Embarking on a weight loss journey can feel overwhelming, especially with the abundance of information available. Podcasts offer a convenient and accessible way to gain knowledge, find motivation, and connect with experts and individuals who have successfully navigated their own weight loss experiences. For women seeking guidance and inspiration, several podcasts stand out for their focus on female-specific health and wellness topics. This article explores some of the best weight loss podcasts for women, highlighting their unique approaches and the valuable insights they provide.
The Power of Podcasts in Weight Loss
Podcasts have become a popular medium for accessing information and support related to health and wellness. In 2017, at least 40 percent of Americans reported listening to a podcast. They offer several advantages for women on a weight loss journey:
- Convenience: Podcasts can be listened to anytime, anywhere, making them easy to integrate into busy schedules.
- Expertise: Many podcasts feature interviews with doctors, nutritionists, and other health professionals, providing evidence-based advice.
- Community: Some podcasts foster a sense of community by sharing personal stories and offering support to listeners.
- Motivation: Podcasts can provide inspiration and encouragement to stay on track with weight loss goals.
Mayo Clinic Press Podcasts: Expert Wisdom for Women's Health
Mayo Clinic Press podcasts cover a broad spectrum of health topics, from pediatric care to healthy aging, with a strong emphasis on nutrition and overall well-being. These podcasts provide listeners with access to Mayo Clinic's expert wisdom, the latest advancements in medical science, and practical tips for making informed health decisions. Hosted by Kristen Meinzer, these shows feature leading medical experts from Mayo Clinic who share their insights and opinions on the most current health and wellness guidance. Kristen asks the questions you’d want to ask as a patient, a caregiver or just as an interested party - bringing her informed-yet-informal point of view to bear. Kristen Meinzer is an award-winning podcaster and author.
"On Nutrition"
"On Nutrition" is particularly relevant for women seeking weight loss advice. This podcast helps listeners understand the complexities of modern diets, offers evidence-based nutritional advice, and debunks common myths about what we eat. Tara Schmidt, the lead dietitian for the Mayo Clinic Diet, hosts the podcast. She specializes in outpatient counseling for obesity, bariatric surgery, and cardiovascular diseases.
"Aging Forward"
"Aging Forward" offers enlightening conversations and expert advice on healthy aging and geriatric medicine, enabling listeners to embrace older age with vitality and joy. Host, Dr. Chen is a geriatrician in the division of Community Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, with a dual appointment in Integrative Medicine and Health.
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"Raising a Healthy Child"
On each episode, the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Angela Mattke tackles a different subject of concern or interest for caregivers to kids of all ages. Dr. Mattke, medical editor of “Mayo Clinic Guide to Raising a Healthy Child,” is a practicing pediatrician at the Mayo Clinic Children’s Center in Rochester, Minnesota.
The Half Size Me Show: A Journey of Transformation and Maintenance
The Half Size Me Show is hosted by Heather Robertson, who lost 170 pounds over a period of 5 years and has maintained since 2012. Heather did it by learning new eating habits, getting regular exercise, and changing her mindset. On her popular weekly podcast, The Half Size Me Show, Heather shares her own lessons and struggles with you, and she shows you how to handle the real challenge of any weight loss journey… weight maintenance. Be sure to subscribe to The Half Size Me Show and join Heather every week as she shares information, inspiration, coaching, and conversations with REAL people who've learned weight loss isn't only about losing pounds, it's about finding yourself.
The Half Size Me Show is a podcast dedicated to supporting individuals through their weight loss journeys, with a particular emphasis on the often-overlooked aspect of weight maintenance. Heather shares her own experiences, struggles, and lessons learned, offering listeners practical advice on developing sustainable eating habits, incorporating regular exercise, and cultivating a positive mindset.
Key Themes and Topics Covered:
- Weight Maintenance: The podcast focuses on the challenges of maintaining weight loss long-term, providing strategies for navigating plateaus, setbacks, and life changes.
- Mindset: Heather emphasizes the importance of mindset in achieving and maintaining weight loss, encouraging listeners to develop a healthy relationship with food and their bodies.
- Real-Life Stories: The podcast features conversations with real people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off, sharing their personal experiences and insights.
- Practical Advice: Heather provides actionable tips and strategies for developing healthy eating habits, incorporating exercise into daily routines, and managing emotional eating.
Episode Highlights:
- Episode 103: Heather chats with Josie, creator of the blog Yum Yucky. A mom of four, Josie shares how she lost 39 pounds, built healthy habits, and turned fitness from a chore into a source of joy. They also talk about how Josie started losing weight after her third pregnancy and how she balances motherhood, motivation, and mindset.
