Weight Loss And ...

Holly Wyatt & James Hill

Your go-to hangout for everything weight loss… and beyond! “Weight Loss and…” is brought to you by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and hosted by seasoned experts in weight management, Dr. James Hill and Dr. Holly Wyatt.

We’re your friendly guides through the maze of weight loss, but with a fun twist. We’re not here to preach the latest fad diet or promise a miracle workout. Instead, we’re all about embracing the journey, acknowledging there’s more than one way to hit your health goals, and having a good laugh while we’re at it.

We get it: weight loss can be tough, and sometimes pretty serious business. But why can’t it also be enjoyable? With a side of humor, we’ll bring you science-backed insights, real-life stories, and some hard truths. (Spoiler alert: there’s no magic answer - but that doesn’t mean we can’t find what works best for you.)

“Weight Loss and…” is your inclusive space to explore, question, and learn — and to feel part of a community along the way. This isn’t just about shedding pounds. It’s about gaining perspective, building better habits, and enjoying the ride.

So if you’re up for honest conversations about weight loss - spiced with a little science and a whole lot of fun - pull up a chair, plug in those earbuds, and let’s see where this journey takes us.

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#145
Yesterday · 45 min
Are You Eating Healthier While Eating Less on GLP-1 Medications?
Everyone knows GLP-1 medications help people eat less. But does eating less actually mean eating better? It’s a question the weight loss field never really had to ask before, and the answer might surprise you. Join Holly and Jim as they dig into three GLP-1 studies looking at what people are actually eating. You’ll hear the real numbers behind diet quality, protein intake, and nutrient gaps on these medications, plus what it means for anyone currently taking (or considering) a GLP-1. Holly and Jim also share five practical tips to help ensure your diet works as hard as your medication is. Discussed on the episode Why losing weight on a GLP-1 doesn’t automatically mean you’re eating a healthier diet The surprising “Healthy Eating Index” scores researchers found in people taking these medications. Which micronutrients tend to slip through the cracks when food intake drops The protein timing pattern showing up in the data and why it might matter. Whether cravings actually go away on GLP-1s, or if that’s a myth Five things anyone on a GLP-1 can do right now to protect their diet quality Answers to listener questions on appetite loss, ongoing hunger, and whether there’s a “best” GLP-1 diet A teaser for the next episode, which flips the lens to physical activity on GLP-1s
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#144
September 16 · 47 min
Pop Quiz: What Do You Really Know About Keeping Weight Off?
Think you know what it takes to keep weight off? Most people can tell you how to lose weight, but ask them what actually predicts keeping it off, and the answers get shaky fast. That’s a problem, because losing weight and maintaining weight loss are two completely different biological and behavioral games, and confusing the two is one of the biggest reasons people yo-yo. In this episode, Holly and Jim put their listeners to the test literally. They’ve built a 20-question pop quiz covering everything from the hidden biology of metabolic adaptation to the real findings from the National Weight Control Registry, the groundbreaking study Jim co-founded three decades ago. And because so much has changed recently, they’re also tackling the question everyone’s asking: does any of this still apply in the age of GLP-1 medications? Grab a pen (or play along in your head) and see how many you get right. Some answers might surprise you, and a few might change how you think about your own weight loss journey for good. Discussed on the episode: Why the biology of losing weight and the biology of keeping it off are two entirely different processes, and why not knowing this is setting you up to regain What really happens to your metabolism after weight loss, and whether “metabolic adaptation” is something you should actually be worried about The hunger hormone changes that don’t go away and what that means for your day-to-day life The real math behind the “energy gap,” a concept Jim and Holly coined themselves What the National Weight Control Registry’s 30,000+ members actually do differently, including the surprisingly unglamorous form of exercise most of them rely on Whether successful maintainers take weekends and holidays “off” from their habits The truth behind the infamous “95% of diets fail” statistic. Whether losing weight slowly really does make you more likely to keep it off. Why willpower isn’t the key predictor of long-term success and what is What happens to the body when someone stops taking a GLP-1 medication, and whether that counts as the medication “failing” The most vulnerable window for regain during medication-assisted weight loss and why most people prepare for the wrong phase A rapid-fire round covering daily weighing, running vs. walking, and the most overrated maintenance strategy out there
