The Well-ISH Podcast

What does life look like after breast cancer treatment? In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Derek and Anthony welcome Wendy back to the Well-ISH Podcast nearly one year after she first shared her breast cancer journey. When Wendy joined the podcast the first time, she was in the middle of treatment and preparing for surgery. This time, she reflects on everything that has happened sinc...

What actually happens when you stop trying to get everything right and just focus on being consistent? In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, Derek and Anthony reflect on Derek's health and fitness journey over the past year and how building more structure around nutrition, running, and everyday habits has changed his approach to health. The conversation starts with a simple realization: meaning...

What are you actually working toward when you try to improve your health? In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, Derek and Anthony step away from the usual nutrition science to talk about fulfillment, doing hard things, behavior change, and why improving your health needs to eventually translate into something bigger than yourself. They discuss why fulfillment doesn't necessarily come from doing...

Inflammation has become one of the biggest buzzwords in nutrition. Certain foods are labeled "inflammatory," others are marketed as "anti-inflammatory," and we're often left believing that eliminating the right foods is the key to reducing inflammation. But nutrition isn't that simple. In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, Derek and Anthony break down what inflammation actually is, the differen...

When should foot or ankle pain be evaluated by a specialist—and does seeing a foot and ankle surgeon automatically mean you're headed for surgery? In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, Anthony sits down with Dr. Sam Memmelaar, a new foot and ankle surgeon with Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics. Dr. Memmelaar shares the path that brought him from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Iowa, medical sch...

Why do so many people wake up feeling exhausted—even after getting eight hours of sleep? In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, Anthony sits down with Debbie Bock, a Registered Sleep Technologist with more than 16 years of experience helping patients diagnose and treat sleep disorders. Together they discuss what actually happens during a sleep study, how sleep apnea affects your body, why sleep...

Alcohol is one of the most common parts of social life—but it's also one of the most misunderstood topics in nutrition. In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, Derek and Anthony take an evidence-based look at alcohol and discuss how it affects calories, sleep, appetite, decision-making, and overall health. Rather than telling you whether you should or shouldn't drink, this conversation is about h...

Do you have to give up pizza, burgers, desserts, or your favorite coffee drinks to live a healthy lifestyle? Probably not. In this episode, Derek and Anthony share some of their favorite foods—from smash burgers and pizza to cereal, baked goods, and sweetened coffee—and explain how they fit those foods into an overall healthy lifestyle. Rather than focusing on restriction, this conversation explor...

What should you actually do before starting a GLP-1 medication? In this follow-up to our previous GLP-1 conversation, Derek and Anthony move beyond the big-picture discussion and walk through exactly how they would prepare a patient before starting a GLP-1 medication. Using patient scenarios, they discuss the foundational habits that can improve long-term success—from protein and fiber intake to m...

In this episode of The Well-ISH Podcast, Anthony and Derek sit down to talk about one of the most overlooked—but most impactful—parts of health: sleep. They break down why sleep is foundational to everything from recovery and metabolism to mental clarity and emotional stability. While most people know sleep is important, far fewer are actually getting enough—or building routines that support it. T...

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound have changed the conversation around weight management—but are we doing enough to prepare people before they start them? In this episode, Derek and Anthony explore what they believe is one of the biggest gaps in obesity care today: helping patients build the habits, nutrition foundation, and lifestyle skills that can maximize success before the...

In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, Derek and Anthony explore why so many people struggle to stick with healthy habits—and why the answer may be simpler than we think. From nutrition and fitness to career growth and personal development, they discuss the importance of building a strong foundation before chasing the next trend, shortcut, or quick fix. The conversation dives into consistency, p...

What if the goal isn't just getting out of pain—but getting back to the life you want to live? In this episode of The Well-ISH Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Kyler Case, chiropractor, owner of Metro Movement, and founder of The Arena, a new Hyrox-focused training facility in Des Moines. Kyler shares his journey from small-town Iowa athlete to chiropractor and business owner, how two ACL injuries sh...

