GLP-1 medications are transforming nutrition care, protein is being added to everything, and nutrition misinformation continues to challenge patients and practitioners. So what did we learn at FNCE 2026?

In this special episode of Weight & Measure with Mike and Zach, we're sharing our reactions and biggest takeaways from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) 2026 in San Antonio.

We discuss the growing challenge of nutrition misinformation, the importance of compassionate childhood obesity care, and why metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) deserves greater attention.

We also explore health equity in GLP-1 and diabetes treatment, the food industry's obsession with protein, the growing conversation around fiber, and the challenges of maintaining adequate nutrition, muscle, and physical performance while taking obesity management medications.

Along the way, we reflect on our experiences at the conference, the evolving role of registered dietitians, and how our own experiences with nutrition counseling shape the way we view obesity care today.

Our biggest takeaway? Better obesity care requires more than medications or weight loss. It requires evidence-based nutrition guidance, individualized support, and healthcare professionals who understand the people they're treating.

Join us for a candid conversation about what caught our attention, what surprised us, and what we hope patients and practitioners take away from FNCE 2026.

More Science. Less Stigma.

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Do You Have to Stay on GLP-1s Forever?

Guests: Ana Reisdorf, MS, RD & Melissa Mitri, MS, RD

Can you stop taking GLP-1 medications and maintain your weight loss? What happens when hunger and food noise return? And is staying on treatment long-term really necessary?

In this special episode from our FNCE 2026 coverage, Mike and Zach sit down with registered dietitians Ana Reisdorf and Melissa Mitri to explore one of the most common questions in obesity medicine: Do you have to stay on GLP-1 medications forever?

Ana shares her own experiences stopping and restarting GLP-1 treatment, including how those experiences challenged her professional assumptions about weight management. Melissa offers insights from her work with patients navigating long-term treatment, medication interruptions, and sustainable nutrition habits.

Together, they discuss what current research tells us about discontinuation, where evidence for tapering and maintenance dosing remains limited, and why weight reoccurrence should never be treated as a personal failure.

Topics include:

• What research tells us about stopping GLP-1 medications

• The science and uncertainty surrounding tapering and maintenance doses

• Hunger, food noise, and appetite after discontinuation

• Why healthy habits don't necessarily replace chronic disease treatment

• Nutrition, protein, physical activity, and muscle health

• The psychological transition from active weight loss to maintenance

• Weight reoccurrence, medication restarts, and removing shame

• Making individualized treatment decisions with your healthcare team

The central takeaway: Long-term obesity treatment is not about proving you can manage without medication. It's about finding the tools and care that support your health over time.

Website: https://weightandmeasurepod.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeightandMeasurePodcast

More science. Less stigma.

This podcast is for educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice.

Are GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound changing how we define successful weight loss? And is the number on the scale telling us the whole story?

What about muscle loss, strength, physical activity, long-term health, and access to obesity treatment?

In this special episode of Weight & Measure with Mike and Zach, recorded in connection with FNCE 2026, we sit down with three experts to explore a fundamental question: Are we measuring GLP-1 success the wrong way?

Joining us:

Dr. Angela Fitch, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of knownwell, discusses what successful obesity treatment should look like beyond pounds lost and why individualized, long-term care matters.

Dr. John Jakicic, Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center, breaks down the science of GLP-1 medications, lean mass, muscle loss, strength, and exercise.

Dr. Tracy Zvenyach, Vice President of Advocacy & Research at the Obesity Action Coalition, explores the barriers patients face in accessing treatment, including insurance coverage, affordability, Medicare, Medicaid, and obesity care policy.

• Are we too focused on weight loss when measuring GLP-1 treatment success?

• What's the difference between losing lean mass, muscle mass, and strength?

• Do GLP-1 medications cause muscle loss, and what should patients understand about the research?

• How can resistance training and physical activity support health during obesity treatment?

• What improvements should patients look for beyond the number on the scale?

• Why do people with similar medical needs have different access to GLP-1 medications?

• What could Medicare coverage changes and the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act mean for patients?

• How can patients advocate for better access to comprehensive obesity care?

The bigger question: If successful obesity treatment is about improving health and quality of life, shouldn't we measure more than pounds lost?

Whether you're currently taking a GLP-1 medication, considering treatment, living with obesity, or working in healthcare, this conversation offers a broader perspective on what meaningful treatment success can look like.

Hosted by Mike Donnelly-Boylen and Zach Niemiec, Weight & Measure translates obesity science for the people living it.

We explore obesity medicine, GLP-1 and other obesity management medications, metabolic & bariatric surgery, nutrition, physical activity, and patient advocacy through evidence-based conversations with researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience.

More science. Less stigma.

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What does successful obesity treatment mean to you beyond weight loss?

Have improvements in your strength, mobility, health, or quality of life changed how you measure your progress?

Share your perspective in the comments. We want to hear from you.

#GLP1 #WeightLoss #ObesityMedicine

Disclaimer: This episode is intended for educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice. Medication and treatment decisions should be made with a qualified healthcare professional.