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#143
September 9 · 47 min
What Should We Eat? Evolution, Diet, and Eating Well with Daniel Lieberman
What did humans actually evolve to eat? With paleo, keto, vegan, Mediterranean, and a thousand other diets all claiming to be "the one," it's no wonder people feel whiplashed every time they walk into a grocery store. But what if the answer isn't found in the latest diet book, but in millions of years of human evolution? Join Holly and Jim as they welcome back Harvard evolutionary biologist Dan Lieberman for a second appearance on the show. This time, Dan isn't talking exercise. He's talking food. Drawing on his new book, "Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals About Food, Diet, Health, and Eating Well," Dan explains why there's no single "evolutionary diet," why our supermarkets are a completely unprecedented environment for the human brain, and why willpower alone was never going to be enough. And because Dan doesn't just study diets, he lives them. He shares the surprisingly rough personal experiments he and his wife put themselves through in the name of research. By the end of this episode, you'll understand exactly why eating well feels so hard in the modern world, and why that struggle has nothing to do with a lack of discipline. Discussed on the episode: Why an evolutionary biologist says there's no such thing as "the" diet humans evolved to eat The "naturalistic fallacy" and why what our ancestors did isn't automatically what we should do What happened when Dan and his wife tried a raw food diet for several days (and why it ended with a bagel) The one natural food that's high in both sugar and fat, and what it reveals about why we crave certain foods How food processing quietly changed what's actually in your food, long before you ever open the package Why Dan calls modern ultra-processed foods "hyper-matched" to our brains The real reason low-carb and low-fat diets can both work, and why neither is right for everyone What Dan learned trying the Atkins diet as a self-described "carboholic" Why the Mediterranean diet keeps coming out on top, and whether that's fair to other traditional diets around the world His take on the vegan vs. carnivore debate, and why he wouldn't attempt one of them A listener's question about why the same diet can work great for one person and fail for their sibling Practical advice for eating well on a tight grocery budget The one thing Dan wants every listener to remember about their own struggles with food. Resources mentioned: Dan Lieberman's book: "Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals About Food, Diet, Health, and Eating Well"
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#142
September 2 · 47 min
Ten Key Decisions That Shape Your Weight Loss Success
Most people trying to lose weight obsess over the what: what diet, what medication, what workout plan. But according to Holly and Jim, the real key to long-term success isn't found in any of those choices. It's found in a set of decisions most people never even realize they're making. In this episode, Holly and Jim count down the 10 decisions that determine whether a weight loss journey actually sticks. Some are questions you'd expect. Others might catch you completely off guard, including the one they say most listeners will never predict is number one. Whether you're just starting, deep into a GLP-1 medication, working to maintain weight you've already lost, or wondering if you're on the right plan at all, this countdown is built for you. So before you make your next move, find out if you've quietly been making these decisions by default or on purpose. Discussed on the episode: The very first decision Holly says most people skip entirely and why it might surprise you coming from two people who host a weight loss podcast. Why a number on the scale might not mean what you think it means, and what "success" should really be measured by A newer, often-overlooked decision that's only become critical in the age of powerful weight loss medications The mindset shift that separates people who keep weight off from those who regain it Why hitting a plateau might actually be a sign you're succeeding, not failing. The surprising, deeply personal decision Holly and Jim rank as number one one they say most listeners will guess wrong
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#141
August 26 · 46 min
Triple Agonists: Revolutionizing Weight Loss or Too Much of a Good Thing?
