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.

• The inspirational mindset shift that makes resistance training feel less like work
• When "exercise snacking" could revolutionize your daily routine
• The surprising truth about protein hype and what really builds muscle
• Why doing cardio first might be sabotaging your strength gains
• The muscle loss crisis with GLP-1 medications and what it means for your future health
• How to design resistance exercises that actually improve your daily function
• The one thing that matters more than the size of your muscles
• Why 80 is the perfect age to start resistance training (plus the study that proves it)
• The simple equipment-free approach that works as well as expensive gym machines

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.

• The shocking discovery about bone quality in people with obesity that challenges everything doctors thought they knew
• Why successful weight loss can increase fracture risk by 39% and what defines "successful" in this context
• The surprising reason your body actually decreases calcium absorption during weight loss (hint: it's not what you'd expect)
• Whether clinicians prescribing new weight loss medications should monitor bone density
• The three key factors that create a "bone health trifecta" and why two of them have nothing to do with weight
• Why getting a DEXA scan during active weight loss might be a waste of money
• The specific amounts of calcium, vitamin D, and protein that can help protect your bones during weight loss
• How high-fat diets might compromise bone health in ways that go beyond weight gain
• The parallel between muscle and bone that's changing how researchers approach both fields
• Real listener questions answered: Should a 45-year-old on GLP-1 medication get a DEXA scan now?

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.

• The surprising truth about why people eat a consistent weight of food every day
• How to use water content strategically (hint: you need to "eat your water," not drink it)
• The "Big Three" factors that control how much you eat and how to use them in your favor
• Why soup beats a casserole plus water every single time
• The simple grocery store trick to identify low-energy-dense foods without a calculator
• How ultra-processed foods fit into the energy density framework
• The fascinating research on variety and "food switching" that explains why you always have room for dessert
• Practical strategies for making vegetables more appealing than chicken nuggets
• How GLP-1 medications are changing the nutrition game and why it matters more than ever
• What parents need to know about portion control and self-regulation in young children
• The one mindset shift that makes healthy eating enjoyable instead of restrictive

• Volumetrics book series by Dr. Barbara Rolls
• “The Big Three” properties of food that drive intake

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.

• The shocking 5:1 ratio that reveals how quickly you can lose muscle (and why avoiding inactivity is crucial)
• Why your muscle is finally getting recognition as the unsung hero of metabolic health and longevity
• How GLP-1 medications create a unique challenge for muscle preservation – and what to do about it
• The surprising truth about protein timing (hint: forget the post-workout rush)
• Why "you can't out-diet a sedentary lifestyle" – and what this means for GLP-1 users
• The minimum effective dose of resistance training that can save your muscles
• How to combine cardio and resistance training without needing separate gym days
• The four pillars of healthy aging that go beyond just maintaining your weight
• Whether it's ever too late to start building strength (spoiler: even 90-year-olds can gain muscle)

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.

• The surprising reason protein shakes might not make you feel as full as whole protein foods
• Why 30 grams of protein at breakfast could be your secret weapon against afternoon cravings
• The specific amount of protein you need per meal (and per day) for optimal satiety and weight management
• How protein requirements change as you age and why older adults need significantly more
• The truth about animal vs. plant protein for hunger control
• Why people taking GLP-1 medications face unique protein challenges
• What brain imaging studies reveal about protein's effect on food cravings
• The one timing mistake that could sabotage your protein strategy
• Whether you can really damage your kidneys by eating too much protein
• How to make high-protein breakfasts work for busy families

• Beneficial effects of a higher-protein breakfast on the appetitive, hormonal, and neural signals controlling energy intake regulation in overweight/obese, “breakfast-skipping,” late-adolescent girls
• Protein "requirements" beyond the RDA: implications for optimizing health

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.

• The truth about how much control you have over your aging (hint: it's way more than most people think)
• Why carrying excess weight accelerates aging at the cellular level, and what's really happening inside your body
• The game-changing discovery about fasting that could revolutionize how you approach eating patterns
• When losing weight might actually be harmful as you get older (and the surprising "obesity paradox")
• Why GLP-1 medications like Ozempic might be anti-aging drugs in disguise
• The simple lifestyle factors that can slow aging and why it's never too late to start
• What Papua New Guinea hunters revealed about human physical potential
• The one supplement category that actually works for aging (and why most others are hype)
• How to know if those expensive "biological age" tests are worth your money

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.

• Why the same diet can work wonders for one person and completely fail for another
• The surprising factors beyond willpower that determine diet success (genetics, microbiome, and more)
• What the groundbreaking NIH Nutrition for Precision Health study is discovering about thousands of participants
• The mathematical breakthrough that's making personalized nutrition possible for the first time
• When continuous glucose monitoring might help you (and when it probably won't)
• Why "diet wars" miss the point entirely - and what really matters instead
• The simple tools you can start using today to personalize your approach
• How physical activity completely changes the way your body responds to food
• What clinicians and dietitians need to know about supporting their patients

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.

• The shocking statistic about how much weight loss can reduce breast cancer risk by 50%
• Why the location of your body fat matters more than you think for cancer prevention
• The "government-like" communication system between fat cells and cancer cells
• How ultra-processed foods create a "brown-beige diet" that may fuel cancer growth
• The simple color-coding system that makes cancer-fighting nutrition effortless
• Why bitter foods might be your secret weapon against cancer (and how to make them taste better)
• The surprising connection between sleep quality and cancer-fighting inflammation
• How the new weight loss medications change the nutrition game - and what that means for cancer prevention
• The truth about intermittent fasting and its role in cancer prevention
• Why your microbiome might be the key to unlocking personalized cancer prevention

• “What Color Is Your Diet?” book by Dr. David Heber