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:

Your Guide to Sustainable Nutrition with Brooke Simonson Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

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Are you tired of jumping from one fad diet to another? Do you want a realistic and sustainable approach to nutrition that will transform your lifestyle for the better?

Today I am joined by a very special guest, Nutrition Coach Brooke Simonson, who shares her wealth of knowledge, personal struggles, and practical tips on how to uplevel your nutrition in a way that is both attainable and maintainable. In this episode, you’ll find out the best place to start making improvements in your nutrition, along with valuable insights on how to incorporate more protein and fiber into your diet. We also discuss the common struggle of nighttime snacking and how to overcome it.

If you're ready to hop off the dieting rollercoaster and establish a healthy lifestyle that will stand the test of time and leave you feeling more energized, don’t miss out on Brooke's practical techniques that you can start implementing today!

Connect with Brooke

Visit her website

Listen to The Health Investment Podcast

Follow her on Instagram

Follow her on TikTok

Audio Stamps

03:00 - Brooke tells us about herself and how she got into nutrition coaching.

06:49 - Brooke shares the biggest challenges and roadblocks for her clients when they first meet with her.

11:24 - Brooke gives us some useful resources and ways for people to start implementing sustainable lifestyle changes.

16:50 - Dr. Rentea asks how we can increase protein levels in our diet.

23:32 - We find out why nighttime snacking is so common and Brooke offers advice for people who struggle with this.

26:17 - We find out how long it takes for hunger to readjust when you’re trying out a new eating pattern.

28:20 - Brooke recommends what people can have to increase fiber and how to go about it.

32:02 - We hear Brooke’s top two tips for someone trying to uplevel their nutrition.

Quotes

“What it all boils down to is developing sustainable lifestyle habits that work for your unique likes, dislikes and time constraints. The fad dieting, the detoxes, the cleanses, the restriction, the willpower - this stuff doesn't work long term.” - Brooke

“Every person is unique. So it makes sense that we don't have a lot of success when we do these diets and programs that have cookie cutter rules that are supposed to work for everyone.” - Brooke

“If you can always just focus on what to add rather than what to cut out or restrict, everything changes and life is so much better when you're not trying to avoid things.” - Brooke

“Often nighttime snacking is because you're not eating enough during the day.” - Brooke

“When we take the emotion out of it and stop feeling so bad and just really try to get to the root of things, then you're able to use the data to inform choices and learn from it.” - Brooke
To get the free handout "What Labs to Consider Ordering for Weight Management", CLICK HERE

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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Changing Your Relationship with Alcohol with Angela Mascenik Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

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Have you ever used alcohol to relax after a long day at work? Or to have more fun in your social engagements? You might even use it to detach from yourself, quieten your mind, and numb your feelings. Over-drinking is completely normal. But just like with overeating, whenever we jump to alcohol as a solution to our problems, we miss an opportunity to learn about what we actually need in that moment.

Today, I welcome over-drinking coach Angela Mascenik, who joins me to discuss how to build the relationship with alcohol that you want. Tune in to find out she learned to stop over-drinking and how you can take action now!

Connect with Angela

Follow Angela on Facebook
Follow Angela on Instagram
Website: angelamascenik.com
Podcast: https://www.angelamascenik.com/podcasts/stop-over-drinking-and-start-living
Alive AF! Monthly Membership: https://www.angelamascenik.com/aliveaf
Alive AF! Quarterly Subscription Box: https://aliveafbox.angelamascenik.com/

References

Weight Loss for Life Podcast episode: Over Drinking with Angela Mascenik
Access Dr. Rentea's latest handout: "What Labs to Consider Ordering in Weight Management"

Audio Stamps

02:15 - We find out more about Angela and how she got into her work as an over-drinking coach.

07:58 - We learn how the first step is awareness and being honest with yourself.

14:24 - Angela shares the ways that she helps people to break their ingrained patterns with alcohol.

16:15 - Just like with diet mentality, it’s important to let go of rigidity.

17:28 - We discover the benefits of having a coach to work through these issues.

19:25 - Dr. Rentea asks how Angela supports people who sabotage their eating efforts through their drinking.

22:10 - Self-care and learning how to pay attention to yourself is a crucial part of the journey.

25:55 - Dr. Rentea reminds us about the importance of making 1% upgrades to avoid overwhelm, and Angela explains the layered approach she took in working

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.

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The Importance of Lab Tests for Weight Management Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

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‘What kind of labs should my doctor be checking?’

This is a question I often get asked, and a great one because labs are an extremely helpful tool to help pinpoint possible sources of weight gain, screen for underlying conditions, and help to determine if weight loss medications can be used safely. They can also play a role in identifying what type of medication and lifestyle changes may work best for your body.

Weight management is more than just calories in vs. calories out. Lab tests provide you with valuable insights into the intricate workings of your physiology, and ensure you get the strategies and interventions to best address your unique metabolic needs.

In today’s episode, I’m running through what should be checked at the most basic level if weight is a challenge for you, including CBC (complete blood count) tests, CMP (complete metabolic panel) tests, basic thyroid testing, and more.

(A reminder that I am not your physician and this is intended to be general, educational content to help inform you and support conversations with your own medical team.)

References

You can access the handout "What Labs to Consider Ordering in Weight Management" here!
Get on Dr. Rentea’s email list to submit ideas for topics to discuss, and be the first to hear about her upcoming blood sugar management program.

