Decoding Obesity

Are you looking to add more fitness and exercise into your routine and understand the barriers and challenges you might face despite suffering from obesity? In this episode, we discuss a recent study titled Physical Activity Motives, Barriers, and Preferences in People with Obesity: A Systematic Review.   P.S. I will be taking a short break from podcasting to take care of some personal issues. I plan to return soon. The podcast will continue with a recap of older episodes.

Last year, I had Sean Mulroney on the show, and he shared his story about how he lost over 100 pounds and got started with his personal trainer. So I thought it might be a good idea to get one of his personal trainers on the show to get her perspective on how she helped Sean and what were the challenges that she faced while training Sean.  Jamie Gilliam is an MS in exercise science. She has worked very closely with Sean and personally trained him physically to become more physically active.

Exercise is essential for our overall health. But often our body puts limitations on how much exercise we can perform and what exercises we can perform. This is especially true for people with a larger body size. Join me as I discuss this very topic with Michael Johnson. He has been a clinical exercise physiologist and currently works in a weight management medical facility that takes a multidisciplinary approach to weight loss. 

Exercise is an essential part of overall health but it is also important for obesity. We had Jessica Callear on the previous episode talk about how to increase physical activity in children. We've often seen ads for gyms and other exercise programs promising the moon with all the testimonials to back them up. But what is the truth? Today, I'm happy to welcome Jessica back to the show. Together, we take a deeper look into exercise and physical activity as it pertains to obesity.

Physical activity is one of the best ways you can keep your kids active and healthy. Given how much time kids spend in school and technology, such as video games and TV, getting them to exercise after school has become a challenge for most parents. But, hey! No more worries now! With a few tricks of the trade from Jessica Callear — a certified exercise physiologist, nutritionist, and health coach with over 10 years of clinical management experience — you will be able to increase physical activity in your kids!

I'm starting a new segment on this podcast because I wanted to do something different. I'm going to call it the Journal Club. So what I want to do is get some guests on the show who are experts in their fields and talk about one particular article that may be sort of like a seminal article or something that's going to be of value to you.   The article discussed today: Ten-Year Outcomes of Children and Adolescents Who Underwent Sleeve Gastrectomy: Weight Loss, Comorbidity Resolution, Adverse Events, and Growth Velocity

Is it all in the genes? How much of obesity is caused by genetics? Does epigenetics or the environment also play a role in obesity? I came across Dr. Yeo, who is a geneticist specializing in obesity. I thought it would be great to have him on the show to discuss this further from his perspective.

For the past few episodes, we've been discussing obesity in children, what causes it, why it is a chronic disease that needs to be treated, the physiological, mental, and emotional implications it brings into the child and family's life, and the different ways obesity can be managed.  Today, we're going to chat with Drs. Jennifer Paisley and Allen Browne about metabolic and bariatric surgery as it pertains to the pediatric population.

We recently had Amelia Sherry on the podcast who shared a wealth of information on preventing disordered eating in children. She also shared that she herself has had some struggles with disordered eating in the past. Today she's here to share her personal journey through her disordered eating and how she's been able to cope with that.

Pediatric obesity is a very important topic to talk about because we want to tackle these situations early on as it will lead to healthier adults. This is why in this episode, I have Dr. Angela Fitch here with me to talk about how to manage obesity in children.

I had Amelia Sherry on my show some time back and we talked about disordered eating and how to prevent children from developing that. Well, since I am talking about childhood obesity this month, we thought it might be good to talk about how to raise a child in a larger body.

Last week, we discussed the prevalence of obesity in children as well as how to determine whether your child has overweight or obesity. Today we continue our conversation with Dr. Leigh M. Ettinger around the impacts of obesity that these children are facing and what we can do to prevent this from causing more risks.

Are you concerned about your child's weight? The obesity epidemic is growing at an alarming rate. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the CDC sex-specific BMI-for-age growth charts. Dr. Leigh M. Ettinger's nearly 17 years as a pediatric nephrologist at Hackensack University Medical Center in Northern New Jersey, he saw more and more of his patients struggling with obesity. He joins me as we discuss this very topic in depth.

Ever wondered whether these online weight loss programs actually deliver what they promise? Dr. Heather Hammerstedt, who is an Emergency Medicine physician and the founder of Wholist joins me to discuss the reality of online weight loss programs. We discuss what to look for in a program before you join.

Obesity is a complex disease and people with obesity all have their unique experiences with obesity, how they dealt with it, and if they have lost weight, how they have managed to keep it off. We've had a number of patients who shared their own weight loss journey but this time, I wanted to bring in a perspective of a physician to also speak about how treating obesity is not a cookie-cutter approach for every patient.