For years, the ceiling on medical weight loss was 15%, maybe 20% if you were lucky. Now a new triple-target medication is posting average results that flirt with 30% body weight loss in clinical trials, numbers once reserved for the operating room. Holly and Jim sat down to unpack what's driving these results, and found themselves asking a question neither expected to ask in their careers: how much weight loss is actually too much? Retatrutide, the drug at the center of this episode, adds a third receptor target to the GLP-1 and GIP combination already familiar to listeners. Holly and Jim break down what this third piece brings to the table, walk through the newest published and presented trial data, and get refreshingly honest about the parts of this "medical miracle" that keep them up at night. More weight loss isn't automatically better weight loss. As these medications get more powerful, Holly and Jim argue the field needs to catch up fast on nutrition, dosing, and what "success" even means going forward. If you've been following the GLP-1 story, this episode is the plot twist you didn't see coming. Discussed on the episode: What makes this new medication a "triple agonist," and why adding a hormone best known for raising blood sugar might actually help with weight loss. The eye-opening trial results that have researchers using words like "mind-blowing" and why the number didn't plateau the way older treatments do A surprising new clinical worry that Holly never thought she'd hear herself say out loud Why "maximum dose" might not be the right goal for most people, even though it produces the biggest numbers The uncomfortable side effect that showed up more with this medication than with anything else on the market Whether switching medications is a good idea if what you're currently using is already working. The philosophical question Holly and Jim now find themselves asking about appetite itself and why silencing it completely might not be a win. A hint at what's coming next in obesity treatment, involving a hormone that hasn't entered the conversation yet
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#140
August 19 · 40 min
The Power of Mindfulness for Eating Habits and Weight Management
Can simply paying attention to your first bite of food change how much you eat? It sounds too simple to matter, but Holly and Jim are digging into a topic that might seem completely outside their lane: mindfulness and meditation. For years, mindfulness has been filed under "stress management," not "weight management." But a growing body of research is asking a bigger question: can training the mind actually change the way we eat, not by altering our biology, but by changing how we respond to it? Holly and Jim break down a recent meta-analysis of dozens of studies to find out what's real, what's hype, and where this surprisingly powerful tool might fit into your own weight loss journey, especially the part everyone struggles with most: keeping the weight off. Tune in as Holly and Jim separate the science from the sales pitch, tackle listener questions, and even reveal a personal update that might surprise you. Discussed on the episode Why "eating on autopilot" happens to all of us and the moment Holly realized she was already halfway through a road trip sandwich she didn't remember eating The surprising reason automatic eating exists in the first place (hint: it's not laziness) What a 46-study meta-analysis reveals about mindfulness and eating behavior and why the effect is small but might matter more than you'd think Why this tool may matter far more for keeping weight off than for losing it in the first place The key difference between mindfulness and meditation (and why they get confused) A concept called "decentering" that could change the way you handle cravings Whether mindful eating is secretly just another diet in disguise One simple, five-minute-a-day habit almost anyone can start today. A rapid-fire round covering hunger vs. habit, biology vs. behavior, and myths about needing to "sit quietly with your eyes closed" A personal confession from Jim about a new daily practice he's been keeping quiet about
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#139
August 12 · 46 min
The Five Minute Prescription: Online GLP-1 Meds and the Future of Obesity Care
A few clicks online. No exam, no phone call, no video visit. Minutes later, a GLP-1 prescription is headed to your door. It sounds like the future of healthcare: fast, easy, convenient. But is convenience the same thing as care? A Yale research team wanted to find out, so they built a fake patient, sent her to 49 different online GLP-1 providers, and tracked exactly what happened. What they found may change the way you think about getting these medications online and raise questions you didn't know to ask. Join Holly and Jim as they unpack this eye-opening "secret shopper" study and use it to explore a much bigger question: when does convenience actually improve obesity care, and when does it quietly replace it? Whether you're currently taking a GLP-1, considering one, or just curious about where obesity treatment is headed, this episode will change how you evaluate any provider online or in person. Discussed on the episode: The surprising percentage of online providers that approved a prescription in some cases in under five minutes The critical questions almost none of the 49 companies bothered to ask before prescribing a powerful medication Why "getting the meds" and "getting obesity care" are two very different things The real risks of starting a GLP-1 without a proper medical evaluation What compounded GLP-1s are, and why the vast majority of online prescriptions turned out to be compounded rather than brand-name Why your primary care doctor absolutely needs to know you're taking one of these medications (even if your online provider never asks) The dose-escalation practice that has Holly worried and why more medication isn't always better Holly and Jim's personal, unscripted stories about when convenience backfired in their own lives A simple framework for evaluating whether an online (or in-person) provider is actually giving you the care you deserve
