You Are Not Your Struggle

So many women are trying to eat better, lose weight, meal plan, feed their families, manage busy schedules, and somehow not feel guilty about every food choice along the way. In this episode, I’m joined by Kelsey Wickenhauser, PA, homeschooling mom of four, Christian health coach, and founder of Kingdom Fit Moms, for a conversation about what it really looks like to pursue health in the middle of real life.

Key Takeaways:

• Why shame keeps so many women stuck in the diet cycle
• How to help patients separate their identity from emotional eating or weight struggles
• Why “real food” messaging should not demonize frozen meals, packaged foods, or convenience options
• How to shift patients from an “I have to” mindset to an “I get to care for my body” mindset
• How accountability and community can support consistency
• Practical meal planning strategies for busy moms and families
• Simple lunch and snack ideas for summer when kids are home
• How faith, values, and identity can shape a woman’s health journey

Resources Mentioned:

Episode 157: I Hate Meal Plans

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.

CKD Food Rules That Need an Update

Kidney nutrition has a reputation for being restrictive, confusing, and honestly… a little intimidating. But for many patients with chronic kidney disease, the biggest problem isn’t that they’re eating a banana or adding tomatoes to dinner. It’s that they’ve been handed outdated food rules that leave them scared to eat.

In this episode, I’m joined by renal dietitian Lauren Budd Levy, MS, RDN, CSR, to talk about what clinicians need to know about kidney nutrition, especially if you don’t work in nephrology.

We cover the CKD diet rules that need an update, including potassium restriction, phosphorus additives, protein needs, sodium, hydration, electrolyte powders, and how to help patients enjoy summer cookouts, travel, and real life without feeling like their kidney diagnosis means they have to avoid everything.

Key Takeaways:

• Why “avoid bananas, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, and avocados” is often too simplistic
• The easy label-reading tip patients can use to spot phosphorus additives
• How to talk about protein needs in CKD without fueling confusion from high-protein diet culture
• Why sodium reduction does not mean a no-salt, flavorless diet
• What to tell patients about electrolyte powders, hydration, cookouts, and kidney-friendly travel snacks

If your patient with CKD has ever asked, “Can I eat tomatoes?” “Do I need to avoid phosphorus?” or “Are electrolyte drinks safe for me?” this episode will help you answer with more confidence, nuance, and compassion.

Resources Mentioned:

Episode 43 | Nutrition and Kidney Disease: What's a Renal Diet?

Episode 32 | How to Read a Nutrition Facts Label - with a Focus on Kidney Health

Connect with Lauren

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.

Give Nutrition Advice Without Making Patients Feel Punished

Have you ever asked, “Do you have any other questions?” at the end of a visit and immediately regretted it?

Same.

Because of course they have more questions. Important questions. Questions that probably should have been asked 15 minutes ago, except now you’re already behind, the next patient is waiting, and you’re trying to be compassionate without completely derailing the visit.

In this episode, I’m talking with Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, registered dietitian, author of Eating From Our Roots, and founder of Maya Feller Nutrition, about the art of inviting patients into treatment instead of simply telling them what to do.

We talk about cultural humility, implicit bias, why foods like rice, tortillas, noodles, plantains, and traditional starches get unfairly blamed for chronic disease, and how clinicians can help patients improve blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipids without stripping away the foods that feel like home. Maya also shares a brilliant framework for setting the agenda with patients, asking permission, and keeping the visit patient-centered without losing control of the clock.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “healthy” food is often viewed through an Anglo-American lens, and how that can unintentionally shame patients’ cultural foods
• How to be curious before corrective when talking about nutrition, weight, chronic disease, and food traditions
• How to use the plate method more flexibly
• What to say when patients want to improve blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, or inflammation without giving up familiar foods
• Why frozen meals, canned foods, jarred foods, dried beans, frozen vegetables, and center-aisle foods absolutely belong in realistic nutrition counseling
• How to help patients reduce added sugar without making it feel like punishment
• Maya’s strategy for “sugar interactions” and helping patients create a beginning, middle, and end around sweets
• How to start the visit by asking what is on the patient’s mind, while still addressing your clinical priorities

Resources Mentioned:

Episode 146: When Culture is Erased from Guidelines

Connect with Maya

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.

What Really Happens Inside an Obesity Clinic

GLP-1 medications are everywhere right now. Patients are asking about Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, compounded medications, muscle loss, “Ozempic face,” insurance denials, and what happens when the weight loss slows down.

But what does obesity medicine actually look like inside the clinic? In this episode, I’m joined by Joseph Zucchi, PA-C, clinical supervisor and physician associate at Transition Medical Weight Loss in Salem, New Hampshire.

