Send a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.

Everybody understands that being more consistent with the actions that support your goals, will lead to great results. But staying consistent can seem an impossible task when you’re struggling to break free from the shackles of unrealistic expectations and perfectionism.

Join me in today’s episode, where I’m exploring three powerful strategies to help you increase consistency to achieve your health goals. We look at the importance of taking small steps, banishing perfectionism, and simplifying your journey.

If you've ever struggled with maintaining consistency when it comes to health, or found yourself overwhelmed by an all-or-nothing attitude, this episode is for you!

References

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear

Kara Loewentheil’s Unf*k Your Brain podcast episode: 

Perfectionistic Fantasies + Tomorrow Thinking

 Accompanying free workbook on how to increase consistency

Quotes

05:52 - “Those little 1% upgrades are going to get you so far.” - Dr. Rentea

06:11 - “You have to be willing to ‘fail’ and just come right back and see what else will work.” - Dr. Rentea

07:52 - “Perfection is not synonymous with consistency.” - Dr. Rentea

Audio Stamps

01:28 - Dr. Rentea explains how our expectations often don’t match up to the true definition of consistency.

03:44 - We learn the first step to increased consistency: Taking small steps.

06:04 - Dr. Rentea discusses the second step: Dropping perfection.

09:26 - We find out step number three to increasing consistency: Being willing to keep making it easier on yourself.

All of the information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only. Please talk to your physician and medical team about what is right for you. No medical advice is being on this podcast.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois and want to work with doctor Matthea Rentea, you can find out more on www.RenteaClinic.com

CLICK HERE to purchase Premium Season 1 of The Obesity Guide: Behind the Curtain and unlock exclusive content! Dive into real clinical scenarios, from my personal medication journey to tackling weight loss plateaus, understanding insulin resistance, and overcoming challenges with GLP-1s. Plus, get a 40+ page guide packed with protein charts, weight loss formulas, and more. Don’t miss out—available now!

Send a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.

Thinness equals health. There are generations of doctors that have been trained to believe this, and we have been indoctrinated by this concept for so long that it’s hard to believe anything else. One of the biggest contributing factors to this is the widespread adoption of the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a measure of health by the medical system.

So where exactly does the BMI originate from and should we still be using it as a tool to assess someone’s health? To help me answer these important questions, I invited primary care Internist Dr. Kara Pepper to explain why the BMI is fraught with misinterpretation, and what we should be looking at instead. We also explore how patients who struggle with eating disorders can be better supported in a clinical setting.

If you are someone that is struggling with an eating disorder, please reach out to your medical team for help, or contact the National Eating Disorder Help Line for further advice.

Connect with Dr. Pepper:

It's Not Just You podcast

Website

Instagram

Twitter

Resources:

Health at Every Size

National Eating Disorder Help Line

Find an eating disorder professional

Books:

Fearing the Black Body - the Racial Origins of Fat Phobia

Fat Talk - Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture

It's Always Been Ours - Rewriting the story of Black Women's Bodies

Audio Stamps

02:36 - Dr. Kara Pepper tells us more about who she is and who she helps.

04:12 -  We find out where Body Mass Index (BMI) comes from, how it has evolved over time with the drug industry, and where we're at currently.

10:21 - Dr. Rentea asks what Dr. Pepper would advise us to look at when it comes to our health, if BMI is not the main thing to focus on. 

12:26 - We learn how both clinicians and patients can do a better job in making sure that they're getting screened appropriately for eating disorders.

All of the information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only. Please talk to your physician and medical team about what is right for you. No medical advice is being on this podcast.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois and want to work with doctor Matthea Rentea, you can find out more on www.RenteaClinic.com

CLICK HERE to purchase Premium Season 1 of The Obesity Guide: Behind the Curtain and unlock exclusive content! Dive into real clinical scenarios, from my personal medication journey to tackling weight loss plateaus, understanding insulin resistance, and overcoming challenges with GLP-1s. Plus, get a 40+ page guide packed with protein charts, weight loss formulas, and more. Don’t miss out—available now!

