What if building better habits wasn’t about more discipline — but about designing your environment, relationships, and daily systems for success? In this episode of The Better Body Lab Podcast, we sit down with behavioral scientist Katie Mehr to explore the real science of habit formation, motivation, and sustainable behavior change.

Together, we examine how resilience, performance, and health optimization are shaped within the human ecology of behavior — where environment, mindset, and social influence drive long-term outcomes. Katie shares why willpower alone often fails, and how strategies like environmental design, social accountability, and structured goal setting create lasting change.

We unpack the science behind SMART goals, temptation bundling, and micro-habits, along with the hidden downsides of public goal-setting and perfectionism. We also explore social contagion — how the habits of those around us influence our own — and why flexibility and self-compassion are essential for consistency. This episode offers practical, evidence-informed tools to move from intention to action through smarter systems, not more pressure.

Katie Mehr:
Katie Mehr is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta and a behavioral science researcher focused on motivation, consumer behavior, and habit formation. She earned her PhD from The Wharton School and studies how people build and sustain real-world behavior change.

Learn more: https://www.katie-mehr.com/
Take the quiz: https://healthdailyquiz.org/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmehr/
BSKY: https://bsky.app/profile/katiemehr.bsky.social
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=J_jD-LYAAAAJ&hl=en

Key Timestamps:
00:00 — Behavior Change Foundations
04:22 — Willpower vs. Environment
08:14 — Public Goals & Accountability
16:47 — Temptation Bundling
28:12 — SMART Goals Framework
41:40 — Social Contagion
01:00:34 — Myth of Willpower

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What if the future of weight loss and metabolic health isn’t just about new medications — but about access, personalization, and how the body adapts over time? In this episode of The Better Body Lab Podcast, we sit down with endocrinologist and obesity medicine specialist Dr. Rekha Kumar to explore the evolving science of GLP-1 therapies, hormone health, and sustainable health optimization.

Together, we examine how resilience, recovery, and performance are shaped within the “human ecology” of metabolism — where biology, mindset, environment, and daily habits intersect. We unpack the shift from injectable to oral GLP-1 medications, challenges around affordability and off-label prescribing, and how new delivery technologies may expand treatment access.

We also explore key drivers of metabolic dysfunction, including hormonal transitions, insulin resistance, and muscle loss, along with practical insights on microdosing strategies. Ultimately, we discuss how individualized, evidence-based care can support long-term vitality and performance resilience.

About Dr. Rekha Kumar:
Dr. Rekha Kumar is an internationally recognized leader in Obesity Medicine and serves as Senior Medical Advisor at Found, advancing personalized, technology-enabled weight management. She also practices endocrinology at New York-Presbyterian, helping bridge traditional care with digital health innovation. She is triple board-certified and serves on the advisory board of the Duke Global Health Institute.

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rekha-kumar-m-d-m-s-70b481237/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrekhakumar/

For information about Found visit: https://joinfound.com/

Key Timestamps:
00:00 GLP-1 microdosing & prescribing realities

02:33 Shift toward oral GLP-1 therapies

13:01 How oral delivery technology works

23:01 Benefits beyond weight loss

36:20 Hormone therapy considerations for women

50:22 Metabolic health stigma & bias

55:21 Muscle mass, glucose metabolism & performance

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Dr. Taryn Marie: www.resilience-leadership.com/

Mike Alden: https://www.mikealden.com/

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What if optimizing longevity isn’t about chasing wellness trends — but about understanding how your cells create energy, repair damage, and adapt over time? In this episode of The Better Body Lab Podcast, we sit down with exercise scientist and longevity researcher Dr. Rachele Pojednic to explore the science behind NAD, supplementation myths, and sustainable health optimization.

Together, we examine how resilience, recovery, and performance are shaped within the “human ecology” of health — the interaction between biology, mindset, environment, and daily behavior. Dr. Rachele shares her journey from personal trainer to Stanford faculty and industry science leader, offering grounded insight into navigating longevity trends with evidence-based thinking.

This episode reinforces a key truth: sustainable energy, strength, and wellbeing are built through consistent habits — movement, nutrition, sleep, and stress regulation — not quick fixes or hype-driven protocols.

Dr. Rachele Pojednic:
Dr. Rachele Pojednic is Chief Science Officer at Restore Hyper Wellness and a Stanford faculty member specializing in nutrition, muscle physiology, and longevity research. Her work bridges academic science and real-world wellness application.

For information about Dr. Rachele Pojednic visit:

www.rachelepojednic.com

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StrongProcess

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RachelePojednic_PhD

Substack: https://rachelepojednic.substack.com/

Key Timestamps:
00:00 NAD trends & wellness myths

15:42 Foundational health habits

24:35 NAD IV vs precursor science

48:57 Women’s health & aging

57:38 Muscle preservation strategies

01:04:02 Peptide safety & regulation

01:17:35 Finding reliable health information

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Dr. Taryn Marie: www.resilience-leadership.com/

Mike Alden: https://www.mikealden.com/

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https://bioaccesslabs.com/

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Dr. Taryn Marie: www.resilience-leadership.com/

Mike Alden: https://www.mikealden.com/

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Dr. Taryn Marie: www.resilience-leadership.com/

Mike Alden: https://www.mikealden.com/

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What if optimizing your health wasn’t about chasing trends, but about building resilience, adaptability, and long-term vitality? In this episode of The Better Body Lab Podcast, we sit down with health optimization entrepreneur Jim Donnelly to explore how recovery science and lived experience intersect within the human ecology of performance and wellbeing.

Together, we discuss the real-world application of cryotherapy, cold plunges, sauna practices, contrast therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), and emerging regenerative approaches. Jim shares insights from his journey from athlete to founder of Restore Hyper Wellness and co-founder of Humanaut Health, highlighting how advanced therapies can support recovery, longevity, and mindset when grounded in foundational habits like sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress regulation.

Whether you’re navigating midlife transitions, pursuing peak performance, or seeking sustainable strategies for energy and resilience, this conversation offers evidence-informed perspective and practical takeaways.

About Jim Donnelly:
Jim is co-founder of Humanaut Health and previously co-founded Restore Hyper Wellness, helping scale the Hyper Wellness category nationwide. A former U.S. Army officer and marketing executive, he brings a systems-driven approach to innovation in recovery and longevity.

Learn more: https://www.humanauthealth.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimdonnellyhumanaut/

Key Timestamps:
00:00 Menopause & relationship dynamics
05:32 Discovering cryotherapy
16:44 Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
23:34 Sauna benefits
39:53 Regenerative medicine
59:05 Peptides & hormone optimization
01:10:09 Key reflections

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Dr. Taryn Marie: www.resilience-leadership.com/

Mike Alden: https://www.mikealden.com/

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https://bioaccesslabs.com/