Health & Fitness
**The Obesity Guide with Matthea Rentea MD**

Matthea Rentea MD leads discussions on obesity and chronic weight management. Her guests range from experts in the fields that intersect with obesity and wellness, to individuals successful in their weight journey. She is a Board certified Internal Medicine and Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and founder of the Rentea Metabolic Clinic, a Telehealth clinic for residents of the state of Indiana and Illinois that helps comprehensively with weight management. This podcast is for information and education purposes only. No medical advice is being given. Please talk to your physician for what is right for you.

Latest Episodes:

Push Through or Pivot? Making Smarter Decisions About Your Weight Loss Goals Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

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.

Not every hard season means you should quit. But not every goal deserves endless effort either.

So how do you know when you’re in a tough stretch that’s worth pushing through… and when it might actually be time to change course?

That frustrating middle is what Seth Godin calls “the dip”: the point where progress slows, motivation wobbles, and you start wondering whether you’re doing the right thing at all.

The good news? You don’t have to rely on willpower, guilt, or endless second-guessing. In this episode, I’m sharing a simple framework for knowing when to push through, when to adjust, and when it may be time to let a goal go.

References

NEW: The Next Chapter, a small-group January program to help you set a goal and actually make it happen. Spots are limited and registration closes October 30 - Click here to save your spot

Get the free podcast roadmap for The Obesity Guide

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Join The Next Chapter, a five-month experience to make space for your health, work toward a meaningful goal, and have some fun along the way—get the details and enroll here by October 30th.

Not Sure Where to Start With the Podcast? I’ve Got You.

Get my free Podcast Roadmap—a simple guide to help you find the episodes that matter most to your journey. Whether you're on GLP-1s, navigating plateaus, or just starting out, there's something here for you.

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Introducing The Next Chapter: Making Space for a Life That Supports You Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

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.

Join The Next Chapter, a five-month experience to make space for your health, work toward a meaningful goal, and have some fun along the way—get the details and enroll here by October 30th.

Not Sure Where to Start With the Podcast? I’ve Got You.

Support the show

How to Start Strength Training at Any Age with Elaine Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

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Elaine is 76, works out twice a week…and still hates exercise. So why does she never want to miss a session?

In this episode, we talk about what changed when Elaine stopped chasing a certain look and started chasing strength instead. From knee replacements and lipedema to feeling stronger, steadier, and more independent, this is a refreshingly honest conversation about movement, aging, and why you don’t have to love the workout to love what it gives you.

References

Get the free podcast roadmap for The Obesity Guide

Subscribe to my Youtube channel

Join The Next Chapter, a five-month experience to make space for your health, work toward a meaningful goal, and have some fun along the way—get the details and enroll here by October 30th.

Not Sure Where to Start With the Podcast? I’ve Got You.

Support the show

The $40 Billion Electrolyte Trend: Do You Actually Need Them? Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

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Electrolyte packets are everywhere right now. But just because they’ve become part of the wellness uniform, does that mean they’re actually helping your body… or are you just adding a lot more sodium than you realize?

In this episode, I react to a physician’s take on the electrolyte craze and break down what’s really inside those trendy packets. We’ll look at why most people probably don’t need them every day, and how “healthy” habits can quietly stack up in ways you may not expect.

I’ll also explain when electrolytes do make sense, and why the “boring basics” like water, whole foods, movement, and managing stress still do far more heavy lifting than the latest wellness product.

References

Get the free podcast roadmap for The Obesity Guide

Subscribe to my Youtube channel

Join The Next Chapter, a five-month experience to make space for your health, work toward a meaningful goal, and have some fun along the way—get the details and enroll here by October 30th.

Not Sure Where to Start With the Podcast? I’ve Got You.

Support the show

Why Your Brain Is Wired to Crave (And How to Retrain It) with Dr. Glenn Livingston Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

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What if the voice telling you, “Just have one… you deserve it… start again tomorrow” isn’t really you at all?

Clinical psychologist Dr. Glenn Livingston calls it the “Food Monster”: a radically different way to understand cravings and that feeling of being hijacked by food. After nearly 20 years battling overeating himself, he realized that understanding why he ate wasn’t the same as changing the behavior.

Instead of seeing cravings as proof you’re weak or lack willpower, Glenn reframes them as a survival response. One that can be interrupted and retrained, so you can stop fighting yourself every time a craving hits.

Once you hear cravings explained this way, you won’t be able to unhear it.

References

https://defeatyourcravings.com/

Get the free podcast roadmap for The Obesity Guide

Subscribe to my Youtube channel

Join The Next Chapter, a five-month experience to make space for your health, work toward a meaningful goal, and have some fun along the way—get the details and enroll here by October 30th.

Not Sure Where to Start With the Podcast? I’ve Got You.