Send a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.

Podcast Description

In the current industrial food environment, most of the foods that are marketed to us are pretty far removed from whole foods. Recent research indicates that over 70% of the food supply in the U.S. is ultra-processed. Many ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contain little fiber and are high in added sugars, meaning they are rapidly digested, and cause blood glucose levels to rise quickly. 

Our ancient brains and bodies are struggling to catch up with this new food environment, filled with modern conveniences that we love the taste of. But the impact of a diet high in UPFs goes beyond negative physical health outcomes such as a heightened risk of diabetes, obesity, and cancer. It may also have a significant impact on the health of your brain. 

In today’s episode, I explore two ways we can reduce our consumption of UPFs to improve blood glucose management, reduce cravings, and lower the risk of disease.

To read the full show notes, click here.

References 

• Join my email list here so you’re first in line for the latest content.
• Find out more about “The Glucose Goddess Method” (2023) and “Glucose Revolution” (2022) by Jessie Inchauspé
• Learn more about “Obesity Code” by Dr.Jason Fung

Audio Stamps

03:10 - We discover why you don’t need to be diabetic or pre-diabetic for blood sugar management to be a concern for you.

05:32 - We find out how reducing processed foods in our diet can help to bring down insulin levels.

09:12 - Dr. Rentea introduces her first strategy for eating less processed food.

11:41 - Dr. Rentea talks about her second strategy for eating less processed food.

12:15 - We hear some suggested resources to support you with blood glucose management.

13:33 - Dr. Rentea tells us why we should resist the urge to do a radical overhaul.

Quotes

4:19 - “One of the best ways that I know to help people with this is to help them more toward an unprocessed diet.”

7:42 - “We are this ancient brain and body, but we're in this really modern world. It's like we didn't have time to catch up with what's happening in our environment. And so your brain, your body, your gut, your hormones…none of it has really caught up to this ultra processed food.”

10:31 - “If you start with veggies first, if yo

All of the information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only. Please talk to your physician and medical team about what is right for you. No medical advice is being on this podcast.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois and want to work with doctor Matthea Rentea, you can find out more on www.RenteaClinic.com

CLICK HERE to purchase Premium Season 1 of The Obesity Guide: Behind the Curtain and unlock exclusive content! Dive into real clinical scenarios, from my personal medication journey to tackling weight loss plateaus, understanding insulin resistance, and overcoming challenges with GLP-1s. Plus, get a 40+ page guide packed with protein charts, weight loss formulas, and more. Don’t miss out—available now!

Send a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.

Anti-obesity medications can be valuable tools in supporting individuals with weight loss, but when deciding if this is a route you want to take, it’s crucial to acknowledge and address their potential side effects. 

Healthcare professionals have a duty to carefully evaluate each patient's unique circumstances, monitor their progress closely, and provide comprehensive support throughout their weight loss journey.

Today I am joined by an absolute pioneer in obesity medicine, Dr. Carolynn Francavilla, as we dig into the common side effects of anti-obesity medications, how to avoid excessive weight gain during pregnancy, and weight loss recommendations for postpartum women.

References

Dr. Carolynn Francavilla:

Website

Instagram 

Podcast

The Obesity Medicine Start Up Course and Toolkit

Audio Stamps

04:32 - Dr. Francavilla tells us more about herself and what she does.

06:10 - Dr. Rentea asks about the common side effects of anti-obesity medications, including constipation and diarrhea.

13:46 - Dr. Francavilla discusses how she approaches weight loss with people who suffer from Binge Eating Disorder,

20:58 - Dr. Francavilla gives advice around avoiding excessive weight gain during pregnancy. 

28:25 - Dr. Rentea and Dr. Francavilla discuss weight loss recommendations for postpartum women.

Quotes

“If you get surgery before you've addressed that underlying binge eating disorder, I think you're at a really high risk to regain weight.”

