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In this episode, I am offering something that has genuinely changed the way I think about my body — the circadian rhythm. 

I share what this 24-hour internal clock actually is, why researchers say it runs everything from your metabolism and hormones to your sleep and immunity, and how understanding it gave me a whole new perspective on the ongoing conversation around meal timing and breakfast. 

I walk through a few practical strategies rooted in circadian science that you can simply be aware of and explore in your own life.

And yes — I am raising my hand on the late-night phone habit, because that quote of the week? It hit home for me too. Come learn something new about the incredible, intelligent design of your own body.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Studies have shown that every hour you’re still on your mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or watching TV at night, melatonin is suppressed by 30 minutes.”

— Dr. Satchin Panda, The Circadian Code

CITATIONS 

·      Panda, S. (2019). The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight. Rodale Books.

·      Circadian rhythm science and the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN): National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). Circadian Rhythms. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx

·      Insulin sensitivity and meal timing: Saad, A., et al. (2012). Diurnal pattern to insulin secretion and insulin action in healthy individuals. Diabetes, 61(11), 2691–2700.

·      Circadian disruption and metabolic health: Scheer, F. A. J. L., Hilton, M. F., Mantzoros, C. S., & Shea, S. A. (2009). Adverse metabolic and cardiovascular consequences of circadian misalignment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(11), 4453–4458.

·      Shift work and health outcomes: Wang, X. S., Armstrong, M. E. G., Cairns, B. J., Key, T. J., & Travis, R. C. (2011). Shift work and chronic disease: the epidemiological evidence. Occupational Medicine, 61(2), 78–89.

·      Social jet lag: Wittmann, M., Dinich, J., Merrow, M., & Roenneberg, T. (2006). Social jetlag: misalignment of biological and social time. Chronobiology International, 23(1-2), 497–509.

·      Melatonin suppression and blue light/screens: Harvard Health Publishing. (2020). Blue light has a dark side. Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

·      https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/59135872-the-circadian-code-lose-weight-supercharge-your-energy-and-transform

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

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What if the fun you're chasing is actually working against you? This week I'm digging into why some fun fades the second it's over, while other fun sticks with you for years — and it comes down to a couple of things researchers can actually explain.

I'm also giving you my go-to system, VERITAS, for building fun into your life on purpose — even when things are hard, even when you're short on time. If you've ever felt like you "used to" have more fun, this episode is for you.

●     Why fun is more than just pleasure — the real ingredients behind it (joy, engagement, and meaning)

●     The research on intrinsic motivation (Self-Determination Theory) and why fun you choose beats fun you're told to have

●     What the Stoics actually believed about pleasure, and why it still applies today

●     My VERITAS system for building real, intentional fun into your life — step by step

"Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking and in your way of living."

— Marcus Aurelius

●     Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. — Self-Determination Theory, on intrinsic motivation and autonomy

●     Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (1999). A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Psychological Bulletin.

●     Csikszentmihalyi, M. — Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, on flow states and optimal challenge

●     Boothby, E. J., Clark, M. S., & Bargh, J. A. (2014). Shared experiences are amplified. Psychological Science.

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

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We've all used the phrase "real people" — meaning the regular folks, the everyday ones, as opposed to the famous, the wealthy, the powerful. But what if that whole distinction is a lie? This week, I'm pulling apart the binary between "ordinary" and "extraordinary" — sharing a story from my own childhood, a lesson from my years writing public policy, and some genuinely surprising research on what actually makes us alike. Spoiler: the line between you and a billionaire is a lot thinner than either of you think. Grab your coffee — this one's personal.

Quote of the Week 

“If it’s not accessible to the poor, it is neither radical nor revolutionary”

Citations

·       Witherspoon, D.J., Wooding, S., Rogers, A.R., et al. (2007). Genetic similarities within and between human populations. Genetics, 176(1), 351–359. https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.106.067355

·       Ekman, P., Friesen, W.V., O'Sullivan, M., et al. (1987). Universals and cultural differences in the judgments of facial expressions of emotion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(4), 712–717. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3681648/

·       Systematic review (2025) of 21 peer-reviewed studies (1972–2024) on cultural differences in the production of emotional facial expressions. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12907163/

·       Killingsworth, M.A. (2024). Money and Happiness: Extended Evidence Against Satiation. Happiness Science. https://happiness-science.org/money-happiness-satiation/

·       Killingsworth, M.A., Kahneman, D., Mellers, B. (2023). Income and emotional well-being: A conflict resolved. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120. (referenced in CBC coverage: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costofliving/money-can-buy-happiness-1.7107592)

·       "If it's not accessible to the poor, it is neither radical nor revolutionary" — widely circulated activist quote since at least 2016; original source unattributed.

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

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The Quiet Power of Legumes.

What if the secret to a longer, healthier life isn’t trendy, expensive, or Instagram-worthy — it’s sitting in a can in your pantry right now? Today, I break down why legumes show up again and again in the diets of the world’s longest-living people, and how to add them to your plate without overhauling your life.

