Podcast
Weight Loss And ...
Hosted by Holly Wyatt & James Hill · EN
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.
33episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
What Comes After GLP-1 Success with Ken Fujioka
1w ago00:43:16Tap to summarizeWhat 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 consequencesThe 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 yearsHow Ken decides which medication to prescribe and why insurance coverage is always the first questionThe muscle loss conversation: why it’s like pulling teeth, and the one thing he’s considering making non-negotiableWhat the next generation of obesity drugs looks like, and the hormone that once seemed like a crazy idea that now has Ken most excitedHis rapid-fire answers: the most underrated obesity treatment tool, the biggest mistake clinicians make, and the one thing patients should protect above everything elseThe single thing Ken hopes every listener walks away remembering
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What the Nutrition Guidelines Still Haven't Caught Up To with Arne Astrup
2w ago00:44:15Tap to summarizeEveryone 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 overlookedWhy the margarine push that replaced butter may have done far more damage than the food it was meant to replaceThe simple shift in thinking that makes navigating nutrition less complicated, not moreWhy Dr. Astrup says we should stop talking about saturated fat entirelyThe counterintuitive truth about full-fat cheese, yogurt, and eggs, and what the latest U.S. dietary guidelines finally got rightA famous olive oil "fact" that will make you question everything you thought you knew about saturated fatWhy 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 medicationsWhat 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
Transcribe →It Worked for Them. Will It Work for You? How to Actually Use Anecdotes
3w ago00:37:58Tap to summarizeYou'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 whyWhy the people who didn't get results are almost never the ones you hear fromThe surprising reason your friend may have lost weight on keto that had nothing to do with ketoWhat apple cider vinegar actually does (and doesn't do) for weight lossThe questions Holly always asks when a patient walks in, swearing by something newHow to respond when someone you trust is completely convinced that something worked without damaging the relationshipWhen you should sit up and pay attention to an anecdote, and when to be suspiciousThe one red flag that should always make you pause before trying something new
Transcribe →How Regular Exercise Positively Influences Depression
4w ago00:39:05Tap to summarizeExercise is good for you. But good for your mood? Your brain? Science has now weighed in, and the answer might surprise you more than you'd expect.Join Holly and Jim as they dig into the most comprehensive review ever conducted on exercise and depression, a sweeping 2026 Cochrane analysis of 73 randomized controlled trials and nearly 5,000 people. This isn't feel-good advice; it's hard data. Discover why taking action through movement can benefit your mental health, no matter your role or experience, and why it's time to prioritize exercise for your mind.Along the way, Holly and Jim go beyond the science to tackle the real challenge: knowing exercise helps is one thing, but actually doing it when you're at your lowest is another. They share practical, compassionate strategies for getting off the couch even when depression is telling you not to.Discussed on the episode:How exercise stacks up against antidepressants (the results will raise your eyebrows)Why "moderate" is actually a powerful word when it comes to scienceThe reason you can't just tell a depressed person to "go for a walk" and what to say insteadWhy you should need a doctor's note not to exerciseThe surprising truth about whether more intense exercise is actually better for your moodHolly's "10-minute rule" - a simple trick for when you truly cannot get off the couchWhat does it mean if you feel like you "need" exercise to feel okayThe one thing Jim wishes every doctor would bring up when treating depressionResources & Links Mentioned:Cochrane Review (2026) on exercise and depression
Transcribe →Ten Things Lean People Assume About Weight Loss
Apr 2900:47:00Tap to summarizeHave you ever wondered why the same advice that worked perfectly for your friend did absolutely nothing for you? What if the problem isn't your effort, your commitment, or even the advice itself, but rather the body you're living in?Holly and Jim tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in weight management: the gap between what feels obviously true and what's actually universal. If you've never struggled with your weight, some things just seem like common sense. However, for millions of people, this "common sense" doesn't align with their lived experience, and there's a biological reason why. This episode represents a significant shift in perspective that could alter the way you perceive yourself, your struggles, and the people around you.Whether you've battled your weight your whole life or you've never given it much thought, this conversation will challenge what you think you know and open the door to something far more useful than judgment.Discussed on the episode:The one word that explains why weight loss advice works for some people and completely fails othersWhy "just eat less and move more" is technically correct and almost entirely unhelpful.What a yogurt and an old medication taught Holly about how different bodies really areThe concept of "food noise" and why some people can't even imagine what it feels likeWhy the number on the scale might be the worst goal you can setWhat the new generation of GLP-1 medications is revealing about biology that we couldn't see beforeHow your metabolism is like a thumbprint and what that means for your weight loss strategyThe uncomfortable truth about why well-meaning advice from lean people often misses the mark