Audio Stamps

03:00 - A listener asks if Dr. Rentea has patients who complain of low energy and fatigue, and how she approaches this with them.

06:22 - We learn about the role of CBC (complete blood count) tests.

07:41 - We learn about the role of CMP (complete metabolic panel) tests.

11:02 - We learn about the role of Hemoglobin A1c tests.

15:45 - Dr. Rentea discusses fasting insulin levels.

19:04 - Dr. Rentea discusses what we can learn from fasting lipid levels.

20:15 - We find out about the importance of basic thyroid testing.

22:47 - Dr. Rentea mentions the basic vitamin levels that should be checked.

Quotes

“If you can act when your blood sugar is in the pre-diabetic range, you are most metabolically flexible and you can turn it around to reversing it for life. You don't even need to lose weight to do this.” - Dr. Rentea

“Whenever liver numbers are up, that is always not a good sign and we really want to take action when we see that.” - Dr. Rentea

“Year after year after year, I would get someone where they'd had five, six years of the liver numbers being up, and no action was ever really taken. They'd kind of heard to do something, but they didn't really understand how significant it was.” - Dr. Rentea

“Everyone thinks that you have to lose massive amounts of weight to help with blood sugar. Yes, it can help, but I have had many patients where the weight does not change at all.” - Dr. Rentea

“Thyroid testing is important because thyroid, I really consider the master hormone regulator of our body.” - Dr. Rentea

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.

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Embracing Feedback and Improving Medical Advocacy with Amanda Sabicer Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

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Have you ever visited a physician and had so much weight stigma and bias thrown at you, that you end up going home feeling defeated and bad about yourself? Knowing how to effectively give and receive feedback can be a very powerful tool in these situations, and help you to discern what resonates with you and what can be left behind.
To help us wrap our heads around this, I invited my best friend and business coach, Amanda Sabicer, to give us her unique take on feedback, and how to become the authority on yourself. We also dive into the topic of medical advocacy, where Amanda shares her personal struggles within the medical system, and why it’s time to redefine what it means to be a “good” patient.
Don’t miss this incredibly fun interview, which has a lot of advice and practical application for patients struggling to feel heard.

Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn

Audio Stamps
03:00 - Amanda tells us more about herself and what she does.
04:49 - We find out what feedback is as a tool and when it can be used.
09:25 - Amanda explains how people can start to work on creating feedback with themselves internally, especially in a medical setting.
13:35 - Amanda shares her own health journey, which helped her realize that it’s not always the best approach to have someone else be more of an authority than you are for yourself.
19:10 - Amanda and Dr. Rentea discuss medical gaslighting and Amanda shares how she advocated for herself to finally get the diagnosis she was searching for.
24:45 - Dr. Rentea draws parallels with weight loss when it comes to listening to the body’s signals.
25:55 - We hear discussion around deconditioning trauma response patterns and renegotiating old emotions that may still be trapped in your body.
30:35 - We learn about the importance of redefining success and using internal metrics to measure progress.
Quotes
05:42 - “Until we can embrace feedback, there's always a piece of us that's hiding.” - Amanda Sabicer
07:43- “Keep the stuff that resonates and dump the rest.” - Amanda Sabicer
11:44 - “I would encourage people to redefine what it means to be a good patient.” - Amanda Sabicer
12:22 - “I don't know that it's necessarily the best approach to ever have someone be more of an authority than you are for yourself.” - Dr. Rentea
24:03 - “You need to get another opinion, and that takes energy and time and determination to have your own back during that process.” - Dr. Rentea
24:36 - “The body speaks subtly and so it's on us to pay attention to the signals.” - Amanda Sabicer

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.

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Three Powerful Ways to increase Consistency Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

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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.

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.

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BMI History, Flaws, and Better Measures of Overall Health with Dr. Kara Pepper Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

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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

Resources:

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.

15:20 - Dr. Rentea reminds us of the importance of rethinking our normal and finding the right people to help us on our journey (see links above for specific resources).
Quotes

08:30 - “There are two generations of doctors at this point that are trained that thinness equals health.” -Kara Pepper MD

08:40 - “That’s the take home: BMI is not a great metric for what we’re looking at.” -Kara Pepper MD

11:01 - “Prioritizing the patient and their unique values is the primary goal of care.” -Kara Pepper

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.

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Balancing Blood Sugar to Curb Cravings Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

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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 you start with savory first, if you balance with protein and fiber first, and then you have those other things (even if it's the same amount of crackers), you end up decreasing the spike that happens with blood sugar.”

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.

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Is this Normal? Weight Loss Medication Side Effects with Dr. Francavilla Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

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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.”

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.

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Anti-Obesity Medications: A Life Sentence? Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

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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.”

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.

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Approaching Weight Management with Teens with Dr. Karla Lester May 29, 2023

Show notes

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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 Lester MD

22:03 - “Their body is not something to fix or solve. One of the things we have to get out of is the singular fix.” -Karla Lester MD

Audio Stamps

04:24 - Dr. Lester shares her background and how she helps people

6:14 - Dr. Lester discusses her philosophy when it comes to finding the middle ground between body positivity and metabolic health in children

11:40 - Dr. Rentea asks what a parent can practically work on at home if they have been told their child needs to lose weight.

16:45 - Dr. Lester shares her experiences of fat phobia and weight bias

32:20 - We hear Dr. Lester’s opinions on the new guidelines for weight loss medications for teens

40:40 - We discover the best ways to find a healthcare provider to support with this

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.