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#138
August 5 · 42 min
The New Science of Food Noise and Its Impact on Weight Loss
For years, patients kept telling Holly the same strange thing: it wasn't the number on the scale that changed their life, it was something quieter, something they'd never had words for. They just didn't think about food anymore. Now that experience has a name, and for the first time, a way to measure it. Food noise has gone from an offhand comment on social media to one of the most talked-about concepts in obesity science, and Holly and Jim are back to unpack how far the research has come since they last covered it. Join Holly and Jim as they revisit food noise with fresh eyes. You'll hear how a handful of scattered patient stories turned into a full-blown scientific movement, what the newest validated tools can actually tell us, and why this "invisible" part of obesity might reshape how we think about treatment for years to come. Along the way, Holly and Jim get personal, sharing their own honest (and sometimes surprising) answers to whether they experience food noise themselves. Discussed on the episode: How an unexpected side effect of GLP-1 medications turned into a full-blown scientific mystery The difference between food noise, hunger, and cravings, and why it matters more than you'd think Two newly validated tools researchers are using to measure something patients have described for years. A surprising decades-old study that raises the question: is food noise really new? A science-backed framework for understanding where food noise comes from in the brain Whether food noise could predict who regains weight, and who doesn't The big philosophical question: could reducing food noise become a treatment goal, even for people who don't need to lose weight? Holly and Jim's own personal, no-holds-barred answers to "do you have food noise?" What might happen to food noise if you stop taking a GLP-1 medication, and whether that means treatment "failed"
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#137
July 29 · 46 min
20 Questions That Will Change How You Think About GLP-1s
GLP-1 medications are the single most requested topic on the show, no contest. But with so much noise on social media, in doctors' offices, and everywhere in between, sorting fact from fiction has never been trickier. Some of what's out there is spot-on. Some of it is dangerously wrong. So this week, Holly and Jim are flipping the format. Instead of another lecture, they're putting GLP-1 knowledge to the test with a 20-question quiz covering everything from the basic biology of these medications to the questions doctors themselves don't always get right. Grab a pen, keep score, and see how you stack up. By the end of this episode, you'll have a clearer, science-backed answer to the questions you've been too afraid to ask or too confused by conflicting headlines to trust. Discussed on the episode: The surprising truth about what GLP-1 medications are actually doing to your body (hint: it's not what most people think) Whether feeling less hungry is really a sign the medication is "working" Why a stalled scale might be the most normal thing that could happen to you The dosing myth that even well-meaning doctors sometimes get wrong What "success" really looks like when two people lose very different amounts of weight The truth behind "Ozempic face" and hair loss and whether the meds are really to blame Why almost everyone on a GLP-1 could benefit from one specific type of healthcare provider What to actually do (and not do) if you're eating less than 800 calories a day and still feel fine The real answer to "can I ever come off the medication?" Why those "natural GLP-1" gummies and supplements deserve a healthy dose of skepticism
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#136
July 22 · 54 min
The More You Know, The More You Can Eat with Carolyn O’Neil