Despite the many medical advances happening in today's day and age, there are still very few who acknowledge obesity as a disease. Hopefully, this episode will help you understand that managing obesity is not only about weight loss but overall metabolic health. We will also discuss how to choose a weight loss clinic right for you and what to expect from a good weight loss clinic.

Most people struggling with obesity have difficulty changing their habits because they have been struggling with weight all their lives. However, there comes a time in someone's life when you decide it is time to do something about your weight.    In this episode, I chat with Jennifer Espinosa Goswami, who has suffered morbid obesity while growing up and yet managed to drop 100 pounds in one year. Her story is inspiring and proof that anyone can make healthy changes to their lifestyle at any age. Listen in to find out how she did it – and how you can, too!

Is there any difference between people who lose weight and are able to keep it off compared to those who lose weight only to gain it all back? It was with this question in mind that the National Weight Control Registry was formed. In this episode, we're going to discuss significant findings from the National Weight Control Registry and then we'll take a deeper dive into some of the studies on the data from the National Weight Control Registry.

You've seen them everywhere, the little “healthy” labels that are on the package of so many foods that we buy. But are they really healthy? Or do companies use these tricks to get us to spend more money?   Find out what the marketing industry doesn't want you to know about these 'health halos' as I'm joined once again by my guest Prajakta Apte.

We all have seen them, but how does one interpret all the numbers on the food labels? What do they really mean for our health?  Prajakta Apte, a registered dietician, joins me on this episode to decode the nutrition labels on the back of the food packaging and helps us understand what to look for on a nutrition label.

We have discussed eating disorders in detail in the prior episodes. In today's fast paced life, disordered eating is widely prevalent. Disordered eating is certainly different from eating disorders but no less important.  Amelia Sherry is a registered dietician and someone who has worked closely and extensively with families, children and parents struggling with issues related to weight, growth, diabetes and parent/child feeding dynamics. She joins me to discuss what we as parents can do to prevent disordered eating from developing in our children.

In this episode, we get to know Jamie and her story, from when she realized she had a food addiction to how managed to recover from it, losing 240 pounds in the process, to how she is living her life now. She is a Transformative Leadership, Organizational, and Human Experience Strategist, Speaker, and Coach who thrives on guiding leaders, teams, and individuals on change, improvements in self-awareness, emotional intelligence, communication dynamics, and goal attainment.

Surely you have heard about Alcoholics Anonymous. But do you know about Overeaters Anonymous? In this episode, you'll learn all about this organization founded in the 1960s, how they modeled most of the healing and recovery process for compulsive overeaters on the process of Alcoholics Anonymous. According to their website, they have about 6500 groups in over 75 countries that meet each week with 60,000 members. The OA members use the 12 steps, nine tools, and 12 traditions to support each other in recovering from unhealthy relationships with food and body image.

Our recent episodes have been all about understanding some of the eating disorders better, and I thought to bring in another certified eating disorder specialist, Rachelle Heinemann, on the podcast to shed some light on what certified eating disorder specialists do. If you suspect that you may be experiencing an eating disorder or suspect someone you know may suffer from this condition, this episode is for you.

Do you tend to overeat at night? In this episode, we discuss a lesser-known eating disorder called the night eating syndrome. If this is your first time to hear about this, you're not alone. I've invited Dr. Elizabeth Wassenaar back to shed more light on this disorder.   Tune in to learn more about this and see how to seek help if you suffer from this.

As my guest today says, “People of any size can have any eating disorder”. It is crucial to understand and reognize these early. I am delighted to have Dr. Elizabeth Wassenaar join me for this episode to discuss Bullemia Nervosa and Anorexia Nervosa, two very dangerous and potentially deadly eating disorders. She is a Board-Certified physician in Pediatrics, Obesity Medicine, and Pediatric, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatry. She is also a a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist.

Is weight loss really just a matter of willpower? What if your body does not respond the way you expected it to – despite trying everything everyone suggested? Today, let us delve into the topic of seeing obesity as a disease that needs to be treated, not just with diet and exercise, but sometimes even with real medications.  Dr. Alexandra Sowa joins me to discuss this very important topic. She is also a dual board-certified physician of Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine, specializing in metabolic health, and is a clinical instructor of Medicine at NYU Langone.

Like green tea, drinking water is also one of the hacks, often suggested as a great way to “lose weight”. But have you ever given it a thought as to how real the benefits of drinking water are? Join me in today's quick episode and be ready for some numbers as I lay down to you the data and evidence of how water impacts weight loss, overall health, and wellbeing.