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Exercise Isn't What You Think It Is Anymore with Renee Rogers
Apr 2200:47:56Tap to summarizeFor decades, the message has been simple: if you want to lose weight, you need to exercise more. But what happens when a medication can do the heavy lifting for you? GLP-1 drugs are reshaping everything we thought we knew about weight loss, and that means the role of exercise is changing, too. Not disappearing. Changing.Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with Dr. Renee Rogers, senior scientist at the University of Kansas Medical Center and expert in biobehavioral lifestyle interventions, to explore this new frontier. If you've ever struggled to stick with exercise, felt guilty for not doing enough, or wondered whether movement even matters now that medications like Ozempic and Wegovy exist, this conversation was made for you.The answer isn't what you'd expect. Exercise isn't less important in the age of GLP-1s. It's more important just for entirely different reasons.Discussed on the episode:The one word that could completely transform your relationship with exerciseWhy losing muscle during weight loss isn't always the crisis people think it is (but also why you shouldn't ignore it)The surprising link between fatigue on GLP-1 medications and physical activity levelsWhy cardio vs. strength training is the wrong question to ask (and what to ask instead)The exercise myth Dr. Rogers would delete from the internet foreverHow the timing of your GLP-1 dose might affect when you should work outWhat to focus on after you've hit your goal weight
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Why Your Body Fights After Weight Loss with Rudy Leibel
Apr 1500:49:38Tap to summarizeYou hit your goal weight. Then, hunger crept back in, your energy dropped, and the scale rose. Sound familiar? You're not broken, your body is built for this.In this episode, Holly and Jim sit down with Dr. Rudy Leibel, one of the most influential obesity researchers in history, a Columbia University scientist whose team cloned the leptin gene and fundamentally changed the world's understanding of obesity. What was once dismissed as a willpower problem, Dr. Leibel helped prove is a deeply biological one. And his groundbreaking work laid the foundation for the very GLP-1 medications making headlines today.If you've ever felt like your body is working against you, this episode will explain how your body’s biology impacts weight, share practical strategies for managing it, and offer real reasons for optimism about what's coming next.Discussed on the episode:The evolutionary reason your body panics the moment you start losing weightWhy the biological drive to regain never truly lets up, and what successful "maintainers" are actually doing differentlyThe surprising reason metabolic adaptation may not predict who regains weightWhat "threshold" vs. "set point" means for your biology and why the distinction mattersWhy GLP-1 medications are more like aspirin for a fever than a true fix for the underlying biologyThe next frontier in obesity treatment that the pharmaceutical industry hasn't fully tackled yetWhat yo-yo dieting on a GLP-1 could mean for your body, and when it becomes a real concern.The honest answer to: "Do I have to be on semaglutide forever?"At what age does obesity risk "lock in" for kids, and what should parents actually do about itWhether there will ever be a single solution to obesity (Dr. Leibel doesn't hold back)What Dr. Leibel is doing with the next decade of his career, and why it involves growing brain cells in a dish
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The Evolutionary Truth Behind Why Exercise Feels So Hard with Daniel Lieberman
Apr 800:49:59Tap to summarizeYou've probably told yourself the story before: "I'm just lazy. I should want to exercise. Something must be wrong with me." But what if science says you're not lazy at all? What if avoiding the treadmill is one of the most deeply human things you can do?This week, Holly and Jim are joined by Dr. Daniel Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and author of The Story of the Human Body and Exercised. Dan has spent his career studying why humans move the way we do — and more importantly, why we so often don't. His research with hunter-gatherers around the world has turned some of our most cherished fitness beliefs completely upside down. If you've ever felt guilty for skipping the gym, this episode will change how you see yourself.From the real reason modern exercise feels so unnatural, to what GLP-1 medications are quietly doing to your muscles, to why "no pain, no gain" might be the worst