We've all felt it: you decide to eat healthier, open social media, and within minutes, you're drowning in contradictory advice. Eggs are back. Butter's healthy. Seed oils are toxic. Never eat after 7pm. Wait, only eat between noon and 6pm? By the end, you're left wondering if anyone can just tell you what to eat. Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with award-winning food journalist and registered dietitian Carolyn O'Neil to unpack why nutrition advice feels so exhausting and contradictory. With decades spent translating nutrition science for CNN and beyond, Carolyn has made a career out of turning "pie in the sky" science into "pie on the plate" advice people can actually use. In this conversation, she shares how to separate real science from clickbait, why food doesn't have to be the enemy, and how her philosophy of "the more you know, the more you can eat" can transform your relationship with food. Whether you're confused by conflicting headlines, navigating a GLP-1 journey, or just trying to enjoy a family celebration without guilt, this episode is packed with practical, joyful wisdom from one of the most trusted voices in nutrition communication. Discussed in the episode Why the two biggest buckets of nutrition headlines are "this will kill you" and "this will cure you," and why it's often the same food A simple media literacy trick for telling real science from a misleading headline What really happened in a viral study on omega-3 supplements and brain health Why the "Mediterranean diet" is more romanticized than most people realize How to keep the joy of eating alive while on a GLP-1 medication The restaurant industry's surprising response to guests eating less A simple framework, "the three M's," for personalizing your approach to health Why "shop the perimeter of the store" might be terrible advice. Carolyn's rapid-fire answers on the most overhyped nutrition claims, misleading headlines, and her favorite food city in the world A practical tip for enjoying food-centered family traditions without overeating or guilt
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#135
July 15 · 50 min
The New Era of Weight Loss and Heart Health with Robert Eckel
Cancer is the disease most people fear. But heart disease is the one that actually kills the most Americans, and most people never connect it to their weight. For decades, obesity was treated as a bystander to heart disease, a risk factor at best. That thinking has changed dramatically, and the data behind that shift is stunning: we now have a medication proven to cut major cardiovascular events by 20% in people with obesity. Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with an old friend and true legend in the field, Dr. Robert Eckel, Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Bob is the only person to have ever served as president of the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the Obesity Society, a hat trick that connects heart, metabolism, and weight in a way no one else in medicine can claim. He's been in the room for four decades of major turning points in this field, from the earliest meetings on obesity science to the current GLP-1 era. In this episode, Bob walks Holly and Jim through the science, the skepticism, and the surprises behind the biggest shift in obesity treatment of their careers and answers real listener questions about medications, guidelines, and what patients should actually be asking their doctors. Discussed in the episode: The pivotal trial that's changing how cardiologists think about weight loss drugs and how its results stack up against statins Why the outcome researchers expected to explain the benefits of these medications may not be the real story at all The surprising history of how "obesity" and "heart disease" became connected in medical thinking, and who had to make the case What your body's "set point" really is, and whether staying on medication long-term can actually change it A candid take on whether the weight-loss drugs might be helping or quietly working against long-term behavior change Real listener questions answered, including when a cardiologist won't prescribe, what "not overweight enough" really means, and whether weight loss "worked" even after a heart attack. Bob's own vulnerable reflections on his career, a decision he'd make differently, and what still keeps him "rewired" in retirement
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#134
July 8 · 42 min
How Many Steps Do You Really Need for Health and Weight Loss with Amanda Paluch
For decades, one number has ruled the world of fitness: 10,000 steps. It's on your watch, your phone, maybe even tattooed into your daily to-do list. But what if that number was never based on science at all? Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with Dr. Amanda Paluch, Associate Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and leader of the Steps for Health Collaborative, an international research consortium pooling data from over 125,000 adults to answer one deceptively simple question: how many steps do you actually need? Amanda pulls back the curtain on where the 10,000-step goal really came from, what the data shows instead, and why the "right" number might depend on how old you are. Whether you're chasing a step count, recovering from mobility limitations, or navigating GLP-1 medications, this conversation will change the way you think about your daily walk. Discussed in the episode: The surprising 1960s marketing origin of the 10,000-step goal (hint: it has nothing to do with health research) Why the "right" step goal may look different depending on your age The step range where most of the cardiovascular benefit shows up (it's lower than you'd think) Whether walking pace matters as much as total volume How do steps fit into the GLP-1 conversation? What the research says about step counting becoming an unhealthy obsession Practical advice for people with mobility limitations who feel like step goals are out of reach Rapid-fire answers on walking vs. running, treadmill vs. outdoor steps, and more A simple mindset shift for anyone having a "low step day"
