EPISODE DESCRIPTION

What happens when the obesity medicine physician is also living with obesity?

In this episode of Weight & Measure, hosts Mike Donnelly-Boylen and Zach Niemiec are joined by Dr. Matthea Rentea, Dr. Catherine Toomer, and Dr. Brianna Bingham for an honest conversation about obesity, GLP-1 medications, bariatric surgery, weight stigma, and the realities of treating a disease while also living with it.

Together, they discuss their personal obesity journeys, what medical education often gets wrong about obesity, and how lived experience has shaped the way they care for patients. The conversation explores obesity treatment, long-term weight management, bariatric surgery, GLP-1 medications, and the future of obesity medicine.

Topics include:

• What medical education still gets wrong about obesity
• How lived experience changes patient care
• GLP-1 medications and obesity treatment
• Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic
• Tirzepatide and semaglutide
• Bariatric and metabolic surgery
• Weight stigma in healthcare
• Patient-centered obesity care
• Long-term weight management
• Obesity advocacy
• The future of obesity treatment

Dr. Matthea Rentea shares lessons from her personal journey and insights from hundreds of conversations through The Obesity Guide Podcast.

Dr. Catherine Toomer discusses maintaining significant weight loss for more than twenty years while helping patients navigate multiple generations of obesity treatment.

Dr. Brianna Bingham offers her perspective on bariatric surgery, obesity care, and how personal experience influences clinical practice.

Whether you are taking a GLP-1 medication, considering bariatric surgery, living with obesity, supporting a loved one, or working in healthcare, this episode provides a perspective rarely heard in medicine: physicians discussing obesity through both clinical expertise and lived experience.

FREE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

If your practice provides non-surgical weight loss, obesity medicine, GLP-1 therapy, or comprehensive obesity care, download ProCare Health's Non-Surgical Weight Loss & Obesity Management Guide:

https://procarenow.com/pages/non-surgical-weight-loss-obesity-management-program

ABOUT WEIGHT & MEASURE

Weight & Measure is hosted by Mike Donnelly-Boylen and Zach Niemiec. The podcast brings together people living with obesity, healthcare professionals, researchers, advocates, and industry leaders to explore obesity care, obesity medicine, bariatric surgery, GLP-1 medications, patient advocacy, weight stigma, and the future of treatment.

KEYWORDS

obesity, obesity medicine, GLP-1, GLP-1 medications, obesity treatment, obesity care, obesity management medications, OMMs, Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Ozempic, tirzepatide, semaglutide, bariatric surgery, metabolic surgery, gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, weight stigma, patient advocacy, obesity advocacy, chronic disease, obesity physician, obesity specialist, lived experience, patient-centered care, Matthea Rentea, Catherine Toomer, Brianna Bingham, The Obesity Guide Podcast, Weight & Measure

You Lost the Weight. Now What? GLP 1 Maintenance, Mindset, and Long Term Success

Many people focus on how to lose weight.

Far fewer talk about what happens after.

For many individuals using GLP 1 medications, pursuing Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery, or making significant lifestyle changes, reaching a goal weight is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning of a new challenge: maintaining weight loss long term.

In this episode of Weight & Measure with Mike and Zach, we explore one of the most important and least discussed topics in obesity care: long term weight maintenance.

Joining us are:

• Leslie Golden, MD
• Robyn Pashby, PhD

Together, we discuss why weight recurrence happens, why it is not simply a matter of willpower, and what people can do to build sustainable strategies for long term success.

Topics include:

• Why keeping weight off is often harder than losing it
• The biology behind weight maintenance and weight recurrence
• GLP 1 maintenance strategies after active weight loss
• Long term use of obesity medications
• Hunger, metabolism, and the body's response to weight loss
• The psychological challenges of maintaining weight loss
• Identity changes after significant weight loss
• Fear of weight recurrence and how to navigate it
• Perfectionism and all or nothing thinking
• Emotional eating, stress, and coping strategies
• Building sustainable habits for long term success
• Bariatric and metabolic surgery considerations during maintenance
• Why body composition may matter more than the scale
• The mindset shift from losing weight to living at a lower weight

One of the most overlooked realities of obesity treatment is that maintenance is not just a physical challenge. It is also a psychological one.

How do you trust yourself after years of weight cycling?

How do you respond when the scale moves up?

How do you stop living in fear of regaining the weight you worked so hard to lose?

