The supplement aisle seems to promise everything: rapid fat burning, appetite suppression, effortless weight loss. With billions of dollars spent annually and 60% of Americans taking supplements regularly, the questions are endless. Do they actually work? Are they safe? And how do you separate the science from the marketing hype?
Join Holly and Jim as they tackle the complex world of weight loss supplements with one of the nation's leading experts. You'll discover why the supplement industry operates so differently from pharmaceuticals, what the research really says about popular ingredients, and how to make informed decisions in a marketplace flooded with big promises but limited oversight.
Their guest, Dr. Paul Coates, spent nearly two decades as director of the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, where he guided national research priorities and consumer education. He served as president of the American Society for Nutrition and is the lead editor of the Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. If anyone can cut through the confusion, it's Paul.
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NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: https://ods.od.nih.gov/
You've got questions. Lots of them. And if you've been trying to lose weight or keep it off, chances are you've Googled these same burning questions at 11 p.m., desperately searching for answers that actually make sense.
From "Do I really have to give up bread?" to "What do I do when the scale isn't moving?" - these are the questions that keep showing up in Holly and Jim's clinics, programs, emails, and even chance encounters at the grocery store. The questions that make you laugh, make you think, and the ones you're probably too embarrassed to ask out loud but secretly wonder about every day.
Join Holly and Jim as they count down the top 10 most frequently asked weight loss questions, delivering science-backed answers that cut through the confusion. You'll discover why some popular beliefs might be holding you back, learn when to trust your body's signals, and find out which "golden rule" of weight loss might actually be more flexible than you think. Plus, they reveal the number one question that stumps people the most - and why the answer might completely change how you think about success.
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"I just need more willpower." If you've ever said this to yourself, you're not alone. It's one of the most common beliefs in weight loss: that success comes down to having iron-clad self-control and the ability to resist every temptation that comes your way.
But what if willpower isn't the secret weapon you think it is? What if, depending on it, is actually setting you up for failure? Holly and Jim are about to shatter one of the biggest myths in weight management and show you a completely different path to lasting success.
Join them as they reveal why willpower is overrated and share the top 10 strategies that matter far more than white-knuckling your way through cravings. You'll discover science-backed alternatives that successful people use instead of relying on mental muscle alone, and why these approaches are not only more effective, but also more sustainable for the long haul.
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I just love food too much. It's one of the most common excuses people give for not starting their weight loss journey. But what if loving food could actually be your secret weapon?
Join Holly and Jim as they welcome David Page, the Emmy-winning creator of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and host of the Culinary Characters Unlocked podcast. David has built his entire career around celebrating incredible food, yet he's managed to lose over 80 pounds without sacrificing his passion for eating. His story will completely change your thinking about the relationship between food and weight loss success.
You'll discover how a diabetes scare became the catalyst for lasting change, why David chose to stay on GLP-1 medications long-term, and his brilliant strategy for transforming beloved high-calorie dishes into healthier versions that still deliver on flavor. This conversation is packed with practical tips, honest vulnerability, and proof that you don't have to choose between loving food and loving your health.
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GLP1 medications have revolutionized weight loss, helping millions achieve results they've struggled to reach for years. These powerful tools have changed the obesity treatment landscape in ways we never imagined possible. But here's what might shock you: even with these game-changing medications, many people unknowingly sabotage their own success.
The truth is, having access to effective weight loss medication is only half the battle. The other half? Knowing how to use these tools strategically and avoiding the common pitfalls that can derail your progress. Whether you're currently taking GLP1s, considering them, or planning your exit strategy, the mistakes people make are surprisingly predictable and completely preventable.
Join Holly and Jim as they reveal the 10 most critical mistakes people make with GLP1 medications. You'll discover the hidden traps that can undermine your success while you're on the medication, and the dangerous oversights that lead to rapid weight regain when you stop. This episode could be the difference between temporary results and lasting transformation.
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Fall is here, and with it comes one of the most challenging seasons for maintaining your weight loss progress. Shorter days, comfort food cravings, endless holiday gatherings, and disrupted routines create what Holly and Jim call "the perfect storm for weight gain." But what if this season didn't have to mean falling behind?
