The holidays are here, and so is the annual tug-of-war between enjoying festive foods and dreading the scale come January. But what if you didn't have to choose? What if you could indulge in grandma's famous pie, raise a glass with loved ones, and still walk into the new year feeling great?

Join Holly and Jim as they tackle the science behind holiday weight gain and, more importantly, how to outsmart it. They're bringing in reinforcements this time: Kelly Berg and Maddison Garcia from UAB's Metabolic Kitchen share clever swaps, simple tricks, and dietitian-approved hacks that cut calories without cutting the joy. From reimagining your cocktail to rethinking your plate size, you'll walk away with strategies that actually work in the real world.

Discussed on the episode:

• The sneaky reason those first few post-holiday pounds might not be what you think
• A "tasting plate" strategy that lets you try everything guilt-free
• The dessert hack that slashes calories by half (and still satisfies your sweet tooth)
• Why your plate size matters more than your willpower
• A simple mocktail switch that saves you hundreds of calories
• The mac and cheese upgrade that adds nutrition without sacrificing comfort
• How to handle food pushers without hurting feelings
• A post-feast recovery plan that doesn't involve starving yourself
• The one holiday food each host and guest admits they can't resist

You're doing everything right. You've been consistent with your plan, staying active, watching what you eat. But then it happens, the scale refuses to budge. For days. Then weeks. The frustration creeps in, and suddenly you're wondering if all your effort is even worth it.

Here's the truth: when your weight loss stalls, it doesn't mean you've failed. It means your body is doing exactly what it's designed to do. The plateau you're experiencing isn't a roadblock. It's actually a sign that something important is happening beneath the surface.

Join Holly and Jim as they dive into the science of weight loss plateaus. You'll discover why plateaus happen to everyone, what's really going on in your body when the scale stops moving, and most importantly, the strategic "cards" you can play to break through and keep progressing toward your goals.

Discussed on the episode:

• The surprisingly long period you need to wait before you can actually call it a plateau
• Why people with larger bodies don't have slower metabolisms (this myth needs to end)
• The hormone shifts that make your body fight back as you lose weight
• How GLP-1 medications are pushing plateaus from 3-6 months to over a year
• The "cards" you can play when your weight stops moving, and which one to try first
• Why simplifying your meals might be more powerful than you think
• The controversial science debate about "adaptive thermogenesis"
• When a plateau is actually your body telling you it's time for weight loss maintenance
• The surprising "vacation strategy" that can unstick a stubborn plateau
• Why Holly hits plateaus all the time (and what she does about it)

What if you could sit down with your younger self and share everything you've learned about weight loss? Not the textbook advice, but the hard-won wisdom that only comes from living it. The kind of insights that make you think, "I wish someone had told me this years ago."

Join Holly and Jim as they share powerful reflections from state-of-slimmers and listeners who've been through the journey. You'll hear honest, transformative advice about what really matters when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off. These aren't just tips, they're the truths people discovered about themselves along the way.

This episode will shift how you think about your own journey. Whether you're just starting out or looking for that missing piece, you'll find wisdom here that could change everything.

Discussed on the episode:

• The mind state shift that separates temporary results from lasting change
• Why "progress over perfection" might be the most important thing you'll ever learn
• The surprising connection between self-care and stress eating (and why it matters most when you're busiest)
• How movement became a way of life for successful maintainers and what they wish they'd known sooner
• The truth about scales, food journals, and other tools you might be using all wrong
• Why visualizing your goals isn't just feel-good advice, it's actually rewiring your brain
• What Jim would tell his younger researcher self (hint: it took him decades to figure this out)

Ever wondered why your body does strange things during weight loss, but felt too awkward to ask? You're not alone. From unexpected physical changes to confusing emotional responses, weight loss brings surprises nobody warns you about. These unspoken questions deserve genuine answers, free from judgment and shame.

Join Holly and Jim as they tackle the questions people whisper about but rarely say out loud. They're diving into the weird body stuff, the mental games, and the relationship shifts that come with losing weight. Whether it's why certain areas change first, how to handle friends who seem threatened by your progress, or feeling like a fraud when people compliment you, this episode goes there.

If you've ever had a question about weight loss that felt too personal or too embarrassing to ask, this conversation is for you. Holly and Jim bring science, compassion, and a healthy dose of vulnerability to topics most experts avoid.

