EPISODE 107 | Robert J. Davis, PhD—aka "The Healthy Skeptic”—is an award-winning health journalist whose work has appeared on CNN, PBS, WebMD, and in The Wall Street Journal. The author of three previous books on health, he hosts the "Healthy Skeptic” video series in which he dissects the science behind popular health claims. Davis holds an undergraduate degree from Princeton University, a master’s degree in public health from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, and a PhD in health policy from Brandeis University, where he was Pew Foundation Fellow. In the episode, he shares why popular weight loss advice is just plain WRONG, numbers we should be aware of besides just calories, how companies try to deceive you using “health halos”...and more!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/107

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

QUESTIONS I ASK ROBERT IN THE EPISODE:

What's your story/background? (Specifically, what led you to become a journalist focusing your attention on health and weight loss?)

Why are we fed so much misinformation about weight loss? Who benefits from perpetuating the misinformation?

You say that counting calories is overrated for losing weight. Why? Do calories even matter? What other numbers should we be mindful of? (Added sugar? Fiber? Protein?)

You’re also skeptical about posting calorie counts on menus. Why?

You also downplay the role of exercise. Explain.

What’s your take on intermittent fasting?

I love the "Myth or Truth?" interjections in your book. Let's tackle a few...

"Gluten promotes weight gain."

"Fruit is fattening."

"Calorie counts on cardio machines and fitness trackers are accurate."

"Weight status is 'contagious.'"

Can you explain why "health halos" can be misleading?

How can someone spot misleading weight loss advice and avoid being duped into wasting time, money, and effort?

I love how you get into the importance of "strategic planning" for weight loss. Can you elaborate?

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Visit Robert's website: healthyskeptic.com

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here to lose 5-50 pounds for the LAST time so you can start showing up as the trimmest, healthiest, most confident, most energized version of yourself!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: [email protected]

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)