E18 The Truth About Weight Loss: Breaking Down Misunderstandings and Setting You Up for Success

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Tara M. Schmidt, M. Ed., RDN, LD, Lead Registered Dietitian – Mayo Clinic Diet | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN

 

Today, we are discussing weight loss and weight management. This is one with relatively universal application as we all would love to optimize our weight for a number of reasons. The potential benefits and upsides of maintaining a healthy weight are clear to all of us, so why is it often challenging for us to hit our ideal weight goals? To give us a better understanding of the problem and potential solutions, our expert for this topic is Tara Schmidt M.Ed., RND, LD. She’s the lead dietician for “The Mayo Clinic Diet” and host of the “Mayo Clinic On Nutrition” podcast.

 

The three big questions we are working through with her are:

1. What is weight loss, and why is it such a universal and important goal?
2. Why do so many of us struggle with weight loss despite our greatest efforts?
3. What practical strategies can individuals implement to set themselves up for success?

 

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:
Step 1: Find 2-30 friends who want to get better
Step 2: Choose your episodes (can be focused on specific themes or random)
Step 3: Listen to/watch the episodes
Step 4: Meet with your group to work through the provided discussion questions in the PDF for each episode, and feel free to add your own!
Step 5: Celebrate the fact that you are turning passive knowledge into action!

 

Discussion Questions for this Episode:

1. Tara Schmidt emphasizes advocating for a focus on metabolic health and body composition over just the number on the scale. Before hearing her explanation, what did you used to think about weight? What do you think now? 
2. As discussed in this episode, 74% of US adults are overweight or obese, and about 50% are actively trying to lose weight. How do societal or environmental factors that influence weight gain impact you personally? 
3. Tara lists common misconceptions about weight loss, including it being solely a willpower issue, expecting quick results, or believing that losing weight is the hardest part. Which of these misconceptions have you personally held? How might rethinking these misconceptions help you to be healthier? 
4. The discussion touches on the "set weight" theory, where the body has a preferred weight it tries to maintain. How does this help you reconsider your own weight and health goals (especially around the timelines and expectations you place around weight loss)? 

5. The importance of prioritizing "systems and processes" over "outcomes" (like a specific weight) is stressed. Think about one specific system or process related to your health that you want to more consistently address. Discuss how you plan to change your approach. 
6. Tara suggests that weight loss, when done healthfully, can be "kind of boring" due to its gradual nature. How do you typically cope with the boredom or lack of immediate gratification when pursuing long-term goals? What strategies could you use to find more "process satisfaction"? 
7. The analogy of a child learning to ride a bike is used to illustrate how we should approach setbacks: expect falls, offer encouragement, and get back on. Describe how you could apply this more compassionate approach to yourself. 
8. The call to action encourages listeners to pick one tip (e.g., start small, track what works for you, add healthy habits, be realistic, learn your "changer" type) and commit to it for a week. Which tip will you commit to? Tell your pod club, and keep each other accountable! 

 

Connect with us! Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize
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Email: optimize@mayo.edu