Welcome back!

In this episode I’m taking you back to middle school in the 90’s—peak diet culture chaos—when I was determined to lose weight so I could finally make the “real” cheerleading squad. By the time I was 11 or 12, I’d already been exposed to Weight Watchers, a hospital-based kids’ weight loss program that still makes my skin crawl, and who knows what else. Then my mom got a “hot tip” about a local weight loss group run by a well-meaning older woman I’ll call Babs.

Babs was funny, kind, and genuinely wanted to help—but looking back, she had no credentials and no evidence to support what she taught. And her plan? Basically barely any protein, lots of refined carbs, and very little emphasis on vegetables or movement. I vividly remember portioning out cups of linguine with olive oil, garlic salt, and parmesan for lunches and dinners.

And yes—I lost about 80 pounds that year and made the cheerleading squad. It felt like the perfect answer… until my friend Jason (an athlete) tried to warn me. He told me I wasn’t eating enough protein, I wasn’t doing anything to support my muscles (what we’d now call strength training), and that I wouldn’t be able to keep the weight off. Spoiler: he was right—and his words have stayed with me for decades.

That story is exactly why I’m talking about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the recent buzz around protein. I explain why the guidelines are meant to be a baseline for U.S. nutrition policy—not a one-size-fits-all plan—and why the old protein target (0.8 g/kg) is really just the minimum to prevent deficiency, not the amount to feel your best.

I share why I fully support a high protein diet for most people who want to lose weight and keep it off:

• Better satiety and less true hunger
• More stable blood sugar and fewer cravings
• Easier portion control without obsessive tracking
• Higher thermic effect of food
• Preservation and building of lean muscle mass

Bottom line: we don’t want to just lose weight—we want to lose fat, protect muscle, and build a body that makes long-term weight maintenance possible.

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