But first, Pivot.

“I don't even recognize him anymore.”

That's what Sam said looking at a photo of himself from just one year ago.

When Sam came to Pivot, he was 33 years old, just under 300 pounds, on three blood pressure medications, prediabetic, and had been trying to lose weight for more than 10 years. His biggest fear? “Failure to the point that quitting is easier.”

As a pilot, Sam travels frequently for work, eats on the road, loves going out to eat, enjoys beer, and considers himself and his wife foodies. He didn't need another restrictive diet. He needed to learn how to lose weight without giving up the life he actually enjoyed.

One year later, Sam is more than 60 pounds down and this time, he doesn't feel like he's just “visiting” a lower weight.

In this episode, Dani sits down with Sam and Pivot dietitian, Coach Samantha, to talk about what finally made this time different. They discuss navigating restaurants and work travel, breaking the all-or-nothing mentality, learning portion sizes, enjoying fun foods without guilt, and building the skills to maintain his results long-term.

Sam sums up his biggest lesson perfectly: “Everything has its place in the diet, but that place doesn't have to be every day.”

For all the men, dads, and grandpas who have spent years trying to figure it out on their own...it's okay to ask for help!

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100 episodes AND four years of But First, Pivot!

For this milestone episode, Dani is joined by fellow Pivot dietitian Sam to answer YOUR questions, and nothing was off limits.

We also answer questions about pregnancy, supplements, sweet cravings, protein powders, energy drinks, strength training, weight loss after 60, AND the celebrity we would want to have on the podcast!

Thank you for listening, submitting your questions, and being here for 100 episodes.

Here’s to the next 100!

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Ever wonder what the secret to success is?

In this episode, Dani sits down with Team USA hockey legend Monique Lamoureux-Morando, a six-time world champion, three-time Olympian, Olympic gold medalist, mom of four, and successful realtor, to talk about the mindset that helped her reach the highest level in sports and how she continues to apply it to her life today.

In this episode, we discuss:

If you've ever felt frustrated because you're putting in the work but aren't seeing results fast enough, this episode is your reminder that anything worthwhile takes time. The secret is to keep showing up, especially when you don't feel like it.

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One year ago, Kristen struggled just to walk from her car into work.

She needed help with everyday chores, constantly thought about food, and felt trapped in a cycle of guilt, binge eating, and starting over. Her doctor recommended a GLP-1 medication, but Kristen decided she wanted to invest in building lifelong habits and improving her relationship with food.

Fast forward one year...

Kristen is down nearly 60 pounds, completed her first 5K, goes to the gym regularly, and says she has a running list of all the everyday things she can do now that she once took for granted.

In this emotional conversation, Kristen sits down with her dietitian, Sam, and Pivot founder Danielle to share what really changed over the last year. They discuss food noise, binge eating, mindset shifts, sustainable habits, and why this journey became about so much more than the number on the scale.

In this episode, we discuss:

If you don't recognize yourself or feel like you've been trying to lose weight "for as long as you can remember," this episode is for you.

"I'm doing everything right... why isn't anything working?"

That's exactly how Arissa felt when she reached out.

In this client success story, Dani sits down with Arissa to discuss how one nutrition consult helped her get unstuck and transform her relationship with food. Just two months later, Arissa is down 10 pounds, feels stronger, has a healthier mindset around food, and even enjoyed her first vacation without gaining weight.

In this episode, we discuss:

If you've been feeling stuck and wondering why your hard work isn't paying off, maybe it's time to get some answers. Sometimes it only takes one conversation with the right person to identify what's missing and help you start seeing results.

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Ever wonder what a dietitian's habits actually look like on vacation?

You might picture us ordering grilled chicken salads and drinking water all weekend.

Spoiler alert... that's not what happened.

In this episode, Pivot Dietitians Danielle and Sam give you a behind-the-scenes look at how dietitians eat, move, and make food decisions while away from home. No food rules, no calorie counting, and no "cheat days", just realistic habits that make healthy eating feel effortless, even on vacation.

In this episode, we discuss:

The biggest takeaway? You really can have your cake and eat it too. You can work toward your health and weight loss goals while still enjoying drinks, donuts, French fries, and vacations. Lasting results don't come from being perfect. They come from building habits that fit into real life, no matter the season. That's the difference between constantly starting over and creating a lifestyle you can actually maintain.

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Think you're eating a certain amount of calories each day? You might be surprised.

In this episode, Pivot dietitians Danielle and Sarah share what happened when they tracked their food for over a week for the first time since becoming moms. From random bites while cooking to finishing toddler leftovers, they quickly realized those little things add up, especially when your focus is elsewhere.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why awareness is the first step to change

If you've ever felt frustrated because you're putting in effort but not seeing results, this episode is for you. Our hope is that you'll walk away realizing that awareness isn't about judgment, it's about gathering information. When you understand your habits, you can stop guessing, stop starting over every Monday, and start making decisions based on facts instead of assumptions. Sometimes the most powerful changes come from simply paying attention.

In this episode, Danielle sits down with Pivot client Sarah to share one of the most refreshing weight loss success stories you’ll hear.

Sarah is a mom of two boys and former physique competitor who spent years trapped in all-or-nothing dieting, restrictive meal plans, binge/restrict cycles, and believing she always needed to push harder to be successful.

After losing 33 pounds through sustainable nutrition coaching, improving her relationship with food, and building a workout routine she genuinely enjoys, Sarah was preparing for another fat loss phase… until she realized something surprising:

She didn’t actually WANT to be dieting anymore.

Together, Danielle and Sarah talk about:

If you’ve ever felt exhausted by constantly trying to shrink yourself, this episode is for you.

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Someone once told me, ‘I’ve been eating 1200 calories for 2 years and I’m not losing weight!’”

That statement sparked this entire episode.

As dietitians, we hear this all the time—so Sam and I decided to put it to the test.

We each followed a fully planned, measured 1200-calorie day to see what it actually feels like—physically and mentally.

What we found wasn’t just hunger.

It was constant food thoughts, a scarcity mindset before the day even started, and already thinking about what to eat next before the day was even over.

In this episode, we break down:

We also share exactly what we ate, how we felt throughout the day, and why eating as much as possible (while still in a deficit) is key for sustainable fat loss.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, frustrated, or like “nothing is working”… this episode will give you a whole new perspective.

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Do you feel like you’re doing everything at home and still feeling guilty taking time for yourself?

In this episode, Danielle sits down with relationship identity coach Nicole Carney to talk about over-functioning, the mental load, and mom guilt — and how these patterns are keeping so many women stuck, exhausted, and overwhelmed.

We dive into:

We also talk about how to get your partner more involved in a way that actually feels supportive (not forced), and why taking care of yourself isn’t selfish… it’s necessary.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the load and have 100 tabs open in your brain, this episode is for you.

Learn more about Nicole’s program, The Good Wife Detox (and get $20 off with code PIVOT):

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