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#133
July 1 · 52 min
How Hype and Common Sense Shape Our Eating Choices with Tamar Haspel
For 40 years, every time nutrition has found a new villain, the food industry has handed us a new label to go with it: non-fat, no GMOs, gluten-free, no seed oils, and now, non-ultra-processed. We have more experts, more studies, and more food rules than ever before, so why does standing in the grocery aisle still feel like such a guessing game? Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with Tamar Haspel, the James Beard Award-winning Washington Post columnist behind Unearthed and author of To Boldly Grow, to pull apart the ultra-processed food debate and ask whether today's labels are actually helping us eat better or just making us easier to market to. Tamar doesn't just write about food from behind a desk: she gardens, fishes, raises chickens, and runs an oyster farm on Cape Cod, and she brings three decades of reporting, real skepticism, and zero patience for diet cranks to the conversation. You'll hear why the food world keeps repeating the same mistake, what a cage full of B.F. Skinner's pigeons can teach us about our relationship with food, and what's really driving overeating once you strip away the marketing. Discussed on the episode: The decades-old pattern that explains why every new food "villain" feels eerily familiar The bizarre pigeon experiment that reveals why we're so convinced certain foods are "good" or "bad" for us Why a bowl of crushed cereal proved more about overeating than years of processed-food headlines The blunt case for why "everything in moderation" might be the most useless diet advice out there The one-sentence grocery store rule that could replace almost every food label you've ever side-eyed How GLP-1 medications could end up reshaping the entire food industry, not just individual waistlines The "healthy" nutrient claim, Tamar says, is wildly overrated and the snack everyone blames for something it's not even guilty of
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#132
June 24 · 50 min
The Science and Realities of Long-Term GLP-1 Use
Losing weight on a GLP-1 medication can feel like magic until the scale stops moving. For almost everyone on these drugs, there comes a moment when the rapid progress slows, then stalls completely. Is the medication failing? Has your metabolism adapted? Did you do something wrong? For most people, that moment feels like a problem. It isn't. Join Holly and Jim as they unpack one of the most misunderstood parts of the GLP-1 journey: the shift from losing weight to keeping it off. You'll discover why a stalled scale is actually a sign the medication is doing exactly what it's supposed to do, and why "maintenance" is a completely different physiological state than "weight loss." One that comes with its own rules. Along the way, you'll pick up science-backed (and some still-unanswered) guidance on nutrition, muscle, bone health, and motivation for the long haul, plus a clear answer to a question Holly says she gets all the time: Are they against staying on these medications long-term? Discussed on the episode: Why hitting a plateau on a GLP-1 is good news, not a sign the drug has stopped working. The blood pressure pill comparison that reframes what people call "drug resistance" Why nutrition may matter even more, not less, once weight loss stops Whether you actually need to exercise to keep weight off on a GLP-1 (the honest answer might surprise you) The bone health risk in younger women that's getting far less attention than muscle loss Why are dose-tapering and switching strategies being called the "Wild West" of GLP-1 care A New York Times claim about these medications "rewiring the brain" and what that could mean long after you stop. How to find motivation once the scale refuses to budge Have a question or a success story? Send it in. Holly and Jim read every one, and they're especially looking for listener stories about navigating weight loss maintenance.
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#131
June 17 · 49 min
The Hidden Influence of Community and Environment with Christina Economos
What if the biggest obstacle to your health isn't your willpower, it's your zip code? Most of us have been raised to believe that weight and health come down to personal choices: what you eat, how much you move, how disciplined you are. But what if the deck has been stacked against millions of Americans before they ever make a single decision? This week, Holly and Jim sit down with Dr. Christina Economos, Dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Sciences and Policy at Tufts University, to explore one of the most important and most overlooked dimensions of the obesity epidemic: the environments we live in. With decades of groundbreaking research behind her, including the landmark Shape Up Somerville study, Dr. Economos makes a compelling case that lasting health change can't happen one person at a time. And with GLP-1 medications reshaping what's possible for individual weight loss, the conversation has never been more urgent. Does community still matter when we have powerful new treatments? Dr. Economos has a clear answer, and it just might change how you see your own role in the bigger picture. Discussed