Instead of throwing in the towel until January, you can use this time to actually move forward. The science shows that people typically gain 1-3 pounds during the fall and holiday season – and most never lose it. Over five years, that's 15 pounds of creeping weight gain that could have been prevented.
Join Holly and Jim as they reveal the top 10 pitfalls that sabotage your progress during fall, along with research-backed "power plays" to counter each one. You'll discover how to fall forward instead of falling behind, setting yourself up to roll into winter ahead of the game rather than playing catch-up come January.
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Think you know everything about working out? Most people hit the gym with good intentions, but miss a critical piece of the puzzle that could be sabotaging their results. The order you do your exercises, the type of resistance training you choose, and even how you think about protein could be the difference between building functional strength and just going through the motions.
Join Holly and Jim as they welcome Professor Robin Daly from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. Robin holds the chair in Exercise and Aging and has made it his mission to prove that the right kind of exercise isn't just good for your muscles, it's essential for your bones, brain, and longevity. His research has been cited over 12,000 times, but more importantly, he's creating real-world programs that people actually stick with.
With the rise of GLP-1 medications causing dramatic weight loss, there's growing concern about muscle loss during the process. Robin breaks down what's really happening when people lose weight rapidly and reveals why the traditional approach to protein might be missing the mark entirely.
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When you're losing weight, you probably think about dropping dress sizes, improving blood sugar, or reducing joint pain. But what if some popular weight loss approaches could actually be setting you up for broken bones later in life? It's a connection most people never make and one that could change how you think about your weight loss journey.
This hidden risk becomes even more important as new weight loss medications help people achieve dramatic results. While losing 30+ pounds can transform your health in countless positive ways, there's a conversation happening between your bones and your weight that you've probably never heard about. The surprising truth? Even moderate weight loss of just 6-9% can significantly increase your risk for fractures.
Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with Dr. Sue Shapses, Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Rutgers University and a leading expert on the relationship between weight loss and bone health. For over 30 years, Sue has been uncovering how our weight loss strategies affect skeletal strength and long-term bone function. Her research reveals why people with obesity might have denser bones that are actually weaker and what you can do to protect yourself during weight loss.
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Ever felt like you're fighting a losing battle with hunger while trying to lose weight? You're cutting portions, counting calories, and white-knuckling your way through constant cravings. What if there was a smarter approach that didn't require superhuman willpower?
The secret isn't eating less food, it's eating differently. Today's episode introduces you to one of the most powerful yet underutilized strategies in weight management: energy density. This science-backed approach shows you how to feel completely satisfied while naturally reducing calories, using the principles of volume, water content, and food texture to work with your body's natural hunger signals instead of against them.
Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with Dr. Barbara Rolls, professor and the Helen A. Guthrie Chair in Nutritional Sciences at Penn State. Dr. Rolls literally wrote the book on this topic, Volumetrics, and has spent decades researching how we can eat more food while weighing less. Her students have gone on to become leading researchers in the field, making her insights both groundbreaking and practical for everyday life.
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You've heard the weight loss success stories, but what about the hidden cost? While the scale drops, something precious might be disappearing too – your muscle. With the rise of GLP-1 medications helping millions shed pounds rapidly, a critical question emerges: are we losing the right kind of weight?
The harsh reality is that for every pound you lose, up to 25% could be lean muscle mass. And here's the kicker – when you regain weight (which happens to most people), you don't get that muscle back. You end up at the same weight but with a completely different body composition, setting yourself up for a metabolic disaster. But there's hope, and the solution is simpler than you might think.
Join Holly and Jim as they welcome Dr. Stuart Phillips, one of the world's leading experts in muscle physiology and protein metabolism. As a distinguished university professor at McMaster University and holder of a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Skeletal Muscle Health, Dr. Phillips has spent decades uncovering the secrets that bodybuilders and physique competitors use to lose fat while preserving every precious gram of muscle.
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Protein is everywhere these days. Walk down any grocery aisle and you'll see "high protein" splashed across cereal boxes, snack bars, and even ice cream. Scroll through social media, and influencers are preaching about protein powder. But with all this noise, what does the science actually say about protein's role in weight management?