Nissa Graun is a mom of two who had been following various mainstream diets since 12 years old. She has lost and regained the same 20 to 50 pounds repeatedly over a 20-year period. Suffering from chronic health problems like migraines, sinus infections, and cystic acne—with depression and anxiety, too—she knew she needed to make a change when she was also diagnosed with gestational diabetes after her first pregnancy. Listen in to know more about her weight loss journey and how she lost 110lbs!

When you google “How to Lose Weight?”, you would definitely find that one of those is green tea! If you are someone who has also heard of the wonders of green tea and are curious, you'd want to stop by this quick episode because I will be discussing what green tea actually does to your body and how effective it really is for weight loss.

Do weight loss supplements actually work? Is there any scientific evidence to back up claims these supplements make? Dr. Sandra Lerner joins me in this episode, as we try to demystify the tall claims these weight loss supplements make.

Mindset plays a big role in almost any process we start. The battle has to be won in the mind before it actually happens. In today's episode, I interview Crystal Church. She has a very inspirational story about her weight loss journey, how she overcame addiction and obesity, and how she found her best accountability partner in her daughter.  Listen to her story and get inspired!!

Some still believe in the misconception that obesity is all about willpower and self-control. In this episode, find out how much do our lifestyle choices, society, and genetics play a role in the obesity pandemic. We will look at the various studies done to explore the genetic basis of obesity.

How is our thyroid function impacted by obesity and weight loss? And, how does fasting affect it? If you've been listening to this podcast for quite some time now, you've probably heard a lot already about fasting and its benefits in weight loss. However, we have never talked about thyroid function in relation to obesity! Fortunately, one of the listeners reached out to me and asked me if intermittent fasting had any impact on thyroid function.  So today, join me as I talk about thyroid function it relates to obesity, in addition to the impact of intermittent fasting on the functioning of the thyroid gland itself, if any. 

People with obesity are often the subject of jokes.  Whether at school, work, home, or even in the healthcare system, it is likely that you are being treated differently because of your weight. The truth is that our society is plagued by weight bias. In today's episode, I am joined by Dr. Sarah Smith, a board-certified Obesity Medicine physician, and a life coach, to shed more light on this important topic of weight bias.

Today's guest, Jimmy Clare, has faced some tough challenges in his life. Diagnosed with autism as a child, he suffers from spinal stenosis, a very painful condition. Add do that, weight gain. This caused him to be bullied from a young age, but he has overcome all of this and is an inspiration to so many people.

Do you ever wonder why we eat three meals a day? Can you really lose weight by eating small, frequent meals? Did you know that eating more than one meal a day was considered a form of gluttony in ancient times? Find out more about how often we should eat and when to eat based on science.  

This episode is an exciting one. We have a guest all the way from Perth, Australia. Graeme Currie shares his personal story of how his life has been completely transformed by Intermittent Fasting. Believe it or not, he has lost 132 pounds by Intermittent Fasting. He is the host of a very popular podcast: The Fasting Highway and has also written a book by the same name: The Fasting Highway. Join us as we learn more about him. 

Adelle Davis, one of the most influential nutritionists of the 20th century talked about improving health through better nutrition. She said this famous quote, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.”  In today's quick episode, we will be diving into the different studies conducted over the years on the impact of timing of food intake at different times during the day on our health. 

People with obesity tend to suffer more often from different types of chronic pain than people who do not have obesity. Some of the well-known pain medications frequently cause further side effects. This gets us thinking: Is there any way we could relieve pain without medicine? In today's episode, we have Dr. Sheetal DeCaria with us. She is an expert in the field of Pain Medicine and Integrative Medicine. Join us today as we tackle everything about chronic pain in obesity – what causes it, how it happens, and the different ways we could relieve it.

Marijuana has piqued the interest of the medical community for its benefits in various medical conditions. With the recent legalization of marijuana for recreational use in several states here in the US, it would be extremely helpful to dig deep into what direct impacts marijuana has on obesity. Dr. Rachna Patel, a well-known specialist in the field of cannabinoid medicine joins us to shed light on this topic. 

All of us have some bad habits that we have been longing to give up but just can't. For some of us, that bad habit is smoking. However, we hear stories of immediate weight gain after quitting, and we ask ourselves, “Is it really worth it?” If that is your question, then join us in today's episode of the Decoding Obesity Podcast! Hopefully, by the end of this episode, you will be able to make a decision that will surely be for the best of your own health!