on the episode: The landmark study that proved community-wide obesity prevention actually works in the real world, and the surprising ripple effect it had beyond the children involved. Why your zip code may predict your health outcomes nearly as powerfully as your genetics The hidden forces in your neighborhood that are quietly shaping what you eat and how much you move, often without you realizing it What a food environment assessment in the Mississippi Delta revealed perfectly captures the challenge millions of Americans face daily Why fixing schools alone won't fix childhood obesity, and what actually needs to happen instead The honest answer to how much of the obesity epidemic is biology versus environment (hint: it's not a clean split) The key ingredients, Dr. Economos says, every successful community health intervention must have, and the #1 mistake researchers keep making How GLP-1 medications and community health are more connected than you might think What "spark plugs" are, why every successful health movement has had them, and whether you could be one Real U.S. communities that are getting this right and what they're actually doing differently Practical steps anyone can take right now, even if your environment is working against you
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#130
June 10 · 46 min
The Rise and Fall of Popular Diets Over 100 Years
If you've spent years hopping from one diet to the next: low fat, then low carb, then keto, then intermittent fasting, you're not alone, and you're not failing. The truth is, the diet world has been cycling through the same promises, the same villains, and the same disappointments for nearly a hundred years. And most of us never stop to ask why. Join Holly and Jim as they do something they've never done before on the show: step back and take a decade-by-decade look at almost 100 years of dieting history. From the 1930s to the GLP-1 era of today, they trace how we went from counting calories to carnivore diets and what it all actually taught us (or didn't). This one is equal parts fascinating, a little humbling, and surprisingly fun. Whether you're a diet history nerd or just someone who's tired of starting over, this episode will change the way you think about every diet you've ever tried. Discussed on the episode: The three-category system Holly and Jim use to classify every diet, and why one category might describe your current eating plan The diet from the 1930s that your favorite wellness influencer is basically still selling today Why the decade that got everyone obsessed with fat-free foods may have actually made obesity worse The weight loss medication that came before GLP-1s, and the dramatic reason it was pulled from the market Which diets from the last 100 years actually have the science to back them up The rapid-fire verdict: best diet, biggest mistake, and most underrated program of the century What GLP-1 medications are changing about the way we think about diets, and why Holly has one big worry about where this is all heading Jim's closing thought that reframes everything you think you know about why diets succeed or fail
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#129
June 3 · 45 min
Why Dietitians Matter More Than Ever with Maha Tahiri
Millions of people are now taking GLP-1 medications and losing weight, but is eating less the same as eating better? The answer, according to today's guest, is a resounding no. And almost nobody in medicine, food, or public health is talking seriously about what happens when appetite disappears, but nutritional needs don't. Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with Dr. Maha Tahiri, a nutrition scientist, food industry strategist, and founder of Nutrition Sustainability Strategies, for one of the most eye-opening conversations in the GLP-1 era. Maha has spent decades at the crossroads of nutrition science, public health, and food innovation, and she's now helping companies around the world rethink what it means to nourish a consumer who's eating dramatically less. Her new company, S2B, is building a strategy for the GLP-1 era and beyond, and she's asking the questions that urgently need answers. This episode will change how you think about GLP-1 medications, food, and what it truly means to be well-nourished. Discussed on the episode: Why eating less on GLP-1s does NOT mean you're eating better and the nutritional crisis hiding in plain sight The alarming statistic about how many GLP-1 users are falling short on fiber, protein, and key micronutrients Why Maha calls what's happening to GLP-1 users "medically induced malnutrition" and why that phrase should get your attention The one behavior Holly says is now more important on GLP-1s than ever before (not what most people expect) Why fiber deserves its own strategy and why lumping it in with protein is a mistake. The three phases of GLP-1 use that should shape everything you eat What a strange debate in Botswana had to do with Maha's entire career pivot The unexpected food category that's actually thriving because of GLP-1 users Why the food industry may owe pharma a thank-you and what it needs to do with its second chance The role AI is now playing in nutrition advice, and why Maha thinks that's actually good news Maha's rapid-fire picks: the most underrated nutrient, the most overrated trend, and the one food she'd put in every kitchen.