If you've ever wondered whether protein really lives up to the hype or if you're struggling with constant hunger, afternoon snacking, or hitting weight loss plateaus, this episode cuts through the confusion. You'll discover the research-backed truth about how much protein you actually need, when to eat it for maximum benefit, and why your breakfast might be the key to controlling your appetite all day long.
Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with Dr. Heather Leidy, one of the world's leading researchers on protein and satiety. Dr. Leidy is a nutritional physiologist and associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin who has spent two decades studying how protein impacts hunger, fullness, and eating behavior. She served on the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, and her groundbreaking research focuses on the power of protein, especially at breakfast, for appetite control and weight management.
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Aging is inevitable, but how fast it happens isn't. This episode will open your eyes to the powerful connections between weight management and healthy aging.
You might think aging is largely out of your control, determined by genetics and luck. But what if we told you that you have far more influence over your aging process than you might imagine? And what if the weight management strategies you're using now could be the key to not just living longer, but living better with sharper minds, stronger bodies, and more energy as the years go by?
Join Holly and Jim as they welcome Dr. Steven Austad, one of the world's leading experts on aging and a distinguished professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he holds the Protective Life Endowed Chair in Healthy Aging. With decades of research into how humans age and what we can actually do to age better, Dr. Austad reveals surprising insights that will transform how you think about weight, health, and the aging process.
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Ever wonder why the same diet that helped your friend lose 20 pounds left you frustrated and unchanged? You're not alone. The truth is, our bodies aren't built with a one-size-fits-all playbook, and the science is finally catching up to what many of us have suspected all along.
Join Holly and Jim as they delve deep into the revolutionary world of personalized nutrition with Dr. Beth Mayer-Davis, a leading researcher who's helping to reshape how we think about diet and weight loss. Dr. Beth is the Cary Boshamer Distinguished Professor of Nutrition and Medicine at the University of North Carolina and serves as a principal investigator in the NIH Nutrition for Precision Health Consortium - one of the most ambitious efforts in the world to bring personalized nutrition into clinical practice.
This isn't just another trendy diet discussion. This is cutting-edge science that could fundamentally change how you approach your health, offering hope for anyone who's ever felt like they were doing everything "right" but still not seeing results. The future of nutrition isn't about finding the best diet - it's about finding YOUR best diet.
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Most people know that carrying extra weight affects their heart and blood sugar, but what if we told you it's also one of the biggest cancer risk factors you can actually control? The connection between obesity and cancer is stronger than most realize, yet it's also one of the most empowering discoveries in modern medicine.
Join Holly and Jim as they welcome Dr. David Heber, a true pioneer in nutrition research who founded the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition when few were exploring this critical connection. Dr. Heber has spent decades unraveling how our weight and diet choices impact cancer risk, and his insights might just change how you think about every meal. This isn't just another weight loss conversation - it's about understanding how the foods on your plate and the pounds on your scale work together to either protect you from cancer or put you at greater risk.
You'll discover why Dr. Heber calls obesity "the number two cause of cancer worldwide" and learn practical, science-backed strategies that go far beyond traditional dieting advice. From the surprising cancer-fighting power of colorful foods to the truth about those trendy new weight loss medications, this episode reveals how to eat your way to better health while potentially saving your life.
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When your weight loss plateaus don't make sense, when your labs are worse than expected, or when your clothes fit better but the scale won't budge, there might be an invisible culprit working against you. Low-grade inflammation isn't just about sore throats or swollen joints. It's a silent saboteur that can reshape how your fat cells function, how your body responds to insulin, and how your metabolism adapts to change.
But here's the empowering truth: inflammation isn't something that just happens to you. There are real, science-backed strategies you can implement starting today to reduce it and transform your metabolic health, regardless of what the scale says.
Join Holly and Jim as they delve deep into the hidden world of inflammation with Dr. Philipp Scherer, one of the world's most respected obesity researchers and Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Scherer has revolutionized how we understand fat tissue, not as passive storage, but as a highly active organ that controls hormone signaling and metabolic health. If you've heard of metabolically healthy obesity or wondered why some people carry weight better than others, you've encountered the impact of his groundbreaking research.