“Although weight loss before pregnancy can be beneficial to both mom and future babies, it's really important that we bridge that gap and that we make sure that we as doctors, if we are helping someone before pregnancy, are there for them during pregnancy.”

“We have to accept the reality of where we're at and do the most powerful thing for our health right now.”

“I often find the longer that people are overweight, the longer that we're not working on it.”

“The majority of women are pretty close to their pre-pregnancy weight around 12 months. That's not to put pressure on anyone, but if you're finding that you are not close to where you were beforehand, don't wait any longer. Get some help.”

All of the information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only. Please talk to your physician and medical team about what is right for you. No medical advice is being on this podcast.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois and want to work with doctor Matthea Rentea, you can find out more on www.RenteaClinic.com

CLICK HERE to purchase Premium Season 1 of The Obesity Guide: Behind the Curtain and unlock exclusive content! Dive into real clinical scenarios, from my personal medication journey to tackling weight loss plateaus, understanding insulin resistance, and overcoming challenges with GLP-1s. Plus, get a 40+ page guide packed with protein charts, weight loss formulas, and more. Don’t miss out—available now!

Send a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.

So many patients struggle to wrap their minds around taking anti-obesity medications for life, despite obesity being a chronic medical condition. If you were to look at other chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, people generally have no issues taking lifelong medication for that. 

Yet when it comes to weight, we see this strong desire to come off something that is helping you manage a chronic condition. Considering this medicine allows you to eat in a way that supports you better, and gives you the energy to move your body, is it really sensible to remove it?

In this bite-sized episode, I explore how using historical data can reinforce learning to play the long game when it comes to weight management.

Audio Stamps

02:26 - Dr. Rentea highlights the importance of recognizing obesity is a chronic medical condition and considering the long term picture.

07:05 - Dr. Rentea explains how looking at historical data can support a mindset shift.

09:29 - We learn how to evaluate the data and see the impact of removing drugs on medication assisted behavior change.

11:02 - Dr. Rentea reminds us why we immediate decisions are not necessary

Quotes

“The main thing that persists is that everything that people have done for decades is not effective.”

“When we document these repeated failures again and again and again, what we know is that chronic dieting doesn't work long-term.”

“The change has been with some of these newer medications, not only do you lose the weight, but you keep it off.”

“If you could have done it on your own, you would have. There's no one that ever comes to work with me that has not tried a million things before.”

“We know each time you reattempt weight loss, it is usually harder for people. More and more effort is needed to get the same results that you got before.”

“Whatever it takes to help you on your health journey is what is needed.”

“The only thing that might make this journey lighter for you is to stop judging yourself if you are needing one tool in the treatment of chronic obesity.”

All of the information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only. Please talk to your physician and medical team about what is right for you. No medical advice is being on this podcast.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois and want to work with doctor Matthea Rentea, you can find out more on www.RenteaClinic.com

CLICK HERE to purchase Premium Season 1 of The Obesity Guide: Behind the Curtain and unlock exclusive content! Dive into real clinical scenarios, from my personal medication journey to tackling weight loss plateaus, understanding insulin resistance, and overcoming challenges with GLP-1s. Plus, get a 40+ page guide packed with protein charts, weight loss formulas, and more. Don’t miss out—available now!

Send a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.

When it comes to weight management in the pediatric arena, we are faced with a lot of complexity. As a parent, it can be challenging to know where to start or how to approach the issue without causing harm to your child.

Unfortunately, where health and weight management is concerned, self-compassion is not the first thing that springs to mind. Instead, the toxic diet culture beliefs that we have been brought up with, often end up seeping into our teens’ way of thinking too. 

Board certified pediatrician and life coach Dr. Karla Lester is a passionate advocate for children’s health, and has worked tirelessly to teach kids, (and their parents!) to ditch self judgment, love themselves as they are, and feel empowered to take action on their health. She joins me in this episode to give her take on the role of weight stigma, toxic media messaging, and weight loss medications in tackling the childhood obesity epidemic.

