what you love; and empowers you to be the authority in your own body.

Kim’s refreshing approach will help you:

• Lose weight—or maintain your current weight
• Resolve blood pressure issues
• Improve your energy levels
• Reframe your beliefs about food and why you eat
• Identify foods that don’t love you back
• Manage your emotions in authentic, healthy ways

Food should be a source of joy and nourishment in your life—not stress—and This Is What You’re Really Hungry For will help you get there. This will be the last “diet” book you ever need—without ever asking you to go on a diet.

240 pages, Paperback

Published July 25, 2023

Reviews

[Regan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I get that this might be helpful information to some and that many people can benefit from Ms. Shapira's 'Rules', but I am not one of them. Things like "eat when you're hungry" and "eat what you love" don't work for someone who is always a little bit peckish. I mean this. Unless I have just finished a meal, I'm probably hungry. And 'eat what you love' might be great advice for some, but for someone with BED who loves things like chips, this is not a good idea.

I'm not saying that intuitive eating is wrong, or not the best thing for most people. However, I AM saying that this sort of thinking is what got me into this body in the first place.

[Corrica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book makes you think it wont be as bad as typical diet books, but it still perpetuates a lot of harmful rhetoric that you find in any diet book. I had hopes it wouldn't feed into so much poor understanding and representation of people, but it did. There was some useful information in it, but ultimately none of it was anything new that you haven't heard or read elsewhere.

[Kelly Pramberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting take on hunger and food and our minds! I like reading books about this topic and often do. I still managed to learn new information and Kim's steps were helpful. I'd grab this for myself in hard copy to read again. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars.

[Monica C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is What You're Really Hungry For has made me reset the way I think about eating, living and health. I feel less shame and more hope while changing how I feel about food and myself.

[Hanadi Alnawwab · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not another diet book telling us what to eat, when to eat, or what to count (calories, protein, etc.). Instead, it offers a framework for developing a healthier, more trusting relationship with food. Shapira blends science, psychology, and compassionate coaching to create a sustainable approach that feels both practical and empowering. It’s certainly not a “one-and-done” read. Much like a textbook for a new subject, it invites ongoing study, reflection, and practice. Each rule is grounded in science (for those of us who want scientific facts!) yet also made accessible through real-life application. While the rules may sound simple at first, putting them into practice requires patience, consistency, and self-reflection.

I began with the audiobook, which was perfect for listening while driving. But I soon realized I wanted to highlight, underline, and jot down my own notes, so I picked up the hard copy as well. One of the things I appreciate most is that Kim is active on social media and genuinely approachable, try asking her a question on her “ask me anything Fridays” … which makes the journey feel that much more supportive!

[Brenda Squiers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s nice about this book is how the author, Kim, makes it feel like she is talking to me. I feel so much better about the choices I will be making going forward and now I am always counting my steps. Always!

[Megan Sherer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kim Shapira has introduced a way of approaching food and nutrition that is so compassionate and kind to the inner self. It's such a wonderful contrast from traditional "diet" books and really invites the reader to self-reflect and do important inner work. That's where the change really begins!!

[Marianne Pestana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a game-changer, as we look at what's important for people to lose weight, look at self-regulation, with ways to adjust the way we look at food.