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Think fiber is just something your grandmother nagged you about? Think again. This overlooked nutritional powerhouse might be the secret weapon you've been missing in your weight loss journey. While most people focus on cutting calories and restricting foods, there's one nutrient that experts are practically begging you to eat MORE of – and it could transform how you feel, how much you eat, and how successfully you maintain your weight.
Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with the world's leading fiber expert, Dr. Joanne Slavin, to uncover why fiber is having its well-deserved moment in the spotlight. Dr. Slavin is a Professor of Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, a registered dietitian, and a trailblazer in fiber research who has authored over 350 peer-reviewed publications and helped shape public health recommendations. Her groundbreaking work reveals how this "leftover" nutrient works through multiple mechanisms to control appetite, support metabolism, and even communicate with your brain.
Whether you're struggling with constant hunger, trying to transition off GLP-1 medications, or simply want to feel more satisfied with your meals, this episode will show you how to harness fiber's multiple superpowers for lasting weight management success.
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Does this sound familiar? You're crushing it all week long with your healthy habits, feeling motivated and on track. Then Friday night rolls around and suddenly it's like a switch flips. By Sunday evening, you're promising yourself you'll "start fresh on Monday" while polishing off that leftover pizza. If you've ever felt trapped in the cycle of weekday wins followed by weekend wreckage, you're definitely not alone.
Join Holly and Jim as they tackle one of the most common patterns that derail weight management success: weekend sabotage. This isn't about making your weekends boring or perfect – it's about finally breaking free from the exhausting cycle of restriction and rebellion that keeps so many people stuck. You'll discover why weekends feel so different from weekdays, what's really happening in your mind when you flip that "screw it" switch, and most importantly, how to create weekends that support your goals while still being genuinely enjoyable.
Whether you're in active weight loss or working on maintenance, this episode will help you transform your weekends from your biggest obstacle into a powerful part of your success story.
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Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing everything from how we shop to how we work—but can it actually help you lose weight and keep it off? While AI coaches promise 24/7 support and personalized guidance, the technology is still in its infancy with plenty of pitfalls to navigate.
Join Holly and Jim as they explore the exciting frontier of AI in weight management with Dr. Diana Thomas, a mathematician turned obesity researcher who stands at the forefront of this technological revolution. Dr. Thomas is a professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point and leads the Artificial Intelligence Data Engineering and Machine Learning Center for the Nutrition for Precision Health Consortium. You'll discover both the incredible potential and important limitations of using AI as your weight loss companion.
From meal planning to motivation, AI tools are already showing promise in helping people achieve their goals. But as Diana warns, we're still in "act one, scene one" of this technological story. Learn how to harness AI's power while avoiding its traps, and why the most important skill you'll need isn't technical—it's knowing how to ask the right questions.
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You can have the perfect meal plan, unwavering motivation, and the best intentions in the world—but if your grocery cart is filled with the wrong foods, the weight loss game might already be over before you even get home. The truth is, grocery shopping is the front line of behavior change, and most people are making critical mistakes that sabotage their success without even realizing it.
Join Holly and Jim as they welcome registered dietitian Kelly Berg, who runs the metabolic kitchen at UAB's Department of Nutrition Sciences. Kelly has helped hundreds of people transform their shopping habits with smart strategies that make weight loss easier, not harder. She's about to reveal the grocery store tactics that food manufacturers don't want you to know about—and the simple shifts that can revolutionize your entire approach to healthy eating.
Get ready to discover why your weekly grocery trip could be the most powerful weight loss tool you're not using properly, and how to turn every shopping experience into a strategic victory for your health goals.
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The weight loss world has been turned upside down. With GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy delivering unprecedented results, many people are asking: Do we still need to worry about diet and exercise? Can these powerful drugs really do all the heavy lifting, or are we missing something crucial?
This question isn't just academic - it's personal for millions of people who are either on these medications or considering them. The stakes are high: get it wrong, and you could be setting yourself up for weight regain, muscle loss, or missing out on the full benefits these breakthrough treatments can offer.
Join Holly and Jim as they tackle this game-changing question with one of the world's leading obesity researchers. Dr. Thomas Wadden brings decades of experience combining behavioral and pharmaceutical interventions, and his insights will reshape how you think about weight loss in the modern era. You'll discover why the "old rules" still matter - just not in the way you might expect.
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