(While there is a focus on teen health, this episode is relevant for anyone who wants to know how to support people with weight management, without causing more harm.)

Connect with Dr. Karla Lester:

Website: www.imecommunity.com

Telehealth: www.drkarlamd.com

TikTok: @imecommunity

Insta: @ime_community

YouTube: @imecommunity 

IME Community Podcast on Apple and Spotify

Doctors on Social Media: https://doctorsonsocialmedia.com/karla-lester-md/

KevinMD.com: https://www.kevinmd.com/post-author/karla-lester

References

Gordon, Aubrey. “Leave Fat Kids Alone.” The New York Times, 2020.

Quotes

08:28 - “Self-love is a superpower.” -Karla Lester MD

08:38 - “We think that we have to be negative, perfectionistic, grind out goals, and happiness is at the finish line. That's what diet culture teaches us and parents are really stuck in it.” -Karla Lester MD

21:47 - “Body diversity is a fact. We're going to celebrate it. You don't cause and you don't control.” -Karla Le

All of the information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only. Please talk to your physician and medical team about what is right for you. No medical advice is being on this podcast.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois and want to work with doctor Matthea Rentea, you can find out more on www.RenteaClinic.com

CLICK HERE to purchase Premium Season 1 of The Obesity Guide: Behind the Curtain and unlock exclusive content! Dive into real clinical scenarios, from my personal medication journey to tackling weight loss plateaus, understanding insulin resistance, and overcoming challenges with GLP-1s. Plus, get a 40+ page guide packed with protein charts, weight loss formulas, and more. Don’t miss out—available now!

Send a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.

I was recently invited to be a guest on the new PlusSideZ podcast, born from a TikTok trend-turned-movement to educate on treating obesity medically as a chronic disease. This is a community that wants to remove the stigma around obesity and advocate for access to affordable medications. 

I have been so excited to share this episode with my own community, as we dive into a number of topics that I know will benefit you as well. We discuss the traumatic damage that diet culture causes, the rise of telehealth obesity medication, and how GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda, and Mounjaro can help obese patients create a healthier lifestyle. 

Join us today in our combined mission to improve education and advocacy around obesity and understanding it as a chronic medical disease. 

References

Check out the new Plus SideZ Podcast

Find out more about the book “Chasing Cupcakes”

Audio Stamps

01:47 - We are introduced to the goal of the Plus SideZ podcast and today’s topic of telehealth obesity medication and the death of diet culture 

02:37 - Hosts Kim, Kat, and Jernine share their back stories and struggles with obesity.

14:34 - Dr Rentea discusses her practice and the work that she does.

16:12 - Discussion around the rise of telehealth medicine practices that are specifically designed around treating obesity and why there is a need for this.

19:50 - Dr. Rentea sets the record straight on the differences between certain anti-obesity medications.

22:38 - We find out how Mounjaro is different from the other drugs in the GLP-1 class.

27:12 - Discussion around the topic of insurance when it comes to accessing obesity care.

35:27 - Discussion around Weight Watchers entering the telehealth prescription drug space.

42:38 - We learn how obesity is something which needs to be managed for life.

49:55 - Dr. Rentea gives her take on the recent shortages of GLP-1 drugs.

52:38 - Dr. Rentea explains what she uses in her practice for sustainable weight loss and expands on what the “compassion pause” is. 

 Quotes

16:24 - “The obesity community has always been underserved. They've never had a voice, and they've never had sound medical advice where they've been taken seriously and where they've really been listened to.” 

17:56 - “Unfortunately, there are a lot of medica

All of the information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only. Please talk to your physician and medical team about what is right for you. No medical advice is being on this podcast.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois and want to work with doctor Matthea Rentea, you can find out more on www.RenteaClinic.com

CLICK HERE to purchase Premium Season 1 of The Obesity Guide: Behind the Curtain and unlock exclusive content! Dive into real clinical scenarios, from my personal medication journey to tackling weight loss plateaus, understanding insulin resistance, and overcoming challenges with GLP-1s. Plus, get a 40+ page guide packed with protein charts, weight loss formulas, and more. Don’t miss out—available now!