Calls to Action

•       Rate and subscribe to Project Weight Loss

•       Share this episode with someone who needs a gentle nudge toward sustainable habits

•       Try one of the three legume swaps this week and tag the show

Citations & Sources

Darmadi-Blackberry, I., Wahlqvist, M. L., Kouris-Blazos, A., Steen, B., Lukito, W., Horie, Y., & Horie, K. (2004). Legumes: the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 13(2), 217–220.

Buettner, D., & Skemp, S. (2016). Blue Zones: Lessons From the World’s Longest Lived. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 10(5), 318–321.

Stanley, E. (Lord Derby). "Those who think they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness." (Widely attributed quote, often cited in health and wellness literature.)

Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Listeners with specific health conditions or dietary needs should consult their healthcare provider or a registered dietitian.

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The Capacity to Have and Live “Whole” - Contentment

What if the word you’ve been underestimating your whole life is the very key to what you’ve been reaching for? 

In this episode, we explore contentment — not as a lesser version of happiness, but as the deep, stabilizing foundation from which real growth, goals, and real quality of life are built.

We’ll walk through the “Goal Sandwich framework” for grounding your desires in what you already have. We’ll unpack the concept of capacity — your internal readiness to hold good things when they arrive. And we’ll close with three reflection questions designed to take you from the surface all the way to your soul.

This one is foundational. This one is for you.

Quote of the Week:

“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”— Socrates

I want to leave you with three questions to carry into your week. To sit with. Let them breathe.

1.  What am I happy with right now? (The surface check-in. Start here. It’s a valid place to begin.)

2.  What brings me genuine satisfaction? (Go deeper. What actually feels like enough? What do you already have that you truly wanted?)

3.  Do I have the capacity to hold this satisfaction? (The transformational question. Am I willing to let this be real? Am I home to receive what I’ve already been given?)

That third question — that is where the work lives. That is where wellness deepens from concept into lived experience. This is where our maintenance of the good things we build remains.

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

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I have been in your shoes — starting strong, riding the wave of motivation, and then one day, without warning, just... stopping. In this episode, I dig into why that happens, and I promise you, it is not a willpower problem. It is an experience problem — and once you understand the difference, everything changes. I am sharing research-backed strategies that are so simple, so doable, that you might actually laugh at how practical they are. We are talking about what your brain actually needs to want to keep going — and how you can give it that without overhauling your life. Whether you have tried and quit a dozen times, or you are just trying to make movement feel less like a punishment, this episode is going to give you something real to work with this week. Come take a listen — your future self will thank you.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity." — John F. Kennedy

CITATIONS (Reference Format)

1.    Karageorghis, C. I., & Priest, D. L. (2012). Music in the exercise domain: A review and synthesis. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 5(1), 44–66. Referenced in relation to findings consistent with research published in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology on music reducing perceived exertion during exercise.

2.    Milkman, K. L., Minson, J. A., & Volpp, K. G. M. (2014). Holding the hunger games hostage at the gym: An evaluation of temptation bundling. Management Science, 60(2), 283–299. Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Research on pairing enjoyable activities with necessary behaviors to increase exercise follow-through.

3.    Dishman, R. K., & Buckworth, J. (1996). Increasing physical activity: A quantitative synthesis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 28(6), 706–719. University of Georgia. Long-term review identifying social support as one of the most consistent predictors of exercise adherence over time.

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

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Have you been "about to start exercising" for longer than you'd like to admit? You're not lazy — you're human. And that's exactly the problem this episode solves.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we're ditching the motivation myth and replacing it with something that actually works: a simple, research-backed system that takes the decision-making out of exercise entirely. Because the hardest part of working out isn't doing it — it's deciding whether to do it.

We're covering three practical strategies: how to track your movement so your brain stays in the game, how to pre-decide your "when and where" so you stop negotiating with yourself at the worst possible moment, and how to set up your environment so starting feels almost effortless.

No gym membership required. No perfect schedule. Just a system your brain can actually follow.

Don't miss Part 2 next week — that's where we talk about how to make your brain WANT to come back to exercise again and again.

Quote of the week:

 "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." — Aristotle

1. Self-Monitoring / Tracking (Meta-Analysis) Michie, S., Abraham, C., Whittington, C., McAteer, J., & Gupta, S. (2009). Effective techniques in healthy eating and physical activity interventions: A meta-regression. Health Psychology, 28(6), 690–701.

2. Implementation Intentions ("If-Then" Planning — Columbia University) Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119.