Support the show

No Appetite on a GLP-1? What to Eat When Nothing Sounds Good Sep 07, 2026

Show notes

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What do you do when your GLP-1 turns your appetite all the way down, and even your favorite foods get a big "meh"?

It might feel like a win at first. But if you're barely eating, your energy, strength, mood, and nutrition can start paying the price.

In this episode, we talk about how to make eating easier when hunger disappears: simple go-to foods, less decision-making, flexible meal timing, and how to make sure a low appetite doesn’t turn into under-fueling.

References

Secure your spot for the September round of The 30/30 Program now (spaces limited).

Get the free podcast roadmap for The Obesity Guide

Subscribe to my Youtube channel

Join The Next Chapter, a five-month experience to make space for your health, work toward a meaningful goal, and have some fun along the way—get the details and enroll here by October 30th.

Not Sure Where to Start With the Podcast? I’ve Got You.

Support the show

How to Break a Weight Loss Plateau (Without Restricting More) Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

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Hit a wall on your weight loss journey? That's not failure.

We treat plateaus like something's broken. When the scale stalls, suddenly we're questioning everything: the medication, our metabolism, our willpower. But they're actually just your body doing exactly what it's supposed to do: adjusting, stabilizing, and catching its breath before it keeps going.

In this episode, I break down how to tell a real stall from just needing more patience, why the number on the scale isn't the whole story, and the single most helpful thing you can do about it (no, it's not "try harder").

If you're in that frustrating in-between right now, this one's for you!

References

Salud horchata electrolyte drink

Ep. 183: Weight Loss Plateau or Treatment Problem? How to Tell the Difference

Secure your spot for the September round of The 30/30 Program now (spaces limited).

Get the free podcast roadmap for The Obesity Guide

Subscribe to my Youtube channel

Join The Next Chapter, a five-month experience to make space for your health, work toward a meaningful goal, and have some fun along the way—get the details and enroll here by October 30th.

Not Sure Where to Start With the Podcast? I’ve Got You.

Support the show

2 Simple Ways to Improve Morning Insulin Resistance Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

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.

Is your breakfast making mornings harder than they need to be?

You eat well, you move your body, you’re doing all the “right” things… so why is your blood sugar still higher in the morning? There’s a natural hormonal shift happening when you wake up that can make blood sugar harder to manage, especially if you’re insulin resistant or post-menopausal.

In this episode, I break down the physiology behind it and share two simple, practical changes that can make a real difference.

References

Secure your spot for the September round of The 30/30 Program now (spaces limited).

Get the free podcast roadmap for The Obesity Guide

Subscribe to my Youtube channel

Join The Next Chapter, a five-month experience to make space for your health, work toward a meaningful goal, and have some fun along the way—get the details and enroll here by October 30th.

Not Sure Where to Start With the Podcast? I’ve Got You.

Support the show

Why Stepping Back Might Be the Best Thing You Do for Your Health This Year Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

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 was the last time you slowed down long enough to just... think?

Most of us move from one task to the next, filling every quiet moment with work, scrolling, or chores around the house. We stay so busy we never stop to ask: what do I actually want right now?

In this episode, I share how a week of stepping away gave me unexpected clarity about my health, my fitness, my business, and the person I want to become. We'll talk about why rest can feel so uncomfortable, how constant productivity keeps us disconnected from ourselves, and why doing less might be the first step toward real change.

References

Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy: The Simple Art of Taking Back Your Life by Matthew Kelly

Secure your spot for the September round of The 30/30 Program now (spaces limited).

Get the free podcast roadmap for The Obesity Guide

Subscribe to my Youtube channel

Join The Next Chapter, a five-month experience to make space for your health, work toward a meaningful goal, and have some fun along the way—get the details and enroll here by October 30th.

Not Sure Where to Start With the Podcast? I’ve Got You.

Support the show

How to Rewire Your Cravings: Physiology, Habits, and the Thoughts That Help Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

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.

Have you ever found yourself negotiating with a pint of ice cream at 9 p.m., even though you ate dinner just two hours ago?

You tell yourself you’ll have “just one bite.” Then maybe one more. Suddenly, you’re standing in front of the freezer wondering why this feels so hard.

Cravings aren’t simply a willpower problem. Blood sugar swings, stress, poor sleep, old habits, and an overly convenient pantry can all make certain foods feel almost impossible to ignore.

But you can learn to pause, understand what’s driving the urge, and respond without shame or rigid food rules. In this episode, I'm sharing the strategies I journaled about back in 2020 when I was working through my own urges and cravings, which I still use today.

References

Secure your spot for the September round of The 30/30 Program now (spaces limited).

Get the free podcast roadmap for The Obesity Guide

Subscribe to my Youtube channel

Join The Next Chapter, a five-month experience to make space for your health, work toward a meaningful goal, and have some fun along the way—get the details and enroll here by October 30th.