Discussed on the episode:

• The fascinating biochemistry of where fat actually goes when you lose it
• Why some body parts seem to change before others (and why you can't control it)
• The unexpected reason you might feel colder after losing weight
• Why does your mind take longer to catch up than your body does
• The truth about why we sometimes underreport what we've eaten to others
• How to handle partners or friends who seem threatened by your success
• Why the fear of regaining weight actually means something positive
• The surprising ways relationships shift when your body changes
• Why you might still reach for larger clothes even though they don't fit
• The question that caught Jim completely off guard (involving sexual positions and calorie burn)

Send your awkward, embarrassing, or "too weird to ask" weight loss questions to Holly and Jim for their next episode!

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.

Discussed on the episode:

• The surprising statistic about how many Americans use supplements daily
• Why studying supplement combinations creates an almost impossible research challenge
• The red flags to watch for when companies cite "research" to support their products
• How the regulatory framework for supplements differs dramatically from prescription drugs
• The cautionary tale of ephedra and what it teaches us about "natural" ingredients
• Which supplements have enough research to show modest promise for weight management
• Why expecting huge results from supplements sets you up for disappointment
• The importance of discussing supplement use with your healthcare provider
• How to spot products that may contain unlisted ingredients or inaccurate dosing
• Real-world advice on whether it's worth trying supplements and where to start safely

Resources Mentioned:

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.

Discussed on the episode:

• Why weighing yourself daily might be the key to long-term success (and how to do it without letting the number ruin your day)
• The surprising truth about whether you need to focus on diet or exercise first
• Why the breakfast debate isn't as black and white as you've been told
• The real story behind carbs and whether they're truly the enemy
• Whether you can enjoy alcohol and still reach your weight goals
• The truth about the "fat-burning zone" at the gym and why you might be overthinking it
• What to do when you hit that inevitable plateau (and why it's not a sign of failure)
• The psychology behind emotional eating and practical strategies to break the cycle
• Why weight loss and weight maintenance require completely different skill sets
• The mindset shift that transforms weight regain from failure to part of the process

Resources Mentioned:

• Weight Loss And… Episode 73: https://weightlossand.com/can-you-drink-alcohol-and-still-lose-weight
• Weight Loss And… Episode 94: https://weightlossand.com/willpower-wont-save-you-but-these-10-things-will

"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.

Discussed on the episode:

• Why willpower works like a muscle (and why that's actually a problem)
• The two times of day when your self-control is strongest and weakest
• How successful weight maintainers from the National Weight Control Registry really think about willpower
• The "Perfect Polly" vs "Too Special Sarah" profiles, which extreme are you?
• Why your workout clothes belong in your office (Jim's clever routine revealed)
• The mind-body connection breakthrough that's changing everything
• Holly's chip catastrophe story: when strong willpower completely backfired
• The boundary conversation technique for handling sabotaging environments
• Why taking back your power is really a mindset shift
• The #1 alternative to willpower that replaces it entirely

Resources Mentioned:

• Weight Loss And… Episode 19: https://weightlossand.com/reigniting-your-weight-loss-motivation-strategies-for-a-sustainable-journey
• Weight Loss And… Episode 11: https://www.weightlossand.com/the-seven-secrets-of-weight-loss-success/
• Weight Loss And… Episode 76: https://www.weightlossand.com/why-mind-state-is-the-key-to-weight-loss-maintenance/

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.

Discussed on the episode:

• The diabetes diagnosis that finally scared David into action (and why previous attempts had failed)
• How GLP-1 medications changed his relationship with food without killing his joy for eating
• The strategy that lets you keep your favorite food while losing weight
• What David believes plays a bigger role in weight struggles than most doctors admit
• The mindset shift that sustains long-term success
• How to handle inevitable slip-ups without derailing your entire journey
• The surprising reason David ignores traditional cardio advice (and what he does instead)
• Why volume eaters need different strategies than naturally thin people
• David's method for recreating classic comfort foods with a fraction of the calories
• The role of a specialized endocrinologist and nutritionist in his transformation
• How chefs are bridging the gap between healthy and delicious food

Resources Mentioned:

• "The Third Plate" book by Dan Barber
• Culinary Characters Unlocked podcast