Send a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.

Today’s episode takes a slightly different format to usual as I will be diving into some of the most common questions I get asked from you, my community.

My rule of thumb is that if one person is asking it, there are likely many more of you thinking it or struggling with a similar issue. As always, I am not providing any medical advice in my responses, this is purely informational and educational. While I cannot give specific recommendations, there are some general points and takeaways that I want to share with you.

I’m covering a wide range of topics, including:

• Concerns about slow progress on anti-obesity medications
• Bariatric surgery vs. anti-obesity medications
• Issues around medical tourism
• Suggestions for hair loss on GLP-1 medications.

Don’t forget, if you have a topic you’d like to hear covered in a future episode, you can sign up to my weekly email that lets you know what's coming out on the podcast. Simply hit reply to those emails with your suggestion and we'll look at incorporating it into a future episode!

Resources

To get my latest content via email, join The Obesity Guide Podcast Email List (right hand side).

To find out more about how to calculate the percentage of body weight that you've lost, head over to my recent podcast episode: Anti-Obesity Medications Part 2

To learn more about how weight loss can impact hair loss, listen to my interview with dermatologist Cris Berlingeri MD.

Audio Stamps

02:12 - Dr. Rentea responds to a patient who has been on Ozempic for 3 weeks and is concerned about slow progress.

05:30 - Dr. Rentea gives her opinion on VSG (vertical sleeve gastrectomy) versus medications.

08:45 -  We hear about a patient who lost 30 lbs on Mounjaro before switching to Ozempic, and is frustrated about the results.

10:48 - Dr. Rentea discusses the issues around medical tourism.

14:58 - We find out Dr. Rentea’s suggestions for hair loss on GLP-1 medications.

Quotes

04:42 - “The percentage of body weight that you've lost is a much more revealing number compared to just pounds in general.”

05:07 - “We do not want this rapid weight loss. One to two [pounds per week] would be the max. Over that, you're lik

All of the information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only. Please talk to your physician and medical team about what is right for you. No medical advice is being on this podcast.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois and want to work with doctor Matthea Rentea, you can find out more on www.RenteaClinic.com

CLICK HERE to purchase Premium Season 1 of The Obesity Guide: Behind the Curtain and unlock exclusive content! Dive into real clinical scenarios, from my personal medication journey to tackling weight loss plateaus, understanding insulin resistance, and overcoming challenges with GLP-1s. Plus, get a 40+ page guide packed with protein charts, weight loss formulas, and more. Don’t miss out—available now!

Send a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.

Today I have something a bit different in store for you because the script has been completely flipped for this episode! Kicked out of my usual hosting spot, I have landed in the guest seat, where my good friend Amanda Sabicer will be quizzing me about what’s going on behind the scenes at the Rentea Metabolic Clinic.

I have known Amanda for several years from when I worked as a primary care physician. Amanda is a nonprofit executive and life and business coach for women who want to do big things and, in my case, revolutionize obesity medical care. 

In this episode, we talk about my goals to scale a more patient-centric treatment to serve the obese community in a holistic way, rather than contributing to a system that continues to enable more bias and provide patchwork solutions. 

You can find out more about Amanda’s coaching here.

Quotes

03:11 - “I got into primary care and I loved the patients. I loved doing all of that. But again and again, what I see is we never actually have time to get to what the metabolic problems are.”

14:30 - “Everything is blamed on weight. A lot of the time life-saving diagnoses are missed.”

29:02 - [about direct care] “People see it as not conventional, but at the same time, once they experience it, they're like, ‘I'm not going back’.”

33:26 - “ With the diagnosis of obesity, there's a big mental load that comes with it because for so long we've been oppressed with this. And so I work on that aspect so that long term you feel like a different person. The weight going down never changes how you feel about yourself.”

