Show Notes
What did humans actually evolve to eat? With paleo, keto, vegan, Mediterranean, and a thousand other diets all claiming to be "the one," it's no wonder people feel whiplashed every time they walk into a grocery store. But what if the answer isn't found in the latest diet book, but in millions of years of human evolution? Join Holly and Jim as they welcome back Harvard evolutionary biologist Dan Lieberman for a second appearance on the show. This time, Dan isn't talking exercise. He's talking food. Drawing on his new book, "Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals About Food, Diet, Health, and Eating Well," Dan explains why there's no single "evolutionary diet," why our supermarkets are a completely unprecedented environment for the human brain, and why willpower alone was never going to be enough. And because Dan doesn't just study diets, he lives them. He shares the surprisingly rough personal experiments he and his wife put themselves through in the name of research. By the end of this episode, you'll understand exactly why eating well feels so hard in the modern world, and why that struggle has nothing to do with a lack of discipline. Discussed on the episode: Why an evolutionary biologist says there's no such thing as "the" diet humans evolved to eat The "naturalistic fallacy" and why what our ancestors did isn't automatically what we should do What happened when Dan and his wife tried a raw food diet for several days (and why it ended with a bagel) The one natural food that's high in both sugar and fat, and what it reveals about why we crave certain foods How food processing quietly changed what's actually in your food, long before you ever open the package Why Dan calls modern ultra-processed foods "hyper-matched" to our brains The real reason low-carb and low-fat diets can both work, and why neither is right for everyone What Dan learned trying the Atkins diet as a self-described "carboholic" Why the Mediterranean diet keeps coming out on top, and whether that's fair to other traditional diets around the world His take on the vegan vs. carnivore debate, and why he wouldn't attempt one of them A listener's question about why the same diet can work great for one person and fail for their sibling Practical advice for eating well on a tight grocery budget The one thing Dan wants every listener to remember about their own struggles with food. Resources mentioned: Dan Lieberman's book: "Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals About Food, Diet, Health, and Eating Well"
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You’ve hit your goal weight, or you’re close. So why doesn’t life feel as different as you expected? For many people, the number on the scale was never really the point. It was a stand-in for feeling confident, joining in, and finally enjoying life. Today’s weight loss medications are helping people lose weight that once felt out of reach. A large new BMJ analysis asked whether quality of life is keeping pace, and the answer may make you rethink what success means. Join Holly and Jim as they dig into the findings, why feeling better and weighing less don’t always move together, and share what they’d do about it. You’ll leave with practical, doable steps you can start now, long before you reach your goal weight. Press play to find out what to work on alongside your weight loss. Discussed on the episode: What a huge new review of nearly 100,000 participants revealed about weight loss and quality of life The surprising gap between how much weight people lose and how much better life gets Why “quality of life” and “happiness” aren’t quite the same thing, and why the difference matters The question Holly asks every patient that gets underneath the number they say they want Why waiting to be happy until you reach your goal could work against you. A simple fill-in-the-blank exercise to uncover what you really want your weight loss to make possible The “life score” you may want to track alongside your weight Feeling better but being disappointed is completely normal, and what to do if the medication itself is part of the problem. A rapid-fire round that puts the hosts on the spot, including a food noise question Holly says isn’t fair. The pattern Holly admits she’s guilty of, and what it means for celebrating your wins Resources mentioned: Nong et al., "Comparative Effects of Drugs for Adults with Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis," BMJ (2026). *Losing the Weight Loss Meds* book by James Hill and Holly Wyatt Weight Loss And… Episode 147: The Weight Comes Off Easy. Now What? Weight Loss And… Episode 146: Losing Weight on GLP-1s: Are You Moving More or Less Than Before? Weight Loss And… Episode 145: Are You Eating Healthier While Eating Less on GLP-1 Medications?
Your friend just started semaglutide. She got it online; it's "compounded," it has B12 in it, and it's only $199 a month. Sounds like a great deal, right? But what exactly is in that vial, who made it, and how much are you supposed to take? More and more people are facing these questions every day, and most of us don't know how to answer them. Join Holly and Jim as they welcome not one, not two, but three guests for the very first time: Misty Gaddis, pharmacy manager of medication compounding safety; Jessica Pescatore, clinical director of the Alabama Poison Information Center; and Richelle Chambliss, a clinical pharmacist who supports UAB's weight management clinics. Together, they pull back the curtain on compounded GLP-1s and share what your pharmacist wants you to know about weight loss medications, from dosing and side effects to insurance, access, and stopping and restarting. You'll come away with practical questions to ask and red flags to watch for before you inject anything. Discussed on the episode: Why "compounded" doesn't mean "generic," and the common misconception that could put you at risk The real reason B12 shows up in so many online semaglutide products (and whether it's doing anything for your weight loss) What the Poison Center hears when dosing goes wrong, and why compounded products create a whole new level of risk The surprising truth about why the cheapest option may not be the cheapest for long A tempting shortcut to save money that pharmacists urge you not to take Why the "best" dose may not be the highest one What can happen when you stop and restart your medication on your own The red flags that should make you pause before taking anything you've ordered online The underrated ways your pharmacist can help you succeed, and when to call them A question Holly and Jim have never asked in decades of weight loss work, and why it's now on the table
New obesity medications can now produce weight loss once thought impossible without surgery. That success is forcing doctors to ask a question they never had to face before: what if a treatment doesn't know when to stop?
If losing weight made movement easier, wouldn’t you naturally start moving more? It’s the kind of assumption that feels almost too obvious to question: shed 40 or 50 pounds, and your knees stop aching, the stairs get easier, and you’re out there living more. Holly and Jim certainly believed it. But in the age of GLP-1 medications, where rapid, substantial weight loss is now common, does this assumption still hold up?
Everyone knows GLP-1 medications help people eat less. But does eating less actually mean eating better? It’s a question the weight loss field never really had to ask before, and the answer might surprise you. Join Holly and Jim as they dig into three GLP-1 studies looking at what people are actually eating. You’ll hear the real numbers behind diet quality, protein intake, and nutrient gaps on these medications, plus what it means for anyone currently taking (or considering) a GLP-1. Holly and Jim also share five practical tips to help ensure your diet works as hard as your medication is. Discussed on the episode Why losing weight on a GLP-1 doesn’t automatically mean you’re eating a healthier diet The surprising “Healthy Eating Index” scores researchers found in people taking these medications. Which micronutrients tend to slip through the cracks when food intake drops The protein timing pattern showing up in the data and why it might matter. Whether cravings actually go away on GLP-1s, or if that’s a myth Five things anyone on a GLP-1 can do right now to protect their diet quality Answers to listener questions on appetite loss, ongoing hunger, and whether there’s a “best” GLP-1 diet A teaser for the next episode, which flips the lens to physical activity on GLP-1s