Whether your journey includes Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro, GLP 1 medications, Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery, nutrition changes, physical activity, or a combination approach, this episode provides evidence informed insights to help you navigate the next phase of your journey.

Weight & Measure with Mike and Zach is a live conversation series bringing together patients, clinicians, researchers, and advocates to discuss obesity medicine, GLP 1 medications, Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery, patient advocacy, and long term health.

Keywords: GLP 1 maintenance, weight maintenance, weight loss maintenance, weight recurrence, obesity medicine, obesity care, Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro, Foundayo, semaglutide, tirzepatide, obesity treatment, Bariatric Surgery, Metabolic Surgery, health psychology, emotional eating, weight cycling, body composition, obesity medications, long term weight loss.

Medicare, GLP 1s, and Fear: What Older Adults Need to Know | Angela Fitch, MD, Tracy Zvenyach, PhD, MS, RN, and Deb Cooperman

As Medicare coverage for obesity treatment continues to evolve, many older adults are asking the same questions:

Can Medicare cover GLP 1 medications like Wegovy or Zepbound? Who qualifies for the Medicare Bridge Program? What should adults over 65 know before starting obesity treatment?

In this episode of Weight & Measure with Mike and Zach, we explore the rapidly changing landscape of obesity medicine, Medicare access, and GLP 1 treatment for older adults.

Joining us are nationally recognized obesity medicine physician Angela Fitch, MD, obesity policy expert Tracy Zvenyach, PhD, MS, RN, and patient advocate Deb Cooperman to discuss what seniors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals need to know about starting GLP 1 medications later in life.

Topics discussed include:

• Medicare coverage for GLP 1 medications
• The Medicare Bridge Program and who may qualify
• Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro, and other obesity medications
• Obesity treatment after age 65
• Weight loss, muscle loss, and body composition in older adults
• Nutrition strategies while taking GLP 1 medications
• Side effects and medication expectations
• Mobility, strength, and healthy aging
• Caregiver and family support during treatment
• Access, affordability, and obesity care policy
• Bariatric and metabolic surgery considerations
• Long-term obesity management and maintenance

Whether you are considering Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro, or another obesity treatment, this episode provides evidence-informed insights to help older adults make informed decisions alongside their healthcare team.

Resources:

• CMS Medicare Bridge Program Information: https://www.cms.gov/glp-1-bridge.pdf

Weight & Measure with Mike and Zach is a podcast and live video series bringing together patients, clinicians, researchers, advocates, and policymakers to discuss obesity medicine, GLP 1 medications, Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery, weight management, access to care, and metabolic health.

Subscribe for future conversations covering obesity treatment, Medicare policy, weight loss medications, metabolic health, patient advocacy, and evidence-based obesity care.

Keywords: Medicare GLP 1 coverage, Medicare Bridge Program, Wegovy Medicare, Zepbound Medicare, Mounjaro Medicare, obesity medicine, obesity treatment for seniors, weight loss after 65, obesity care, metabolic health, obesity advocacy, Angela Fitch, Tracy Zvenyach, Deb Cooperman, Weight & Measure podcast.

GLP 1 and Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Patients How Do You Become an Advocate

What does it actually take to become a patient advocate in obesity care?

In this episode of Weight and Measure, we bring together leading voices across obesity medicine, patient advocacy, and policy to explore how individuals move from lived experience to meaningful impact.

As obesity continues to be recognized as a chronic disease, the role of patient advocacy is becoming more critical in shaping access to care, influencing policy decisions, and improving long term health outcomes. From GLP 1 based therapies to Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery, patients are no longer just participants in care. They are becoming active drivers of change.

Joining the conversation are:

• Robert Kushner, MD• Michele Tedder, RN• James Zervios• Tracy Zvenyach, PhD, MS, RN

Together, we break down how advocacy actually happens in the real world.

This episode covers:
• How patients learn to navigate healthcare systems and advocate for better care
• Where clinical intent and lived experience can disconnect
• The role of GLP 1 therapies in expanding awareness and access to obesity care
• How Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery patients are shaping advocacy efforts
• The impact of patient voices on policy, insurance coverage, and treatment access
• How organizations like the Obesity Action Coalition support advocacy development
• Why community and shared experience are critical to building confident advocates
• The importance of events like the Your Weight Matters Convention in empowering patients

Whether you are a patient, clinician, or healthcare professional, this episode provides a clear look at how advocacy is evolving and why it matters for the future of obesity care.