This is not your typical GLP-1 conversation. We’re going beyond protein goals, nausea tips, and constipation management to talk about what clinicians are really facing in practice: how to dose these medications, when to switch, and how to support patients when insurance coverage disappears.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What to assess when a patient hits a weight loss plateau beyond simply increasing the dose
• How to talk with patients about GLP-1 concerns like muscle loss, thyroid cancer warnings, GI side effects, and “Ozempic face”
• Why obesity medications are tools, not “cheating,” and how to address weight stigma in the exam room
• What clinicians should know about compounded GLP-1 medications and why FDA-approval matters
• How to document for prior authorizations and what insurance companies are often looking for
• What happens when patients lose GLP-1 coverage and how to discuss alternative medication options
• What Joe is most excited about in the future of obesity medicine, including new medications and expanding coverage

If you prescribe GLP-1 medications, counsel patients on weight management, or feel overwhelmed by the insurance and documentation side of obesity medicine, this episode will give you a practical, behind-the-scenes look at what comprehensive obesity care can look like.

Connect with Joe

Resources mentioned:

Obesity Medicine Nutrition Course (with a 2026 medication update) Use code POD15 for 15% off!

155 | Unstuck: Strategies for Sustainable Weight Loss

151 | Are GLP-1s Masking Undiagnosed Eating Disorders?

Obesity Medication Infographic

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.

Nutrition Advice Needs More Nuance.

Your patients are hearing a lot online: fix your gut, avoid processed foods, buy organic, take a probiotic, and eat the “right” foods if you want to be healthy.

But nutrition is rarely that simple.

In this episode, I’m joined by Registered Dietitian Manju Karkare to talk about how clinicians can respond to common nutrition questions with more nuance, less fear, and advice that actually fits the patient’s life.

We cover gut health, probiotics, processed foods, organic produce, cultural food traditions, food access, and where integrative and functional nutrition can be helpful without overcomplicating care.

What You’ll Learn:

• The simple gut health framework Manju uses: fiber, fluid, and movement
• Why probiotic supplements may have a place, but are not a replacement for feeding the gut microbiome well
• How to explain processed and ultra-processed foods without creating more fear or food shame
• How to talk about organic produce in a way that is evidence-based, realistic, and budget-conscious
• Why asking “Where do you shop?” can completely change the nutrition advice you give
• How cultural humility helps clinicians give better, more personalized nutrition recommendations
• Why “Tell me more” might be one of the most powerful questions you can ask in a patient visit

Connect with Manju on Instagram

Join the Obesity Medicine Course and get 16% off with code SWEET16 here

Any Questions? Send Me a Message

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.

Injured Athletes Still Need Fuel.

When an athlete gets injured, the instinct is often to eat less. But according to sports dietitian Emily Barnhart, recovery still requires fuel.

In this episode, we talk about how nutrition needs change after injury, surgery, ACL repair, stress fractures, and periods of immobilization. Emily explains why under-fueling can delay healing, how to think about protein during rehab, and what clinicians should know before recommending supplements for injury recovery.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why injured athletes still need enough calories, even when activity drops
• How surgery and injury can increase energy needs during recovery
• Why protein timing matters for muscle protein synthesis
• How much protein may be appropriate during injury rehab
• The role of omega-3s, creatine, leucine, whey protein, and BCAAs
• Why collagen gummies and peptides deserve more skepticism
• Red flags that an athlete may be under-fueling
• Better questions to ask instead of “How’s your nutrition?”
• How to support athletes who are worried about weight gain, muscle loss, or body changes

Connect with Emily

Sports Nutrition Cheat Sheet

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Connect with Colleen:
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Sign up for my FREE Newsletter - Nutrition hot-topics delivered to your inbox each week.

Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.

“I’m doing everything right, but nothing’s working.”

I bet you've heard that before! In this episode, I’m joined by registered dietitian Devin Breedon to talk about the hidden barriers that impact weight loss, blood sugar, and overall health.

We also pull back the curtain on what registered dietitians actually do during a patient session, why behavior change matters more than meal plans, and how medical providers can make stronger, more effective referrals to dietitians.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why patients may struggle with weight loss even when they’re “eating healthy”
• The surprising role structure, routines, and stress play in nutrition success
• Why meal plans often fail
• Simple nutrition frameworks you can use with patients
• What clinicians should say when referring to a dietitian
• Practical advice for dietitians trying to build referral relationships with medical providers

For more training and patient resources on behavior change, grab the Behavior Change Toolkit!

Connect with Devin on LinkedIn

The VitalRD

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.

3 Mistakes We Make When Talking About Nutrition

I spoke at 2 different conferences, 4 lectures in total, this weekend and all of them had a similar thread: HOW we communicate our recommendations matter.

Enjoy this quickie episode summarizing one of my presentations at the American Association of Physician Associates in New Orleans.

Shoot me a DM @examroomnutrition and vote:

T/F: When you Know Better, You Do Better.

What do you think??

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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.