What are the most common health, nutrition, and fitness questions people are searching for right now? In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, Anthony and Derek put AI to work and use some of the internet's most frequently asked wellness questions as the foundation for a wide-ranging discussion on protein, muscle, sleep, supplements, and long-term health. Topics include: How much protein do you ac...

School is almost out, routines change, and summer can quickly become a season of unlimited snacks, inconsistent meals, and disrupted structure. In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, Derek and Anthony discuss practical ways families can help children build healthier nutrition habits during the summer — without perfection, guilt, or rigid food rules. They cover: Why summer structure matters for k...

What’s actually in the products we use every day — and how much does it matter? In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, we sit down with Ashley Asberry, founder of Low Toxy, to unpack the world of “cleaner living,” environmental exposures, and reducing toxic burden without becoming overwhelmed. Ashley shares how pregnancy sparked her deep dive into ingredient safety, why she transitioned from par...

This one’s different. In this episode, we sit down with Thomas — a patient at Iowa Weight Loss Specialist — to talk about what a real health journey actually looks like. From struggling with weight since childhood to reaching over 500 pounds, Thomas opens up about the deeper layers behind it all: binge eating, addiction, loss, and the turning point that led him toward sobriety and change. We talk...

In this episode of The Well-ISH Podcast, Derek and Anthony tackle one of the most common barriers people face when trying to eat better — the belief that healthy food is just too expensive. They break down the real cost of eating at home versus going through the drive-through, including a side-by-side comparison of a homemade burger, fries, and drink versus a typical fast food combo. The numbers m...

In this episode of The Well-ISH Podcast, Anthony flips the script and interviews co-host Derek Groathouse, MS, RDN, CPT about his path into nutrition, how he works with patients, and what actually drives his approach to care. Derek shares how his background in teaching, coaching, and nutrition shaped the way he connects with patients today. From substitute teaching and high school football coachin...

In this episode of The Well-ISH Podcast, Derek Groathouse, MS, RDN, CPT and Anthony Kinley, MS, RDN sit down with Lynzy DeVary, ARNP, a nurse practitioner with Iowa Weight Loss Specialists, to talk about what medical weight loss really looks like when the goal is long-term health, not just a lower number on the scale. Lynzy shares her path from hospitalist into more preventive care, and why helpin...

In this episode of The Well-ISH Podcast, Derek and Anthony sit down with Lauren Overland, therapist with Iowa Weight Loss and part of the Belmond Behavioral Health team, for a conversation about what therapy really looks like — and why it matters so much in a weight loss journey. Lauren shares what her day-to-day work looks like, how therapy often becomes a safe space for people to process stress,...

Derek and Anthony are joined by Laurie Baedke, executive coach, keynote speaker, author, healthcare leadership expert, and so much more. Laurie has spent decades working with healthcare professionals, physician leaders, and executives across the country, helping them develop stronger leadership skills, build meaningful professional relationships, and create environments where individuals and teams...

In Part 2 of this conversation on the newly released Dietary Guidelines, Derek MPP, RDN, CPT and Anthony MFN, RDN move from theory to application. After revisiting the foundations in Part 1, this episode dives deeper into some of the most debated areas of the guidelines — whole grains, processed foods, practical implementation, and how these recommendations play out in real life. Rather than argui...

In this episode of the Well-ISH Podcast, we’re joined by Steve Simonin, President and CEO of Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics, for a conversation about leadership, culture, and personal growth. Steve reflects on nearly 30 years leading a rural healthcare system and shares how his perspective evolved over time — moving beyond finance-driven metrics toward a more patient-centered and people-fo...

In this episode, we sit down with LeAnn Hindman, ARNP at Iowa Weight Loss Specialists, to talk about her journey from paramedic and ER nurse to nurse practitioner — and why she’s especially passionate about men’s health. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at how medical weight loss actually works — this episode is for you. LeAnn shares how medical weight loss isn’t just about prescriptions — it’...