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#128
May 27 · 43 min
What Comes After GLP-1 Success with Ken Fujioka
What if the medications changing everything about obesity treatment are also creating problems nobody saw coming? We’re living through a genuine before-and-after moment in obesity medicine. Drugs that once seemed like science fiction are now producing 20, even 25% weight loss in real patients. But the questions piling up are just as staggering as the results: What happens to your muscle? Your bone? Your sense of self? And what happens when the medication stops? Holly and Jim sit down with Dr. Ken Fujioka, an endocrinologist, director of the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic, and one of the very first physicians to build an entire career around treating obesity, long before it was popular or even respected. He’s run over 100 clinical trials, treated thousands of patients a month, and watched this field go from Fen-phen clinics to GLP-1 breakthroughs. If anyone has the perspective to separate the genuine revolution from the hype, it’s Ken. This episode is a masterclass in what actually happens in the exam room, not in a clinical trial, not in a headline, but with real patients facing real tradeoffs. Ken is refreshingly practical, deeply experienced, and not trying to win any argument. He’s just trying to help people build healthier lives in the middle of one of the fastest-moving moments medicine has ever seen. Discussed on the episode: Why a shortage revealed a danger nobody was talking about, and why emergency rooms are still seeing the consequences The patients who are actually reaching their goal weight for the first time ever (and what that creates as the new problem to solve) What Ken tells patients who want to reduce or stop their medication, and the pattern he keeps seeing a few months later. The one group of patients he’s seen keeps the weight off without staying on the drugs, and what might explain it. Why losing weight faster is one of the biggest mistakes being made right now, and what the bariatric surgery literature has been telling us for years How Ken decides which medication to prescribe and why insurance coverage is always the first question The muscle loss conversation: why it’s like pulling teeth, and the one thing he’s considering making non-negotiable What the next generation of obesity drugs looks like, and the hormone that once seemed like a crazy idea that now has Ken most excited His rapid-fire answers: the most underrated obesity treatment tool, the biggest mistake clinicians make, and the one thing patients should protect above everything else The single thing Ken hopes every listener walks away remembering
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#127
May 20 · 44 min
What the Nutrition Guidelines Still Haven't Caught Up To with Arne Astrup
Everyone has been burned by nutrition advice that completely reversed itself a few years later. Eggs were dangerous, then essential. Butter was poison, then practically a health food. Fat was the enemy until we realized what replaced it might have been even worse. If you've ever thrown up your hands and wondered whether nutrition scientists agree on anything, you're not alone. What if the confusion isn't just about changing science but about how nutrition guidelines are made, who influences them, and why the U.S. and Europe keep landing in different places? In this episode, Holly and Jim sit down with one of the world’s most influential nutrition scientists, Dr. Arne Astrup, to pull back the curtain on decades of dietary dogma, trace how some of our biggest nutritional mistakes happened, and explore where the science is actually heading. Dr. Astrup has chaired the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, led one of Europe's top nutrition research departments, and published over 700 scientific papers. He's also someone who has never been afraid to challenge the consensus, long before it was popular to do so. If you want to understand why nutrition science feels so chaotic, and what you should actually be eating, this conversation is your roadmap. Discussed on the episode: The surprising historical event that set off decades of misguided dietary advice, and the real culprit that was overlooked Why the margarine push that replaced butter may have done far more damage than the food it was meant to replace The simple shift in thinking that makes navigating nutrition less complicated, not more Why Dr. Astrup says we should stop talking about saturated fat entirely The counterintuitive truth about full-fat cheese, yogurt, and eggs, and what the latest U.S. dietary guidelines finally got right A famous olive oil "fact" that will make you question everything you thought you knew about saturated fat Why the popular ultra-processed food classification may be doing more harm than good, and what a Harvard professor says is the real problem ingredient. The hidden nutritional crisis quietly unfolding among people on GLP-1 medications What industry-funded nutrition research actually looks like, compared to publicly funded studies (the answer may surprise you) Rapid fire: the most misunderstood food in America, the one thing Americans obsess over that barely matters, and the health food Dr. Astrup is most skeptical about
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#126
May 13 · 37 min
It Worked for Them. Will It Work for You? How to Actually Use Anecdotes
You've heard it before. A friend, a coworker, or your own mother swears by something, and the proof is standing right in front of you. She lost 30 pounds. You've seen it. You know it's real. So why aren't you doing it too? Here's the thing: personal success stories are powerful precisely because they're real. But real doesn't mean the whole picture. And in the world of weight loss, acting on the wrong part of a true story can quietly pull you off track, not because you were fooled, but because no one told you what was missing. In this episode, Holly and Jim break down the science of why anecdotes feel so convincing, and give you a practical framework for turning "my friend lost 30 pounds doing this" into something you can actually use without falling into the traps that catch almost everyone. Discussed on the episode: The six ways a real, true story can still mislead you, and the scientific terms that explain exactly why Why the people who didn't get results are almost never the ones you hear from The surprising reason your friend may have lost weight on keto that had nothing to do with keto What apple cider vinegar actually does (and doesn't do) for weight loss The questions Holly always asks when a patient walks in, swearing by something new How to respond when someone you trust is completely convinced that something worked without damaging the relationship When you should sit up and pay attention to an anecdote, and when to be suspicious The one red flag that should always make you pause before trying something new
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