GLP 1 advocacy, bariatric surgery advocacy, metabolic surgery advocacy, obesity advocacy, patient advocacy, obesity care, GLP 1 medications, Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, obesity medicine, healthcare policy, insurance coverage, Obesity Action Coalition, Your Weight Matters Convention, chronic disease advocacy, patient voice, metabolic health

Links

https://www.obesityaction.org/

YWM Regional: https://www.yourweightmatters.com/

YWM National: https://www.ywmconvention.com/?utm_source=zach

GLP-1 not working like before? You’re not alone.

Many people using GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro reach a point where weight loss slows, fatigue increases, and progress feels stalled. This phase is often referred to as a weight loss plateau, but it is frequently misunderstood.

In this episode of Weight and Measure, we break down what is actually happening during this stage of the GLP-1 journey and how both patients and clinicians can better navigate it.

Zach and Mike are joined by Angela Fitch, MD and Robyn Pashby, PhD to explore the physiological, behavioral, and clinical factors behind stalled progress and what it means for long-term care.

This episode covers:
• Why GLP-1 medications can feel like they have stopped working
• What a weight loss plateau really represents
• GLP-1 related fatigue and how to approach it
• When to adjust treatment plans and expectations
• The shift from weight loss to long term metabolic health
• Why body composition matters more than the number on the scale

This phase of treatment is where many patients begin to question the process, but it is also where the focus shifts toward sustainability, health outcomes, and long-term success.

If you are navigating a plateau, supporting patients on GLP-1 therapy, or working in obesity care, this episode provides practical insight into what comes next.

GLP-1 plateau, GLP-1 not working, Ozempic plateau, Wegovy stopped working, Mounjaro weight loss stall, GLP-1 fatigue, weight loss plateau, obesity care, metabolic health, body composition, weight management, obesity medicine

In this episode of Weight & Measure with Mike and Zach, we bring you a powerful conversation from one of our original live panels, now available in audio format.

This discussion brings together patients, clinicians, and advocates for an honest, real-time conversation about how obesity is talked about, taught, and experienced.

We are joined by an incredible group of voices across obesity care:

• Dr. Robyn Pashby• Leslie M. Golden, MD, MPH, FOMA, Dipl. ABOM• Renee J. Rogers, PhD, FACSM, FTOS• Nina Crowley, PhD, RDN, LD• Ian Patton

Together, we explore:

• Where weight bias still shows up, even in well-intentioned clinical and professional spaces
• How language, expectations, and progress culture shape the patient experience
• What supportive, evidence-based conversations actually sound like in practice
• Why trusted organizations, advocacy, and patient voice matter now more than ever

This is not a lecture. It is a conversation grounded in science, lived experience, and mutual respect, reflecting the kind of dialogue needed to move obesity care forward.

Whether you are a clinician, educator, advocate, or someone navigating your own journey, this episode offers insight into how we can create more effective, compassionate, and patient-inclusive care.

Weight & Measure with Mike and Zach is a live discussion series that brings together diverse voices across obesity care. Episodes are recorded live on Dave Knapp’s On the Pen YouTube channel and released as a podcast for re-listening.

Keywords:
obesity, weight bias, obesity care, patient experience, GLP-1, bariatric care, obesity advocacy, weight stigma, healthcare communication, patient-centered care, obesity medicine, lived experience

In this special live episode of Weight and Measure, recorded from the Canadian Obesity Summit in Montréal, we explore a critical question in obesity care today:

What does it actually look like when patients help shape the systems that affect their care?

Zach and Mike are joined by leaders from Obesity Canada alongside patient advocates Lisa Schaffer, Patty Nece, and Ian Patton for a conversation grounded in both lived experience and real world implementation.

Together, they discuss what meaningful inclusion means in practice, where gaps still exist across healthcare systems, and how patient voices can move beyond being heard to actually influencing care, policy, and outcomes.

This conversation sits at the intersection of research, care delivery, and lived experience, highlighting why progress in obesity care requires all three working together.

If you are a clinician, patient, or advocate interested in where obesity care is going next, this is a conversation you will not want to miss.

obesity care, obesity management, patient advocacy, patient centered care, lived experience, healthcare systems, obesity stigma, weight bias, obesity policy, Obesity Canada, GLP 1, metabolic health, bariatric care, healthcare innovation, chronic disease care, patient engagement, shared decision making, healthcare reform, obesity education, weight management