Exam Room Nutrition: Where Busy Clinicians Learn About Nutrition

Today’s episode is a mashup of my favorite moments, quotes, and “clinic gems” from the year. These are the tools that made conversations easier, built more trust, and helped patients actually follow through … and I’m bringing all eight of them with me into 2026. Inside this episode, you’ll learn: The simple mindset shift that instantly reduces clinician burnout The question that uncovers barriers...

"What’s good for the heart is good for the brain."  Can better cholesterol management in midlife actually lower your patient’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease?  In this episode, I’m joined by returning guest Josh Wageman, PhD, PA-C, a clinical lipid specialist who studied cholesterol disturbances in Alzheimer’s disease.  Together, we unpack how cholesterol, APOB, APOE4, insulin resistance, a...

GLP-1 medications are changing the game in obesity care. Patients are losing weight, feeling full faster… and often eating less overall. But less food can also mean less muscle, unless we guide them toward the right nutrition.   In today’s episode, we unpack how clinicians can better counsel patients using anti-obesity meds, and how nutrient-dense, affordable options like pork can support satiety,...

Menopause nutrition and weight management aren’t as simple as “eat less, move more.”  In this episode, menopause expert and RD Dr. Su-Nui Escobar breaks down what’s really driving midlife weight changes and what clinicians should focus on instead.  What You’ll Learn: How fluctuating estrogen affects fat distribution, metabolism, inflammation, and cardiometabolic risk Why traditional weight-loss ad...

How To Address Weight In A Body Positive Culture In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tzvi Doron, a board-certified Family and Obesity Medicine physician and lipidology expert, to unpack the middle ground between body neutrality and evidence-based obesity care. We talk about how to approach weight without shame, how weight loss impacts lipids and cardiometabolic risk, and why protecting lean mass...

Creatine isn’t just for athletes. In this episode, Dr. Scott Forbes joins Colleen Sloan, PA-C, RDN, to unpack the latest research on creatine safety, dosing, timing, and real-world use. Plus who should (and shouldn’t) take it.  This one supplement can support muscle, bone, and brain health and has over 600 clinical trials backing its safety. Too good to be true? Nope. That’s creatine. Dr. Forbes s...

It’s not your job to make patients change. Your job is to create the environment where change feels possible.  In this conversation, I sit down with Staci Belcher, RDN, an Internal Family Systems–informed dietitian, to unpack how to use curiosity, compassion, and counseling techniques to unlock motivation. You’ll learn practical ways to apply behavior change psychology and motivational interviewin...

AI is everywhere. Is it coming for our jobs… or just taking mundane tasks off your plate? If you’ve felt equal parts curious and cautious, this conversation will calm the noise and show you some brilliant ways AI makes your life easier, both professionally and personally. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Raul Palacios, Registered Dietitian, educator, and AI-in-healthcare tinkerer who’s my go-to A...

What happens when a dietitian and a PA sit down to talk about heart disease—from both sides of the exam room? In this episode, Colleen brings together two heart health experts: Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, a cardiovascular dietitian known for her evidence-based prevention strategies, and Josh Wageman, PA-C, PhD, a clinical lipid specialist who’s spent his career studying cholesterol distu...

What happens when a woman in menopause, a man considering bariatric surgery, and a young adult on a GLP-1 all walk into clinic? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Leslie Golden, a dual board-certified physician in Obesity Medicine and Family Medicine and founder of Weight in Gold Wellness.  She brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to her work—helping patients heal their relationship...

In this episode, I sit down with Julie Duffy Dillon, RDN, therapist, and author of Find Your Food Voice , to help clinicians replace diet-culture with practical, patient-centered coaching. We dig into what a “food voice” is, why so many people get disconnected from it, and how you can guide patients back to hunger/fullness cues without meal plans, shame, or quick fixes. You’ll leave with language...

If your prenatal visit keeps getting hijacked by TikTok misinformation (hello, “folic acid causes autism”), this is the episode you’ll want in your back pocket.  In this epsiode, I sit down with women’s health dietitian Jane Leverich to map out exactly what to cover from preconception through postpartum: realistic calorie needs, how to talk about weight gain without harm, what prenatals actually d...