3. Activation Energy / Environment Design (Habit Formation) Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. Random House. (draws on MIT behavioral research)

Fogg, B. J. (2019). Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. (Stanford behavioral design)

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

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In this episode, I'm sitting with something that has weighed on so many of us for far too long — the relentless mental noise around food, what I call food chatter, and what it actually takes to quiet it for good. I'm not talking about another meal plan or a new set of rules. I'm talking about what is happening in your brain when the spiral starts, and the two science-backed strategies that peer-reviewed research has proven can interrupt it. We dig into Rumination-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy — which sounds clinical but is honestly one of the most practical tools I've come across — and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, which teaches you to watch a thought without obeying it, and why that single skill changes everything around food obsession. I also share a story about my sister that still lives in my heart, talk about what my son and the Game of Thrones soundtrack taught me about dropping resistance, and make the case for why sitting down to eat your meal is one of the most underrated acts of self-respect you can give yourself. This episode is grounded in real research, real life, and the kind of honest conversation I hope feels like a walk with a good friend.

Quote of the Week: "True silence isn't the complete absence of thoughts; it is the act of stepping back and watching your thoughts without attaching to them or fighting them. When you stop struggling against your mental chatter, it loses its power over you." - Anonymous

Citations:

1.    Morillo-Sarto, H., et al. (2023). Mindful eating for reducing emotional eating in patients with overweight or obesity in primary care settings: A randomized controlled trial. European Eating Disorders Review, 31(2), 303–319. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.2958

2.    Ducrot, P., et al. (2017). Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0461-7

3.    Li, Y., & Tang, C. (2024). A systematic review of the effects of rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing depressive symptoms. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1447207. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1447207/full

4.    Cheng, P.Z., et al. (2025). The effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on rumination and related psychological indicators: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychology. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40359-025-03348-x

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

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What if everything you thought you knew about breaking a bad habit was wrong? In this episode of Project Weight Loss, we sit down — well, metaphorically — with one of the most brilliant scientific minds in the field of habit change and mindfulness: Dr. Judson Brewer, affectionately known as Dr. Jud. With over 20 years of NIH-funded research, a TED Talk viewed millions of times, and three powerhouse books, Dr. Jud has cracked the code on why we do the things we do — even when we desperately don't want to. And it has nothing to do with willpower. Nothing. At. All.

This episode is personal, it is science-backed, and it is packed with tools you can start using today. We explore the brain science behind every habit loop you have ever been stuck in, why shame is the last thing that will ever set you free, and what curiosity has to do with changing your brain from the inside out. We also get into Dr. Jud's thoughtful and honest take on GLP-1 medications — and why the inner work still matters, whether you are on them or not. Plus, I share something close to her heart that ties it all together beautifully. You are not going to want to miss this one. Come on in.

Quote of the Week:

"Meditation is not about emptying our minds or stopping our thoughts, which is impossible. It's about changing our relationship to our thoughts." — Dr. Judson Brewer

Links:

Dr. Judson Brewer's TED Talk — "A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit"

Dr. Judson Brewer's Calm Masterclass — "Breaking Bad Habits" 

Dr. Jud's Website: https://drjud.com

Citations:

• Brewer, J. (2017). The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love — Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits. Yale University Press.
• Brewer, J. (2021). Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind. Avery/Penguin Random House. (New York Times & Wall Street Journal Bestseller)
• Brewer, J. (2024). The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We're Not Hungry and How to Stop. Avery/Penguin Random House.
• Brewer, J. (2016). "A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit." TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/judson_brewer_a_simple_way_to_break_a_bad_habit
• Brown University Mindfulness Center — Director of Research and Innovation: https://www.brown.edu/academics/contemplative-studies/mindfulness-center
• Calm Masterclass: Breaking Bad Habits with Dr. Judson Brewer: https://www.calm.com/app/program/QLAvzOn

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

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 Curiosity, Habit Loops & the Hidden Treasure of Your Local Library

What if the reason you can't stop eating had nothing to do with willpower — and everything to do with your brain running on autopilot?

This week I'm exploring just that – the autopilot trap.  

We are exploring behavior change research AND in the fabric of our communities: curiosity.  

If you work in wellness, coaching, project management, or leadership, this one's worth a listen. 

Quote of the week:

“Curiosity: the shape of curiosity is a curving question mark with a hooked tail stamped on the wall of a library, a metaphor inviting gall to enter to discover a rich world of books” By Quincy Troupe

CITATIONS 

1. Brewer, J. A., Mallik, S., Babuscio, T. A., Nich, C., Johnson, H. E., Deleone, C. M., Bowen, S., Marlatt, G. A., Rounsaville, B. J., Carroll, K. M., & Kiluk, B. D. (2011). Mindfulness training for smoking cessation: Results from a randomized controlled trial. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 119(1–2), 72–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.05.044

2. Swan, G. E., & Carmelli, D. (1996). Curiosity and mortality in aging adults: A 5-year follow-up of the Western Collaborative Group Study. Psychology and Aging, 11(3), 449–453. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.11.3.449

Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit. Random House.

Smith, B. (1943). A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Harper & Brothers.

Brewer, J. A. (2015). A simple way to break a bad habit. TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/judson_brewer_a_simple_way_to_break_a_bad_habit

Troupe, Q. Quote on curiosity and libraries.

Let’s go, let’s get it done.

Get more information at: http://projectweightloss.org