- Episode Featuring Kim: Kim opens up about what it really takes to maintain long-term weight loss while facing life changes like menopause, retirement, and moving. Heather and Kim chat about how Kim handled weight fluctuations after hitting maintenance, the challenges of menopause, and the role of tracking, flexibility, and mindset in staying consistent.
- Episode Featuring Valerie: Heather and Valerie discuss how Valerie improved her diet, how Valerie is preparing for her triathlon, and what strategies Valerie used to lower her sugar intake.
- Episode Featuring Melissa: They also chat about why grief and life changes can trigger old food habits and how Melissa was able to start tracking consistently.
- Episode Featuring Dr. Ted Naiman: Dr. Ted Naiman discusses how focusing on protein and nutrient density can help you finally escape the yo-yo dieting trap. They also talk about the science behind protein leverage theory, how the P:E Diet makes weight loss easier, Dr. Naiman’s take on carbs, fats, and satiety, and a practical path to metabolic health and lasting results.
- Episode Featuring Dr. Stacy Sims: Mel sits down with Dr. Stacy Sims, a world-renowned exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, to break down exactly how you, as a woman, should be eating, training, and recovering for your hormones, metabolism, and overall health. Dr. Sims reveals why traditional fitness advice is failing women. She talks about how intermittent fasting drains your energy and why your workouts leave you exhausted instead of strong.
Premium Subscription:
For listeners seeking additional support and resources, The Half Size Me Show offers a premium subscription that includes access to the entire episode archive, early access to weekly episodes, exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and subscriber-only audio responses to "Ask Me Anything" questions.
Additional Weight Loss Podcasts for Women:
- The Female Perspective (Schtick): Fitness guru Brittany Lesser talks to women about not only weight loss and fitness, but body positivity.
- Kellcast (Schtick): Powerlifter and certified personal trainer Kelly Lenahan breaks down weight-loss concepts so that they can be understood, and she helps subscribers take their fitness up a notch.
- Trust and Believe (Schtick): Shaun T, known for the Insanity and t25 DVDs, encourages physical and mental fitness, and helps his followers build their confidence.
- The Model Health Show (Schtick): Nutritionist Shawn Stevenson talks all things health and wellness.
- The Complete Fitness Professional (Schtick): This podcast caters to individuals who want to turn their passion for fitness into a career. It also helps motivate those already working in fitness, while keeping them up to date on trends.
The Mind-Body Connection in Weight Loss:
Several podcasts emphasize the importance of addressing the psychological and emotional aspects of weight loss. These podcasts explore topics such as emotional eating, mindset shifts, and building a healthy relationship with food.
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Key Themes and Topics Covered:
- Emotional Eating: Understanding the triggers and patterns of emotional eating and developing coping mechanisms.
- Mindset Shifts: Cultivating a positive and empowering mindset towards weight loss and self-care.
- Self-Compassion: Practicing self-compassion and acceptance throughout the weight loss journey.
- Intuitive Eating: Learning to listen to the body's hunger and fullness cues and developing a more intuitive approach to eating.
Episode Highlights:
- Challenging Conventional Weight Loss Wisdom: Rick reflects on the most valuable lessons he wishes he’d known when he first began his journey to heal his relationship with food. He shares powerful mindset shifts that would have saved years of frustration.
- Daily Habits for Transformation: We dive into the five simple daily habits that actually create real transformation with food and mindset. These habits aren’t about perfection or willpower-they’re about awareness, consistency, and learning to respond instead of react.
- Addressing Emotional Challenges: Rick answers listeners’ most vulnerable questions about why knowing what to do isn’t the same as doing it, how to handle unsupportive family members, what to do after a setback, and how to process the grief that comes with letting go of food as comfort.
- Thinking Like a Maintainer: We explore the single most powerful shift that changes everything: moving from behavior change to identity change. Most people try to force new habits while still seeing themselves through the lens of their old identity.
- The Power of One Question: Discover why one simple question asked before every meal can break decades of unconscious eating patterns and help you meet your real needs.
- Mind-First Approach to Weight Loss: This Q&A episode answers your most pressing questions about implementing the mind-first approach to weight loss. Host addresses practical, real-world concerns about identifying triggers, managing cravings, changing deep-seated beliefs, and what to expect on this journey away from traditional dieting.
- Ditching the Scale: This episode challenges the conventional weight loss mindset (which has a 95% failure rate) and introduces a radical alternative: focusing on gaining control over your relationship with food instead of obsessing over pounds lost.
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