In today's society, alcohol is viewed as a symbol of celebration and fun. It is normal to expect alcohol at a party, an event, or even at the end of a long day at work. But so many people and their families are suffering because of alcohol, sometimes mentally, but oftentimes physically. This led me to think about how alcohol can play a role in someone's life, particularly with obesity. Can alcohol consumption cause weight gain? That's what we're going to find out today.   In this episode, you will learn to see the real face of alcoholism, how it affects people's lives, relationships, marriages, businesses, and especially your health. Not only that, but my guests also share what they did to overcome this addiction and some very helpful tips for those who may be struggling with a similar situation.  

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver condition in the United States. It's estimated that about 25 percent of adults in the U.S. have NAFLD. In today's podcast episode, we will delve into the link between obesity and liver health with Dr. Marine Lipartia. She is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine. She has done some research on Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease as well and is the Founder and Medical Director of NUMEO Medical, a boutique-style obesity medicine practice offering a comprehensive and personalized approach to patients. 

Are you considering or about to undertake weight loss surgery? Going under the knife is a big step and commitment to make. You must be ready to make lifestyle changes that would make your surgery a long-term success. Vera Lee Curnow is an ordinary woman with an extraordinary story to share, including her journey to undergo bariatric surgery which took her a long time to prepare for. She shares her journey till the surgery and how her life has been changing post-surgery.

Menopause can be a challenging experience for women when the body goes through a lot of hormonal changes and physical symptoms. But it may be managed if you arm yourself with the right information and take action. Bringing her expertise and experience to the table is Dr. Michelle Gordon of the Menopause Movement to discuss this in detail. 

Is it safe for women to lose weight during pregnancy? What are the risks to women during pregnancy due to excess weight? Dr. Jennifer Roelands is back on the podcast to help us understand this better. Listen in to know how obesity affects pregnancy and how women can become healthier during their pregnancy.

Can you lose weight with intermittent fasting? Studies show that intermittent fasting is yet another tool in our arsenal that is effective for weight loss. However, many people find it difficult to fast. So how do you go about doing it?   In this episode, Gin Stephens shares with us her weight loss journey. Listen in to know how intermittent fasting helped her drop from 210 pounds to 130 pounds, and how she discovered the right way to fast.   Gin Stephens is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller Fast, Feast, Repeat. This was published by St. Martin’s Griffin Press and she also wrote Delay, Don't Deny: Living an Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle, also an Amazon # 1 bestseller in the weight loss category. She has been living the intermittent fasting lifestyle since 2014. This lifestyle shift allowed her to lose over eighty pounds and launch her Intermittent Fasting website, four Facebook support groups, four self-published books, and 3 top-ranked podcasts - Intermittent Fasting Stories, the Intermittent Fasting Podcast with her co-host Melanie Avalon and the Life Lessons Podcast with co-host Sherri Bullock. Gin splits her time between Augusta, Georgia, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where she lives with her husband and their four cats. She is also a mother to two adult sons (and she is thankful every day for the intermittent lifestyle that makes her life easier).

You consume food that makes you feel great, gives you energy, and boosts your mood, but have you ever considered eating based on your specific body needs? Do you ever wonder if your diet aligns with your specific physiology and genetics? Does your specific physiology and genetics determine your nutrition and diet? In this episode, we’re going to find out if eating based on your genes and specific physiology has any relation or association with obesity. I’m going to walk you through conducted studies around specific gene variants, your body composition, dietary factors and see how they translate to obesity. Hopefully, we can cut through the conflicting studies and find something actionable to become healthier and prevent obesity.

In today’s episode, we will be talking all about the “Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet”. This diet has gained popularity over the last few years. Let's take a deeper dive into how it plays a huge role in the overall health of the body, and practical ways to incorporate it into your lifestyle. Dr. Nisha Patel and Dr. Disha Narang join us to explain this further. Both Board-Certified in Obesity Medicine and are currently enrolled in the same Culinary Medicine program. They both are passionate about educating their patients on practical, sustainable, lifelong, healthful eating habits. Furthermore, they both firmly believe that food is indeed medicine and a healthy diet is crucial for a healthy life.

You are probably already aware of cutting calories for weight loss. However, have you heard of the very low-calorie diet? Dr. Richard Lindquist is back on our show once again! He is one of the directors of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. He is a trustee of the Washington State Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. He has practiced as a full-time obesity specialist for 15 years and has now transitioned to consulting. Join me as I discuss Very-Low-Calorie Diet (VLCD) as a strategy for weight loss with him.