45:23 - “When I say a holistic approach, it's not ever just about the food..If you hear nothing else today, please realize it's much more than that and usually self-care is about are you having enough fun, are you relaxing? What other things do we need to get to happen for you to feel okay?”

Audio Stamps

00:29 - We are introduced to guest host Amanda Sabicer and why the script is being flipped in this episode.

02:22 - We find out about Dr. Rentea’s journey to becoming a physician.

05:27 - We find out how Dr. Rentea came to the decision to start her own clinic.

10:08 - Dr. Rentea discusses the role of social media in her journey and how she emotionally handles difficult interactions on social platforms.

14:24 - Dr. Rentea shares some of the experiences she’s had around obesity bias and what the challenges are in our medical system when it comes to obesity as a disease state.

21:07 - We discover what’s differ

All of the information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only. Please talk to your physician and medical team about what is right for you. No medical advice is being on this podcast.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois and want to work with doctor Matthea Rentea, you can find out more on www.RenteaClinic.com

CLICK HERE to purchase Premium Season 1 of The Obesity Guide: Behind the Curtain and unlock exclusive content! Dive into real clinical scenarios, from my personal medication journey to tackling weight loss plateaus, understanding insulin resistance, and overcoming challenges with GLP-1s. Plus, get a 40+ page guide packed with protein charts, weight loss formulas, and more. Don’t miss out—available now!

Send a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.

You could be forgiven for not getting overly excited about food planning, but when I tell you just how much this can transform a person’s life and weight loss journey, you’ll be rushing to the nearest notepad and pen.

There are lots of things that people want to change, from body image to body weight, but often they keep finding themselves in the same place. Whether you’re at the beginning of your journey, or you've plateaued somewhere and are going through the next sprint, you will need to figure out what you need to change. Ultimately, we have to keep changing what we're doing otherwise our body gets used to it (the joys of metabolic adaptation…).

But change can feel exhausting. Everything becomes a conscious decision you need to make and you’re no longer working on autopilot. So today, I’m going to share how just a little bit of food planning can be a powerful tool to help you get a different outcome. Tune in to find out how you can break some of those patterns and start to program something new into your brain.

Quotes

01:49 - “About 90 to 95% of the things we do are run by the habit brain.”

05:00 - “If we're not living an intentional life, if we're not planning things, if we're not putting a little bit of thought into what we're doing, the past just keeps repeating.”

07:21 - “If we can do planning, we can break some of these habit loops and some of this automatic thinking and program away new things.”

10:16 - “If we let go of perfection, which is not required for you to plan and to take care of yourself and be more intentional in this area, life gets a lot easier.”

16:53 - “I'm Obesity Medicine board certified. I help patients with clarity all day long on this, and everyone's getting results. And for myself, I can't see it clearly. That is the nature of this. We often cannot see our own brain. We often cannot see things in our own life clearly.”

Audio Stamps

01:49 - Dr. Rentea introduces us to the idea of having a “habit brain”.

04:27 - We learn how breaking habit loops and being more intentional can help us to program new things.

07:29 - We find out why perfection is not the goal.

10:26 - We discover how planning gives us data we need to be the scientist for our own body.

12:15 - Dr. Rentea emphasizes the importance of keeping planning simple.

14:50 - Dr. Rentea runs through some questions to ask yourself if planning is something that you are currently doing or want to start doing.

All of the information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only. Please talk to your physician and medical team about what is right for you. No medical advice is being on this podcast.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois and want to work with doctor Matthea Rentea, you can find out more on www.RenteaClinic.com

CLICK HERE to purchase Premium Season 1 of The Obesity Guide: Behind the Curtain and unlock exclusive content! Dive into real clinical scenarios, from my personal medication journey to tackling weight loss plateaus, understanding insulin resistance, and overcoming challenges with GLP-1s. Plus, get a 40+ page guide packed with protein charts, weight loss formulas, and more. Don’t miss out—available now!