advice in fitness history, this conversation goes deep into the evolutionary science of movement and what it actually takes to build a life where physical activity sticks.Discussed on the episode:The surprising reason no animal on earth exercises except humans (and why that matters for your motivation)Why hunter-gatherers sit just as much as we do, but avoid the health consequences we don'tThe real difference between losing weight with exercise and keeping it off, and why the dosage is not the sameWhat a study of people running a marathon every day across the United States revealed about behavioral compensationThe GLP-1 muscle problem no one is talking about, and why exercise may be the only real fixWhy the treadmill was literally invented as a punishment device (and what that tells us about modern fitness culture)The running form insight that could protect your knees and why your cushioned shoes may not be helping the way you thinkWhat evolution says about the "best" type of exercise for weight management
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The Making of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines and What They Mean for You with Christopher Gardner
Apr 100:59:14Tap to summarizeEvery five years, the U.S. government releases dietary guidelines that shape what gets served in school cafeterias, what doctors recommend to patients, and what ends up on your plate. But what actually happens behind the scenes, and who really gets the final say?If you've ever felt confused about protein, carbs, red meat, or dairy, you're not alone. The latest 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans arrived with controversy baked in, with final recommendations that diverged from what the scientific advisory committee actually concluded after two years of rigorous, volunteer-driven research. The result? A lot of frustrated scientists and the public left sorting through mixed messages.Join Holly and Jim as they sit down with Dr. Christopher Gardner, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University and Director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. Dr. Gardner served on the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, giving him a front-row seat to both the science and the politics of how America's nutrition advice gets made. His research has shaped how we think about plant-based eating, diet quality, and what actually works for weight management in the real world. This one gets spicy.Discussed on the episode:The surprising reason why it's nearly impossible to pick Dietary Guidelines Committee members who have zero conflicts of interestWhat 1,000 hours of unpaid volunteer work look like, and what happened when the new administration received the finished reportThe specific recommendation that left nutrition professionals across the board scratching their headsWhy the protein aisle at your grocery store may be misleading you and what the data actually shows about how much protein Americans eatThe little-known food group that Dr. Gardner says wins on protein, fiber, AND antioxidants simultaneously.Why the "upside-down pyramid" may be more sensationalist than scientificThe real reason dietary guidelines have "failed" and why it's not the reason most people thinkWhat Google's free employee cafeteria has to do with fixing America's food systemDr. Gardner's unconventional answer to what comfort food means to him
Transcribe →True, False, or It's Complicated: The Weight Loss Myth-Busting Game
Mar 2500:44:13Tap to summarizeEverything you think you know about weight loss might be wrong, and that's actually great news.From "my metabolism is broken" to "I just need more willpower," the weight loss world is full of statements that sound completely reasonable, get repeated constantly, and quietly keep people stuck. The problem isn't that people aren't trying hard enough. It's that they're working from a playbook full of myths, half-truths, and oversimplifications.Join Holly and Jim as they turn the podcast into a game, throwing out the statements they hear most often in the clinic, on social media, and out in the real world, and putting each one to the test: true, false, or it's complicated? Play along at home and see how your answers stack up against two scientists with decades of combined research experience. You might be surprised where you agree and where the science has a very different story to tell.Discussed on the episode:The metabolism myth that makes people feel helpless and the simple fix that actually worksWhy feeling hungry doesn't always mean what you think it means (and when a little hunger might actually be a good sign)The truth about GLP-1 medications: what they genuinely fix, what they don't, and the question researchers still can't answerHow your environment is quietly controlling how much you eat, even when you think you're in chargeThe one thing decades of research agree willpower cannot do on its ownWhy Holly and Jim actually disagree on whether you can out-exercise a bad dietThe scale question that trips up almost everyone, and the time frame that actually mattersWhy keeping weight off isn't easier after you lose it, but it doesn't have to be as hard as you think.The persistent myth that there's one perfect plan out there waiting for you, and what to look for instead
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