For years, parents were told to delay introducing allergenic foods like peanuts and eggs. Now, the advice is the complete opposite—and your families are confused, anxious, and looking to you for answers. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Carina Venter—one of the world’s leading experts in pediatric food allergies. Together, we unpack the science, the guidelines, and the practical “how-to” steps c...

Meal replacements are an excellent tool for weight management. But they aren't the same as protein shakes.  Medical weight-loss dietitian Julia Axelbaum joins me to clear up the confusion, define the difference (they are not interchangeable), and map out exactly when to use each—on their own or alongside evidence-based tools like GLP-1s. You’ll walk away with a 3-step label checklist you can...

Coaching Skills for Clinical Practice. Because if you want patients to actually change, you need to coach—not just prescribe. I’m joined by Annie Wildermuth—RD, PA, PhD-trained researcher, and certified leadership & performance coach. Annie breaks down what real coaching is (and isn’t), how to spot legitimate coach training, and the exact questions that open patients up—without adding time to...

Today’s episode will change how you think (and talk) about food. Instead of obsessing over calories or cutting carbs, what if we taught patients to focus on nutrient density ? I’m joined by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, bestselling author of Nutrivore. You’ll learn how to shift the conversation from restriction to addition—and give patients permission to enjoy their food and improve their health. What You...

What if your “noncompliant” patient isn’t failing… but the plan is? In this final episode of Sneak Peek Week , RD and behavior change expert Jeannie Boyer shares how to reframe plateaus, shift focus beyond the scale, and help patients set goals that actually matter. Plus, get a preview of our Special Populations modules—covering bariatric surgery and PCOS—and how to support these patients with nut...

Obesity medications can be powerful—but side effects often get in the way. In this episode of Sneak Peek Week , dietitian and weight loss expert Melissa Mitri shares practical, food-first strategies to help your patients manage nausea, stay on track, and get better results—without feeling miserable. Ready to join the Obesity Medicine Nutrition Course? Use code POD15 to get 15% off the full  at exa...

Tired of giving advice that doesn’t stick? In this episode of Sneak Peek Week , you’ll hear from behavior change expert and registered dietitian Laura Kohler, who shares the one question every clinician should be asking when a patient feels stuck—and why more handouts aren’t the answer. Get ready to stop playing advice-ping-pong and start creating real momentum. Ready to join The Obesity Medicine...

Most clinicians were trained to track BMI—but when it comes to motivating real change, that number only tells part of the story. In this sneak peek from the Obesity Medicine Nutrition Course, dietitian and health psychologist Dr. Nina Crowley shares how to use body composition data to guide smarter goals—and how to talk about it with patients in a way that actually motivates change. Grab the full...

Join The Obesity Medicine Nutrition Course ! Enter code POD15 at checkout for 15% off! Anti-obesity medications are everywhere—but they also come with new challenges. From rapid weight loss and side effects to TikTok-fueled supplement questions, patients on weight management medications need more than generic nutrition advice. In this episode, I’m joined by Melissa Mitri, a seasoned weight loss di...

If your patient tells you they're avoiding fruit “because it has too much sugar,” this is the episode you’ve been waiting for. From viral posts claiming sugar is poison to influencers suggesting chocolate is healthier than grapes, nutrition misinformation is everywhere—and your patients are soaking it in. In this conversation, Colleen sits down with dietitian and public health researcher Dust...

That “picky eater” might not grow out of it. And that patient obsessed with “clean eating”? It might be something deeper. Today, we’re joined by eating disorder dietitian Johnna to challenge everything you thought you knew about disordered eating.  You’ll learn: The subtle red flags of disordered eating you might be overlooking during routine visits How to ask better questions to uncover what&apos...

You’re walking out the door, wrapping up your visit, and then it happens—  “...Oh, by the way, what do you think about ... ?” Sound familiar? In this episode, I’m joined by Alexandria Hardy, MS, RD, LDN, to tackle the rapid-fire nutrition questions patients love to drop at the end of an appointment—when there’s zero time left to answer them well. From weight loss and metabolism to carbs, supplemen...

When formula shelves went empty in 2022, clinicians scrambled. Desperate parents, unfamiliar brands, and European imports raised more questions than answers. Since January 2024, one name kept coming up: Kabrita. Is goat milk-based formula just a trend—or is it a clinically sound option you can recommend with confidence? In this episode, sponsored by Kabrita, I’m joined by Dr. Ari Brown, board-cert...